Picacho Peak
- Thread starter goodtimes
- Start date
Rockcrawler
Adventurer
It sounds like that is up in the air... They've said that the 100-200 tucson employees *could* be moving to picacho, but haven't said anything definitive yet.
Something else that is interesting from reading up on it is that it seems like they are only using 500 some acres for the switching yard, but are trying to buy 10000 acres with no explanation as to what they are going to be using the rest of the land for.
Either way, this has no place being next to the picacho state park. It should be moved either closer to tucson or closer to casa grande.
Kyle
Something else that is interesting from reading up on it is that it seems like they are only using 500 some acres for the switching yard, but are trying to buy 10000 acres with no explanation as to what they are going to be using the rest of the land for.
Either way, this has no place being next to the picacho state park. It should be moved either closer to tucson or closer to casa grande.
Kyle
DesertRose
Safari Chick & Supporting Sponsor
I wonder if Southern Pacific has seen the writing on the wall with all the planned development in the area and the potential for a rail link between Tucson and the Phoenix megalopolis?
Not to be too cynical here, but all that land that the website (savethepeak.org) is bemoaning as at-risk to trains is slated for development anyway - Diamond Ventures already is planning a huge master-planned community just a few miles southeast of Picacho (between there and Pinal) and many other speculators and developers are all over the state land department every day trying to get pieces along this corridor. Eloy, Casa Grande - all will eventually link up along the corridor, a-la California style.
I guess if I were to personally prioritize what to spend my energy on for fighting something like this, I'd chose land that was high-wild value (Tumacacori Highlands, for example) and not a major future urban corridor . . .
But I'm just a cynical old ex-pro greenie.
rngartis
Not to be too cynical here, but all that land that the website (savethepeak.org) is bemoaning as at-risk to trains is slated for development anyway - Diamond Ventures already is planning a huge master-planned community just a few miles southeast of Picacho (between there and Pinal) and many other speculators and developers are all over the state land department every day trying to get pieces along this corridor. Eloy, Casa Grande - all will eventually link up along the corridor, a-la California style.
I guess if I were to personally prioritize what to spend my energy on for fighting something like this, I'd chose land that was high-wild value (Tumacacori Highlands, for example) and not a major future urban corridor . . .
But I'm just a cynical old ex-pro greenie.
rngartis
goodtimes
Expedition Poseur
I think the big problem is not that the land will be used for something other than what it currently is, the problem is WHAT it will be used for if UP puts the yard there. Fans of the park are probably most concerned with the noise and diesel exhaust deteriorating their favorite park.
If I had to guess as to why UP wants so much land, it is so they can later sell the excess to developers for a profit, or, they are concerned that as the area developes, the new home owners will raise a big stink about being so close to a rail yard and try to force them out, kind of like Denver did when they closed Stapleton Airport and build DIA. There was nothing wrong with Stapleton, 35% unoccupied, but the homeowners complained that it was lowering their property value, despite the fact that the airport was there long before they purchased their homes. UP might be trying to keep a large buffer between the switching yard and future homes.
If I had to guess as to why UP wants so much land, it is so they can later sell the excess to developers for a profit, or, they are concerned that as the area developes, the new home owners will raise a big stink about being so close to a rail yard and try to force them out, kind of like Denver did when they closed Stapleton Airport and build DIA. There was nothing wrong with Stapleton, 35% unoccupied, but the homeowners complained that it was lowering their property value, despite the fact that the airport was there long before they purchased their homes. UP might be trying to keep a large buffer between the switching yard and future homes.
calamaridog
Expedition Leader
My thoughts are that it sounds like the perfect place for a switching yard.
Land has been leveled and there are no washes making the permit process easier. Sounds good to me.
Sometimes you do have to have stuff in your "back yard". Such is the fact of life with "progress".
Officially, I have no opinion since I don't live there
Land has been leveled and there are no washes making the permit process easier. Sounds good to me.
Sometimes you do have to have stuff in your "back yard". Such is the fact of life with "progress".
Officially, I have no opinion since I don't live there
BajaTaco
Swashbuckler
DesertRose said:
I think the issue for the savethepeak people is not a question of if the land is developed for homes, but if the land ends up with a noisy, stinky train hub on it. Obviously, they (savethepeak) stand to lose a lot of value on their properties if the switching yard goes in. Just read the "contact us" page and it becomes clear. I can't blame them, I would be doing it too if it were my property next door.
ShottsCruisers
Explorer
Normally I'd be against this, however it's no secret that eventually (next 10-years-ish) there won't be hardly any open land between Phoenix and Tucson. So, while it might be an eyesore today eventually it'll blend in.
Clutch
<---Pass
I live fairly close to the one in Tucson, I really don't see what the big deal is. I sort of like seeing and hearing the trains. There aren't any houses on the Peak...and I-10 does rip right past it. I drool a bit when the containers go by....mmmm....containers...for a house....:drool:
Hell, people live in the half-million dollar Ice House Lofts...and they are right next to the tracks!
http://www.icehouselofts.com/
Hell, people live in the half-million dollar Ice House Lofts...and they are right next to the tracks!
http://www.icehouselofts.com/
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