Phoenix Turns Deaf Ear To Night-Time Noise
Councilman Michael Johnson’s website insists “I Luv District 8.” Apparently not enough. The Councilman and the Phoenix Development Services Department have regularly discarded noise ordinances protecting city residents to give developers free reign with night-time construction work. Neighbors in the vicinity of 3rd Street and East Fillmore in downtown Phoenix have complained since January, 2008 about frequent 2 AM heavy machinery, forklifts, and concrete boom pumps at the Alta Phoenix construction site to little avail.
Johnson’s office and the DSD have continued to approve extended-hour work permits for the site since the beginning of the year despite documented objections from nearby apartment dwellers. The reasoning behind the bizarre approvals, residents contend, is to increase convenience to the developer. Official engineering rationale given by Johnson’s staff for the granting of the permits has changed almost monthly.
After some early cooperation, the Councilman has taken no interest in the plight of his constituents in recent months. A noise mitigation plan drafted in May by the City has done little, except give residents notice when they will be disturbed, often night after night.
With some apartments less than 75 feet away from the construction, a number of occupants have lost weeks of sleep – while others have simply moved away after nothing was done. “Councilman Johnson and the City have sacrificed the health and well being of the neighborhood residents for the convenience of the developer,” said one angry resident. “The city wants a downtown population, but doesn’t want to protect its quality of life.”
It’s time Phoenix pulled the plug on early morning construction work in the East Fillmore and 3rd Avenue residential area and took its own noise ordinances seriously. As for now, the callous Councilman and City have turned a deaf ear to the neighborhood’s pleas, adding another black eye to Phoenix’s efforts to attract a stable, affluent downtown population.
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