Thousands protest building of Republic Services transfer station

Thousands of Peoria, Arizona, residents are lobbying to stop Phoenix-based Republic Services from building a new transfer station in the suburban city just outside of Phoenix, azcentral.com reports.

Nearly 4,000 residents have joined a Facebook group against the project, with more than 1,600 signing a petition in hopes of bringing the development to a halt.

Among other complaints, the residents say the building of the structure could yield traffic increases, diminish home values, and generate noise and other forms of pollution.

Peoria Mayor Cathy Carlat and Councilwoman Bridget Binsbacher have also come out against the building of the facility.

In a May letter to Arizona’s Maricopa County Supervisor Clint Hickman, Carlat backs its residents’ opposition to the build. Hickman has yet to zone the would-be property for industrial use, which is a prerequisite before the build can move forward.  

"These homeowners believe unequivocally that their families and their quality of life will be negatively impacted," Carlat wrote. "In light of this very vocal dissent, I cannot support this project as it is clear that the citizens who reside in Peoria and the county parcels do not want this type of facility in or near their communities."

Although many residents have voiced their concerns about this new industrial facility disrupting the community, Stephen Anderson, an attorney who represents Republic Services, cites the presence of several other industrial properties nearby that are already in operation as examples of how the transfer station might mesh with the community.

He also says that while common, concerns about the impact of building a transfer station are mostly speculative.

"There are lots of mature communities that have these transfer stations. Sometimes when they are proposed, there are concerns," Stephen Anderson, an attorney who represents Republic Services, tells azcentral.com. "If you take a look at other transfer stations … the concerns generally prove to be unfounded."

Anderson says Republic has been preparing to meet with residents about the project since 2019, but these initiatives got sidetracked as COVID-19 concerns limited in-person gatherings the last several months.