The Phoenix City Council rejected a proposal Monday to build a second truck stop on the city's east side, siding with residents who argued the project conflicts with the city's long-term vision and could worsen traffic near a new affordable housing development.
After nearly three hours of testimony and debate, the council voted 4-3 to approve an appeal filed by residents challenging the Phoenix Planning Commission's approval of a proposed 7-Eleven travel center and convenience store. The council initially deadlocked 3-3, with Mayor Al Muelhoefer casting the deciding vote in favor of the appeal.
Carrie Richter, an attorney representing a group of east Phoenix residents opposed to the project, argued the proposal conflicts with the city's comprehensive plan. She said the site is intended for a development that creates a significant number of jobs.
"I would ask the council to ask themselves how many jobs this 5,000-square-foot building will generate on the only 12-acre parcel that the city has in its industrial land supply," Richter said.
Residents also criticized the project's effects on an adjacent 88-unit affordable housing development under construction.
Phoenix resident Michael Balocca, one of the appellants, questioned whether the city needed another truck stop next to an existing one.
"Do we really need a second truck stop right literally smack dab next to the one that currently exists there in Phoenix? The citizens of Phoenix certainly do not need one," he said. "You have absolutely no obligation to help a large foreign corporation establish a commercial enterprise here for their own economic gain."
Balocca also said increased traffic could complicate evacuations because Grove Road is the only exit for residents of the nearby housing development if a wildfire approaches from the east. He said the road was jam-packed with traffic during the 2020 Almeda Fire.
The developer, Guggenheim Development Services, a Texas-based real estate firm, argued that the project met the city's standards.
"Nothing in this record establishes that this project, with numerous conditions of approval attended to it, substantially impairs the approved housing across Grove Road or any other primary use in the zone," said Chris Hearn, the developer's attorney.
The council debated the appeal for three hours.
Councilor Nicole Suetos said she personally opposed another truck stop but believed the application met the city's legal requirements.
"I didn't want that Dollar General going in, and I didn't want that Starbucks going in," Suetos said. "But there's laws, and there's a lot of laws I don't agree with, and this is maybe one of them."
Other council members said the proposal left too many unanswered questions.
Councilor Michael Shunk said he wanted a more thorough analysis of the traffic, lighting, noise and other environmental impacts. He also questioned whether another truck stop was the right fit for the city.
"Our goal with the comprehensive plan is to make Phoenix more of a destination, and this does not follow that," Shunk said.
By approving the appeal, the council overturned the Phoenix Planning Commission's earlier approval of the project and denied the application.
The developer can appeal the city's decision to Oregon's Land Use Board of Appeals.
