A copy from Vimmerstedts for others to have the answers they need. I want to thank Vim for sending in the information for others to know about.



Hi everyone ! - this is the Vimmerstedts replying.

When we found out about the parking lot expansion (AFTER we moved in)and found out that the City planned to take the piece of Central Avenue next
to our house and fill it full of desert vegetation to prevent human passage and to also block the view of our backyard from passersby, we kiddingly offered to buy it. The answer was ''No''.

Two months later, a call from the City indicated that the asphalt and
sidewalk portion of the area between the poles was not ''Phoenix Mountain
Preserve'' but ''City of Phoenix Streets and Transportation'' property.
Therefore, the 30 foot wide section of asphalt and sidewalk could qualify
for ''abandonment'' and could be purchased from the City because they were not going to use it anyway. Our plea to purchase this was the fact that the City would have to spend all the money, time and maintenance to vegetate the land and keep it maintained (for us) when, on the other hand if we owned it, we would be the ones who could decide what needed to take place to insure our privacy (as needed) and to use an otherwise unused piece of perfectly good land. And, since the plans for the parking lot dedicated that the land would be rendered impassible anyway, our acquisition does not hinder the original plans.
Our intention of the use of the property is this - We want to use it as
a recreation area. After the parking lot goes in, we will pay for a nice wall around the entire campus. We want to put up a basketball court, maybe put in some horseshoe pits and just utilize the area. We DON''T want to build on it. We DON''T want to offend anyone by erecting something that will interfere with the scheme of the desert and we DON'T want to offend the neighborhood. All we want to do is acquire a perfectly good piece of land that is adjacent to our existing property and use it. That's all we want.
Thanks.

- The
Vimmerstedts -

The other side?

Thanks Vim for the information regarding the signs on the property to the west of your place. It clears up a lot of misunderstanding that others may have. When the city posted signs everyone gets worried! Seems like your plans sounds like a good one!

Ain't buying it

How do you move into a neighborhood that has fought bitterly with the city for two years and not tell anyone that you intend to amend the plan ''slightly'' before now, the eleventh hour and when the heat is on?
This is a new resident that has picthed a huge permanent tent on his side yard, jacked up his camper so that everyone has to look at it or the tarp draped over it, has destroyed the front wall and patched it with siding, threatened loudly at one meeting to sue the former homeowners who some of us have known for 23 years, shown up at the neighborhood meeting only to let everyone know how expensive his alarm system was then left and parks a truck the size of a semi across the driveway.
All this is none of our business until he wants us to go along with his plan which jeopardizes all of our hard work.
His world seems to be all about him not how his actions affect the hundreds of homeowners around him.
I won't support abandonment and I will let the city and Peggy Bilsten know.

focus

let's keep our eyes on the real issue which is the city and not make this an ugly fight with our neighbor. obviously this is an emotionally charged issue. i have not been contacted though by the city for any changes to the plan i agreed to after looking at several different plans. i think they need to follow that process before the city can step out of an agreement with a neighborhood. i think even a verbal agreement is a contract but i'm not a lawyer. its no fun though when you are at odds with your neighbors.

By annonymous