Alamar residents and city of Avondale officials gathered at Lakin Elementary School to talk about issues important to the community. In case you missed it, here’s a recap of what was discussed on Aug. 7.
Questions and answers
Food and retail
Walmart
There are no plans for Walmart to be built nearby.
Grocery store
A big grocery store in the permitting process right now at the corner of West Lower Buckeye Road and South Avondale Boulevard. Once the name is announced, the city will send out notice to the surrounding area.
Other options like Trader Joe's, Whole Foods and Barros Pizza
Food and retail options like these come into areas that have a specific average household income. Currently, Avondale does not meet the number for these retailers.
Growth and development
Data center
The data center will offset the removal of rental tax revenue and contribute to the city's economic expansion.
Commercial space
The city owns a parcel located on Avondale Boulevard and West Van Buren Street. This section will be a commercial area — Avondale will send out a press release when all commercial spaces are identified.
Future housing
The city is not able to restrict or limit the development of multifamily dwellings in the Avondale Boulevard and Broadway Road corridor. However, there are no other applications for new multifamily developments pending.
Everything acquired in the area is listed as medium density, there are no plans to change estate lots.
Community Center
There are no plans for a community center in Alamar.
Alamar Park
The city of Avondale was advised of the flooding issues at large dog side of the dog park and the request to install more lighting in the area. They stated they would look into both issues.
New fire station
Fire Station 176 will be located on El Mirage Road past the power lines and will include both police and fire departments. Construction is budgeted and expected to start in 2027.
Post office
The nearest local post office is at 401 W. Western Ave., Avondale, AZ. There are currently no plans for one to be located within the Alamar community.
Future high school
A new high school is planned for Alamar Boulevard and Dysart Road. The state and school district must approve the project before construction can begin. Officials hope to start building in 2025, but funding from the state is needed.
Traffic and Route 30
Route 30
The proposed state Route 30 between Phoenix International Raceway and Alamar, which would connect Route 202 to Route 303, depends on the passage of Proposition 479.
If approved, the transportation tax included in the proposition would fund the project. Otherwise, construction will be delayed until sufficient funding is secured.
Traffic lights
The intersection between Broadway Road and the 202 is owned by the county. The city cannot confirm if there's a plan to add more traffic lights to the area.
Traffic congestion
Avondale is planning to mitigate traffic congestion by adding stoplights and traffic flow lanes. State Route 30, when completed, will also provide relief. The addition of grocery stores could help, but traffic management decisions are typically made on a case-by-case basis.
Big rigs on the road
State legislators have ruled out restrictions on public roads, such as Broadway, to prevent large trucks from using them. There are no plans for traffic controls specifically targeting big rigs on that road.
Crime prevention and updates
Stay safe out there and know who to call. Read more on who to call and when. If you see something out of the norm or that makes you feel uncomfortable, but you’re not in immediate danger, call the Avondale Police non-emergency line at 623-333-7000 or submit a crime report online.
If you feel like you or a neighbor could be in danger, call 911.
Updates on recent crimes
A drive-by shooting in Avondale was a random act of violence, not a targeted attack. Twelve rounds were fired into the ground; one ricocheted and hit a home. The vehicle description is known, but the license plate number is not.
Alamar is in beat 8, and crime statistics do not warrant a dedicated beat officer. There have been 90 total calls for service in the area, 44 of those were construction-related crimes.
Tres Rios Canal
Avondale Police Chief Espinosa said officers are stopping pedestrians before they enter the Tres Rios Canal, and the city is considering fencing the river bottom to improve safety. Nine shots have been fired in the area, but not all of the canal is within Avondale city limits. The western side of the river has seen an increase in trespassing.
Powerline patrol
People are driving on a dirt path under power lines near new homes. Police will be patrolling the area, and residents are encouraged to call 911 to report any suspicious activity. The city is considering restricting the path to foot traffic only.
Detection devices
Plans for a shotgun detection device were abandoned due to cost concerns. Avondale is currently using patrol officers and vehicle-mounted gun cameras.
Thank you to our Avondale partners
Memo Espinosa
Chief of police, Avondale Police Department
Memo grew up in Avondale and attended Agua Fria High School. Memo has been with the Avondale Police Department since 1997. During his career, he has worked as a detective, corporal, sergeant, and lieutenant with experience in criminal investigations, hiring, recruitment and training.
Ron Corbin
City manager, city of Avondale
As city manager, Ron oversees the daily operations of the city’s 19 departments, following city council guidelines. Previously, as a Human Resources Director in Yuma and Oro Valley, he focused on improving employee satisfaction, recruitment, and performance.
Tracy Stevens
Assistant city manager, city of Avondale
Tracy joined the city of Avondale as the planning manager in 2007 and was promoted to the development and engineering services director in 2013. In 2019 she was hired for the position of deputy city manager and promoted to the assistant city manager position in 2022.
Katie Gregory
Assistant city manager, city of Avondale
As assistant city manager Katie will support the city manager, Ron Corbin, in his work with the city council. That support will be in the form of helping to implement programs and policies that are brought forward as part of the council’s direction.
Dale Nannenga
Deputy city manager, city of Avondale
Dale is currently the deputy city manager and was appointed to oversee the Avondale police, fire and medical, emergency management, and code compliance departments. Previously, he was the chief of the office of public safety and the chief of police for the Avondale Police Department from November 2013 to 2021.