Word From The Forest

Well, it's difficult to put pictures on while we're up here, but I'll share a couple. One of the themes of this camping trip has been passing the torch to the younger generation. The Mister can't hunker for long periods of time fixing things and his back doesn't like hauling heavy loads. I can't lug the water around like I used to, nor the ice chests when they are full. So we think it's time for the younger set to take over and eventually we will just sit and sip iced tea and read books while they serve us. Or something like that. Here is our oldest doing oven duty:




The notable thing about this oven is that the temperature is regulated by turning burners on and off or opening the door if you get in a pinch. We made 4 cakes to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries this year... That's a lot of door-opening.

Serving 60-plus people requires a few dishes, and they need to fit back in their receptacle, so here is a shot of Bias For Action's youngest tackling the plate-sorting:



We lost our campfire privileges last night, but we were grateful to get campfires and s'mores for half our time here.

More when we get back and I don't have to write so fast (short battery life on my computer).

Camping - with Internet

We are beside the creek, and next to the satellite dish. It is slow, so no pictures. Go, Basha's!

Speaking of stones

This picture captures the repair of the pillars in Higley Groves West, in mid-process. We have had quite a few stones missing, and just had not found the right way to get them fixed. It is a small job, and those seem to be the hardest to get done. Well, we found a handy man, if not a handyman, and hired him through our landscaper, and now the pillars on Higley look much better. It is time consuming, because a lot of the stones still in place are loose. The first thing is to fix THEM. Then the missing stones are replaced. I think it is just the nature of having the irrigation wet the pillars regularly. And, in my opinion, having to do this maintenance is worth it. I think Higley Road looks great!

Tradition in the Woods

Bias For Action found some old family pictures and gave me digital access, and I look forward to sharing a few with you here and there. The shot above is of his parents enjoying the pleasures of camping; we think the child in the playpen is the oldest brother. I bring this up now because we are about to embark on this generation's version of Ditch Camp; I've explained the origins here, and shared some recent year's stories here, and we continue to make more with each year.

Once again, The Mister is bringing a dish that should let us post a time or two, but if I find myself buried in a Scrabble game or cards or more likely, elbow-deep in potato peels, I might not find time to open the computer. We'll be gone for the entire next week, and only The First Cousin will be there to cheer on the Grand Opening of Bashas on the 30th; but she's very good at cheering on, so please join her and the rest of the shopping center tenants.

Oscar and Me

My favorite children's television program as my kids grew up was Sesame Street. So when I feel a little grouchy I find myself identifying with Oscar the Grouch. Sometimes all I need is a little knowledge about the situation to ease my crabbiness; so this article in the AZ Republic helped my disposition a lot:

Gilbert's bulk trash pickup service is experiencing big-time backup, leaving residents with landscape clippings, electronics or other large trash items outside their homes for weeks.

Phone calls and e-mails have been pouring in about the situation, which has been caused by high demand for the free program, town spokesman Greg Svelund said.

"Our bulk trash has increased more than 25 percent year over year," he said. "When you look at two or more years of that kind of growth, it's an enormous amount of material."

With workers behind, piles of uncontained trash have sat idle for two weeks or longer, Svelund said.

Gilbert plans to hire a private carrier to aid collection efforts, as well as redraw bulk trash collection boundaries to balance the system, Svelund said.

The monthly service is for larger items that don't fit into black trash bins. Once a month, a household can set out microwaves, furniture, grass clippings and televisions for pickup.

Gilbert is trying to add more bulk trash workers and trucks to address growth. In 2004, the town had nine full-time drivers and plans are to bump up to 17 full-time drivers for the 2007-2008 fiscal year.

For questions, call (480) 503-6400.

For several weeks now, I've been sweetly enquiring (okay, more like grousing than asking) of The Mister why the bulk trash sits on the curb for so long in our otherwise delightful neighborhood. Until now, his answer has been that the pickup times haven't been very consistent, so it's hard for folks to know when the trucks are coming. This article makes sense of it all, and also offers the hope of relief.

Oscar can continue to be grouchy, but I feel better just knowing the facts.

Food!

Are we fixated on Bashas' opening? I'm sorry, I don't understand your question? :=) I just want to point out that there are food items on those shelves. That sounds like progress to me! Remember, opening June 30th.

Gilbert-berry

Like "Mayberry". Get it? Oh, well, the point is that the lake is being used just as intended. Father and sons, or friends, fishing together on a summer morning. Mind you, it was hot already, but the grass was green and cool, and the trees were shady, and so there they were. Perfect. Enjoy the outdoors, and get some time with your family.

By the way, remember; the lake is catch and release only, and intended only for Morrison Ranch residents. I am sure that is what was happening in the picture.

Everybody is excited!!

Sticks and Bricks. OK, half

The housing industry talks about housing costs using many different definitions. It is sort of like wedding coordinators having many different words for "pink". One definition is the cost of "sticks and bricks", meaning the actual house, not the house plus the lot plus the streets to the lot, etc. So I have learned the term "sticks and bricks". And I was reminded of it last Friday as I saw Ashton-Woods with "sticks" up in the air at Lakeview Trails North. The Missus has already communicated that they are selling from the models in Highland Groves. But these are the models in Lakeview Trails North. It is another sign of progress. There is also supposed to be paving on Weathervane (just south of Elliot) on Wednesday. Yay!

Property Tax Question

Should the Town of Gilbert lower the property tax rate? They are talking about that issue at the moment, and the AZ Republic has a pretty good summary of the questions today:

Gilbert's elected leaders are weighing whether to reduce the town's property tax rate or leave it where it stands in the face of rising property values.

A public hearing and council vote on the matter is scheduled for Tuesday.

The issue arose from sharp increases in assessed home values, which has equated to Gilbert residents paying more in property taxes despite no property tax increase from the town.

For residents living within the Gilbert Public Schools boundaries, the town accounts for about 10 percent of a total property tax bill. The taxes, which are $1.15 per $100 of secondary assessed value, go toward paying off bonds for road construction and other projects.

For example, the 2007 property taxes on a $395,000 home are $454.25, according to a staff report.

Mayor Steve Berman and Vice Mayor Dave Crozier both stated publicly that they back a property tax cut because of the tax windfall Gilbert is enjoying. Councilman Don Skousen also has expressed a desire to bring the rate "down some."

However, council members Steve Urie, Les Presmyk and Joan Krueger have stated they're against a cut, particularly because of uncertainty surrounding home values that could affect the town.

Incoming council member Linda Abbott appears to be a key swing vote. Councilman Larry Morrison, whose council term ended last week, was a fourth member who opposed cutting the rate.

Abbott said she wants to learn more about the financial aspects before making a decision.

The council has reduced the property tax rate twice in the past decade.

I asked The Mister his views on the subject. He doesn't have strong feelings one way or the other, mainly because the tax is already one of the lowest around. He is a student of human nature, and pointed out that the rising property valuations of recent years have been fun, but now values are stabilizing again. It would be fine to reduce the tax by five cents now, but in 5 years or so when it might need to be raised again, folks won't be so amenable. That makes sense.

I guess we'll know which way it will go on Tuesday.

Sneak Peek at Basha's

Most of our office took a short field trip yesterday to Basha's at Lakeview Village, and The Mister snapped a couple of photos for us. They met with Eddie Basha's son, Edward, and he gave them the tour and a few details. There are plenty of people engaged in various tasks in order to be ready for the June 30 Grand Opening:




The kids' care center is taking shape:




This will be pretty much state-of-the-art, with TV monitors throughout the store so parents can check on Junior as they shop. The child and the parent will be issued uniquely colored wrist bands, and that matching wrist band will be required for redemption of the child.

I asked about the other amenities inside the store, since no grocery store today offers only groceries. They have a handshake deal with Chase Bank, but no official paperwork or commitment yet. They will have a Starbuck's kiosk. And, to my surprised delight, they will have one of the new mini-medical options, with a Nurse Practitioner on site for those minor medical needs. As a mom who has spent many hours in doctors' offices waiting to get a simple strep test and the required antibiotics, I say hurray for this option.

On a personal note, last Sunday I was making quiche and sniffed the milk before pouring (a habit I learned growing up on a ranch where our milk came straight from the source), only to find that I had been hit by the Empty-Nest-Food-Gone-Bad Syndrome once again. As The Mister headed out the door to save breakfast, he mentioned that in only 30 days he would be able to bike over to Basha's to grab some emergency milk. It will be nice to have that convenience once again.

Lakeview Trails North Progress

This may look like just piles of blocks to you and me, but to The Mister it represents the steady progress happening at Lakeview Trails North. These are the blocks that will form the outer walls so that the landscaping can begin. The dry utilities and wet utilities are all installed, and the curbs and gutters are just getting started. These walls are necessary to start the common landscape, but it is something that is out of the way of the rest of the work.

Morrison Homes is setting up a trailer on site; and Ashton Woods is pouring concrete slabs for its models.

As far as Elliot Road is concerned, we still have weeks of single-lane driving. SRP is working on removing the remaining power poles and then the construction crews will "hog out" the dirt in the road to the correct level. Next comes the "AB" (aggregate base) and then finally the road itself. In the meantime, the landscape installation crews are going to be doing some beginning things in the median, such as soil amendment, while the traffic is controlled.

The temperatures may be rising, but the construction continues in spite of the heat.

Highland Groves Snippets

Perhaps this gives away the secret that The Mister and I went biking this morning, but we did see a couple of fun things at our halfway point in Highland Groves. As promised, the tot lot shades are going up today; here is the one on the eastern edge, and the fellows were off to put up the others:



They were also taking pictures of the finished product. Maybe they have a tot lot shade blog.
While The Mister was being friendly and chatting, as is his wont, I noticed that the reclaimed water signs are nice and shiny; he pointed out that these have bolts instead of glue:



I marveled at the minute level of detail that these guys are willing to improve. As we pedaled home, I remembered moving into our Higley Groves West home over 6 years ago, and the different circumstances that the Highland Groves residents experience, probably unknowingly. It is, of course, always difficult to live in a neighborhood where there is major construction happening day in and day out, on the holidays, and early in the mornings. You can't help but think "I can't WAIT for these cement trucks to be gone" or "How hard could it be for these guys to park closer to the curb" or "Will I ever get to sleep in again, or am I destined to be awakened by trucks backing up, hammering, or Mexican music every weekend for the rest of my life?"

That is just a fact of life, and as long as we build houses the way that we do, that won't change. But if we talk about the landscape, there is a world of difference between when The Mister and I moved in and now. It was agonizing for me to take morning walks, for years really, as I passed by dead trees or gaping holes or small ponds from broken sprinklers or cracked sidewalks. In the year and a half or so that folks have been living in Highland Groves, there have certainly been problems needing correcting, from the fountains to the rutted grass. But my oh my, what a pleasant bike ride it is only a short while after starting the community!

The Mister points out that it is because we are using folks that have installed our plan before in the way we want it installed, and maintaining it in the way we like it maintained. We've learned some things from our past installations and keep trying to get better.

So this morning, in the midst of construction trucks and noise, we passed two women power walking, and The Mister asked if they would mind having their picture snapped. He explained that we think sidewalks are made for walking, and he wanted to illustrate that. They were very friendly, but laughingly suggested he find someone better looking to photograph. That was fine, and off we rode. Frankly, I was relieved that he didn't ask everyone else that we passed and greeted; or we might still be there.

In The News

Yesterday when I got to the office and picked up the Tribune, there was a front page article about the changing postal codes for Higley. The Water Expert and I were amazed that we hadn't heard anything about this, since we consider ourselves fairly well informed about town news. The AZ Republic has followed suit with an article on the topic that begins this way:

It's about time to buy new stationery for some Gilbert residents.

With the addition of two new ZIP codes - 85295 and 85298 - to Gilbert, more than 9,000 residents will have a new mailing address beginning July 1.

The changes mean the Higley area of Gilbert will no longer have its own ZIP code.

Higley has its own road, school district and post office, but it isn't its own town, although residents think of it that way.

Before Gilbert and Queen Creek began expanding their boundaries, the area known as Higley was comprised of farms. A post office was built so the farmers could pick up their mail. The 85236 ZIP code was also created. Residents began to think of Higley as its own community.

When The Mister and I bought our first house as a recently married couple, it was in the Higley zip code, and I know about the pride of community in that area. I also know that we rarely introduced ourselves to others as being from Higley (most folks were unaware of its location), and we were well aware that we were residents of Gilbert. The comments posted by readers at the end of the newspaper article don't surprise me - we don't like change - but I'm afraid it is akin to arguing with a baseball umpire about a call he has made: it isn't going to be reversed, no matter how much dirt you kick on his shoes. Come July 1, those folks with Higley addresses will adjust, though there is a one year grace period when both zip codes will work.

One of those Higley-now-Gilbert addresses is at Lakeview Village and there was another article about that, although this is old news now:

Bashas' is giving new life to a Gilbert store Albertsons closed in 2006.

The store, in the Lakeview Village at Morrison Ranch shopping center at the intersection of Higley and Elliot Roads, will reopen as a Bashas' on June 30, said Kristy Nied, director of communications and public affairs for Bashas' Family of Stores.

The store will be the first Bashas' with a gas station, Nied said.

When it opens, this will be the second Bashas' in Gilbert. The company also has a store at the intersection of Baseline and Greenfield Roads.

"They're homegrown, and that fits well with Morrison Ranch," said Howard Morrison, a partner with Morrison Ranch. "We're very pleased to have Bashas' as a neighbor to fill the space and be an active part of the community."

The Albertsons at Higley and Elliot was one of three in Gilbert to close in the wake of the 2006 purchase and division of the company.

Can't wait.

Back at Work

Our team has returned to the office; actually, most of us returned yesterday afternoon to help the entitlement process for Desert Place move along. Our meetings were very productive, and I will share more about that in a future post.

In the meantime, in the "it always takes longer" department, Highland Groves' tot lots are getting closer to having shade. The holes for the supports are scheduled to be dug this morning, and the play equipment should be shaded by the weekend. Just in time for the cooler temperatures.

No Posting Today...

...Or tomorrow, for that matter. Our entire office is in meetings with our industrial site partners for a couple of days. See you Wednesday.