I live in El Mirage, and I want to see our community continue to grow. But growth should mean making thoughtful decisions about how important pieces of land are developed.

A self-storage development has been proposed near 127th Avenue and Thunderbird Road. Rather than committing this property primarily to storage, I am asking the City of El Mirage and the property owner/developer to seriously consider a residential or mixed-use alternative.

We are not against development. We are asking for better development.

This property could potentially become a well-designed community containing condominiums, townhomes, or other housing, while maintaining appropriate retail, restaurants, or neighborhood services along Thunderbird Road.

A housing-centered development could create additional housing opportunities for El Mirage residents, bring customers to nearby businesses, create a more active and attractive Thunderbird Road corridor, and make better use of this location for decades to come.

Instead of primarily storing people's belongings here, imagine a development where people live, shop, walk, gather, and contribute to the surrounding community.

We recognize that residential development cannot simply be approved without study. Any alternative would need to meet applicable zoning, traffic, infrastructure, drainage, utilities, public-safety, aviation/noise, and other development requirements.

That is exactly what we are asking for: serious consideration and evaluation of the alternative before this opportunity is lost.

We respectfully ask the City of El Mirage to:

Reconsider remaining discretionary decisions concerning the proposed self-storage development where legally available.
Encourage the property owner/developer to evaluate condominiums, townhomes, or mixed-use residential alternatives.
Preserve appropriate commercial and neighborhood-serving businesses along Thunderbird Road.
Require thoughtful landscaping, shade, pedestrian connections, neighborhood buffering, and safe traffic access in any alternative proposal.
Give El Mirage residents meaningful opportunities to participate in future decisions concerning this property.
127th & Thunderbird deserves thoughtful development.

Build a neighborhood—not simply more storage.

If you agree that El Mirage should explore a housing and mixed-use alternative for this property, please sign this petition and share it with other El Mirage residents.

Josh McElroy
El Mirage resident