Public to get its say on Palo Verde wall

Clearly, the Palo Verde wall west of the Pacific Avenue Walmart is still a subject that pushes people's buttons, whether they want it to come down or stay up.

As the Yuma City Council took up the subject again during its Tuesday evening work session, there were people in the audience anxious to speak their mind.

It wasn't the right meeting for public comment. However, when the discussion continues at tonight's regular council meeting, there will be opportunity for citizens to share their opinion on the controversial structure, said Mayor Al Krieger.

The meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers at Yuma City Hall, One City Plaza.

During the meeting, the council may consider possible direction to city staff regarding the wall. But first, council members invite the public to come share their thoughts.

What's been heard so far goes both ways, noted Krieger, who asked that the subject be brought before the council for resolution. He said a neighbor vehemently opposes taking down the wall and opening up Palo Verde Street to through traffic. And Krieger's had offers to help in tearing it down.

The wall was constructed in 1987 by a former city employee because of blowing dust, weeds and trash from the then-vacant area to the east of the subdivision where Walmart and other commercial properties have since been developed, said Paul Brooberg, director of city engineering.

Someone ran into the privately built brick wall in 1991. The damaged wall was replaced by the city for safety reasons, explained City Attorney Steve Moore.

The wall was then challenged by an initiative petition drive, which had the required number of signatures to send it to city voters, Moore said. But a Maricopa County judge ruled that the measure was administrative and not appropriate for the ballot, and the wall remained.

Krieger said he brought up the subject again because he had received a number of calls while campaigning for office asking that the wall be taken down.

"Twenty-one years ago the city fixed the problem temporarily," he said. "A lot has changed since. There's more traffic. I think this is consistent with what the city is trying to do."

Krieger argued that the street needs to be opened up to allow another east-west route across the city and relieve other streets where dangerous situations exist.

To the argument that allowing through traffic on Palo Verde Street would disrupt the residential neighborhood and endanger children paying on the street, Krieger noted that other equally narrow streets now go through residential areas where children are playing.

"Why is it OK over there but not OK here? Is it a dedicated road? Obviously by the map it is."

To a question about the cost of removing the wall, Brooberg said it would take about $80,000 to remove the wall, design and build the connecting leg of Palo Verde Street and install curbs and gutters. The money isn't currently budgeted but could be shifted from another project, he added.

Fire Chief Jack McArthur said the wall doesn't conform to city code and would never have been approved as it now stands. Furthermore, he would like to see an alternative access to the neighborhood, but it isn't a big issue for city emergency vehicles because crews know what route to take.

He did note that when a military jet crashed in the area, an emergency vehicle from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma did end up at the wall and have to turn around.

Capt. John Lekan, speaking on behalf of Yuma Police Department, agreed with McArthur, saying there would be advantages to having another access from the east, especially as the community develops.

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Joyce Lobeck can be reached at jlobeck@yumasun.com or 539-6853.