Large distribution center surprises, frustrates Marana citizens

The Silverbell Gateway Distribution Center is in progress at Ina Road and Silverbell Road in Marana, Arizona. And locals are less than pleased and more than annoyed.

Architectural projections show that the new distribution center will stand 45 feet tall over the course of several dozens of acres' worth of what used to to be the desert. The building will take up over 200,000 square feet of space, and it's being built right in front of a few hundred houses across the community. And it's all being done without so much as a warning notice to the townspeople.

Pointing to increases in traffic, fumes and pollution from trucks and excessive noise, the residents voiced their concerns to the Marana Town Council. “I do the birding down there. I do the hiking the biking,” Marana resident Dennis Hoffman, told the Town Council, “And I am just shocked that in this day and age, where we have such amazing communication ability, that we don’t know that this is even happening. I can’t even comprehend how a project of this magnitude can slip under the door. So I’m disappointed.”

But Marana Mayor Ed Honea wasn't having any of it. “We’re a pretty good group at listening to people,” Honea said. “Unfortunately, with a lot of things, if people have zoning and they build something that qualifies in the zoning and we go in and tell them they can’t do it, they’re just going to turn around and sue us and they’re going to do it anyway. I don’t want to be a naysayer but it’s kind of where we are.”

And that was that.