Speaker Background
- Jean Stockton is a 70s retiree on a fixed income with diverse living experience
- Has lived in both metropolitan areas and rural communities
- Experienced living on septic systems and private wells
- Brings perspective from various unincorporated areas across different states
Examples of Successful Incorporation
- Queen Creek incorporated in 1989 and demonstrates visible growth and development today
- Town of Maricopa shows significant business development since 2010, particularly along John Wayne Boulevard
- San Tan Valley has similar potential for fruitful development with available land for growth
Limitations of Comparison Data
- Can provide examples of towns that successfully incorporated
- Explicitly cannot provide specific examples of what happens when large communities fail to incorporate
- Previous experience with unincorporated areas involved much smaller populations (under 10,000 people)
- Past unincorporated communities included Nashville, Nebraska; Lewis Township; and Lane, Kansas – all significantly smaller than San Tan Valley
Unique Scale of San Tan Valley
- Current population estimated at 120,000 permanent residents
- Population swells to approximately 160,000 when seasonal residents (snowbirds) are present
- This represents a very dense population compared to typical unincorporated areas
- The large population size makes San Tan Valley unlike other unincorporated areas
Comparison to Other Large Unincorporated Areas
- East LA cited as an example of a large unincorporated area
- Sun City is actually three unincorporated areas (Sun City East, Sun City West, and Sun City), primarily for retirees, unlike San Tan Valley’s more diverse mix
Economic Considerations
- San Tan Valley has a diverse population mix including retirees, workers, and seasonal residents
- Seasonal residents contribute significantly to the local economy
- Seasonal residents (snowbirds) currently spend much of their money in Maricopa County rather than San Tan Valley, according to Stockton’s observation