Still broken
Gate between Anthem and Desert Hills proving troublesome
by Jennifer Krahe

ANTHEM/DESERT HILLS – The emergency‑access‑only electronic gate between Anthem and Desert Hills is accomplishing exactly what it was intended to prevent–use of the access by the general public. The contentious gate has been inoperable on numerous occasions since installation, and has been out of service continuously since April of this year. 

“This is a big deal, and it’s been a big deal for some time,” said Jim Bloom, chief of staff for County Supervisor Andy Kunasek, referring to the troublesome gate between Meridian and Desert Hills drives.       

“Every time we send a contractor up there to fix it, two or three days later something happens,” said Cynthia Robinson, facilities manager for Maricopa County Department of Transportation.

Pursuant to the Development Master Plan for Anthem, Del Webb Corp. agreed with the county there would be no public access between the two communities. Access by emergency responders was provided for, however.

To provide for emergency‑only access, and because construction crews and area residents were violating the no‑public‑use stipulation, in August 2005, after a long delay, an electronic gate was installed by Del Webb.

Speaking to The Desert Advocate in August, Jackie Petroulakis, spokesperson for Del Webb, stated, “As for when the gate will become functional: As soon as the fire department wants to make it operational, it will be operational. It’s entirely up to them.”

Fire department officials, however, said repeatedly they had nothing to do with installation and activation of the electronic gate and pointed out, in addition, the fire district had never advocated for a gate–only for emergency access in order to decrease response times.

Pursuant to an Intergovernmental Agreement between Daisy Mountain Fire Department (DMFD), Maricopa County and Pulte Homes/Del Webb, the gate was legally accessible by DMFD, the Sheriff’s Office and, for maintenance reasons, MCDOT. Last fall, Deer Valley Unified School District buses were also granted access after members of Planning and Zoning unanimously voted to recommend the Board of Supervisors approve an amendment to the Anthem DMP to allow school buses to utilize the emergency gate.

“It’s basically for emergency vehicles and the school district,” Bloom confirmed.

Anthem parents whose children attended schools other than those in DVUSD, as well as others without bus transportation to private or charter schools, protested –saying they felt “discriminated against.” In October, some residents of Anthem and Desert Hills were still criticizing the decisions.

“What we think happened a couple times, because it opens front and backward like a door, was that someone rammed it –which we knew they would,” sighed Capt. Dennis Tyrell, public information officer for DMFD, on Wednesday.

Last month, The Desert Advocate reported the gate had to be forced open by Daisy Mountain Fire Department personnel “because a sensor that runs the opening and closing mechanism burned out and fire trucks were unable to get through.” At that point, Jim Bloom said that a new gate would be completed “sooner rather than later,” and “hopefully within a month.”

“Maricopa County is responsible for getting another gate up,” Tyrrell confirmed.

According to Cynthia Robinson, the facilities manager for MCDOT in charge of purchasing the new gate, “Basically we’re looking at an install date of ... Well, let me explain it this way: It has to be installed by June 30. We are anticipating it being done before that.” 

Robinson said June 30 was chosen as the deadline because it’s the end of the fiscal year and funding for the gate was allocated for this fiscal year. “It is an electronic, rolling gate, 20 feet by 5 feet and made of wrought iron,” she described.

“It will be an electronic card‑accessible gate for permitted users, with a ‘scramble pad’ capability ... you would be able to type a specific number in, if the  card access is not working. It’s a back‑up,” Robinson added.

“As far as an emergency access is concerned,” she continued, “it (the gate) identifies a beacon signal. They don’t have to stop and do anything to gain entrance.”

Reach the reporter at jennifer@thedesertadvocate.com.