Yavapai Community College’s planners astonishingly located a 10-space trailer park adjacent to backyards of Clarkdale residents, which are separated from the park by only a poorly maintained narrow gravel maintenance road. Meanwhile, a location elsewhere on about 80 available vacant acres on the Campus with easy travel trailer access could have been chosen with no impact on Clarkdale residents
Home almost directly across from Community College trailer park.
The decision made by Yavapai Community College executives, who are based in Prescott, regarding the location of the trailer park on the Verde Valley Campus in Clarkdale raises major concerns about their consideration for the neighboring residents. The 10-space park is located adjacent to backyards of Clarkdale residents, which are separated from the park by only a poorly maintained narrow gravel maintenance road.
While the College may have had its reasons for selecting the odd location for the park, presumably related to financial considerations, it is apparent that little thought was given to respecting the privacy and well-being of the immediate neighborhood.
It is truly astonishing that the trailer park was situated in such close proximity to the backyards of private homes in Clarkdale. This location choice appears both puzzling and, at worst, ignorant. There were clearly numerous readily accessible other locations on the 80 or so vacant acres on the Campus far from the Clarkdale neighborhood. If chosen, the location would have had no adverse impact on the lives of Clarkdale residents.
In response to this seemingly ill-conceived placement, it is evident that affected neighbors have taken matters into their own hands. Some have chosen to erect a substantial metal-like privacy and security fence as a means of shielding themselves from the College’s trailer park, which they seemingly perceive as unattractive and disruptive.
While the exact cost to the College’s neighbors of installing these fences remains unclear, one can reasonably surmise that it is a significant expense. The fact that residents are willing to invest in such measures underscores the inadequacy of the chosen location for the trailer park. Residents undoubtedly feel compelled to take these steps in order to safeguard their privacy and maintain their quality of life.