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This is the article in the Miner regarding the Kingman Crossing Interchange:  http://kingmandailyminer.com/main.asp?SectionID=13&SubSectionID=18&ArticleID=11150

The people of Kingman are getting tired of having their backyard rezoned to commercial.  There is an abundance of vacant commercial property available, both buildings to lease and land to purchase.  Developers, however, are purchasing residential property and then getting it rezoned to commercial, makes it cheaper that way.   

A group was formed to try to stop this, called RAID (Residents Against Irresponsible Development).  Developers and the city of Kingman are pushing an additional interchange to the 40 freeway.  This offramp will be only 1.5 miles from the Route 66 offramp and will involve a lot of commercial rezoning.  This interchange and commercial property will be right in the middle of one of the most expensive areas in Kingman. 

I have not heard anyone except realtors and developers against this group.  The realtors say that RAID is evil and must be stopped.  I think what is evil is that you cannot buy a home or lot in Kingman and not have to worry about having a check cashing store built next to you.  This should certainly give pause to any purchase you would make.  It certainly has made me less inclined to purchase in this city.  In most cities the zoning and the “Master Plan” that was voted on by the people would have more clout than realtors and developers.  That is not the case in Kingman.  Time after time, since coming here 2 years ago, I have seen residents object to rezoning and be ignored by the P&Z committee.  Even if everyone in the area objects, the developers win everytime. Raid was formed as an organized force against the developers and Planning & Zoning. I say more power to them. 

I knew that building in the county outside of the city limits was not very regulated, but this article was a surprise even to me.  Apparently homes built in the county have no inspections and do not have to build to any code.  This wouldn’t worry me if only local builders were involved, but now most of the homes are being built by out of state builders. This is a quote from the article in the Kingman Daily Miner

“The county is looking to extend the residential building code in order to protect the health and safety of the residents, Ballard said. A number of large developments such as Sterling, Ranch at White Hills, Rhodes Homes Golden Valley South, Dorado, Silverado and several site-built homes in the Arizona Strip are being built or are planned for the future.Although a home may look nice on the outside, it may have safety, maintenance issues and other hazards on the inside, she said.

Here is the article link: http://www.kingmandailyminer.com/main.asp?SectionID=13&SubSectionID=18&ArticleID=11153

Here is an article from AZ Republic regarding the Phoenix valley housing called “Home market will heal slowly”.  Be sure to read the comments from readers that follow the article: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0110re-trends0110.html

Another article also from the AZ Republic regarding the Phoenix valley housing market called “More pain ahead predicted for Valley real estate”. Also has reader comments following the article” http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0109ULIconf09-ON.html

This article from the LV Review Journal on the Las Vegas housing market is called “LV home prices to drop”.  They don’t have reader comments, too bad, they would probably be hotter than the Phoenix ones.  http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2007/Jan-10-Wed-2007/business/11812632.html

Having lived in Kingman for the last two years, I have discovered that zoning here is at the whim of the Planning and Zoning Commission.  Even though there is a Master Plan that was voted on by the people, P & Z changes zoning on a monthly even weekly basis.  If you purchase land or a home here and the zoning all around it is residential, that doesn’t mean that it will stay that way.  You could end up with a shopping center next door.  If you buy acreage because you want the space around your home, that space could be rezoned to 6000′ lots before you know it. 

Because this has been happening more and more, a group has formed to help prevent this from happening to more people.  Here are 2 articles in the Daily Miner http://www.kingmandailyminer.com/main.asp?SectionID=13&SubSectionID=18&ArticleID=10871

http://kingmandailyminer.com/main.asp?SectionID=13&SubSectionID=18&ArticleID=11081  

The realtors are up in arms and determined to discredit this group.  They feel developers should be able to purchase any land they want and then request and receive a rezone.  After all they have the right to do what they want, it is their land.  The residents apparently have no rights even though they were there first. 

Be very cautious if you purchase in this area, unless of course you are a developer.  Even though the residents voted on a “Master Plan” for zoning, it has no value and you should not accept it as what the zoning will be tomorrow.

Here is another look at the way Kingman treats residents with their zoning changes.  http://kingmandailyminer.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=10999  The land behind these homes was residential when they were purchased, now they have a Home Depot and a busy street.