TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — State land near Kolb Road, off Escalante and Irvington in the Groves & Lincoln Park Neighborhood, is to be closed off to all public use after years of complaints from nearby residents about homeless encampments, illegal waste dumping, and other activity on the property.
The closure order came out of a joint meeting between the Arizona State Land Department, the City of Tucson, Mayor Regina Romero's office and the Tucson Police Department.
Under the plan, concrete barriers will be installed at every access point. All public use of the land will be prohibited — no hiking, pet walking, driving or encampments.
James Perry of the Arizona State Land Department said the meeting with city and law enforcement officials was called with the community to gain community input on the plan.
"We're having discussions with the city of Tucson and the Tucson Police Department to help solve these issues that have been happening for a long time." Perry said.
The city and state will notify residents in the surrounding neighborhood and post new signs on the property.
TPD will enforce the new restrictions. The closure is expected to take effect within the next few weeks.
"Most likely this will be an educational effort where will educate the public on these new changes, letting them know that if they trespass, they'll be arrested," Tucson Police Captain Matt Brady said.
Alongside the enforcement measures, the city will send outreach teams onto the land to connect people currently experiencing homelessness there with available resources and support services.
George Orozco, president of the Groves and Lincoln Park Neighborhood Association, said the land has been a source of concern for the community since he moved to the area in 1971.
"Through the years it's since I've been here, the problems that we're having is a lot of a lot of the homeless encampments, a lot of garbage going in the people camping out there," Orozco said.
READ MORE: Groves & Lincoln Park neighbors frustrated by illegal dumping and homeless encampments on state land
Orozco said repeated contacts with the city and the state have not resolved the situation, and that conditions have gotten worse for residents in the surrounding area.
"And it's gotten to a point now where the neighbors are really concerned because it's really affecting their lives and their kids and their grandkids with all this illegal activity," Orozco said.
Neighborhood residents who attended the community meeting said the plan is a step forward, but that timely follow-through will be what matters.
Groves & Lincoln Park Neighbor Kate Cooper said she is watching to see whether the multi-agency response produces results on the ground.
"And I'm hopeful that this miracle of seeing all these different parts of the agencies come together today to come down from Phoenix, that it actually produces something within a couple of weeks with concrete implementation," Cooper said.
The Groves and Lincoln Park Neighborhood Association said it plans to follow up with TPD and the Arizona State Land Department after the closure takes effect to monitor progress.
In the meantime, anyone who observes trespassing on the state land is asked to call 9-1-1. Those who see encampments on the property can contact 3-1-1.
----
STAY IN TOUCH WITH US ANYTIME, ANYWHERE
