Looking Back at our Weird AZ Staycation

Looks like a lovely forest scene, right? And it is. But what you can't see in this pic is that the large ravine flows unconcerned to the foundation of the house next-door - our accommodations for the Flagstaff portion of our family vacation. They could use some serious rock dams to stop the flow! And it appears that all of these McMansions were being built as AirBNBs when there is a housing shortage here. Sometimes a little knowledge can be kind of a bummer - especially during a long awaited family vacation.

While in Flagstaff, we visited the historic Riordan Mansion. Unlike the McMansions mentioned above, this mansion was built to last. In addition to having all the modern conveniences of the time (the first to have electricity), they created a comfy living space in American Arts and Crafts style. A large hall filled with every kind of amusement imaginable, connected the two residences (like a duplex) providing a welcoming space for the two sides of the Riordan clan to enjoy time together. Yes, it's good to be rich. But what really impressed me were the stories of how the family took that responsibility even farther by  helping to build the new town.  

Before this story gets weird, I want to say that we so appreciated the time we got to spend with our beloved family that traveled to our state from Wisconsin and Missouri. I will cherish those moments forever. Thanks to my dear sister for including us.

While we were touring the Riordan Mansion with my mom, other family members took off to explore the Grand Canyon or Sedona. Then we headed to Chandler. (The Wisconsin clan wanted to get away from the cold...) The record heat discouraged a kayak trip down the Salt River. Instead the kids spent the day swimming in a pool right beside the man-made lake.

Here's where it gets weird... apparently this is a thing in Chandler. Even my son commented on it. As we drove down the main drive, we passed development after development - each with its own private lake. Have they heard about our water shortage in Arizona? It turns out that Chandler has grandfathered water rights from the time when the area was farm land. So they are using that allotment to water lawns and private golf courses and fill swimming pools and lakes. 

There have been several bills proposed at the Arizona Legislature (including the current SB1611) that allow farmers to sell their land along with grandfathered water rights for development. Sponsors claim that housing requires less water than agriculture. At least farmers can choose to plant low-water crops... If our reps are going to pass this bill, they really need to make sure they include conservation measures to prevent water waste like we saw in Chandler. Currently, the bill includes none of that. 

We passed this one farm in Chandler 

Our legislators claim to care about the housing crisis in Arizona. But aren't they really just giving us more McMansions and seasonal water wasters?  Yep, a little knowledge can dampen a vacation. 

Well, it's good to be back home in Tucson - where, at least, we know how to conserve water. 

If you would like to push back against bad bills that weaken our already lax water regulations, check out Desktop Activist Tucson.