Hayenga's lawyer, Finley, asked how that was possible.
Those units had been assigned to Meza's parcel, DeMichael said. Even if the overall cap had been exceeded, he shouldn't lose his units. That answer was precisely the opposite of what Miriam Hayenga had been told in 2000.
Then, in response to Finley's follow-up questions, DeMichael laid down the real shocker. Hotel rooms, the planner said, don't count toward the unit cap. As long as a room doesn't have a stove, it does not count as a "residential unit" in the same way as an apartment.
Under that interpretation, there should have been plenty of units left at the Pointe Tapatio back in 2000.
As Hayenga's attorney, Jeff Finley, wrote in court documents earlier this spring, "Not until depositions were taken in this matter was it discovered that the City does not count hotel rooms against the dwelling cap . . . Despite having begged the City to allow the 120 units on her property, the City denied the request without ever advising that units were available because hotel rooms do not count."
As Finley concluded, "Instead of full disclosure, the City slowly gave out bits and pieces of information."
Nine years after the city soured her zoning deal, Miriam Hayenga is still on the case. And bits and pieces of information are still coming out.
The rules seem to change outright, depending on who's asking. The city seems more interested in stonewalling than explaining the truth in a logical way.
And, still, Miriam Hayenga fights on.
In the past, Hayenga's life has turned on a dime. After majoring in Biblical counseling at ASU, she headed to the conservative Fuller Theological Seminary in California before realizing she didn't quite agree with its teachings. "I had to figure things out for myself," she says. Tennis proved not to be an option, so she switched gears to start a business and, ultimately, get into developing the Waterin' Hole site.
Today, Hayenga manages the small rental properties that she and her partner have purchased as investments over the years; she's also managing an oil-and-gas venture in Missouri.
Her next move is unclear. But her partner suspects that the lessons Hayenga's learned through this debacle may lead to the next phase of her life.
"I wouldn't be surprised," Slaughter says, "if she got more involved in civic activities after all this is over."
Indeed, if you can't fight City Hall — even when the facts are on your side — maybe it's time to change it.
"I think she's been — I don't want to say disillusioned, although that may be the right word — but disheartened by the fact that her city, the city she grew up in, is basically working against her," Slaughter says.
"You don't realize that can happen."
The city of phoenix developmental services, WHAT A JOKE. No wonder why they are broke. Their left had don't know what their right hand is doing. Everyone of them has a different answer for you and they wiegh everything on whether you are someone everyone likes. If not, good luck.
To the Greater Phoenix Community,
I have come to truly realize that what I was doing for those two months was so terribly wrong. I can't begin to know where to start, but I will try.
After my best friend died of causes which are still unknown, I have had a void in my heart. Nothing in my life was more painful then loosing him, and I think apart of myself died with him.
I will not release his name, because I have already destroyed my name, my families name, my mother, my father, and my grandfather's name. I can only wonder if they will ever truly forgive me for what I have done, and who I associated with.
I associated with true evil, I know this because a member of the NSM Las Vegas Unit, is a self-proclaimed satanist, as is Scott Hume, leader of the Arizona National Socialist Movement.
He has a satanic symbol tattooed on his upper back, the 5 pointed star with a goat head. Why am I telling you this? Because I realized through my own research, how associating with these people was the most damning decision I could have ever made.
I am an Atheist, I chose not to believe in god for my own reasons. Scott tried to push satanism on me, many nights, we would talk over yahoo messenger, and he would ask me to accept a Nazi demon, it was just insane. And he would push it on me. Just as he did to join the NSM. Satan is true evil, and I fell into his trap.
I was indeed influenced, stupid, and I allowed myself to be brainwashed, by people who seemed, so kind, and honest, and true at heart. But I was wrong. I always wondered if they knew I was 1/8th Native American. Would they still have accepted me?
I realized that jewish people, are indeed people, each of us, all of us, including myself have shades of gray. And there are people who are evil. I can't begin to forgive myself for what I did. But I know that the jews were exterminated. I know it because my Grandfather liberated a death camp in WW2. He was in the 26th ID 328th Infantry Regiment. He rarely spoke of WW2 at all, but I remember him telling me that evil people in the war tried to kill an entire people for their belief in god.
I find it hard to look at myself in the mirror, go outside, show my face. I never hated anyone, regardless of my stances on Illegal Immigration. This is fact: I used to HATE Arpaio, because he violates the constitution which I so strongly stand to protect, EVERY day he violates it.
I was not allowed to vote because of my felony, luckily it goes away, once my sentence is up. I tried to VOTE in November, and I did. My name was not removed up until a few months ago. This is the truth, and I was SO proud I even took a cell phone picture.
I voted for Obama, who I now disagree with on most issues, I just never liked McCain. I was a Ron Paul guy.
But I remember the feeling that night, when he won. I felt so proud, because of what happened. History unfolded before my eyes. I voted for, and witnessed history before my eyes, and I was so proud, I remember the warmth I felt in my chest when he spoke after he had become President Elect.
Illegal Immigration is wrong, yes, and I was never for any amnesty. But I felt always that our laws are outrageous, and unfair. We need workers, we need hard workers like them. Especially since this hits so close to home. A very good friend of mine immigrated here from Holland when he was a boy. He was with us when we got arrested for vandalism. He was landed with a permanent felony, and after he serves his probation... He is getting deported, and he can never come back, or visit again.
Not only did my best friend die, but now another close friend is moving away, and I will never see his face again... The last time I saw his was at my best friends funeral. Our group was a strange one, at least people in school thought so. It was me, a kid from Holland, a black Muslim, and a few other guys.
His name was never released (the black muslim), he was tried as a juvuinale, and is now on his way to Harvard. I just wish I could still have a positive future. But I fear that since I was so brainwashed and so stupid, I may have destroyed my life in it's entirety...
You know, I wanted to become a Criminal Defense lawyer, for people who could not afford it. I planned to get my Journalism Degree, and then go to law school. But I also fear now that all of that is lost.
I have done some terrible things, but I can't forgive myself for this mistake. I know I am not evil, I never hated anyone. I grew up in a all white neighborhood in New York, there was one black student in my class. He turned out to be my best friend until I moved here when I was 5. And we still talk occasionally. But I only fear that he google's my name, and then I would loose another life time friend.
The damage I have done to myself, and my family is overwhelming... And my mind was just filled with things, that when I look back and think about them now... How stupid was I. Why did I join them? Why didn't I think? What pain and suffering have I caused?
I thank you for reading this ramble to those of you who did. If you wish to contact me on this matter please do so at thomas.coletto@gmail.com
I hope that at least maybe someone could forgive me, and the mistakes I have made thus far.
Regards,Thomas Vito Coletto
I am as you read this going on a two year fight with city/government and all the good old boys cover up.I am a business owner been relocated by the city on the Automated Train System. After 2 years city has failed. I am still going through planning and all the development for my new site. This is a nightmare and I don�t know how some people get the jobs.To date I don�t know who is making the end decision. Is it Transit, Metro, City or Aviation FAA? All of them just playing a game. Any e-mail to any of the good old Boys, Gordon, Fairbanks, and McCain and or any City council is opened by the staff. There are the once answering your question and or looking into a case. All there getting back are watered down versions of how to cover up there lies, and keep there jobs. I am fighting city Hall, matter of fact Wednesday 3:00PM I will be there demanding some answerers from the good old boys on my case. So I do know how the game is been played.
Clearly, larger-scale commercial real estate development...as well as litigating against others when you make sophomoric mistakes...isn't for rank amateurs. Glad she's sticking with tennis & small rentals in the future.
Wow what a shocker! The City of Phoenix being anything but streight forward and honest? All it takes is for someone, (not even a Lawyer)to look into the details at any of these meetings and they too will see that "cover-up" is a common practice in this City Government. The more you know doesnt always mean you are informed. It only means that you now know too much.
The title mentions nothing about her sexual preference, and it is mentioned only in passing at the beginning of the article. Her gender on the other hand, merely indicates that Az's development community is a bunch of good ol' boys. This doesn't mean that she wouldn't have had the same issues if she were a male that just wasn't part of the 'network'... I think you're overreacting on this headline.
What did any of this have to do with her gender or sexual preference ,as the title of the article suggests? Come on now, don't resort to that to gain readership!
I've worked in some of the largest law firms contract law divisions in the city and the collusion between the attorneys, developers and city planning and zoning is shocking. These people are disgusting and the State's Attorney General should be looking into busting this whole cabal up ASAP!
They've even got the one non-profit that should have been advocating against overdevelopment of our desert mountains in their pocket, the Desert Botanical Garden (aka Mums the Word).
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