Last month, Maricopa County sued to shut down Growers Market, a composting business operating near 31st Avenue and Dobbins Road without the proper permits, over a foul smell it was producing. On Tuesday, the county reached a settlement that will require the company to shut down and exit the neighborhood.
According to the settlement, Growers Market must cease its grinding operations by Jan. 20 and remove all mulching materials from the premise by March 1. It cannot bring any new material onto the property. The company agreed to be fined $1,000 a day if it violates the agreement.
Maricopa County Supervisor Steve Gallardo, who represents the area, called the settlement a “big win” for Laveen residents.
"This business could have continued operating for months while we waited around for court hearings to be scheduled. Instead, we took complaints seriously, took action to hold this business responsible, and prioritized results,” Gallardo said. “I'm thankful for the sense of closure this settlement provides so Laveen residents can get back to their normal lives."
Growers Market owner Neal Brooks declined to comment on the settlement.
In the Living Laveen group on Facebook, where residents have shared their gripes and updates about Growers Market, many people expressed relief. “Sincere thanks to you intrepid individuals who have stayed on top of this!” wrote one resident. “Very glad the fine increased!” said another.
However, others were more skeptical and impatient, noting that nothing has stopped at Growers Market yet.
“There is no victory,” one man wrote, “until it stops smelling like shit every night.”
Maricopa County Supervisor Steve Gallardo, whose district contains Laveen Village, said the odor from Growers Market is "overwhelming" from even 2 miles away.
Win McNamee/Getty Images
A stinky history
Growers Market has been incorporated since 1995, according to records kept by the Arizona Corporation Commission. However, it’s not clear how long it has operated at the Laveen location. Over the past year, nearby residents began complaining about the stench the composter was generating.“Sometimes the smell is so bad you can’t even breathe,” resident Rashawl Session told Phoenix New Times in December.
According to the county’s lawsuit, residents submitted at least 875 complaints about the smell to three county agencies between June and December. On Nov. 8, a hearing officer for the Maricopa County Department of Planning and Zoning found that property owner Tymon Bolton was violating a zoning ordinance by allowing the business to operate without a special permit for agricultural use.
The county ordered Growers Market to wind down and not bring any new compositing material to the site. However, the county’s lawsuit alleged that Brooks kept going, saying he “admitted to bringing additional materials on site in violation of the November order.” The county filed its lawsuit on Dec. 18.
It's unclear whether Growers Market is headed for greener pastures. When contacted in December, Brooks declined to say whether the company planned to relocate to another site or cease operations completely.
