Greetings.

I live in the Phoenix area for a short time in 2007-2008, but had to come back east due to family medical issues. With that behind me, I'm now considering an opportunity at the Palo Verde nuke plant again. However, I'm concerned about a few things.

1) Water. It appears there's an extreme drought and perhaps there will be some tough water restrictions coming up. What's reality?
2) Housing market is crazy. When I left, the collapse had begun, and sure enough, houses I'm seeing for 300+ now were sold back then for in the 100's. I worry about buying on a bubble and it collapsing again. What's the outlook?
3) Influx of Californians. From what I'm reading, item 2 is being driven by people fleeing cali and driving up housing. It appears they're bringing their politics with them. Is Az a lost cause? The gun laws are really good right now, but do yinz anticipate a fight to keep them? Obviously another pro 2A voter like me would help, but I'm just one guy.

Thanks!

Lack of water has always been an issue in the West.
You could always rent for a couple of years.
As for the Kommiefornians, they are an issue, but this is not the first time we have been in that situation. Come enjoy freedom while you can. Arizona is not the only state with the problem.

AZ's still the best spot on the Union.

Good luck finding a deal on housing, though.

Thanks all. The houses I would be interested in are probably "right priced" right now because really, crashed prices aren't right either.

For the water, I read that the normal post snow melt rise of mead and Powell hasn't happened yet and less snow pack in the Rockies.

Then again, I'd be living here for only 10 years before finding my retirement location so all concerns are temporary really.

Arizona has the 100 year water rule for developments.
It used to be strictly  enforced.
It's been much more "flexible downwards" in the last 20 years, or so.


We also have water banks.
Every drop of Arizona's water allocation that wasn't  used immediately,  has been banked away in dry sandstone formations up north for decades.

So even if the Colorado river went dry today, there would still be drinking water for years.
Farmers would be screwed though.

California and Nevada pissed away the wet years water and are now fucked.

Thanks for the insights!

here's my standard "welcome to AZ post":

Folks often post questions about Shooting in AZ on forums, I often reply, I finally saved my replies so I won't have to retype everything each time. This probably gives more info than you asked for but its easy to copy/paste. latest update in Jan 2021.

Websites:
http://www.arizonashooting.org/ web group
http://www.azshootingzone.com/forums/ web group
https://arizonagunowners.com/ web group
https://www.ar15.com/forums/hometown/Arizona/13/ another web group
http://www.phoenixrodandgun.org/ A club with a range in south phoenix
http://www.rsscaz.com/ A club with a range in east Mesa
https://www.azgfd.com/shooting/basf/ A range with clubs in north phoenix.
all 3 have public ranges and competition ranges and active competition groups
http://arizona-rifleshooting.com/ my website about competition

3 ranges in the Tucson area:
http://www.tucsonrifleclub.org/
https://pimapistolclub.com/
https://tucsontrapandskeet.com/

orgs:
http://www.asrpa.com/ our state association they do: competition, training, education, run a range west of phoenx and civil rights advocacy.
http://www.azcdl.org/ is 100% civil rights

AZ has open carry and constitutional carry. Take the AZ CCW class anyway, its useful info and the permit is your proof of background check so you don't have to go thru NICS when you buy.


There are 4 or 5 nice outdoor shooting ranges in the Phoenix area. See below. (As well as several indoor ranges I don't know much about.)

I've been a member of both PRGC & RSSC for over 20 years, (and have been a volunteer, match director, coach or club officer in those years).

Both RSSC & PRGC are true member-run clubs, both lease their dirt (RSSC from AZGFD, PRGC from PHX city park).

Ben Avery is a AZGFD owned and run facility, landless clubs reserve  the various ranges and run shoots there.

A smaller range, Joe Foss range in Buckeye, an hour west of Phoenix, is run by ASRPA.

All 3 larger ranges have a public range, the 2 clubs offer membership. All 3 have lots of competition style events. Every scheduled competition or practice style event at the 2 clubs and the clubs that use Avery are open to everyone, most by walk-on, some shoots take advanced entry reservations.

Both PRGC and RSSC cost about the same to join. Each has a main range and 6 or 8 specialty ranges. RSSC faces north, PRGC faces south (low winter sun is unpleasant to shoot in) PRGC High Power range is configured properly with 1 pits and 3 firing lines, Rio is backwards, 1 firing line and 2 pits.

RSSC tries to run itself like a business, all members have to leave when the last RO clocks out, even if there are still 3 hours of sunlight remaining. All the specialty ranges (except shotgun) require a lengthy approval process to gain access. On top of that, there is a tedious process to get the after-hours pass that allows weekday shooting till 9.  RSSC has the best sporting clays field in the state, perhaps all the states. But they don't allow carry.

PRGC is much more member-friendly. members can use most (but not all) ranges without a special qual process. PRGC is very friendly for members bringing guests and allows carry.

BASF has about 80 firing points on the public range and 15 or 20 trap/skeet/clays fields and a huge archery area. The facility also has about 15 other ranges reserved by clubs for shoots including 100 firing points to 1000yds on high power, 2 silhouette ranges and about a dozen practical bays.

PRS-style shooting is monthly at a private shooting site called "Cowtown" in the west part of the valley not far from Ben Avery. And a monthly shoot at RSSC.

BLM is opening some formal maintained shooting sites in the west valley desert.

There are some nice outdoor ranges in Tucson, also near Casa Grande, Flagstaff, Payson, Kingman, Yuma and other parts of the state.

As to shooting in the Desert, BLM and National forest permit shooting most of the year. State Trust Land permits hunting but NOT target shooting.  Indian reservations do not permit anything. Check the national forest websites, Tonto NF, the one closest to phoenix, has closed off shooting on hundreds of square miles nearest town due to dirt bike infestation and bans water jugs. Steel and paper are still OK, but plan on an hour drive to find a safe legal place. During hot weather fire seasons all the NFs ban shooting, camp fires and smoking.

Hunting is by drawing for tags to hunt anything larger than a quail or coyote. But lots of public land to hunt on.
https://www.azgfd.com/



Shopping in the Phoenix area:
BassPro in Mesa
Cabela's in northwest valley
2 or 3 Sportsman's Warehouse stores
lots of Local gun Shops.

Hope this helps, welcome to AZ, shoot good!

Poole



more:
The problem with "rural" in AZ is nearly all the land is BLM, national forest, state trust, indian rez. (except for rez, all are open to hunting with an AZ license, BLM and NF are open to target shooting, except for the crowded areas infested with dirtbikes and the entire state during fire season (NOW!), so "rural" is far away or expensive, often both. if not there may not be water. I'm speculating, but I bet there are probably few places in PA where a 50' or 100' well does not produce water, there are fewer places in AZ where a 100' well is deep enough or any well at all is even possible.

"Phoenix", the area, is the city of Phoenix and the 20 or so cities and areas that form its suburbs. Sometimes called the  "Valley of the Sun" (this time'a year its more like the "Surface of the Sun" :) but we like it this way!

There are some rural-ish locations around Phoenix. South: Maricopa, Casa Grande. SE: Apache junction, Florence, NE: Cave Creek/Carefree. North: New River, SW: buckeye & beyond, and NW: beyond sun city out to Wickenburg. All of these put you about 1 to 2 hours from PHX airport.

interesting, when I wrote that last bit up it was for another PA resident....

Thank you very much! Great info!

Since I'm considering a position at Palo Verde, it looks like I need to find housing in the "west valley." What are some areas to avoid? I found a house I really like in Tolleson, but I also read that that's one of the worse areas.

I’d avoid Tolleson at all costs. Depending on house budget and what you like to do with time off will depend on where you want to look. Litchfield Park is an awesome part of town but it is not cheap. A lot of people from the plant mostly live in the Verado / Goodyear / Buckeye areas. If you want to live a little more isolated you can look around Arlington/Tonopah area but you get some interesting people living out there.

Don’t be afraid to look a little north of the plant either. It’s not much further coming from Wickenburg or even Peeples Valley area. I’d count on around 30-45 min or so drive time coming from the West valley and hour or so from wickenburg area. Not sure how your plant is but we’ve been progressively going full retard on security and it’s taking at least 20min from parking lot to enter the PA. If you have any questions about the plant feel free to ask and I’ll try to answer.

Thank you very much, I'll be reaching out.

If this is of any interest LMK. I'm a RE broker. Post CC from General.


Hey OP. I've been a lurker here since 2005. Your post motivated me to finally start an account. I know folks here have a poor view of real estate guys so I'll keep this to a minimum.

While I'm in far North Scottsdale I've done some business in the Waddell area and see a lot of good things in this community. It's clean, definite pride of ownership and new commercial development is on the way.  It seems to fit your budget providing you can find a home.

Which brings me to an opportunity I have coming online. This is the Zillow listing from the last sale. I know I can't spam here so if this is of any interest to you I'll make sure you have priority. If I can help a fellow 2nd A brother out please LMK.


https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/18620-W-Onyx-Ave-Waddell-AZ-85355/71624951_zpid/