PHOENIX — The Twin Knolls in East Mesa is an area that provides a break in the landscape from the surrounding region.
The two hills rise above the surrounding suburban neighborhoods and RV homes. They offer a piece of nature that otherwise is missing.
"There is so much nature here. There are coyotes and roadrunners," said Cathy Dreifort, a nearby resident.
However, in recent months, nature has been overrun by trash and squatters.
“People started dumping, this is all dump here,” Dreifort said. "In the last three months, it just exploded.”
She alerted local authorities about the issues. However, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office had trouble arresting anyone for trespassing because the knolls are on unfenced private land.
MCSO said the county has an active code violation case against the largest landowner on the property, which goes by Twin Knolls Two Land, LLC. However, the county said they have been unable to contact the person in charge of the company.
"We have absentee property owners," Dreifort said, "If I knew how to fix it, I would. I don’t know how to fix it.“
12News tried to contact a person with the company. The man answering the phone provided no comment.
The sheriff's office said the company could face hefty fines if the area is not cleaned up.
Dreifort hopes that may start to make a difference.
"When we get to the money situation, maybe then, maybe when we hit them in their pocketbook," she said.
This is not the first issue the community has had with Twin Knolls Two Land, LLC. In 2020, Dreifort said the company attempted to have their property turned into a gravel mine. But community pushback prevented the company from moving forward.
Since then, more trash has been dumped on the property, marring the nature a community is built around.
"We want to continue to have that neighborhood, have it respectable, and have some dignity about living here," Dreifort said.