Queen Creek battling ZIP code changes

Queen Creek is fighting the U.S. Postal Service's decision to institute new ZIP codes for the town.

There's already enough confusion about where Queen Creek's town limits are, and changing the ZIP codes in the area will make it worse, according to town officials.

But the Postal Service says the change is necessary to make sure there are enough delivery slots open in each ZIP code as addresses are added to the East Valley.

The Postal Service is just about out of "852" ZIP codes, said spokesman Peter Hass.

And each ZIP code has a limited number of addresses it can serve. Officially, that number is 9,999, but the Postal Service doesn't let ZIP codes get near that capacity so they'll have enough slots to add new addresses, Hass said.

"You don't want to get to the point where you're over (capacity), where you can't make a change," Hass said.

The change will call on 30 ZIP codes on the far east and southeastern edges of the Valley to change from "852" ZIP codes to "851" ZIP codes, with other numbers remaining the same. So, if your current ZIP code is 85242, your new ZIP code will be 85142.

That will allow similar ZIP codes to be clumped together as the south East Valley grows, with all "852" ZIP codes concentrated in the Mesa and Chandler areas, Hass said.

But Queen Creek would like to be included in that 852 area to differentiate itself from unincorporated Pinal County.

The 85240 and 85243 ZIP codes have Queen Creek mailing addresses even though most of the areas aren't in town limits. This had led many residents to mistakenly believe they "are represented by its elected officials, and are entitled to its municipal services," according to a weekly Town Manager's newsletter sent out Thursday evening.

It has also led town officials to dispute some crime, media and foreclosure rate reports that are labeled as Queen Creek even though they occur outside the town boundaries. Town officials communicated with the post office before the announced ZIP code changes, requesting a different mailing address for Pinal County areas.

As it is, the ZIP codes have created confusion for years, said Dee Anne Thomas, town spokeswoman.

"Pinal County is their target area for all these ZIP code changes," she said. "Since most of Queen Creek is in Maricopa County, we're concerned that changing our ZIP codes with Pinal County's will further cement in people's minds that we're in Pinal County," Thomas said. "That's not the case."

But Hass pointed out that even though the numbers will change, all boundaries will stay the same.

"ZIP codes don't necessarily follow ... municipal boundaries," Hass said. "The only purpose ZIP codes are for, as far as the Postal Service is concerned, is for efficient delivery of the mail."

Still, there is a meeting scheduled with Queen Creek officials next week, Hass said.

ZIP code changes will go into effect July 1. There will be a one-year grace period where old ZIP codes will still work.

Queen Creek ZIP codes

To view a map of area with new ZIP codes, visit www.queencreek.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=5071.