| Phoenix | |
|---|---|
| — Unincorporated community — | |
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Phoenix
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Maryland |
| County | Baltimore |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP codes | |
| FIPS code | |
| GNIS feature ID | 591002 |
Phoenix is an affluent unincorporated community located in Baltimore County in the State of Maryland in the United States of America. It is located at latitude 39°30'59" North, longitude 76°36'59" West.[1] The United States Postal Service has assigned Phoenix the ZIP code 21131.
Part of the area is also known as Jacksonville, although Jacksonville was once a separate community to the east.[2]
Housing prices in the area have steadily risen in recent years due to its prime location in one of the county's wealthiest areas, Hunt Valley
Phoenix is a fast-growing area with its own elementary school, Jacksonville Elementary. Property values have shot up in recent years ranking among the highest in the county. Jacksonville Manor Shopping Center has two grocery stores, a McDonald's, two gas stations, a 7-11, Rite-Aid, Bank of America, Bagelmeister, Strapasta Trattoria, a liquor store, and a Volunteer Fire Department.
Phoenix provided the setting for many scenes in Baltimore native John Waters' 1972 cult classic film Pink Flamingos; the film's chief character, Divine, lived there in a trailer, which was deliberately burned down approximately two-thirds of the way into the movie.
Eagle's Nest was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.[3]
Phoenix was the location of a January 2006 Exxon gas leak, where over 26,000 gallons of gas slowly seeped out of a punctured pipe at a station at the intersection of Maryland Route 145 and Maryland Route 146. The area affected by the gas leak was about a half-mile downhill from the location of the gas station. Six wells were contaminated, and 62 residential wells showed traces of MTBE. The state filed a $12 million suit against Exxon in April 2006. In September 2008, the state settled case with Exxon, imposing a $4 million civil penalty. In addition, about 300 Jacksonville residents sought compensatory and punitive damages from Exxon worth several billion dollars. In March 2009, a Baltimore County jury found Exxon liable and awarded various amounts of compensatory damages to the plaintiffs.
Some residents still seek a settlement with Exxon. 1.5 billion settlement in the second lawsuit. third lawsuit underway Read more on the exxon spill in the article Jacksonville, MD Exxon Mobile Gas Leak Case.