OVCN Set To Release New Building Plan

OVCN Rezoning Press Release
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A new facility strategy is needed to meet the growing needs at OVCN 

Nearly five years ago, Oro Valley Church of the Nazarene (OVCN) began the process of rezoning parts of their current 28-acre property. The request for rezoning centered around community outreach with the addition of on-campus sports ministry facilities and programming. OVCN has identified a need and opportunity to impact kids and families with faith-based sports clubs and leagues in and around Oro Valley. The church is committed to living out the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) and is relentless in their efforts to present the gospel and to make disciples. They are also committed to the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:36-40), which instructs us to love God and love our neighbors. Every ministry strategy reflects a passionate pursuit of these two commands.

Since the beginning of the rezoning process with the town of Oro Valley, OVCN has seen a 60% increase in church attendance. As our neighbors in and around the Oro Valley area were looking for a church that was committed to the Great Commission and the Great Commandment, they found a home at OVCN. As a result of this growth, OVCN has prayerfully reevaluated the rezoning request, facility needs, and vision. The delay in this process proved to be necessary to pivot to a facility plan that could serve the needs of the church and the local community better. Sports ministry will continue to be part of the church’s plan to fulfill the Great Commission in Oro Valley and additional campuses.

OVCN staff and church leadership will seek to meet the needs of the church family through additional facilities utilizing existing zoning on their current property.
Plans are being developed and will be submitted through the application process set forth by the town of Oro Valley. With the addition of a new sanctuary, multi-purpose room, and classroom/conference building, OVCN will be equipped to meet the needs of a growing church in a growing community. Eliminating the request for rezoning will significantly simplify the process moving forward.

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(Source: Oro Valley Church of The Nazarene Press Release, September 10, 2024

It’s Back…Rockin’ 4 Heroes Will Rock Oro Valley November 10 at Kreigh Park

A thrilling community celebration returns
Oro Valley is buzzing with excitement as the “Rockin’ 4 Heroes” event returns on November 10, 2024, at James D. Kriegh Park. This year’s celebration promises a day of music, fun, and appreciation for the heroes in our community. Get ready for a day filled with rockin’ tunes, delicious food, and a strong sense of community spirit.

A lineup that will rock your world
This year’s event features the Lexington Lab Band, known for their high-energy performances. The event is free and open to all, with gates opening at 12:30 PM and music starting at 1:00 PM. Attendees are encouraged to enjoy the music, food trucks, and community activities while showing support for our heroes through donations and raffles.

A special honor for a fallen hero
This year the event will include an announcement of a new EMT scholarship at Pima Community College, named in honor of Jacob Dindinger, a young EMT who tragically lost his life while on duty in 2021. The event will acknowledge the Dindinger family and the PCC EMT Department. They are bringing their training ambulance and dummy and will be set up at the event. The scholarship was unveiled during a ceremony at Pima Community College in July, where attendees reflected on Jacob’s life and the sacrifices he made. The initial fund of $13,000 has been and continues to be boosted by additional donations, and through November 30th, will be matched by 50% by the Connie Hillman Family Foundation. It is hoped that this scholarship will encourage more candidates to enter the field.

From heartbreak to heartfelt tribute
The story behind “Rockin’ 4 Heroes” is rooted in personal loss. Bonnie and Michael Quinn founded the event after their son PJ passed away from cancer. Inspired by the kindness shown by First Responders during their son’s illness, the Quinns created this event to honor those who serve. Over time, it has expanded to include Active Military, Veterans, and Gold Star Families, becoming a true celebration of all who protect and serve.

Honoring our heroes and a growing legacy in Oro Valley
“Rockin’ 4 Heroes” has grown from a small tribute into a beloved annual tradition in Oro Valley. The Quinn family’s dedication has turned this event into a day that the community looks forward to, reflecting Oro Valley’s deep respect for those who serve. November 10 is a day to celebrate! “Rockin’ 4 Heroes” offers a unique opportunity to join your community in honoring the bravery and sacrifice of our local heroes. Whether you’re there for the music, the food, or the camaraderie, you’ll leave with a renewed appreciation for those who make our world a safer place.

Oro Valley Mayor Winfield Wins Award Paid for by Residents

Mayor Winfield honored by state association for parks, recreation, and conservation efforts
Oro Valley Mayor Joe Winfield has been recognized as the 2024 Public Official of the Year by the Arizona Parks and Recreation Association (APRA). This accolade was awarded during the APRA's annual conference on August 26, 2024, highlighting Mayor Winfield’s efforts in advancing parks, recreation, and conservation initiatives that have positively impacted the Oro Valley community.

He credits town staff for helping him
In his acceptance speech, Mayor Winfield credited the success of Oro Valley’s recreational projects to the dedication of the town's Parks and Recreation staff. He emphasized that the achievements, such as the Naranja Park Expansion and the establishment of the Vistoso Trails Nature Preserve, were the result of a collective vision and hard work aimed at enhancing the quality of life for residents and visitors alike.

But he never thanked you, the Oro Valley resident, who paid millions for facilities Winfield wanted that most Oro Valley residents don't use
Despite the praise, not all community members are celebrating this recognition. Some residents have expressed concerns over the Mayor’s spending decisions, particularly the allocation of $34 million on amenities that they believe do not align with the majority’s desires. This includes the costly Naranja Park expansion, extensive irrigation for the town’s two golf courses, and millions more being spent to fix up the dilapidated clubhouse, now repurposed as the community center.

Winfield conservation efforts are questionable. ..Just take a look at how the town continues of drinking water to irrigate golf course and two parks

Additionally, the use of over 6.4 million gallons of potable drinking water in July 2024 alone—1.9 million gallons on some of the town’s golf courses and 4.5 million gallons on parks—has raised significant questions about the town’s commitment to environmental stewardship under Winfield’s leadership. The fact that this precious drinking water is being used on parks and a golf course is seen by many as a clear waste of resources, especially during times when water conservation should be a priority.

Did APRA balance recognition with responsible spending
While it’s commendable to see parks and facilities developed, it’s important to remember that these projects were funded by the community through ongoing revenues an borrowings. In the private sector, spending decisions are often closely tied to measurable returns, and every investment is carefully evaluated. Public investments, too, should be made with a focus on long-term benefits and responsible use of resources.
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Resident Survey's Matter In Creating the "Path Forward” General Plan

Comparing Oro Valley's 2024 resident surveys to the 2013 survey: What’s changed and what’s stayed the same
The Town of Oro Valley did three types of surveys as part of the Path Forward general planning process. One was a statistically valid "Big Community Survey." It was released in May. We have reported on this. The others were phone and online surveys. These were not statistically valid, but do provide directional information on how people feel about the town.

One of our readers provided us with an averaging, so to speak, of the results of three types of surveys.  The reader then compared that average result to the 2013 survey result. The reader's analysis offers a view of how residents' opinions and priorities have changed since that survey. While many core values remain consistent, reflecting the town's lasting appeal, the surveys also reveals significant shifts in concerns and priorities, underscoring the challenges Oro Valley must address as it continues to grow.

Consistent Values: Safety, Natural Beauty, and Community
One of the most striking consistencies between the 2024 and 2013 surveys is the high value residents place on community safety. In both surveys, Oro Valley’s reputation as a low-crime, secure environment is a top priority. In the latest survey, 85% of respondents continue to emphasize safety as a defining feature of their town, underscoring the community's ongoing commitment to maintaining a peaceful atmosphere.

The town's natural beauty, including its desert and mountain views, has also remained a central attribute for residents. In both 2013 and 2024, around 84% of respondents highlighted these scenic vistas as a key reason for living in Oro Valley. This consistency reflects a deep-rooted appreciation for the town’s environment, which continues to be a cornerstone of its identity.

Additionally, the quality of schools in Oro Valley has been a stable draw for residents. Both surveys indicate strong support for maintaining high educational standards, with 79% of respondents in the 2024 survey recognizing the importance of quality schools. The town’s family-friendly atmosphere, another consistent finding, remains a vital aspect of community life, with over 79% of residents describing Oro Valley as an excellent place to raise a family.

Evolving Concerns: Traffic and Growth
Despite these enduring values, the "Big Community Survey" reveals significant shifts in residents’ concerns, particularly around traffic and growth. Traffic congestion has emerged as a major issue in 2024, with 24% of respondents expressing frustration with increased congestion and poorly timed traffic lights. This is a significant increase from the 2013 survey, where traffic was not as prominent a concern.

Growth-related worries have also intensified. In 2024, 12% of residents expressed concerns about the pace and impact of new developments, a sharp rise from the 2013 survey. Managing town growth has now become the most pressing challenge, with 68% of respondents identifying it as a critical issue. This shift indicates growing apprehension about how rapid development might alter the character of Oro Valley.

New Priorities: Sustainability and Infrastructure
As Oro Valley continues to develop, residents’ priorities have also expanded to include sustainability and infrastructure improvements. Water availability and environmental protection have become top concerns, with 65% and 54% of respondents, respectively, emphasizing these issues. These concerns were less prominent in the 2013 survey, reflecting a growing awareness of the need for responsible growth and conservation.

Traffic and mobility have also seen a shift in focus. The 2024 survey highlights a heightened demand for safer pedestrian and bicycle routes, as well as the maintenance of existing roadways. This reflects residents' desire for a more connected and accessible community, adapting to the town’s evolving infrastructure needs.

Looking Ahead: The "Path Forward" for Oro Valley
The insights from the "Big Community Survey" will play a crucial role as Oro Valley continues to develop its 2026 General Plan, aptly named "Oro Valley's Path Forward." The results underscore the importance of balancing growth with the preservation of the town’s core values—safety, natural beauty, and a strong sense of community. At the same time, they highlight the need to address emerging concerns such as traffic congestion, growth management, and environmental sustainability.

As the town charts its course for the future, it’s essential for residents to stay engaged and informed. The feedback provided in this survey will guide the town’s leaders in making decisions that reflect the community’s evolving needs and values, ensuring that Oro Valley remains a great place to live, both now and in the years to come.

OVCN Shenanigans Go On and On and On...

The OVCN saga takes on a new twist

Wednesday, we discussed the long history of the OVCN sports expansion zoning change request extravaganza. The request exemplifies how a zoning change request can take on a life of its own. Essentially, the church has been “threatening” to uproot the lives of their neighbors by bringing more traffic, more noise, and more disruption to Oro Valley’s original neighborhood.

Seek a 40' high sanctuary and more

The saga of OVCN’s ongoing impact on the neighborhood continues with a new plan. This plan includes a student center, a sanctuary, a maintenance building, and more than 800 paved parking spaces. Town staff believes these are all permitted uses. The only request is for a height variance for a 40’ building, which can be approved, according to town staff, solely by the Planning and Zoning Commission.  We suspect that decision would be subject to council appeal.  You can watch a video of the latest plan here and read the full two-year history of the OVCN situation here.

Original zoning change request is still "in the works"... so is there more than "meets the eye"?

Notably, the latest plan does not replace the existing zoning change request. That request is currently on hold at OVCN’s request. We wonder: Is this latest plan for a sanctuary with a 40 foot high roof line really just a "stepping stone" for later conversion to an indoor sports facility? Or will it be used as such immediately? 

Residents in the area are not happy with this proposal

Residents will get a chance to learn more and opine at a town led neighborhood meeting on September 26. We suspect they will be against the project. Resident Trish Tozier went to a briefing held by OVCN on the latest proposal. It was brief. She reported on this and voiced her opposition in an August council meeting. Here is what she said.

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25-Year Resident Shares Concerns Over OVCN Expansion

"Mayor Winfield, Vice Mayor Barrett, Council, and Staff, my name is Tricia Tozier. I am a 25-year resident of Oro Valley.

Initial Neighborhood Opposition Since 2022
Let me give you a couple of bullet points about why this OVCN building issue is problematic.  On March 1st, 2022, 14 neighbors presented a letter, as required by the town, outlining our concerns about the proposed rezone. Now, in July 2024, OVCN finally decided it was time to send a letter to these same people, which they did.

Recent Meeting Lacked Substance and Specific Plans
On August 1st, five neighbors, including myself, representing the Concordia Buena Vista group, attended a meeting. The presentation was given by Craig Coulter. Drawings and full-color pictures of their new proposal were shown. However, there were no specifics or definitive plans presented, except that they mentioned a height variance would be needed, and they would ask for the neighbors’ input on landscaping. Woo-hoo. He then asked for input.

Meeting Offered No Real Progress; Concerns Remain Unaddressed
Well, Ed Clary, who was also there, said, "Our concerns remain the same as they have for the last four and a half years. There's nothing to talk about." I must say, it was an uncomfortable meeting, and it adjourned.  There appeared to be no real purpose for the meeting other than perhaps to make OVCN look good. As a result, there was no way to assess the new proposal, aside from the pretty pictures. A few weeks later, OVCN sent a second letter to these same neighbors. It was the same form letter, except this time it included the phrase, “Since you did not respond.”

Lack of Genuine Community Engagement
Really? I was there. Is this what OVCN considers engagement with the community? Even the names were misspelled. Besides Craig Coulter, Gene Hayward, an administrator, and another person named David Williamson were present.

Builder’s Comments Highlight OVCN’s Approach
Williamson described himself as a builder and said he was only there to answer any questions about construction. Since there were no plans, there were no questions for him. But he did add at the end of the meeting that "something will be built there." We said, "Thank you." I’m not sure if it was a threat or a promise.

As an aside, Mr. Williamson owns Fairfield Homes and is the builder of both Mr. Coulter's and Mr. Collins' homes. OVCN describes this as "reaching out." After the meeting and the second letter, the Concordia Buena Vista group can only interpret this whole charade as OVCN saying they will do what they propose when they want."
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Help Build OV’s Vision for the Future

Help Build OV’s Vision for the Future
Thank you to all the residents who shared their ideas, expectations, and priorities for OV’s future.  Over 8,900 contributions were provided through surveys, online discussions, and events. All resident responses form the foundational building blocks to create the community’s next 10-year action plan, known as OV’s Path Forward.

Draft Vision and Guiding Principles 

The first step in creating the plan is capturing what residents value and prioritize in a draft vision statement and guiding principles. For instance, having more things to do and keeping OV safe were top priorities consistent across all survey responses, online discussions, and event comments. Appreciation for the natural beauty, outdoor lifestyle, and strong sense of community were also highly valued.

Click to Enlarge

In addition to the draft vision statement [panel on right], there are 13 guiding principles aimed at capturing residents’ top priorities related to public safety, water, housing, development, and more. Together, the draft vision and guiding principles set the framework for the plan and will guide the goals, policies, and actions that produce real results in the community.

Calling All OV Residents: Your Voice is Needed!

Now through September 30, join OVPathForward.com to take the Wordsmith Challenge! Share your reaction to the vision and guiding principles or suggest phrases to better capture what most residents said through the survey, online discussions, and events. Participants must be registered on OVPathForward.com. Registration is quick and easy.

Looking for More Ways to Participate?
The draft vision and guiding principles are just the first steps in creating a 10-year action plan that represents most residents. Next, resident working groups will continue to use the direction provided over the past 9 months to forge goals, policies, and actions to turn the community’s vision into a reality.

Take the Wordsmith Challenge and sign up for a resident working group on OVPathForward.com.

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State Mandated Rezoning “Shot Clock” Could Speed Up Oro Valley Rezoning Requests If…

Today, a rezoning request in Oro Valley could drag on indefinitely. The OVCN request is an example
For the past two years, the Oro Valley Church of the Nazarene (OVCN) has been working on a rezoning request that has seen multiple revisions. Their original proposal, which included a full sports complex, sparked strong reactions from the community. Since March 28, 2022, there have been 48 separate articles reporting on their plans, and although the details have changed, OVCN has never backed away from including some kind of sports facility on the property.

What has added to the frustration for many residents is the involvement of town staff in this process. While town staff may not be directly guiding OVCN’s plans, they have been advising the church throughout the various iterations of their proposal. In some instances, a senior member of the Planning & Zoning (P&Z) staff reportedly reached out to local residents, asking what would be needed for them to support the project.

This level of involvement goes beyond what most expect from town staff, who should be neutral arbiters, not advocates for a project. The continuous revisions and prolonged negotiations have allowed the rezoning process to drag on with no clear resolution in sight.

One would hope the new State madated “Shot Clock” Law would fix this
The recently passed Senate Bill 1162 adds a “shot clock” for rezoning applications. Under the new law, Oro Valley will have to decide whether a rezoning application is complete within 30 days. If it isn’t, staff must provide detailed feedback, and once the application is resubmitted, the town has just 15 days to confirm it is complete. After that, the town has 180 days to approve or deny the application. Extensions are allowed only for extenuating circumstances or at the applicant’s request, but even then, they are limited in duration.

This could be a game change for a town like Oro Valley, where rezoning requests have often become lengthy, drawn-out affairs
Rezoning requests can sit in the queue only to be revised again and again as developers and town staff craft and modify proposals based on two neighborhood meetings, one or two Planning and Zoning Commission reviews, and a Town Council hearing. The OVCN rezoning is just one example of how long the process can take—and that particular case hasn’t even made it to a Town Council hearing! The two years it took to develop a council-approved revitalized plan for the Oro Valley Marketplace is another example.

Loophole: It won’t be a game changer if every revision is defined to be a new submission… a restart of the “Shot Clock”
The loophole in the law is that the term “submission” is not explicitly defined in the bill. Typically, in zoning and regulatory contexts, a “submission” refers to an initial or revised application that includes all the required documents, forms, and information necessary for the application to be reviewed.

In the context of SB1162, it appears that a “submission” would be any application that is presented for review, whether it’s the initial proposal or a revised one following feedback. The law requires the municipality to determine if the application is “administratively complete,” which implies that any major revision requiring resubmission could potentially restart the clock if it is deemed a new “submission.”

It will be up to the Council to close that loophole
In Oro Valley, a rezoning request goes through a process that typically involves two neighborhood meetings. Each neighborhood meeting generally results in a revised version of the proposed rezoning request. Then, there are one and sometimes two meetings before the Planning and Zoning Commission, which usually lead to more revisions. Finally, there’s a hearing in front of the Town Council. Every one of these hearings generally results in some sort of change. If each change is defined as a new submission, then the clock starts again.

It will be up to the Council to decide what constitutes a submission. If every revision is considered a new submission, then the timeline for a rezoning request could drag on indefinitely—just like it does now.

Code change will be approved by council by year end

Town staff will present their version of the updated code the Planning and Zoning Commission in severa months. Then, they will present a version to the council for approval before year end.

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