The Oro Valley Marketplace Dust Storm

Neighbor John Marinaro looks at the Oro Valley Marketplace site at 6:30 AM and sees a dust storm. He writes: "I'm dying over here. Where's the water to keep down the dust at our lovely new and beautiful shopping center? The water guy doesn't show up until everybody's awake?


If you need to get a hold of me, I'll be at the carwash flushing the sand out of my eye's..."

Look Out! The House Next Door May Turn Into A Religious Institution!

At last night's Town Council meeting, the issue of amending Section 23.3 of the Zoning Code was discussed. In the absence of Terry Parish, the issue to amend was not approved by a 3-3 vote, but instead was continued to a future meeting in Sept.

If you think this issue may not impact you, think again. Without getting involved in constitutional issues, if other than a "Conditional Use Permit" on religious uses is approved, you may well have your next door neighbor operating a "religious institution" in his home.

Please read the following email our friend Bill Adler sent us, as a means of alerting our neighbors to this issue.
Thank you Bill.
Art
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Art

An item your blog readers might find either interesting, alarming or amusing:

The Town Council is considering a code change to allow religious uses in all zoning districts, including residential districts, where religious use is presently prohibited.

So, a minister could buy or lease an existing home within an existing neighborhood, and convert it to a religious use. The proposed change as it stands would allow this change of use "by right," which means automatically. I've been advocating for a change in use to require a "Conditional Use Permit," which requires notice to neighboring homeowners, and an opportunity for those folks to speak at a public hearing.

The issue isn't whether religious use is good or bad in a neighborhood. Freedom of Religion is basic. The issue is whether a person or group buying a home next to yours or mine, and converting its use from residential to religious is acceptable in all neighborhoods. If not, can conditions be placed upon that change in use so that noise, parking and any other impacts can be mitigated? My answer is, probably.

Anyway, the elected officials considered this matter last night, and tabled it to the second meeting in September. There is time now for residences to visualize the benefit or detriment of this proposed code change, and let the elected officials know. The elected officials who seem to be especially interested in this matter are, Paula Abbott, Barry Gillaspie and Helen Dankwerth. However, comments to any or all of them would be appreciated.

The Town has maintained that it has tried to notice ALL HOAs in Oro Valley regarding this proposed code change, but I have not observed citizens showing up at either the Open Houses, Planning Commission hearing or last night's Town Council meeting.

Thanks for helping to publicize this proposed ordinance change.

Bill Adler

Is A Franchise Fee The Next Step In "Squeezing" Oro Valley Citizens?

What's next? How many of you remember those "glitzy" 5x7 fliers mailed out every week by Vestar when they were looking for our $23.2 million giveaway?

You know--- the ones that said something like, "the OV Marketplace would alleviate the need for new taxes."

Well, we all know about the 2% Utility Tax pushed through by Council Member Helen Dankwerth.

How about your OV water bill? Have you looked at that lately?

And let's not forget, TEP has a major rate increase coming----too soon for most of us.

Now, there's talk coming from the Town Council, that there's another way to "hit" the citizens. Only it won't be called a "tax." If this one is approved, it will be disguised---not as a tax, but a Franchise Fee---on our gas & electric bills. At least the voters will need to approve this one.

Back in New York, people would be screaming: "Give Me A Break, would ya!"
We think people in OV will scream the same way.

Read about this proposed fee reported in the Az Star. Click here.
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/85737/192150