Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Gerri Ottobobi Responds To Explorer Letter "Gibberish"

We don't know Rick Cunnington, but we are familiar with his letters to The Explorer. He continues to say things that have no merit, and it would probably be wise if the new publisher/editor of The Explorer, Dave Perry stopped giving him a forum to spew his nasty comments. Good for Gerri Ottoboni for setting the record straight.
Art
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Candidate is rightfully concerned about vistas

In a letter to The Explorer on 1-23-08, Rick Cunnington found humor in Salette Latas’s reasons for choosing Oro Valley as a home for her family.

Salette spoke of endless views, clean air, and peace and quiet. And she is rightfully concerned about all the new developments and associated traffic that will destroy these very things.

Might I suggest that Cunnington take a ride up Rancho Vistoso Boulevard and drink in the stark, institutional facade of Splendido? The roofline hides the mountain vistas that the residents across the street once enjoyed, and paid for when they purchased their homes. Town council members said: “they didn’t know it would be on a hill.”

Cunnington should take a bike ride to Robi Place, where he will find another scene of lost vistas. Builders erected a huge wall directly behind a home where endless views were once enjoyed.

On a moonlit drive to Catalina Shadows, Rick can experience the exciting bam-bam-boom of Vestar’s construction machinery at 3 a.m., a full three hours before the legal start time.

If Mr. Cunnington’s view or peace and quiet is ever encroached upon, and the price of his home slips to rock bottom, will he double over with glee?

In response to concerns about pollution, he asserts that there are very few junk cars in OV. He asks, “So where will the air pollution come from?” It will come from the junk cars from other towns being driven to Oro Valley’s new Wal-Mart. I guess Cunnington expects to see a sea of 2008 BMWs parked there.

I attended both forums. Salette Latas is well informed and articulate. Her education and experience are impressive.

Oro Valley residents don’t expect stagnation, but we do expect well-managed development. The needs of residents must come before the wants of developers, and that’s why I’m voting for Salette Latas.

Geri Ottoboni
Oro Valley

4 comments:

Zev Cywan said...

This is an excellent reply to the reckless Mr. Cunnington; if he is all that he says he is, he should promote at least that which is
even specifically dictated by the Oro Valley Zoning Codes. One of those edicts is: [the Town of Oro Valley shall be of "LOW PROFILE"] and goes on to include how to maintain/preserve the "LOW PROFILE" clause, including how the presentation for a potential structure application must be handled. Splendido? No low profile there! The upcoming 60' hotel? No low profile there! (In addition, the process for approving it was NOT followed in full accordance with the Zoning 'bible'.)Oh, and by the way, has anyone else noticed all of the empty storefronts in Oro Valley? Has anyone else noticed the number of new retailers that have gone out of or are in the process of going out of business or whose foot traffic is wretched? Has anyone else noticed the increase in traffic jamming with obviously more to come?

Yes, towns may need certain growth and expansion, but they need to execute it in a reasonable manner and according to the directives of the zoning regulations!

Mr.Cunnington, take your blinders
off, PLEASE; the roses you see now could be replaced by stinkweed - then go ride your bike and enjoy the concrete.

mscoyote said...

Zev,
My husband and I have noticed the empty stores and also wonder how they will stay in business.
How many sporting goods stores can one town support?
The rate we are going in OV, we are not attracting shoppers to the nicer or more unique stores . Eventually those who drive here to shop at our ordinary or dumpy stores will stop shopping here when they get their own supply of ho hum stores.

Contrary to what some developers and Oro Valley brass think, most of us are not going to shop 24/7 so the town can spend our money in a reckless fashion, on their wants not our needs.

Mr. Cunnington is either the most miserable person on the planet or the most sarcastic.

I say we all send him a Get Well card.
Hope he feels better soon.
Grumpitis is a nasty disease.

Zev Cywan said...

Another problem, mscoyote, is that if those who are in the process of looking here either for residence or business see a bunch of empty stores, how then will they view Oro Valley as a 'great place to live and work'; remember, though, we are in a recessive period which could get worse and the 'rich' (in this case developers, builders, and their patrons) just don't get it. Remember, during the depression it was the 'haves' that mostly jumped out of their windows.

mscoyote said...

Zev,
I hope we don't see more of the empty store syndrome.
The more I listen to the town staff and developers the more I realize that they seem to be one and the same.
Town staff always seems to approve of every plan and thinks the developer went over and above, worked so hard, blah, blah, blah.
Developers always seem to say what a wonderful opportunity, blah, blah, and they look forward to working with the town, blah, blah,blah.
I look around and see the poor results of this allegiance or alliance.
We moved here because it was not like one of the Phoenix burbs.
Now we are sad to see a lot of the beauty disappear and we are becoming just another community, nothing like that community of excellence they use as a slogan.