In our posting Oro Valley Town Manager Asks State To Approve Arroyo Grande Plan,
we noted there may be a problem with the Oro Valley Council's recently approved General Plan Amendment for Arroyo Grande.
With all good intentions, the council made sure that a TEP substation would not be part of the natural open space within the wildlife corridor. Well, it appears that other sinister forces were at work.
As we know, the Arroyo Grande parcel to the north of Sun City is within the confines of Pima County. It seems that Chuck Huckelberry, Pima County Administrator has other plans for Arroyo Grande, including having the TEP substation on a 3 acre parcel right through the wildlife corridor.
Those amongst us that feel Pima County would be a better steward of the land, rather than Oro Valley, might be disappointed in this latest turn of events.
Those of our readers that may be interested in more of the details, can listen in on the Dec. 10 Council Study Session available on the OV web site.
13 comments:
This is just one of the reasons I have swung around to being in favor of TOV having control over this parcel. A substation in this area would be an abomination. Not only does a substation ruin the scenic attributes around it, it has yet to be proven that the volume of 'radiation' generated by the electrical equipment incorporated would not hurt the wildlife population adjacent to it; it could also affect the value of those real properties either presently existing or proposed. As I stated in a prior post, Pima county has been pushing for an atrocity that would harm a major riparian area in favor of a potential limestone mine (this was in the Star sometime last week, I believe). Yes, I like many others, have, in the past, preferred that OV not annex this property; I am now in the pro-annexation camp.
I believe that by having OV take control of the property we at least have a chance for controlling it. As to the County, look around you, read the history,
check out THEIR politics; it's not pretty!
Zev,
Thanks for the heads up about the limestone mine. I found the article here:
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/environment/269965
If you read the article and the comments, it becomes very difficult to believe that Pima County has the best interests of the environment at heart.
Did you know that there's also a limestone mine of some sort in Arroyo Grande?
Also, I found out that TEP really needs the substation to serve Sahuaro Ranch in unicorporated Pima County. Hmmm.
It seems like Pima County wants to keep control of Arroyo Grande so that Oro Valley doesn't mess up their plans to use it for mining and substations. And I do think it's pretty sinister how they used the NIMBYs and enviros by putting out statements as to how OV wasn't going to be a good steward of the environment.
Huckelberry is no environmentalist, but he is a very good manipulator.
It’s time to come together and point out the real problem we have in OV and that is Pima County. If you really want to see how screwed we are up here in N. Pima, just take a look-see at how bond money is spent. Seems we lost a chunk of bond $$ just recently to South Tucson, imagine that. Piss off Chuckleberry and he takes his money to his buddies who control the contracts, Valadez, Bronson, and Elias.
I’d like to know when the Explorer or Star are going to do a little investigating on county money appropriations, where most of the $$ is generated and where it gets spent.
It is time the citizens of OV become aware that we are being had by the Three Musketeers and their lying King, Huckleberry.
I hope everyone reads that article that OV Mom posted, it’s quite revealing.
There may well be more to the "substation" story than we noted here.
Don't be surprised if additional revelations come out very shortly.
Some of what we heard "ain't pretty."
Let's wait and see. It shouldn't be too long. Hopefully, our local newspapers will have more to say on what is going on outside the public domain.
I hope the local newspapers can investigate this new development in the Arroyo Grande saga.
Please recall, however, that the newspapers are cutting newsroom staff at a rapid rate.
I can only hope that our local press will survive!
OV Mom
Thank YOU for pursuing my post and putting the url out there in order that the article regarding the limestone mine can be examined by all. Also, your commentary is very well appreciated and 'spot on'. Eth, Art, and Nombe, your comments are all pertinent. I first heard of this substation when I learned that Sun City had been in dialogue with TE as TE had (has) plans to extend one of the Sun City streets in order to access what TE had planned. It is my understanding that Sun City told TE 'no access to be allowed'. I will pursue the outcome. How TE or the County can even consider a substation in AG is beyond belief.The equipment, the wires, transformers, etc. would blight the WHOLE area, the Tortalitas, AG, etc. not simply just the 3 square miles needed to 'house' the facility. TE, Pima County, Huckleberry, et al - LEAVE US ALONE! Stop your stupid, assnine
havoc wreaking mentality on the citizens who live in this POPULATED area. It is evident from the helter skelter messiness of this county along with it's never get anywhere 'flagship', Tucson, that you are perpetuating a stream of flagrant anti-conservationism along with your twisted visions that somehow you can turn this area into some kind of a giant commercial hub of some sort. Straighten up Tucson itself, straighten up the existing outlying areas, straighten up the trashiness that exists all around us and stop your attempt to inflict more trash on other areas, Oro Valley included. In short, get off your high horses and adjust to the amenities that barely exist and remain now; otherwise, this beautiful area that you think will draw 'newcomers' and retain 'oldstayers' in the future will turn into another dusty, broken down Tombstone. Get REAL!!! And, as an aside Pima County, you take our HUGE property tax contributions
and give us virtually nothing back for it.
Picking up on Zev's comment concerning TEP, perhaps one of our readers can address the issue of a recent house sale in the Sun City area that might have been used---not as a homestead, but the access into AG.
Could this too have been some sinister plot on behalf of the bureaucracy?
Hopefully, more information will be forthcoming.
Art, I believe that it was after TE purchased said house that the egress issue came to be re-lit and Sun City refused to allow TE to use it's community as a route. I'll try to get to the bottom of that next week. If anyone is aware of the 'finality' of this facet, please advise.
For those of you who wish to SEE the beauty of typical electrical substations go to:
osha.com
under 'search' type in: "electrical substations"
In menu on left click on: "etools"
Then click on "electrical power etool:illustrated glossary:substations
The pictures of what can be are
mind boggling!!!
Another question:
Where does TE intend on running the high tension power lines and 'poles': in front of the Tortalitas, in back of the Tortalitas, atop the
Tortalitas, all the way down from Florence and thus at the side of the Tortalitas?
I also originally believed that Pima County would be a better "steward of the land" than OV, but that was back when the county had adopted the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan and OV had not. I began to feel better about things when OV also adopted the plan.
I was still concerned however that the county also had an ESLO and OV still did not, but now I wonder what difference an ESLO makes if they can still build a substation in spite of it.
It's probably the same old story...it's just guidelines, but nothing is set in stone.
Right now, I don't trust either entity. I haven't forgotten how OV rolled over for the devil (Vestar.) But at least we have a more enlightened council now, so maybe, just maybe, OV will do the right thing this time.
Ok, we agree that the present plan is bad.
Do we have an idea where a sub-station could be located? (near the wal-mkt? (just kidding)
We do need a plan B don't we?
Nombe, the 'present' plan (?) would be horrible not just bad. Plan B? Who knows if there is one. TEP along with 'others', especially utilities, always seem to think they can push municipalities and their residents around by one one way or another; even threats are one of their favorite tactics. Bottom line is that, whereas TEP might need another substation for whatever purposes, this is most probably the CHEAPEST, not the least effecting, route or manner for THEM. Plan B? Let's stick with OUR plan A and find a way to make THEM stay the hell away from this parcel. Realize that the Arizona Preserve Initiative of 1996,7,8,9 signed into law by then governor Stuart Symington, RECOGNIZED that the land area, Arroyo Grande, IS an environmentally sensitive area!
Zev as you state in your most recent post - I 10 and Tangerine shoud be a most excellent location.
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