Wal-Mart: What's Up With The Roof Aesthetics & Potential Light Pollution

I recently wrote Ms. Pat Klein who is the Oro Valley Constituent Service Coordinator.

My concerns were about the Wal-Mart going up at the OV Marketplace. Specifically, it pertained to the roof design.

"Driving west on Tangerine Road from Oracle Road you can't help but see the roof of the massive Wal-Mart structure.

As I noted on a recent posting I did on my blog, www.letorovalleyexcel.com, the roof looks like a giant pinball machine with what appears to be scores of skylights. Am I correct that Oro Valley will not allow this eyesore to remain after the building construction is completed?"

Pat replied:

"With regard to rooftop design, aesthetics and green building elements were primary considerations. The roof must be painted a desert tan color and all mechanicals will be housed within 5 sided screens."

Subsequently, Pat replied: "I am told that rooftop mechanicals have not yet been screened but this must be accomplished prior to Wal Mart opening for business."

On June 18, I saw fit to bring this issue to the Oro Valley Town Council and spoke during "Call To The Audience." I not only addressed the fact that this UGLY roof is visible, not only to the residents above them in the Palisades Point/Catalina Shadows communities, but anyone driving west of Oracle on Tangerine.

Perhaps more important, I noted that once open, Wal-Mart will operate 24/7 and at night, with lights on, with approximately 100 skylights, the roof may look like an "airport landing strip."

I wanted to show a photo of what it now looks like, but Mayor Loomis said; "we all know what it looks like."

The question is: What will it look like when they open for business in the very near future.

For those of you who haven't seen this eyesore and its potential light pollution, the above photo was taken during the day on June 14, 2008.

What do you think?

SAHBA Warns Oro Valley: Higher Impact Fees Will "Backfire"

Mr. Ed Taczanowsky, President of SAHBA (Southern Arizona Homebuilders Association) has written a guest editorial in the June 18 Explorer, with what a appears to be a stern warning to Oro Valley---- raise the impact fees and it will backfire.

From our standpoint, SAHBA can go build new homes in South Tucson or where ever they feel they might get a better deal.

Does anyone recall SAHBA ever saying Oro Valley's impact fees were too low for too many years.

And, who's kidding whom? We all know that most fees incurred will be passed along to the home buyer. If someone desires to buy a new home in Oro Valley, they'll do so.

By the way, how many new home builders reaped millions of dollars during the recent home buying boom? We're obviously now in a downturn, and the smart builders will survive. Others may fall by the wayside. That's what business is all about.

Read the column here.
http://www.explorernews.com/articles/2008/06/19/opinion/editorials/doc48583282aa0e8917425635.txt

Please ---Be Aware, P & Z Public Hearing On Arroyo Grande July 1 @ 4:00 PM

Please Try To Attend Extremely Important Meeting---

MAJOR GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT ON ARROYO GRANDE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Planning & Zoning Commission

Tuesday, July 1, 4 p.m. Oro Valley Town Hall,11000 N. La Canada' Dr.

Public Hearing: The Town of Oro Valley in conjunction with the Arizona State Land Department and their consultant Community by Design, requests approval of a Major General Plan Amendment for the 9,106 acres known as the Arroyo Grande Planning Area. The Plan area boundaries are the Tortolita Mountains to the west. the Pinal County line to the north, Oracle Road to the east, and the northern edge of the Town of Oro Valley forms the southern boundary. Additionally the Town of Marana's eastern boundary is adjacent to the southwestern portion of the Plan area, OV11-0S-Q5.

The proposed General Plan Designation will be Rural Low Density Residential, Open Space, Low Density Residential 1, Low Density Residential 2, Village Center, Commerce/Office Park and Master Planned Community.

The meeting will be held in the Town Council Chambers. The public is encouraged to attend and will be invited to speak. An agenda for this meeting will be made available at least 24 hours prior to meeting time and can be viewed at www.orovalleyaz.gov. For questions and additional information, please contact Sarah S. More,

Planning & Zoning Director,at (520) 229-4807 smore@orovalleyaz.gov.

Board Of Adjustment Positions Will Remain Open

After hearing from some concerned citizens, the council saw fit to not appoint any of the three new applicants to the Board Of Adjustment.

Citizens gave rational reasons why they believed Don Cox & Alan Dankwerth were not desirable candidates. The council members evidently considered this, as well as the fact that the position on the Board is unique, as they do NOT report to the council, and are in fact, the "court of last resort."

If an entity is turned down by the council, the B of A can over-rule. As such, the majority of the council felt it was prudent to make any other qualified candidates who may not have been aware of the opportunity to volunteer, to do so.

Only Mayor Loomis & Vice Mayor Kunisch saw fit to push the ONLY candidates available to serve on this critical board. Fortunately, common sense prevailed as Garner, Latas, Carter & Gillaspie voted to continue this consent agenda item and have other candidates submit their resume.

All other volunteer positions to serve on various boards or commissions were unanimously approved.

New Oro Valley Council Says "No" To Incentive

A motion made by Bill Garner & seconded by Salette Latas not to give Sanofi-Aventis a $360,000 construction tax rebate passed 5-1, with Mayor Loomis casting the lone "No" vote. (Paula Abbott was absent.)

Earlier, Stacey Lemos, Finance Director presented the tentative new budget that passed unanimously. It was interesting to note that Ms. Lemos made it known that the new budget will have an anticipated decrease in new construction sales taxes collected in the amount of $1.7 million.

Why in the world anyone (Mr. Loomis) would know this and still want to consider any entitlement to a multi-billion dollar corporation that has been in Oro Valley for 17 years, and only saw the need to move to larger quarters, is hard to figure.

Thankfully, neither Bill or Salette were willing to accept a Loomis "friendly amendment" motion to continue this item.

As Bill pointed out, the prior council had the opportunity to act on this "giveaway," and saw fit to "pass the buck" to this new group. Bill, in effect said, we were elected to take action on behalf of our constituents.

Might we not have an indication that it surely is a "dawn of a new day" in Oro Valley? Not surprisingly, it does look that way.