It's holiday time. Time for family and friends. We, at LOVE, wish for you and yours a joyous holiday season. Our gift to you? Why this beautiful double rainbow, which appeared over Oro Valley this past spring.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Happy Holidays
It's holiday time. Time for family and friends. We, at LOVE, wish for you and yours a joyous holiday season. Our gift to you? Why this beautiful double rainbow, which appeared over Oro Valley this past spring.
Vistoso Partners Get Council Approval On Rancho Vistoso Neighborhood 5
As reported in The Explorer, after many delays, Vistoso Partners finally got the approval they have been seeking for Neighborhood 5 in Rancho Vistoso. The Explorer article is below.
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Vistoso gets long-awaited plan changes
Golf course, school to remain in any development in RV
After nearly two years of considerations, changes and postponements, a general plan amendment affecting a wide swath of Rancho Vistoso has gained the approval of the Oro Valley Town Council.
The council on Dec. 2 granted the land-use changes to Vistoso Partners, owners of the property in Rancho Vistoso Neighborhood 5. The changes affect about 126 acres.
Councilman Barry Gillaspie cast the one dissenting vote.
"I favor that the golf course area be left to natural open space," Gillaspie said in explanation of his no vote.
The golf course designation, in the northern section of Rancho Vistoso, would lie too close to the open spaces of Honey Bee Canyon Park and existing trail systems, Gillaspie said.
Oro Valley resident Doug McKee took issue with golf course designation on a different front. McKee, a former planning commission member, explained that future population growth would increase the demand for golf courses. He said the area allotted for golf was too small for a viable course.
"It is so restrictive that it would probably never get built," McKee said.
Any new golf course built in the town would be required to use reclaimed water and not groundwater. The costs of tapping into the reclaimed water lines and associated infrastructure would fall to the developer.
The changes Vistoso Partners sought would transfer the location of a future school. Amphitheater Unified School District has an agreement with Vistoso Partners to use the area for a middle school, depending on population demands.
In addition to the general plan amendment approval, the council also granted Vistoso Partners an amendment to the planned area development that governs the same area. The changes to the development plan mirrored those approved under the general plan amendment.
The council approved the changes unanimously.
*************************************************************************************
Vistoso gets long-awaited plan changes
Golf course, school to remain in any development in RV
After nearly two years of considerations, changes and postponements, a general plan amendment affecting a wide swath of Rancho Vistoso has gained the approval of the Oro Valley Town Council.
The council on Dec. 2 granted the land-use changes to Vistoso Partners, owners of the property in Rancho Vistoso Neighborhood 5. The changes affect about 126 acres.
Councilman Barry Gillaspie cast the one dissenting vote.
"I favor that the golf course area be left to natural open space," Gillaspie said in explanation of his no vote.
The golf course designation, in the northern section of Rancho Vistoso, would lie too close to the open spaces of Honey Bee Canyon Park and existing trail systems, Gillaspie said.
Oro Valley resident Doug McKee took issue with golf course designation on a different front. McKee, a former planning commission member, explained that future population growth would increase the demand for golf courses. He said the area allotted for golf was too small for a viable course.
"It is so restrictive that it would probably never get built," McKee said.
Any new golf course built in the town would be required to use reclaimed water and not groundwater. The costs of tapping into the reclaimed water lines and associated infrastructure would fall to the developer.
The changes Vistoso Partners sought would transfer the location of a future school. Amphitheater Unified School District has an agreement with Vistoso Partners to use the area for a middle school, depending on population demands.
In addition to the general plan amendment approval, the council also granted Vistoso Partners an amendment to the planned area development that governs the same area. The changes to the development plan mirrored those approved under the general plan amendment.
The council approved the changes unanimously.
Explorer Letter--Re: Oro Valley Police
We don't know Jim Spencer, but we certainly think his letter to The Explorer is "right on."
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In OV, halt growth of unnecessary government
The avalanche of letters both pro and con regarding the Oro Valley Town Council action for a study the OV Police Department are very emotionally charged and also very entertaining.
If one ignores the ridiculous, like comparing Los Angeles to Oro Valley and OV Police do the job we won't (hello, they are paid to be policemen!) a citizen should analyze the facts.
The facts are the town council has a mandate from the voters to run our town in the most efficient manner and to study their operations. It is their responsibility to then make any and all changes to ensure the same is justified. A $100K price tag for the study, in this economy, is however questionable.
What really are transparent in this whole issue are the OV police union's position and the crux of the problem. The union immediately jumps to the conclusion "this is just a way to justify staff reductions."
I can understand why the union is defensive. The OV Police Department is bloated with over-staffing as the result of years of the current and former councils' inability to "just say no" to budget growth. Kudos to Chief Sharp, who has, as any good bureaucrat does, built his empire on taxpayer dollars.
Sure, Oro Valley is a safe place to live and I am thankful for that. But consider why six motorcycle police hide in the foliage along major thoroughfares, several unmarked OV Police units roam our town and multiple OV Police units respond to Grandmother Jones being pulled over on Oracle for a non-functioning taillight. The reason is clear to me. The OV Police don't have much to do and there are too many of them doing that.
As a former councilman in another town (I was temporary insane) I know the bully tactics of police unions and bureaucrats cry of "this is for public safety and will save lives.
I urge the Oro Valley Town Council to "man up" (apology to Salette) and address this issue with both objective and subjective judgment. Oro Valley residents do not want any town employees to be eliminated. We want the growth of unnecessary government to stop.
Jim Spencer, Oro Valley
*************************************************************************************
In OV, halt growth of unnecessary government
The avalanche of letters both pro and con regarding the Oro Valley Town Council action for a study the OV Police Department are very emotionally charged and also very entertaining.
If one ignores the ridiculous, like comparing Los Angeles to Oro Valley and OV Police do the job we won't (hello, they are paid to be policemen!) a citizen should analyze the facts.
The facts are the town council has a mandate from the voters to run our town in the most efficient manner and to study their operations. It is their responsibility to then make any and all changes to ensure the same is justified. A $100K price tag for the study, in this economy, is however questionable.
What really are transparent in this whole issue are the OV police union's position and the crux of the problem. The union immediately jumps to the conclusion "this is just a way to justify staff reductions."
I can understand why the union is defensive. The OV Police Department is bloated with over-staffing as the result of years of the current and former councils' inability to "just say no" to budget growth. Kudos to Chief Sharp, who has, as any good bureaucrat does, built his empire on taxpayer dollars.
Sure, Oro Valley is a safe place to live and I am thankful for that. But consider why six motorcycle police hide in the foliage along major thoroughfares, several unmarked OV Police units roam our town and multiple OV Police units respond to Grandmother Jones being pulled over on Oracle for a non-functioning taillight. The reason is clear to me. The OV Police don't have much to do and there are too many of them doing that.
As a former councilman in another town (I was temporary insane) I know the bully tactics of police unions and bureaucrats cry of "this is for public safety and will save lives.
I urge the Oro Valley Town Council to "man up" (apology to Salette) and address this issue with both objective and subjective judgment. Oro Valley residents do not want any town employees to be eliminated. We want the growth of unnecessary government to stop.
Jim Spencer, Oro Valley
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