Those living in Rancho Vistoso and, in fact, all of us who live in Oro Valley, should be interested in a rezoning request for Ford property in Rancho Vistoso.
The property is located on the Northwest Corner of Rancho Vistoso Blvd and Vistoso Commerce Loop. It is directly across from "The Crematorium". It is diagonally across from Sanofi-Aventis.
The property is currently zoned for commercial office park use, it being located in the Innovation Park area.
The intent of designating Innovation Park for commercial use was to provide space to attract viable employers to Oro Valley. This was the intent of the General Plan, a plan in which so many of you participated in creating.
The General Plan represents a serious agreement among the residents of Oro Valley. Any changes to it should be made under only extraordinary circumstances.
Thus, we are alerting you to this possible major change in zoning.
A developer, Beztek Land Company, is seeking a general plan amendment from commercial Office Park (COP) to High Density Residential (HDR) zoning. The developer wants to build approximately 256 apartments on 15.23 acres. Beztek currently owns Golf Villa Apartments and Oro Valley Luxury Apartments. Per information posted on their web site, rental costs on these properties is approximately $100 per square foot per month.
Based on information provided by the Town ("General Plan Amendment Evaluation Criteria"), changes to the General Plan require compliance with four criteria. One of these criteria (item c) is that:"The proposed change reflects market demand which leads to viability and general community acceptance." Another (item d) is that "the amendment will not adversely impact the community as a whole or a portion of the community without acceptable means of mitigating these impacts..."
Here's our thinking:
- The impact on the adjacent residential neighborhood will be substantial. The neighborhood has almost 500 single family homes. There are but two entrances in and out of their area, one of which is on to Ranch Vistoso Blvd. The impact of 256 rental units adding an additional 400 plus cars to the roadway daily will be enormous in terms of road traffic and, of course, additional polution.
- High Density Residential property is supposed to be located "close to arterial access and shopping and employment opportunities." This location may not to fit all of these criteria.
- There is no guarantee that can be given regarding whether the apartments will be residential upscale, which would suit the adjacent neighborhood, or low income housing, which will not. This is true regardless of what the developer may say.
- What will be the impact on crime in the area? Generally, there is more crime attendant with rental units than with single family residencies.
- We are a bit hard pressed to see how, in this dismal economy, a major new apartment complex, no matter how pretty, has any economic viability (item c). So, as a minimum, the Developer should be asked to provide an Economic Feasibility Study, prepared by an independent third party, that verifies that this project is economically feasible. Otherwise, we could wind up with bladed land with no properties on it or empty units subject to degrading. Either way, the Town should investigate this aspect of the request.
- We also fail to see how, given its impact on the "neighborhood" (item d), it would have any community acceptance by those who live in the neighborhood. It will likely reduce their property values since it could possibly block their view of the Catalina's, views for which many of them were charged extra when they purchased their homes.
- What is the impact on our town's infrastructure? For example, what is the impact on our water system? What is the impact on our Police Department? What will the town need to do to accommodate the increased traffic: Widen the roadways of Innovation Drive/Commerce Loop, add traffic controls, or increase speed limits?
Here's the "kicker." You need to act quickly if you want your voice heard. The town has stated that it must make a decision on this request by December 31. That said, your involvement now is very critical.
It is the responsibility of those living in this area, and there are, literally, thousands impacted,to become knowledgeable of the situation and to let their opinions be known.
With this in mind, we urge those impacted by this decision to attend the next hearing on this request which is October 10 at 6PM at Town Hall.
If you are not involved in understanding and actively participating in this General Plan Amendment request, you will simply "get what you get". And this might not be what you want.
---
