---
After 2.5 hours of discussion, after listening to the planning and zoning commission's recommendation, after listening to Roger Ford, the property owner, after listening to what seem to be "hired supporters' of the amendment (all of whom live outside Oro Valley), after listening to the residents, after discussion, the Town Council voted 6 to 1 to deny a General Plan Amendment to allow apartments on the Northeast corner of Rancho Vistoso Blvd and Commerce Loop.
There is no celebrating this victory for the General Plan.
It was simply a wise decision on the part of Council for a million reasons!
This time the Council got it right!
That said....
Joe Hornat and Lou Waters tried to do an "end run" by leading a charge to continue the decision pending a study of how many apartment units are really needed in Oro Valley. There is no surprise here because both Hornat and Waters are also leading the charge to Amend the General Plan to allow apartment units to be built on Tangerine and Rancho Vistoso Blvd (Knows as F-I).
A continuance would only have added to the misery and uncertainty on the part of the residents.
This continuance motion failed 4-3, with Hiremath voting for the delay. Once again, no surprise here on how the Mayor feels.
Barry Gillaspie, Bill Garner and Steve Solomon opposed this because they recognized that this decision whether the General Plan should be amended is based on the four criteria to amend the plan and not on whether apartments are needed, in general, in Oro Valley.
Mary Snider's philosophy: Oro Valley has this land ready for buildup of technology park and that converting this property from that use for short term gain is wrong. This is the same reasoning that Planning and Zoning Commissioner Cox used.
So, yes, the Council got it right this time.
But, don't look for Roger Ford and Beztak to go gently in the night. They have attorneys. My guess: They will start litigation for this change.
It ain't over till it's over.
---
