Guest View-John Musolf: Mixed Use Neighborhood ("MUN") is Not Mixed Use

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There is confusion between what the Oro Valley Development and Infrastructure Department terms Mixed Use Neighborhood (MUN) and Mixed Use (MU).

Having attending the Oro Valley Development and Infrastructure Department's informational meetings on "Mixed Use"and having studied the accepted meaning of "Mixed Use," I have concluded that Oro Valley is talking about something quite different than the generally stated definition of "Mixed Use".

Why is knowing the difference between these two terms important?  It is important because, at some point in the near future, the Oro Valley Town Council will be asked by the Oro Valley Development and Infrastructure Department,  as approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission, to vote a General Plan Amendment to add this zoning code. It is important because they will vote on this without a proper, clear definition of what it is.

Mixed Use Neighborhood

On December 7, 2011 at the Town Council Regular Meeting, Agenda Item 6, there was a Public Hearing where Resolution 11-82 was passed by Council amending the General Plan. This General Plan Amendment  applied to a property of 20 acres. The amendment split the parcel into two different zoning uses:

• The amendment changed the land use category from Neighborhood Commercial-Office (NCO) to High Density Residential (HDR) for 13 acres located in the rear of the property in proximity to the northeast corner of Linda Vista Blvd. and Oracle Rd, for the purpose of building an apartment complex of approximately 215-220 units. 
• The 7 acres fronting Oracle Road remained Commercial and 5 buildings were proposed to house restaurants, cleaners, and other retail or commercial use. 

Thus, the property would now have two separate uses approved for it.  This is what is called segregated land used on one parcel.  It is not what one would call "Mixed Use" as generally defined.

Please, read on.

Mixed Use

On January 3, 2012 the Oro ValleyPlanning and Zoning Commission approved what they called a Minor General Plan Amendment to add a Mixed Use (MU) land use category to the General Plan (OV1111-006).  The General Plan does not include a category which allows a mixture of land uses on one property. This was a generic proposal since no applicant or property was involved in this item. Some of the citizens in the audience felt they needed further definition on Mixed Use

The Oro Valley Development and Infrastructure Department has offered several outreach educational programs on mixed use.  A definition sheet was handed out at the first outreach program on January 31, 2012 on Mixed Use. The first paragraph offers this explanation: This designation denotes areas wherein a range of land uses are planned as an integrated development.

"The mixed use designation is intended for residential, commercial, office and employment uses, creatively designed based on new urbanism principles. Such areas should be reflective of a village concept wherein there is an opportunity for residents to live, work and recreate within the same neighborhood."

On Tuesday, March 27, 2012 at the third Oro Valley Development and Infrastructure Department outreach program, a panel discussion was held with Roger Eastman (Flagstaff Planning), Don Keith (Phoenix Community Planning) and Ross Rulney (Tucson Developer) on the subject of mixed use. All three gentlemen discussed mixed use that matched very closely to the explanation on the definition sheet handed out at the first outreach program on January 31, 2012. “Such areas should be reflective of a village concept wherein there is an opportunity for residents to live, work and recreate within the same neighborhood”.

Mixed Use Neighborhood v. Mixed Use

The keyword constantly referred to in discussing mixed use is integration of many uses on the same property.  It is the building of a village that is self-sustaining.

The Linda Vista and Oracle facility is an example of what the Oro Valley Development and Infrastructure Department is talking about.  It is, by no means, integrated.  The 200 plus residents will not work in the "neighboorhood." Like everyone else in Oro Valley, they'll drive to work somewhere.  Their children will not go to school in the "neighborhood." They will be bussed, like many others in Oro Valley.

Mixed Use, as the town is educating us, is about building a complete village for "residents to live, work and recreate within the same neighborhood".   On paper, in theory, this sounds like an appealing concept. In reality, though, this is not what Oro Valley Development and Infrastructure Department is talking about.

When the Oro Valley Development and Infrastructure Department says Mixed Use they are talking about multiple zoning uses on one parcel, a concept the voters rejected when they finally approve the 2005 General Plan.

Splitting parcels to make them usable for multiple zoning purposes does not create a village.  It simply creates a "hodge-podge" of uses on one parcel.
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