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The following is an "open letter" regarding the Fry's Gas Station Conditional Use Permit which will be heard by Council on Wednesday. The letter is from Canada Hills resident, Jim Harrison:
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On Wednesday May 16 the OV Town Council will meet to vote on the proposed Fry’s Gas Station just north of the Valero (a.k.a. Diamond Shamrock) Station on the NE corner of La Canada and Lambert. As proposed, the station will be open 24/7 (unattended overnight) with 14 fueling positions.
It is clear that we do not need another gas station at this site. Unfortunately that is not the question at issue. What the Council must grapple with is the suitability of the site to the proposed use and conformance of the proposal to code.
At a second neighborhood meeting called last week by Fry’s, the developers made a commitment to modifying their proposal to address the areas of impact that would be felt most directly by the 3 nearby neighborhoods. Our expectation is that the modifications will include limited hours of operation (none unattended) and architectural features to make the structure fully consistent with the surrounding buildings (especially as viewed by neighbors). We also expect to see lighting customized to minimize light pollution along the site lines. Fry’s, in directly acknowledging the concerns of neighbors, has opened a path forward to building a station that fits the Mercado Center and mitigates the impacts of site and sound.
With Fry’s and the neighbors coming together, traffic impact has emerged as the most vexing issue and it is the one that affects the entire Canada Hills community. The concern is that the location of the station (adjacent to Rub’s) will render a bad situation untenable. Both the Town and Fry’s have listened to concerned citizens and are now engaged in a second round of analyses better informed by data. It is crucial that these include both the volume and character of the traffic generated by the gas station. Ideally the volume study will account for our unique situation with two nearby Fry’s Food & Drug Stores sharing a single Fry’s Fuel Center, while also looking ahead to La Canada as a sanctioned truck route. Options for contending with the traffic impact are limited. Town Engineers may be looking at restricting turning directions at the opposing entrances to La Canada or perhaps discouraging “kamikaze” behavior (the word used by Town Staff) by encouraging U-turns through improvements. The fact that peak traffic hours at the gas station and at the Kinder Care Center (just across La Canada) coincide with commuting hours remains a significant concern.
What can you do? BE HEARD. BE COUNTED. The Council is absolutely empowered by the residents of Oro Valley. Come to the meeting on May 16th. The Fry’s Proposal is first up on the regular agenda
Please arrive by 5:45 PM at the Council Chamber at Town Center and fill out a blue speaker card (you will have up to 3 minutes to speak; if you prefer not to speak, simply note that along with your position on the card). Please also take a few minutes today to send an email to the Council expressing your views. I have seen several messages written by Thunder Hill neighbors that are powerful expressions of their views and I urge all concerned residents to take advantage of this simple and effective means of reaching the Council. I assure you that they will read your messages and take note of your views. The following address will reach the entire Council:
Council@orovalleyaz.gov
On this point, my experience should give you faith in our leaders. I have lived on Thunder Hill since 1997 and beyond voting had never engaged with Town Government prior to the Fry’s Proposal. My first email to the Council generated immediate response. I had a call from the Mayor within an hour and heard back from all but one Council member within 2 days to schedule meetings. I have met with the Mayor, Vice Mayor and 4 of the 5 other Council members, with most of the meetings extending to ~90 minutes. Similarly Town Staff (including those cc'd here along with Council) have made themselves available and have devoted considerable time and effort to listening, scrutinizing the proposal and working with Fry’s to arrive at an outcome that might work for everyone. These folks are responsive, accessible, caring, thoughtful and fully committed to serving the residents of Oro Valley. We owe it to them to participate.
In making their decision the Council must work within a limited space, balancing quality-of-life and the “needs” of the Town against commercial interests that are protected by law. Assuming that the traffic impact is deemed to be sustainable, in revising their proposal Fry’s has an opportunity to make the Council’s job much easier. Please contact the Council and attend the meeting so that your voice is heard and your head is counted. Participate in the process and trust in the Council to make a well-informed, well-considered decision. Thank you for reading. See you there…
Jim Harrison
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1 comment:
Jim, this is such a positive letter. You describe a Town Council I didn't know existed.
Hopefully, many residents will attend this meeting and be heard.
Be cautious in trusting the Council making a well-informed, well-considered decision.
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