Desert Springs: Is This A General Plan Amendment You Want?

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Is the pending Desert Springs general plan amendment something you want?

The Desert Springs property is a huge piece of land at Oracle and Tangering that has wonderful natural scenic beauty.  It abuts Catalina State Park.  Once it is built upon, it will never look the same again.  It is incumbent upon all of us to exercise our civic responsibility to provide our council members with our guidance regarding whether we believe that this general plan amendment is appropriate.

If you don't have an opinion on Desert Springs you should.

The Oro Valley Planning and Zoning Commission conducted their first of two public hearings on the Desert Springs development.   Last week, we wrote in detail about this.

The staff is in favor of this general plan amendment.  Some who spoke at the hearing were also in favor of it. There were those, such as resident Bill Adler and non resident Carolyn Campbell of the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Preservation who were not in favor because they had not been included in any discussions with the developer.

Resident Carl Boswell spoke against the project on the basis that this request would simply enrich the developer because the property would then have a "higher market value.".  The property owner is, after all, not required at this stage to build what they're telling us they would like to build on this property.   Sun Chase could, for example, sell the property at a profit once the amendment is approved.  Carl ended his remarks noting that "these are changes that Oro Valley does not need."

This is not our first rodeo. We know that the only things that needs to be decided by town Council regarding this amendment is whether the amendment meets the following four criteria for general plan amendments:

1. The proposed change is necessary because conditions in the community have changed to the extent that the plan requires amendment or modification; and
2. The proposed change is sustainable by contributing to the socio-economic betterment of the community, while achieving community and environmental compatibility; and
3. The proposed change reflects market demand which leads to viability and general community acceptance; and
4. The amendment will not adversely impact the community as a whole, or a portion of the community without an acceptable means of mitigating these impacts through the subsequent zoning and development processes.

Any other discussion, including those about the specific design and buffer zones, is irrelevant.  The only time that these items become even somewhat relevant to the decision of whether or not this general plan amendment is appropriate is when the council considers item number four on this list.

Several speakers noted that all residents of Oro Valley, neighboring communities, and users of the State Park will be impacted by this general plan amendment.  It is not simply a matter that should be left to the abutting property owners.  Nor is it a matter that should be left to environmental groups who represent all of Pima County.  Nor should it be left to a handful of interested residents.

No. This is a matter to which we all should pay attention.

The next neighborhood meeting on Desert Springs will be October 24 at 6 PM in town council chambers.  The next public hearing conducted by the Oro Valley Planning and Zoning Commission will be Monday, November 5 at 6 PM in town council chambers.  Then, Desert Springs will be on the agenda for council consideration in November.

You can get smart about Desert Springs by reading our previous postings on Desert Springs; and by visiting the town's Desert Springs general plan amendment website.

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