The Oro Valley Planning and Zoning Commission will hold 2 public hearings when it meets next Tuesday. One is to rezone a property in Rancho Vistoso from neighborhood commercial to medium density residential. It is located on the northeast corner of Moore Road and La Canada. The property is known as Rancho Vistoso Neighborhood 10. The other is a text amendment to the general plan for the environmentally sensitive lands ordinance (ESLO).Developer WLB Management wants to build 19 residential lots on the Moore Road property. It is located among other residential homes. Why the requests? The applicant asserts taht "Over the years Rancho Vistoso has developed at roughly two-thirds of its originally envisioned residential density, and as such there is less commercial demand than originally anticipated for this area. ...If rezoned for residential land use, this property will be designed and constructed to the same high standards as the surrounding Rancho Vistoso neighborhoods." Town Staff's report states that there are compelling factors for and agains this general plan amendment. If approved by town council, the developer will then request an amendment to the Rancho Vistoso PAD.
In March, town council initiate a request to town staff to clarify the requirements of the ESLO. "The amendment clarifies that the primary environmentally-based Conservation Categories (Major Wildlife Linkage, Critical Resource Area and Core Resource Area) are to be considered during the GPA [General Plan Amendment] process to provide an understanding of the environmental resources on the property." The staff's recommendations have been reviewed by a handful of developers and also the the Sonoran Desert Conservation Group. It has not been discussed in a neighborhood meeting. This public hearing is the first chance for the public to be heard.
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2 comments:
RE: Rezoning this property from commercial to medium density residential...the applicant asserts that:
"Over the years Rancho Vistoso has developed at roughly two-thirds of its originally envisioned residential density, and as such there is less commercial demand than originally anticipated for this area."
Playing Devil's Advocate...
Since his argument is that less residential homes equals less demand for commercial venues, then the opposite is also true...more residential homes equals more demand for commercial venues to support them.
So, if we build more residential homes NOW, won't we eventually need more commercial properties LATER?
Where will these future commercial lots be located if we use those lots now for residential development instead?
I'm not saying I prefer commercial development over residential. My opinion on that is based on what type of residential homes will be built vs. what type of commercial property will be built and also how much land will be graded and bladed in the process. My point is that the applicant's argument for rezoning this land from commercial to residential doesn't add up.
Isn't WLB Management the same group who stressed the NEED for commercial at the northern end of the proposed Desert Springs?
Isn't that the same applicant who wanted Mercado, at La Cholla and Tangerine, rezoned commercial (NCO)?
Who is controlling land uses in Oro Valley?
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