Fry's Rooney Ranch Fuel The Station Approved By Council

The Oro Valley Town Council approved four motions last week to allows Fry's  to build a gas station on the north side of the Rooney Ranch Center.

The impact that the fuel station will have on traffic was a major concern to the town Council, to the town  boards that have previously heard this proposal and to town staff.

Fry's provided a traffic study. According to this study, the fuel station will add 98 new visitors to the shopping center during peak hours. About half of those will be cars that were passing by the center. The other half will be cars that are traveling to the center specifically to get fuel. Staff estimates that the total increase traffic will be approximately 20% of existing traffic.

The Rooney Ranch PAD ("Planned Area Development") called for the gas station to be built in an area where car facilities would be clustered. That PAD was created in 1987. However, that is not possible given the actual development of the center. Consequently, a PAD amendment was required to allow the fuel center to be located on the opposite end of the center on the north side of the property.

The fuel center will displace approximately 43 parking spaces. Staff believes that this will have a minimum overall impact because there are other parking areas, especially the area directly north of the supermarket, that are underutilized.

The town is taking advantage of this request in several ways. It is requiring Fry's to improve ADA access to the center. ADA compliant sidewalks will be built.  In addition the existing ring road (the road that is parallel to and closest to Oracle Road and inside the center) will be modified on the north side to provide a more direct access from the traffic light that goes from the center to first Avenue. This is the main egress for cars seeking northbound access to first Avenue.

Council voted 5-2 in favor of proving the four measures that were required for this project to move forward.

For more on this center visit this link.