Tonight the Oro Valley town Council will pass three measures that will make the Westward Look resort part of the town of Oro Valley. It’s the first annexation in eight years when the town annexed Tohono Chul and surrounding areas.
The annexation benefits both the resort and the town
The town will receive revenues of approximately $800,000 annually from the sales tax and bed tax revenues. In addition, the town will get sales tax and construction fees of $2million. "It is estimated that the total net revenues received by the Town over the 20 years would be $16.8-$23.8 million." (Source)
In return Westward Look gets to build commercial/office property that it may not have been able to build under Pima County Zoning, plus excellent police protection and improved roads.
The annexation process has had its challenges
Residents who live around the resort have expressed their concerns about the transitional zoning, the potential building height of new Westward Look facilities, and the traffic impact of the proposed retail/commercial property. As a result, there have been many revisions to the annexation plan. Residents and others will have the opportunity tonight to opine on four of the five resolutions
Tonight, council will consider five resolutions
Next up
Residents who live around the resort have expressed their concerns about the transitional zoning, the potential building height of new Westward Look facilities, and the traffic impact of the proposed retail/commercial property. As a result, there have been many revisions to the annexation plan. Residents and others will have the opportunity tonight to opine on four of the five resolutions
Tonight, council will consider five resolutions
- The first resolution is the agreement between the town and the resort. That agreement stipulates that the town will not rezone the property within 15 years unless agreed by the resort; that the town will repave the roadway leaving the resort; and that the town will take responsibility for the intersection between Westward Look Drive and Ina Road. These types of conditions are typical of annexation agreements. When the town agreed to annex the Tohono Chul area, it also agreed to repave roads.
- The second resolution is the formal annexation in accordance with Arizona state law. It declares that the town is now extending the town limit.
- The remaining three resolutions present the translational zoning, a general plan amendment to allow the neighborhood commercial/office on two parcels along Ina Road, and translational zoning for the entire property.
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We presented the chart at left in our posting on the town's annexation plans. Westward Look is one of three current targets. A Casas Adobes Plaza annexation would extend Oro Valley to south of Ina Road. The State Lands annexation would increase the town boundaries to the north.
In the meantime, love welcomes Westward Look.
It will be a good marriage between the resort and the town.
