The Oro Valley Town Council voted 4-2 last week to approve construction of a 2.5-acre pond at the Vistoso Trails Nature Preserve. The motion, introduced by Vice Mayor Melanie Barrett, focused on restoring the pond this year using reclaimed water, with additional amenities to be added in later years as funding allows. Barrett called the site’s current condition unacceptable and said restoring the pond would build momentum for the entire preserve. “Abandoning the pond was never an option,” she said. (Read more about the pond.)
Residents showed strong support
More than 20 residents spoke at the meeting, nearly all in favor of the larger pond. Many called the area a “blighted eyesore” and recalled the pond’s former appeal. Several voiced frustration over what they viewed as years of delay and inequity in town spending. One resident urged the Council to “make this the showplace and the beautiful place that it can and should be.” Most supported the idea of restoring the pond first and adding other features later as funds become available.
Town staff and consultants did not oppose the project outright, but raised concerns about long-term costs, water use, and legal limits on in-house construction.
Water and maintenance cost
For example, Parks and Recreation Director Rosalyn Epting and consultant Rebecca Field noted that the desert garden alternative would avoid water and maintenance expenses.
Legal ability of town to do the construction
One of the things that Mayor Barrett wanted was for the town to do more of the work itself. She surmised that this would save cost. However, this may not be possible. Public Works Director Paul Kiesler explained that state law restricts the extent to which municipalities can self-perform construction and said the town typically hires outside firms for that work. Under Arizona Revised Statutes § 34-605, municipalities must contract out most public construction projects beyond $1 million. The law is designed to prevent local governments from competing with private industry. As a result, while Oro Valley can manage and oversee construction, it cannot perform the physical work itself beyond limited exceptions. In practical terms, this means that even if the town supervises the pond project in-house, it will still need to hire outside contractors to do the actual building.
Reclaimed water present and future availability
Reclaimed water present and future availability
Water Director Peter Abraham told the Council that Oro Valley is already using its full allotment of reclaimed water, which it purchases from Tucson Water. He noted that Tucson is planning to build an Advanced Water Purification facility that would divert up to 20% of its reclaimed supply into potable water production, potentially starting in 2031. If that happens, Oro Valley would need to adjust how reclaimed water is allocated across all recreational facilities—including golf courses, Naranja Park, and the Vistoso pond—since the resource is shared town-wide. The Tucson Water project, however, is far from certain. Although $86 million in funding was approved—much of it secured at the last minute in January through a federal grant—its future remains unclear. A lot can happen between now and 2031.
Nonetheless, council approved pond and chose action over further delays
The approved motion reflects a practical compromise. The four councilmembers who voted in favor—Barrett, Jones-Ivey, Nicolson, and Robb—chose not to ignore the pleas of residents or miss the opportunity to build something with lasting value for the entire community. Instead, they opted to move forward with construction of the pond this year, focusing solely on that core element while deferring additional amenities for future consideration.
The approved motion reflects a practical compromise. The four councilmembers who voted in favor—Barrett, Jones-Ivey, Nicolson, and Robb—chose not to ignore the pleas of residents or miss the opportunity to build something with lasting value for the entire community. Instead, they opted to move forward with construction of the pond this year, focusing solely on that core element while deferring additional amenities for future consideration.
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