Another Season Begins

Another season begins

September starts a new season for Oro Valley. The election is over. The council is returning to work after a month’s hiatus (like LOVE). A new council, which is the same as the current council, was ratified in a three minute special council meeting on August 24. They will be seated in November. They’re rested. We’re rested. So, let’s get going!

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Some pressing business in the queue

There are zoning changes and one general plan amendment pending. Public hearings have occurred on all of these. Some have occurred in recent weeks. Here’s a quick update of what is to come.

General Plan amendment and zoning change requests

• A rezoning  project and general plan amendment and for 85 to 90 rental homes of one or two stories to be located at the southeast corner of LaCholla and Tangerine. This property is currently in the general plan for neighborhood commercial and low density residential use. The change to high density residential use will require a five person council member approval, if it comes before council.  There’s lots that will happen before that. Lots of neighborhood opposition to this one.
• Avila Rancho Vistoso East is a rezoning project that would allow tiny rental homes located just north of Safeway on Rancho Vistoso Blvd.  Lots of neighborhood opposition to this one too. And there’s another of these, Avila Rancho Vistoso West, in the queue also. This would add 125 tiny rental homes. The property is located at the west corner of Tangerine and Rancho Vistoso Blvd.
• Oro Valley Church of the Nazarene wants to build a sports complex next to its Concordia and Linda Vista location. Yes. Lots of opposition to this one too. This is a rezoning project.
• Town West has yet to submit a revise plan for the Oro Valley Market Place rezoning. We expect this to be filed in the not too distant future. We don’t expect a lot of opposition to this as long as the applicant keeps the building height within a reasonable limit and maintains a reasonable building setback.

Conditional Use Permits

There are also conditional use permits being requested for…

• A storage and RV Storage facility in the mostly vacant, shovel-ready Mercardo Del Rio “Plaza”. This is behind the Rooney Ranch Shopping Center
• Another storage facility at the southeast corner of LaCholla and Lambert Lane
• And yet another one at La Canada and Tangerine
• A car wash in the Oro Valley Marketplace

Zoning code amendments

There are town staff recommended zoning code amendments that are working through the process and will eventually find their way to town council. Last night, for example, the Planning and Zoning Commission considered changes to the development review process; and, as a separate discussion,  changes to recreational requirements for residential and multi-family units.

New regulations

Tonight, the council will consider regulations regarding vacation and short term rentals. Among other things, the regulations may include a licensing requirement.

Water: “The Elephant In The Room”

Most of these projects have two things in common: When completed, they will use lots of water. They will add to traffic congestion. 

Town assurances aside, residents are concerned about their ability to get the water they want at a reasonable price to do the things they moved to Oro Valley to do; like have a pool or a nicely landscaped property. They should not be asked to squash their dreams so others can move here. 

The council’s position appears to be one one of ignoring the water issue entirely, relying on water conservation penalties and assurances by the town water administrator that the town has an assured water supply of 100 years. 

Congestion: “The Other Elephant In The Room” 

The council has never addressed traffic congestion. Oracle Road, from Tangerine south, will be a higher traffic corridor than it is today once the apartments planned along that road are built.  The Rancho Vistoso Blvd-Tangerine intersection will become much more congested. Residents who use Woodburne Avenue will be negatively impacted.

The future holds even more

Add to all of this, the continued buildout of the town’s park system… the golf courses’ irrigation… a possible community center rebuild… use of drinking water to water public parks… the need for a new police station… use of reclaimed water… A 2025 General Plan.

All of this is yet ahead.

LOVE will report as it sorts out.

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The Solomon Chronicles. Part 2. Voting Record 2016-2018

With the Town Council election on the horizon, LOVE will be presenting a series of articles entitled, “The Solomon Chronicles,” highlighting the abysmal record of Councilmember Steve Solomon who is running for re-election. This weekly series will highlight his 4-year record of incivility and his interdependent relationship with local developers. This series was written by a LOVE contributor and contains a synopsis of previous LOVE articles plus new information.
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Today’s article presents excerpts from Councilmember Solomon’s voting record from November 2016 to April 2018 and focuses on his repeated catering to developers.

Solomon thumbed his nose at the citizens on his first night in office
November 16, 2016. Solomon was sworn into office. That very same night, he voted to approve a Major General Plan Amendment to amend the Land Use Map at Rancho Vistoso Blvd. and Vistoso Highlands Drive (17 acres) FROM Neighborhood Commercial/Office TO Medium Density Residential.

Why was this important? Solomon’s vote was noteworthy because it came just 8 days after the new 2016 General Plan had been approved by Oro Valley voters! Think about that. A plan that was 3 years in the making (September 2013 – September 2016), a plan written and approved by the people of Oro Valley to reflect OUR community values, was altered by Steve Solomon (and the rest of the former Hiremath council) during their very first meeting. On his very first night in office, Solomon’s first order of business was to thumb his nose at the citizens. This would be a harbinger of what was to come.

Apparently, all those Oro Valley voices coming together to present a clear vision of what we wanted for our town was of no value or importance to Steve Solomon.

Approved the grading of rolling hills
November 16, 2016. Yes, we’re still on the same night and he wasn’t done yet. Remember the beautiful rolling hills that were once present on the east side of First Avenue? Town Code does not allow grading of hills by more than 6 feet. Solomon voted to allow a portion of those hills to be graded down 12-15 feet to accommodate the residential development known as Sanctuary at Silverhawke.

Approved a storage facility at the historic Steam Pump Ranch
March 15, 2017. Solomon voted to allow a 107,544 square foot, 3-story storage facility containing approx. 750 storage units at the historic Steam Pump Village despite residents speaking against it during the Public Hearing. Residents pointed out that it was not consistent with the vision, guiding principles, goals and policies of the General Plan. One of those residents pointed out that even the Town Staff found that it met ONLY ONE of the 10 goals in the General Plan.

Additionally, this area was slated to be part of the Main Streets district which was to include areas for shopping and dining along the CDO wash…another reason that a 3-story storage facility was not appropriate for this area.

Tangerine North Annexation, Shannon 80, and Big Wash General Plan Amendments
December 6, 2017. Despite a huge resident turnout at this council meeting and strong vocal opposition from residents, Solomon voted to approve ALL of the following:

• Tangerine North Annexation. Solomon voted to approve a General Plan Amendment to extend the Oro Valley planning area boundary to include 302 acres currently zoned for 3.3 acre residential on the north side of Tangerine (between Coyote Crossing and Thornydale) and to give it a new designation of Master Planned Community. In other words, say goodbye to 3.3 acre minimum lot sizes.

• Shannon 80. Solomon voted to approve a General Plan Amendment to change the land use on 76 acres on the east side of Shannon Road FROM Rural low density residential TO Low density residential-1. He then voted to approve the rezoning from R1-144 to R1-36. However, due to ESLO criteria, the minimum lot size actually allowed is just 8,750 square feet! This is totally incompatible with existing homes in that area which are custom homes on lot sizes of 144,000 sf and larger (3.3 acres and up).

• Big Wash. Solomon voted to approve a General Plan Amendment to change land use and zoning designations for 108 acres of undeveloped land in a FLOODPLAIN located along Honeybee Wash and Big Wash to allow 408 homes on lot sizes of 7,200 sf lots and 5,400 sf lots on mass-graded sites.

Saguaros Viejos
April 4, 2018. Despite this parcel (west side of La Cholla between Glover and Naranja) already having been rezoned from R1-144 (144,000 sf) down to R1-20 (20,000 sf) just two years earlier, Solomon voted to approve yet another rezoning down to even smaller lots of R1-7 (7,000 sf).

This pristine desert parcel (85 acres), originally zoned for 3.3 acre rural residential lots with no mass grading, will now be built as 7,000 sf lots with mass grading and cookie-cutter 2-story homes. This is not compatible with the surrounding homes, including custom homes on 3.3 acre lots and semi-custom homes with an average lot size of 18,500 sf. Numerous residents spoke in opposition to this rezoning.

Solomon’s legacy – 588 acres of pristine desert irreparably transformed
This is just a small sample from Solomon’s first 18 months in office! It reveals that his loyalty is not to the people, but rather to wealthy land speculators and developers. For anyone who still doesn’t know this, Steve Solomon is also a developer. He is the owner of Canada Vistas, a real estate development/homebuilding business.

NOTE: Councilmember Bill Rodman who is also running for re-election also voted to approve all of the above general plan amendments and rezonings. Do you want to re-elect these two incumbents and give them another 4-year long license to continue rezoning what little land is left of our once beautiful Oro Valley desert landscape?

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The Solomon Chronicles: Part 3. “Who funded Solomon’s 2016 Town Council campaign?” will be published next Wednesday.

Vistoso Golf General Plan Amendment Virtual Meeting Tonight

The Town of Oro Valley is hosting a virtual neighborhood meeting at 6pm tonight. The subject of the meeting is the proposed Vistoso Golf general plan amendment.

This is an "... opportunity for residents to ask questions directly to the applicant and Town staff as well as build-on the information, questions and comments that have been generated by the 1st and 2nd informational videos posted on OVprojects.com."

This virtual meeting is a step the process that the town created to facilitate community input on the proposed general plan amendment. The town created the process to accommodate Covid-19 social distancing requirements.  This meeting is not a substitute for in person neighborhood meetings that are to be held later in the the August-September time frame. Virtual meetings will happen if in person meetings can not safely occur.
Use zoom.us to access the meeting:

• Click on this link
• Enter the meeting ID number: 921 2282 7653

or join the meeting by phone: 301-715-8532

You can learn about this project by reading:

• LOVE articles
• The Oro Valley Vistoso Golf Amendment web site
• PreserveVistso.org

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Guest View: Diane Peters ~ Development In The Time of a Pandemic

In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Town, in accordance with maintaining proper social distancing measures, has been forced to consider alternatives for the required Neighborhood Meetings for General Plan Amendments (GPA's). These alternatives will reduce citizen input by a considerable margin.

Two GPA's have recently been filed with the Town. One request is to convert the now-closed Vistoso Golf Course (Romspen property) from golf course and recreational use to medium and high-density residential. (Nearby residents prefer that this land remain as a nature preserve and community trail.)

The other request is to convert 24 acres of land on Tangerine Road just east of First Avenue (Kai Property) from commercial to multi-family residential including rental casitas, 2-story apartments and townhomes, and a senior care facility.

The normal scheme of things
Oro Valley Town Code requires that all General Plan Amendments must be filed prior to April 30th each year.  State law requires that the GPA be heard by the Town Council prior to December 31st of the same year.

Town Code also requires Neighborhood Meetings to apprise nearby residents of the proposal and to afford them an opportunity to ask questions and give input. The first Neighborhood Meeting must be held prior to the applicant filing their formal submission. In other words, before April 30th.

Town code also mandates that “Neighborhood meetings must be held in a facility that is accessible to the general public, such as a town-owned facility, school, house of worship, or community recreation center.”

Enter the pandemic and social distancing
Due to social distancing, the town is not currently able to hold Neighborhood Meetings in a public facility. Some residents have asked the mayor to issue a proclamation whereby the Town could still accept the applications but suspend further action on them until the pandemic subsides. As I write this, the Town has rejected this idea in favor of the use of video meetings.

Some residents contacted the mayor and council with our thoughts on why video meetings were a bad idea. Our thoughts are as follows:

• Video meetings are impractical.
A lot of spontaneous communication takes place at Neighborhood Meetings. An applicant’s answer to one question spurs another question from another participant. Allowing only for questions to be submitted ahead of time completely disallows for this kind of spontaneity, leading to many residents questions being left unanswered.

• Some citizens do not have the hardware/software or the computer expertise to attend a video meeting.
Substituting in-person meetings with video meetings means that less citizens will be involved in the process, they'll have less of a voice in the outcome, and the applicant and landowner will get to have an easy process where they don't have to face down a mob of angry citizens.

• There's power in numbers.
Video meetings minimize the power of the citizens by not allowing them to come together as a group. How can people watching from home be anywhere near as persuasive or effective as they are in a public group setting? Video meetings amount to another form of the divide and conquer technique.

And then there’s this…The golf course meetings precedent
Think about all the 2019 golf course public meetings. All of those meetings were packed and standing room only. Would those residents have been as effective if they were attending those meetings from home rather than showing up en masse, supporting each other and showing their "strength in numbers?" I doubt it.

And just as there were thousands of Canada Hills residents who would be directly affected by the closing of the town-owned golf courses, there are thousands of residents living in Rancho Vistoso who are directly affected by the Romspen proposal to convert their golf course views into something much less desirable. Rancho Vistoso residents should be afforded the same opportunities to come together and voice their concerns as their counterparts in Canada Hills.

A precedent was set in allowing Canada Hills residents to have such a large and unifying voice. To do less for other residents in town is going to be viewed very unfavorably.

And no, I do not live in Rancho Vistoso. I just want a fair and equitable process for everyone.
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Diane Peters has lived in Oro Valley since 2003, moving here to escape the humidity of the East Coast. She’s been involved in OV politics and development issues since 2006. In 2014, she organized a citizens group, who over a 9-month period, successfully negotiated a controversial 200-acre development project. In her past life, she worked in medical research at various University Hospitals in New England. Her interests include reading, writing, nature photography, travel, art galleries, museums, and politics.

Residents Say "No" To Vistoso Golf General Plan Amendment

Overwhelming negative response to the Romspen amendment
As of last Thursday, residents filed more than 400 comments on the Romspen general plan amendment. The amendment is to convert the Vistoso Golf Course property to residential use. The course is currently zoned for recreational use. It is designated as such in the 2016 Oro Valley General Plan.

Why, they ask, did the town choose to move this forward?
Most of the respondents questioned the legitimacy of the online process of information sharing. The town's code requires that there be one public hearing before an amendment is formally filed. That filing must take place by April 30. The public hearing has always been in-person. That cannot happen now because of social distancing required by the state Covid-19 emergency declaration.

They question why the town didn't suspend the process until such time when in-person discussions can occur. What is the urgency.? Given all that is going on, they ask, is this the right time to even discuss this?

Senior care facility, buffer zones, loss of desert key issues
There were a few comments regarding the proposal itself. Some do not feel that a proposed senior care facility is appropriate to the area. Others identified inadequate buffer zones. Still others mourned loss of quality of life brought about by loss of open space and increased traffic. Some extolled the possibility of using the land as a walking park, one that is especially senior resident friendly.

Preserve Vistoso: Amendment simply does not meet criteria
The group PreserveVistoso.org believes that the proposed amendment does not meet the criteria for council approval. The criteria are: Compatibility to the neighborhood; impact on views; appropriate transitions; and traffic considerations. This will be a judgment that the town council will have to make.

Deadline of April 23 to opine
Residents have until April 23 to opine on this general plan amendment. Do this by submitting an email to ask@orovalleyaz.gov, or by calling Oro Valley Constituent Services Coordinator Jessica Hynd at 520-229-4711.

Guest View: Rosalie Roszak ~ Variances, Variances!

The La Cholla Major General Plan Amendments that were approved by Town Council in May 2015 have now entered the rezoning phase. The project is now called Capella Planned Area Development.

Phase 1. General Plan Amendments. May 2015.
The Kai/Capella Property at La Cholla between Lambert and Naranja received an approved General Plan Amendment in 2015 which allows up to 500 (and possibly 570) homes, plus commercial uses on the corners. Area residents were never pleased about this plan, since underlying zoning for the property is R1-144, which allows only 1 house per 3.3 acres or about 63 homes for the overall 210 acre property.

My husband and I were members of the original citizens’ group (Citizen Advocates of the Oro Valley General Plan) that fought these General Plan Amendments. Some of the concessions the citizens’ group successfully negotiated at that time were lowering the number of homes from 778 to 500 and removing apartments and senior care facilities from the plan. We also placed numerous restrictions on the type of commercial entities that would be allowed.

Phase 2. Rezoning Requests. April 2018.
Now, in the Rezoning phase, the land owners/developers are asking for variances and allowances to the original agreement.

Residential
The General Plan Designation of R1-7 permits 7,000 square foot residential lots. In 2014-2015, the citizens’ group fought for minimum lot sizes of 10,000 to 15,000 square feet, more in keeping with nearby lot sizes. The applicant is requesting a variance for 6,600 square foot lots in exchange for allowing somewhat larger 10,000 sf lots along Lambert Lane.

Commercial
Commercial areas also require variances. The C-1 zoning on the NW corner of Lambert/La Cholla currently permits maximum building size of 60,000 square feet. The Rezoning requests a variance for up to a 125,000 square foot building…more than double the allowable size. Oh, and a gas station. Of note is that surrounding homes to the west and south are custom homes on one acre plus lots.

The La Cholla/Naranja commercial corners are not spared. C-N zoning indicated for these two parcels currently allows floor areas of 5,000 to 9,000 square feet for individual stores. The applicant is requesting a variance to allow floor areas up to 20,000 square feet, again more than double the allowable size.

These Variances should be denied!
They far exceed the original land uses projected for this area under Oro Valley’s 2005 General Plan, which still showed large lot single-family residential on the acreage.

The rezoning will be heard before the Planning & Zoning Commission tomorrow evening, Tuesday, April 3rd at 6 PM in Town Council chambers. Please plan to attend.

EDITOR'S NOTE:  You can read more about the Capella Planned Area Development below.

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Rosalie Roszak is a 25 year resident of Oro Valley. She and her husband moved here in 1992 in search of good air quality. She grew up in Flushing, New York and has resided in Washington, D.C., Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. She has a Master’s Degree in Urban Economics from University of California Santa Barbara, and worked for more than 40 years in the Commercial Real Estate Appraisal and Economic Consulting fields before retiring in 2017.

Guest View: Mike Zinkin ~ It’s Time to Take Back Oro Valley

Let’s begin with some history of the 2016 General Plan: Your Voice, Our Future
The Town began to allocate funding for the development of the State-mandated General Plan beginning with the FY 2013/14 budget. Several hundred thousand dollars were set aside to hire people to assist with development of the Plan. Councilmember Hornat and I were designated as Council Liaisons for this effort.

A multitude of Town residents volunteered to help ensure that the citizens were given ample opportunity to provide input to the Plan. Coffees were held and tables were set up at the Farmer's Market and at Town events in an effort to reach as many citizens as possible. Councilman Hornat and I attended over 15 staff meetings as the General Plan developed. During those meetings, we worked to ensure that the town staff did not have an inordinate amount of influence over the new General Plan. As council liaison on this project, I wanted to ensure that the Plan was derived from public input – not council and staff input.

Voters approve new General Plan in November 2016
The General Plan, now called Your Voice, Our Future (YVOF), was approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission and Town Council following two public meetings. The Council placed it on the November 2016 ballot and YVOF passed by a large majority of those who voted in that election. The people were told that YVOF was a guide for all elected, appointed, and town employees to inform them that this is what the citizens desire for OUR TOWN.

The new developer-friendly Town Council amends the plan just two weeks later
On November 16, 2016, the new council (ALL of whom were financially supported by developers and builders during their election campaigns) was sworn in and they immediately voted to amend the new General Plan that was not even two weeks old! You can read the details HERE.

While it had been reasonable in the waning years of the 10-year General Plan for the Town Council to amend it using the argument, "The General Plan is almost 10 years old; times have changed; demographics have changed; values have changed,” those arguments were not valid on November 16, 2016 when the Plan was LESS THAN TWO WEEKS OLD.

More General Plan amendments on the agenda for the December 6th Town Council Meeting
Now YVOF is a year old. Nothing has changed. It is still fresh. However, at the December 6th Council Meeting, there are 4 proposed amendments to YVOF including a related rezoning.

The Town spent untold hours over 3 years and hundreds of thousands of dollars attempting to obtain YOUR thoughts on how the Town's land should be utilized. Now, once again, your wishes are in jeopardy of being overthrown by a Council that is beholden to developers and builders.

IT'S TIME TO TAKE BACK ORO VALLEY. Let your voice be heard. Email the mayor and council with your thoughts on these General Plan Amendments or speak during the Public Hearing portion of tomorrow evening’s Town Council Meeting.

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Editor’s Note: A new citizens group has been established
The landslide defeat of the $17 million dollar Naranja Park Bond (71% to 29%) has energized the group "Axe the Tax" to reorganize into a new group called, "Take Back OV."

Visit their website HERE

You can also LIKE "Take Back OV" on Facebook to receive updates in your Newsfeed.

Mark Your Calendars ~ Upcoming Town Meetings

During the next two weeks, there are four town meetings scheduled regarding development issues in Oro Valley (General Plan Amendments and Rezonings) and the Community Center Golf Courses. We know that this is a busy time of year for many people but we hope that each of our readers will make an effort to attend at least one of these important meetings.

Keep in mind that the 2016 General Plan (a 10-year plan) was approved just one year ago by Oro Valley voters, yet developers are already looking for changes.

THIS WEEK’S MEETINGS

Wednesday, December 6th at 6 PM

Council Meeting – Town Council Chambers

Big Wash GPA and Rezoning; Shannon Road GPA and Rezoning

(1) Big Wash General Plan Amendment and Rezoning
Approximately 108 acres between Moore Road on the west and Rancho Vistoso Blvd. on the east

The applicant’s proposal includes the following three zoning designations:

Medium Density Residential (7,200 square foot lots)
Medium-High Density Residential (5,400 square foot lots)*
Open Space

*This designation “is intended to provide individual single-family ownership through patio homes and townhouses.”

If approved, this proposal will allow two massive developments with over 400 homes and mass grading in the FLOODPLAIN of Honeybee Wash and Big Wash.

View the Big Wash Project Fact Sheet HERE

(2) Shannon Road General Plan Amendment and Rezoning
76-acre property, east side of Shannon, south of IRHS

Applicant desires to change the zoning FROM R1-144 large-lot residential (3.3 acre lots) TO R1-36 small lot cluster residential with minimum lot sizes of 7,500 square feet with just 5 foot side setbacks (10 feet of space between each home.)

View the Shannon Road Project Fact Sheet HERE

A LARGE RESIDENT TURN-OUT IS IMPERATIVE AT THIS MEETING.   If you would like to speak during the meeting, please complete a Blue Speaker Card located on the back counter in council chambers.

Thursday, December 7th at 6 PM

Neighborhood Meeting – Casas Church, 10,801 N LaCholla Blvd.

Saguaro Viejos Rezoning

175 lot subdivision on 85 acres on the NW Corner of Naranja Drive and LaCholla Blvd.

Rezoning FROM R1-20 (20,000 sf lots) single-family residential TO R1-7 (7,000 sf lots) single-family residential

NOTE: The town already granted a rezoning on this property in approximately 2009 from 3.3 acre rural residential (144,000 square foot lots) to 20,000 square foot lots. The applicant is now requesting to rezone the lot sizes even further, down to a minimum lot size of 6,000 sf.

View the Saguaro Viejos Project Fact Sheet HERE


NEXT WEEK’S MEETINGS

Tuesday, December 12th at 6 PM

Community Meeting – Town Council Chambers

Golf Courses Update

Special meeting with Town Manager, Mary Jacobs.

Ms. Jacobs will review the Golf Consultants’ recommendations (from the $50,000 Golf Consultants’ Report) and also where the Town currently stands in the process of evaluating golf operations. Attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions and offer feedback.

The final recommendation to Council will be presented in January 2018.

You can view the entire Golf Consultants’ Report HERE and the briefer Executive Summary HERE

Wednesday, December 13th at 6 PM

Public Meeting/Neighborhood Meeting – Hilton El Conquistador

Proposed Development - Commercial/Senior Care/Apartments

25 acres located on the NE and SE corners of Oracle Road and El Conquistador Way
This project is located within the Oracle Road Scenic Corridor.

The applicant is proposing to rezone the property FROM single-family residential R1-144 (144,000 sf lots), Resort District and Technology Park TO Planned Area Development with an underlying zoning designation of Neighborhood Commercial.

View the Project Fact Sheet HERE

NOTE: This property is owned by HSL Properties (Humberto Lopez, who infamously dumped the money losing golf courses on the town and who has donated almost $80,000 to the campaigns of all 7 current sitting council members.)

$15,730 to the 2014 Election campaigns of Hiremath-Hornat-Snider-Waters
$25,750 to the 2015 Recall Election of Hiremath-Hornat-Snider-Waters
$38,000 to the 2015 Election campaigns of Pina-Rodman-Solomon

Whose Town In This?

A new group in town, TakeBackOv, has prepared a video discussing the two general plan amendments of which we posted yesterday. The amendments will enable the construction of two large developments. The Oro Valley Town Council will consider these amendments next Wednesday.

We think that the video is worth watching as it explains the nature of these amendments.

Our question for you

Do you want the Oro Valley Town Council to change the general plan you approved last year? 

And we mean change it in a major way.

Really?

Whose town is this?
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Bits and Pieces

Do You Want Homes In "Innovation Park"?
The Town Of Oro Valley is holding a general plan amendment neighborhood meeting this coming Monday. The site under consideration regards Innovation Park.

This is the same land parcel that Beztak wanted to put apartments on in 2011. That request was denied. Later, there was another plan that never came to fruition and now this GPA is for residential.

Follow the money on this deal.  A large developer profit is in the offing if this GPA is approved.  The land is valued for 2017 by Pima County at $1.6 million. The petitioner, Anthem Equity Group, petitioned the county to value the land at about $1 million on the basis of comparable industrial land use. However, industrial use is not their intent. Instead, they want to change the land use to residential and reap "land value" benefit from putting up to 64 instead of industrial property.

"This "General Plan Amendment [is] for an approximately 15-acre property located at the northwest corner of Rancho Vistoso Blvd. and Vistoso Commerce Loop. The applicant proposes to change the future land use on this parcel from Commerce/Office Park (COP) to Medium Density Residential (2.1 – 5.0 homes per acre), Case No. OV1701076.

The applicant will provide a presentation and Town staff will facilitate the meeting. The focus will be on addressing your questions and concerns.

August 14, 2017
6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Rancho Vistoso HOA Building
945 W Vistoso Highlands Drive

QUESTIONS? Please contact Elisa Hamblin, Long Range Principal Planner, at 520-229-4847 or ehamblin@orovalleyaz.gov. "
Read about this amendment.
(Source: Oro Valley Web Site)

Oro Valley to offer free training for Water Utility customers
Oro Valley, Arizona (August 10, 2017) – The Oro Valley Water Utility is offering free, one-hour training classes on its AquaHawk Alerting program. AquaHawk is a free service that helps Oro Valley Water Utility customers efficiently manage their water usage and lower their monthly bills.

Class participants will learn how to register for AquaHawk and how to set water use thresholds based on water use history so they can monitor usage and receive timely leak alerts. Water conservation information and giveaways will also be available.

Classes will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. in the computer lab at the Oro Valley Public Library (1305 W. Naranja Drive) on the following dates:

• Monday, August 21, 2017
• Wednesday, August 23, 2017
• Monday, August 28, 2017
• Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Registration is required, and class size is limited to 10 participants per session. For more information or to register, contact Karn Boyce at 520-229-5024 or kboyce@orovalleyaz.gov.
Customers who are not able to attend a class can still enroll in the program. Valid email address required. Learn more at www.orovalleyaz.gov/aquahawk.
(Source: Town Of Oro Valley Press Release)
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July Oro Valley housing sales lower but overall pace matches last year
"In the Oro Valley area, July 2017 active inventory was 260, a 6% decrease from July 2016. There were 81 closings in July 2017, an 11% decrease from July 2016. Year-to-date 2017 there were 575 closings, a 1% increase from year-to-date 2016. Months of Inventory was 3.2, up from 3.1 in July 2016. Median price of sold homes was $281,000 for the month of July 2017, up 2% from July 2016. The Oro Valley area had 82 new properties under contract in July 2017, up 5% from July 2016."
(Source: Long Realty August Report)
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Behind The Story: Oro Valley Town Council Approves Major General Plan Amendment

The Oro Valley Town Council unanimously approved a general plan amendment at last week’s town Council meeting. The amendment changes the land designation for properties located in the approximate intersection of LaCholla Blvd and Naranja Road.

We wrote about this amendment on Monday of last week. Resident Rudy Roszak voiced his thoughts on this amendment in last Wednesday’s guest view. Resident Diane Peters, head of a group that represented residents in the area, spoke to council about this amendment at the meeting. We posted her remarks Thursday.

What is remarkable about this amendment is that six months ago it was dead. This was because the developer and the residents were nowhere close to an accommodation. Recognizing this, and recognizing that the amendment would not achieve a required five vote approval of council, the council continued the hearing from December. Council member Mike Zinkin volunteered to work with the developer, the town, and a citizens to forge an accommodation that would be agreeable to all. He was successful in doing that.

A 7-0 vote on this general plan amendment is a remarkable achievement.  There have been few instances where this Council agrees on anything of true importance. Instead of seeking common ground, this council has voted 4-3 on virtually every significant issue.

The Majority-4 rarely questions the judgment of town staff. Council Member Mary Snider has repeatedly stated that town staff are the experts and that Oro Valley has the very best professional staff. Her praise of town staff is effusive. She and her fellow majority members rarely disagree with staff findings. To do so would be “meddling or getting into the weeds”, as so often stated by Mayor Hiremath.

Council members Zinkin, Garner and Burns also have respect for the professional manner of Oro Valley town staff.  However, they do not share the view that the opinions of town staff should never be questioned.

Zinkin made this clear during the Council meeting last week. Town planning and zoning removed an important agreement that had been forged between the developer and the community. Instead, the staff decided that town staff should make the decision on whether or not a certain traffic agreement was appropriate.

Zinkin addressed town planner Chad Danes at the hearing. "For us to get in the middle of it as a town is just not right…. To just delete [an agreed-upon special areal policy item] is in my opinion an overstepping of the authority of staff..”

We spoke with council member Zinkin about his position. He told us that “it is the town council’s responsibility to make policy. It is not the responsibility of town staff. It is responsibility of town staff to implement policy.”

Essentially, what town staff had done was to unmake an agreement. In doing so, they almost derailed a substantial effort on the part of the residents, the developer, and the Council minority to forge an agreement that would work for our community and for its residents.

Resident Diane Peters spoke of another very concerning position of town staff.  Planner Dane stated during the hearing that anything agreed to at the general plan stage can be undone at the zoning stage. Peters addressed this in the remarks that we posted last Thursday.

Problem is: A zoning approval only requires a four person Council majority.

Peters is worried what this current Council Member might do. Her concerns have grounds given th undue weight that the Majority-4 give to town staff recommendations in relation to the needs of the residents of Oro Valley.

Council member Zinkin believes that the developer of the property has great integrity. He believes that the developer will abide by the agreement that is been made with the residents. We hope that he is right.

Oro Valley Council Considers La Cholla- Naranja Major General Plan Amendment Wednesday

The Oro Valley Town Council will consider a major general plan amendment for a multi-acre property locate on the west side of LaCholla Blvd. The amendment is to accommodate a master planned community that will be called LaCholla Commons.

The property is currently zoned for single family residential homes. It is 196 acres. It extends from a bit north of Naranja to Lambert Lane.

The council heard this request in December. At that conclusion of that public hearing, the council continued the item and directed the applicant to meet with a community group of residents, Citizen Advocates of the Oro Valley General Plan, to address their concerns.

Click To Enlarge

According to developer Greg Wexler, the project will have a major economic impact on Oro Valley. At the meeting in December, he estimated that the project would have a $350 million build-out value, provide $20 million in construction fees to Oro Valley, and provide $1 million to the Amphi School District over the  8 year life of the project.

At the December council meeting, Mayor Hiremath suggested a continuance to answer the following:

• A discussion regarding the buffer on the Southside of the southern property;
• A more in depth traffic analysis;
• Further clarification of whether the site needs senior living; and
• Further clarity on what is the intent of the church for the 2 parcels that it own

As previously reported, the Oro Valley Planning and Zoning Commission had recommended in November approval of this plan by a 6-1 vote. You can read our posting on the significance of this amendment, as presented at that meeting here.

Oro Valley resident Bill Adler has often reminded the town that the General Plan defines land use. It is not law. It is policy. It is a directional guide, interpreted literally by some and philosophically by others. A general plan policy only becomes law when it is translated into a zoning code.

Still, a development must comply with the use to which the land is planned in the General Plan. At present, this is the voter approved plan of 2005. Thus, the applicant's request to change the planned use from single family residential to planned community.

According to Adler, any amendment to the general plan should occur only when it serves the "greater good." That means different things to different people.

There are four defined criteria for  determining if a general plan amendment is warranted. These too are subject to a variety of interpretations. In addition, in the past satisfying, in the minds of council, any one of these satisfies the need for approving an amendment. The one that is almost aways given by council for a change is "market demand."

The approval of this amendment Wednesday will not end the development approval process. Next up will be a request to change the zoning of the property to master planned community. Then, once that is approve, there is the required approval by council of the conceptual design. So, those who wish to opine on La Cholla commons will have opportunities to do so over the time.

Council Continues General Plan Amendment Consideration

By unanimous agreement, the Oro Valley Town Council agreed to continue a major general plan amendment discussion for an undetermined period. The amendment was for property located on the west side of La Cholla, from Naranja to Lambert Lane.  We wrote about the hearing for this amendment this morning.

There is no deadline on when this will be heard again.

Mayor Hiremath suggested a continuance to answer the following:

• A discussion regarding the buffer on the Southside of the southern property;
• A more in depth traffic analysis;
• Further clarification of whether the site needs senior living; and
• Further clarity on what is the intent of the church for the 2 parcels that it owns

Though he voted for the continuance, Council Member Hornat felt that this was a good vision and that it should be approved now.  Vice Mayor Waters, noting that he and Hornat have been at every meeting, was supportive of the plan.  "I am pleased with the architectural sensitivity."

Council Member Snider, who also attended the previous meetings not he request, observed: "I think that this parcel will be developed in some fashion. I think that this is a better transition than could otherwise be done" under existing land use.

Both Snider and Waters, however, felt a continuance was warranted in order to get clarification of the church's plan.

Council Member Burns commended the Mayor for suggestion a continuance since Burns felt that the plan has many benefits.

Council Members Zinkin and Garner also agreed to the continuance.  Both noted great respect for the applicant and the applicant's commitment to Oro Valley.

Developer Greg Wexler, during his presentation of the project, provided an estimate that the project would have a $350 million build-out value, provide $20 million in construction fees to Oro Valley, and $1 million to the Amphi School District over the life of the project. That life is 8 years.
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Oro Valley Town Council Considers Major General Plan Amendment Tonight

Tonight, starting at 5PM, The Oro Valley Town Council will hear a major amendment to the 2005 General Plan.  The amendment, if approved, will substantially increase the number of homes that can be built on a property. The property is located on La Cholla Boulevard and Naranja Drive, Northwest and Southwest.

The town planning staff and the Oro Valley Planning and Zoning Commission, by 6-1 vote, recommend that the Council approve this amendment.    You can read our previous postings regarding this amendment.

A public hearing on this amendment was held on November 20.  Eighteen speakers appeared at the hearing. Those who spoke against the amendment did so on the basis of how the proposed development on the property would impact traffic, floodplains, and their "way of life". Those who spoke for the amendment did so on the basis that they felt it improve our community and match market needs.

The general plan focuses on land-use. It does not focus on details of how the specifics of how the land will be used.  That is considered when the property is zoned and, then, when it is planned.

Only two people discussed  "land use" at the the November 20 hearing.  One of those was resident Bill Adler. We are linking to a previous posting where Bill discussed the concept of land-use.  At this hearing Bill noted that the neighborhood meetings that were conducted regarding this property discussed the details of what could be on the property and not the concept of general plan land-use.

The particulars of the development of the land, such as impact on traffic, are discussed at the zoning stage, not at the general plan stage. One of the Planning and Zoning Commissioners stated this at the beginning of the Planning and Zoning Commission public hearing. He told the audience that many of the concerns that they were about to express should be addressed at the zoning stage of the property, and not at the general plan amendment stage.

It is expected that many residents as well as the developer and others special interests will appear to opine at this hearing.

Will we see you there?
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Huge Potential Home Density Increase Considered Tonight By Oro Valley Planning and Zoning Commission

The proposed general plan amendment for property located along LaCholla has the potential for almost tripling the number of dwelling units now allowed. This according to a document prepared by the towns planning and zoning staff.

The property is located on La Cholla Boulevard and Naranja Drive, Northwest and Southwest.

Oro Valley Planning and Zoning staff has recommended approving this amendment. They based their conclusion on the following

" Factors For:

1. The General Plan policies support the location of higher density intensity along or near major arterial streets. 
2. The amendment will provide for the efficient use of the planned infrastructure expansion of La Cholla Boulevard. A moderate increase in density and intensity of development will provide an appropriate relationship with the expansion of La Cholla Boulevard.
3. The overall residential density proposed by the applicant is generally compatible with the moderate density to the east along La Cholla. 
4. The Low Density area, open space and one-story residential building height restriction will provide compatibility with the lower density area to the south and east
5. The proposed development provides nearby commercial services and employment to area residents.
6. The applicant has addressed the primary concerns of the neighborhood.
7. The proposals are consistent with the General Plan review criteria
8. The proposal are consistent with the Vison, Goals and Policies of the General Plan. 

Factors Against:

1. Compatibility concerns have been raised by the residents to the east and south of the property.
2. Market viability of commercial and senior care uses has not been clearly demonstrated by the applicant." (Source: Oro Valley Staff Report)

The Oro Valley Planning and Zoning Commission will consider this proposed general plan amendment tonight. This is the last of two hearings they will hold on the amendment. The amendment will then be heard by the oro Valley town Council in December. Approval of the amendment requires a super majority of counsel; that is, passage requires a minimum of five votes.

The amendment is being opposed by Citizen Advocates of the Oro Valley General Plan  Yesterday, they posted a guest view. Earlier this week, the Northwest Management Company alerted the Autumn Hill Homeowners Association of the proposed amendment.

The hearing tonight is in Oro Valley Town council chambers at 6 PM.
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Guest view-Diane Peters: What Tomorrow's General Plan Amendment Hearing Means To You

Love has previously reported that there are two general plan amendments that will be heard at tomorrow's Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. Our citizens group, Citizen Advocates of the Oro Valley General Plan, is attempting to defeat these requests.

Why?

As our name implies, we are advocating for the current voter-approved General Plan. As such, we do not support any land use changes at this time.

One of these requests (Northwest Corner of LaCholla Blvd. and Naranja Drive / 8 acres) will allow the land to be used for commercial purposes.  The other (LaCholla Blvd. and Naranja Southwest / 202 acres) request would build a master-planned community where lower density was approved by voters.

As reported previously, there have been four public hearings on this amendment request.    Those attending  expressed concerns on many factors, ranging from traffic issues to market need.

Some members of Citizen Advocates of the Oro Valley General Plan met with the applicant (Paul Oland) and the landowner (James Kai) for 4 hours on November 3rd. They spent two hours discussing some concerns and questions that the group still had and then spent the remaining two hours attempting to negotiate some conditions in the event that the Town Council passes these proposals with conditional approval.

We discussed a number of areas.  We learned much more of the applicant's plans. They learned much more about our concerns.

• For example, we asked what was the urgency to push these GPA’s through now when the citizens are currently working on the 2015 General Plan?    The applicant responded that they initially approached the town 2-3 years ago about this and were told to wait for the new General Plan. They waited a year and nothing happened with the General Plan. Waited another year and still nothing. They’re worried that the overhaul might not result in what they want for this property. They feel they’re running the risk of running out of Oro Valley home lots.
• Why, we asked,  do you want to sandwich high density townhomes or senior care between low density and medium density? The applicant's response was that LaCholla will soon be a big road and will be well-travelled. High density fits with that location. That applicant did agree with us that apartments are not needed because "they are not in demand."

The final Planning and Zoning Commission Hearing is scheduled for tomorrow at 6PM town hall. We hope that you will attend. If Planning and Zoning Commission sends the application on to the Town Council, that public hearing will take place on December 10th.

We urge that the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Council consider, apply and publicly address each of the 5 requirements for proving a major general plan amendment. These are:

• The proposal must be consistent with the vision, goals, and policies of the General Plan. 
• The burden is on the applicant to prove that conditions in the community have changed to warrant a change in the land use
• The applicant must prove that the plan will lead to the socio-economic betterment of the community
• The applicant must demonstrate that market demand exists for the proposed land uses. 
• The proposal must also achieve general community acceptance and it must not adversely impact the community as a whole or in part.

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Diane Peters is a resident of Oro Valley.  

Oro Valley Town Council To Discuss Neighborhood Hearing Procedures Tonight

Several weeks ago we reported that a developer complained, during the town’s economic forum, that residents are asking too many repeat questions during public hearings.

A resident replied, in a comment to that report, that the questions were being asked because of the manner in which the hearings were conducted by town staff. The hearings were segmented into "booths" so that people would circulate to learn details of the request that was being heard. As a result, residents asked the same questions.

This confusion and lack of information exchange results because Oro Valley is not following its agreed-upon public hearing procedures.

Oro Valley's Meeting Procedures

Oro Valley has standard operating procedures for conducting public hearings.   These were created by Resident Bill Adler, wrote them in 2009.   We understand from bill that the town agreed to implement these procedures.    This has not been the case with recent requests.

Under these procedures, neighborhood meeting facilitation is determined by the level of complexity of the request.  Very complex requests, such as the one that's currently pending for the west side of LaCholla between Naranja and Lambert and along the northern side of Lambert west of LaCholla.   These are supposed to be facilitated by a "credentialed professional".  This has not been the case for hearings to date for that property.   In addition,  often times public hearings are turned over to the applicant who presents the request.

Under the procedures, the two initial neighborhood meetings were to have separate purposes.  The first  meeting was to be an "Educational Session."  The second meeting was to be an "Applicant Presentation Meeting."  Often times these two meetings have been combined into one meeting, done twice.

Tonight, the Oro Valley Town Council will discuss public hearing procedures. Councilmembers Garner and Zinkin requested that this item be heard.

We suspect that most members of the Town Council are not familiar with these procedures.  We hope that they read them before tonight's meeting so that they can assess what is supposed to be done and then determine if they would like to see it  re-implemented or changed in some manner.
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LOVE Keeps Track Of 2 General Plan Amendment Requests

Tucson's KVOA reported last week that some Oro Valley residents are not pleased with a proposed general plan amendment to change the land use of properties located at the northwest corner and southwest corners of  La Cholla and Naranja.

We've previously reported on these properties,  The KVOA synopsisis worth watching or reading.

There are a total of 210 acres involved in these requests.  8 are on the northwest corner. of LaCholla and Naranja. 202 are on the Southwest Corner of LaCholla Blvd. between Naranja and Lambert Lane.   These two properties are currently open desert.

What is being requested?  The town is not exactly sure.  At least that was the response we got from Oro Valley Communications Director Misti Nowak.   So we asked the  group  "Citizen Advocates of the Oro Valley General Plan" ("Citizen Advocates"). As their name implies, they are advocating for the current voter-approved General Plan. As such, they do not support land use changes at this time.

Northwest Corner: 8 Acres

The northwest corner is currently planned for Medium Density Residential, single family detached, 2.1 to 5 dwelling units per acre and Significant Resource Area/Environmentally Sensitive Lands. The proposed change is to Neighborhood Commercial/Office Includes grocery stores, drug stores, and professional offices.

Citizen Advocates believes that "... this amendment request should be rejected or withdrawn as there is a complete service center a mile away at LaCanada and Lambert with a grocery store, two gas stations, hardware store, restaurants, and hair salons. Additionally, the NE corner of LaCholla and Lambert is already hard-zoned for commercial. Land is also zoned commercial at the NE, SE and SW corners of Tangerine and LaCholla. There is no need for more commercial at this time. The Town Staff Report of October 7th appears to be in agreement with us. It states, 'The applicant has not supplied reliable data to support the proposed amount and timing of commercial.'"

Southwest Corner: 202 Acres

The southwest corner is currently planned for Rural low density residential, low density residential, medium density residential, neighborhood commercial/office, public/semi-public, open space, and significant resource area. The request is to change it to Master Planned Community including single family residential, multi-family residential, neighborhood commercial, professional/medical offices, and senior living uses.

There have been four neighborhood meetings on this property.

According to Citizen Advocates: "During these meetings, neighbors expressed concerns regarding increased traffic, school capacity, light and noise pollution, loss of wildlife habitat, disruption of views, lack of definition in the proposed land use, increased water consumption, drainage issues, crime, home values decreasing (residents paid premiums for large lots with desert views), poor air quality from increased traffic, odors emanating from restaurants, and citizens wanted apartments removed from the plan. The need for more commercial was questioned in light of all the vacant commercial storefronts currently available in town...   Apartments have been removed from the plan."

The general plan amendments are being requested by the property owners with the representation Paul Oland of WLB Group.  Oland has extensive experience in presenting requests to council.

The next hearing on  these requests is November 20 before the Planning and Zoning Commission.    If the applicants wish to proceed after that, the request must be heard by the Oro Valley Town Council before year end.   Approval of the request will require five Council votes.
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Bits and Pieces

Shannon Road South Of Ironwood Ridge High School Major General Plan Amendment Withdrawn

Shannon Road Partners and Roberta J. and Dale G. Manning have withdrawn their general plan amendment request for 77 acres located south of Ironwood Ridge High School on the east side of Shannon Road. The land designation is rural low density residential and significant resource area. The request was to designate it low density residential, medium density residential and urban services boundary.

"Please note that the applicant may resubmit at some point in the future. If an application is received, neighbors will be notified consistent with Town noticing procedures and additional neighborhood meetings and public hearings will be required."

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact town planner Matt Michaels @ mmichels@orovalleyaz.gov or (520) 229-4822. (Source)
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Rents Highest In Oro Valley 

"Rents were highest in the Oro Valley/Catalina submarket, at an average of $838 per unit, and the lowest average per unit of $512 was registered in the South Tucson/Airport area."   This from a recently released report by commercial realtors Cushman & Wakefield.

"Cushman & Wakefield analysts associated the slight rental gains of the past years with the lack of job growth within the region, and they expect minimal growth until significant hiring occurs in the market." (Source)
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Four Arrested For Shoplifting and Credit Card Theft at Kohls

Oro Valley Police Officers arrested two male and two female suspects inside Kohl's for shoplifting.  More than $1,200 of stolen merchandise was taken. During the investigation a large quantity of identification cards from Arizona and Illinois were located belonging to numerous victims, along with blank checks and stolen credit cards. (Source: Oro Valley Police Department press release)
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Oro Valley Police Assert That HiVE Works

"While the [accident] cases at Oracle and Magee are the highest, Oro Valley Police say the data shows a 4.5 percent drop since traffic officers began enforcing its high visibility enforcement, or HiVE, patrols in 2012. Injury-related accidents also dropped by 50 percent in the last year, police said." (Source)

The focus of the HiVE activity is on Oracle between Suffolk Road and Magee.

The data to which the police refer are they town's latest crime statistics.  Most traffic accidents in the second quarter of this year involve Oracle Road.

So, please do slow down and drive patiently on Oracle Road.
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Riverfront Park Fields Closed For Over-Seeding

For the first time in many years, The Town Of Oro Valley has over-seeded the soccer fields at Riverfront Park.  Finally, Oro Valley will look beautiful to our winter visitors.

The fields will reopen for use October 19.
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Get Involved Oro Valley: 500 Acres Being Considered For Increased Home Density

Developers have made applications to the Town Of Oro Valley that could change the land use of 500 acres. This is the total acreage from 5 developer requests. In some instances, these changes require that exceptions be made to Oro Valley's Environmentally Sensitive Land Ordinance. In all cases, these changes request that more homes be built than are are currently allowed.

Do we have your attention?  Not yet?

Three of these requests require an amendment to the 2005 General Plan.  2 others require a change in planned areas development (PAD) agreements.

Now, do we have your attention?

Here's a link for you to view a list of all requests and projects.

Do you feel you should not be involved because it none of these projects are in your backyard?

If so, you are making a huge mistake.  Oro Valley is your backyard.  Be aware. Get involved. Or be prepared to suffer the consequences.

It is easy to get involved.  All that is takes is some of your time.

All Oro Valley residents have ample opportunity to get involved in the review and approval process for each of these 5 requests.

There are at least 6 opportunities for involvement in each request. The first two opportunities occur in neighborhood meetings.  For example, we've listed 2 neighborhood meetings that are taking place soon. One is tonight.  The other neighborhood meeting is a week from tonight.   The next 2 occur if the developer moves forward.  These would be hearings before the Planning and Zoning Commission.  The last 2 opportunities occur in hearings before the Oro Valley Town Council.   

Here's an example of what being involved means.

Ruralshannon.org is focussed on one of the general plan amendment requests, the "Manning Property" (South of Ironwood Ridge). The requests is to allow almost 300 homes in a area where only 23 could no be built given the rural land use general plan designation.  The site is an example of how a community can mobilize to be involved in the request process.

Another example is "Citizen Advocates of the Oro Valley General Plan."

"We believe that the developer's intent for the parcels on LaCholla from Glover to Lambert does not match the Vision, Goals, and Policies of the General Plan. Additionally, it should be hard to amend the General Plan because it's the only town document that citizens have ratified. We approved it. We voted on it. To this end, we are currently in negotiations with the developer (The WLB Group) and the Town of Oro Valley."

This amendment involves more than 300 acres.  Working together, this group has been able to encourage changes to the originally-filed request.

There are other groups formed to consider other requests.  We'll let you know more about them as we learn more.

Being involved gives you the opportunity to shape the future.  Not being involved gives you the opportunity to be shaped by the future.
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