Guest View: Kathryn Hull-Butkus ~ An open letter to the mayor and council

Shelve Main Streets La Canada location
I would like to continue my encouragement for the town to shelve Main Streets – La Canada. I will remind everyone that the constituency voted by a large margin for change; not more of the same. I can guarantee you that you will get push back, and if I were the new kids on the block I would not want to start out my tenure with a contentious project. I would not recommend forcing the project (as the former mayor did with the community center and golf courses) as that will not sit well with the constituents who voted for change.

The proposed site on La Canada has precious few businesses that fit the model of “walking, shopping, gathering.” There is no bakery, deli, women’s fashions, etc., the kinds of business conducive to that model. Canada Crossroads (SW corner of La Canada and Lambert) fits that model better. There’s a bakery, a jewelry store, a book store and two restaurants with patio dining. I’ve made a couple of suggestions to Mr. Johnston (Director of Community and Economic Development) to complete that site to the suggested model of the Main Streets walking and gathering place.

Filling the Fry’s void
Fry’s, the anchor of the proposed Main Streets site, is leaving. This begs the question -- will you continue to move forward with a project that portends contention or will you try to fill the void? May I suggest that you attempt to fill the void with a Trader Joe’s. It would be very successful. The residents of the area would get behind it, and the residents of that area have coin to spend. I am very sure that the town has a list of inducements to bring in that kind of business, up to and including a dedicated person to assist and speed the permit process.

This leaves the corner where the gas station is located (which I believe is part of the Kroger store.) As it has imbedded electrical, plumbing and water, you might be able to put in a “pocket park.” Like my suggestions to Mr. Johnston regarding Canada Crossroads; a couple of brightly colored sail shades, a bench or two, a small restroom, a water fountain with a spigot for the dog population. The town gets a specialty market, there’s a gathering spot, and every one saves face.

Consider a historical/western theme for Main Streets Oracle Road location
The second location for Main Streets, near Steam Pump Ranch, makes more sense as it’s the main drag for the town. There wouldn’t be much in the way of demo and you could do a western type theme, making it a niche/unique/historical Oro Valley destination in keeping with the western locale.

Involve the residents, put out a call to OV architects, or U of A architecture students who have parents/grandparents in OV, get the OV Historical Society involved, etc.

I respectfully make these suggestions and I hope that you will shelve the contentious La Canada location.

Editor’s note: The above letter has been edited slightly and subheadings were added.

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Ms. Hull-Butkus “escaped Los Angeles” four years ago, moving to Oro Valley which she refers to as “the uniquely beautiful green valley of gold.” She feels strongly about keeping it this way. She believes that if we continue to raise our voices, that we can “keep this valley green.” She is a member of the Newcomers Club of Tucson, and through that organization, supports “Single Mom Scholars,” a local charity serving young women who are raising children on their own and who desire to complete their education.

Guest View: Devon Sloan ~ Open letter to the Mayor and Town Council

Let’s just take a look at recent happenings:

The $17 million dollar Naranja Park Bond failure. Despite this bond being "all about the kids" you were not planning to add playground equipment in next year's budget, but rather not until FY 2022/23. Then you suddenly moved it up to the FY 2019/20 budget. Could this be because this is one of the issues that mayoral challenger, Joe Winfield, has been campaigning on (citizens asked for playgrounds and you bought three golf courses instead) and you're worried that his campaign will resonate with voters? $350,000 suddenly becoming available for playground equipment in an election year sure seems coincidental to me.

The $14 million dollar bond. You’ve approved a $14M bond, which you can approve with no vote from the citizens, with $6M of that bond going towards improvements at the Community Center and 45 holes of golf, a dying sport supported by less than 1% of the town population. And now, with the Vistoso Golf Course closing, are you not paying attention that golf is NOT a sustainable sport anymore?

Closure of the Overlook Restaurant at the Community Center. This is due to loss of revenues, which makes me wonder…why close the restaurant and NOT the golf courses? The Overlook Restaurant has the best views of ANY restaurant in Oro Valley and would probably be successful with an actual viable restaurant manager/owner who would keep it open for dinner more than three days a month. Get out of the restaurant business, and give it over to someone who has the expertise.

The inane idea of Main Streets. If this was such a great idea, why didn’t the Town discuss with Vestar (when OV Marketplace was being built) that they should expect a town center concept in a few years? If the Town wanted a “Main Streets” they should have planned it long ago. Key word…planned. It would have made more sense in the OV Marketplace location (lots of space for people to congregate, easy access, plenty of parking, walking trails) than in the planned LaCanada Drive location between the Community Center and Lambert Lane (fighting lots of traffic to get to-and-from).

Complete disregard for Steam Pump Ranch and the Oro Valley Historical Society. What are the plans for the Ranch? Are there any? It’s a valuable historical asset to this town, and the Council doesn’t treat it with the respect it deserves.

Amazing disregard for our town’s desert landscape. Look at the two Silverhawke projects on First Avenue and the Capella project on LaCholla. You call this “judicious use of our remaining land” as was mentioned in the State of the Town speech last fall? What is judicious about it? Judicious means sound judgment, and I personally don’t see that, unless you are talking about sound judgment when it comes to funding your campaigns with developers’ money.

Nakoma Sky departure from Lambert and First Avenue. Wow! And now what will the town do about all that bladed land?

I, for one, will not be voting for any of you in the August Town Council election. I want this town to be the one I moved into almost 20 years ago, and I don’t believe that is possible with your “leadership.”

Editorial: Analyzing the Modus Operandi Behind The Main Streets Project

Is the real goal of the Main Streets project to plan for the future needs of Oro Valley residents or is this just a “make work project” to keep town staff employed for the next 20 years? Let’s look at both sides of this issue.

Development without the Main Streets Project
At some point, we will need to redevelop some of the older existing retail centers in southern Oro Valley, such as the Trader Joe’s Plaza which is approximately 35 years old. Also, if the Town continues to annex other areas into Oro Valley, we may need to revamp some of the existing retail centers that would be included in those annexations. Road will continue to be widened and more traffic lights will be installed.

But it’s doubtful that the above-mentioned projects would create enough work for the 77 full-time and 51 part-time employees in the Community Development and Public Works Department to keep them employed for the next 20 years. (This department was formerly known as “Development and Infrastructure.”)

Enter the Main Streets Project: 
    A veiled retirement plan?
Town staff has described this project as, “setting the stage for redevelopment.” So we wonder, with no land left to develop, is this redevelopment plan just a “make work” project to secure the employment of the planning staff, in some cases, right up until their retirement? It’s suspicious that this idea is entirely staff-initiated and staff-driven. It’s also suspicious that the Main Streets Project appeared right after the Town informed the residents that Oro Valley is 95% built out.

With no big projects left, how do they stay employed? Enter the Main Streets Project, which, from various accounts, is expected to last anywhere from 12-20 years. This begs the question, are they planning ahead for the citizens of the town or are they planning ahead for themselves? The timing is just too coincidental.

The Community vs. Developers
Whatever the case, for the Main Streets Project to be successful, you need actual retailers who are willing to locate to these areas and you need stores and restaurants that are actually desired by the surrounding community as opposed to just filling the commercial spaces with whatever stores and restaurants with whom the developer normally does business. That was the case with the $23 million tax-payer funded boondoggle known as Oro Valley Marketplace.

Remember that Vestar (the developer of OV Marketplace) promised us, that in return for our town sharing the sales tax revenue with Vestar, they would create a community gathering place that would be “unique and extraordinary.” With a Wal-Mart anchor and numerous Anywhere USA discount stores, we know that Vestar’s promises were as empty as the numerous storefronts that have lined OV Marketplace since it opened in the fall of 2008.

Promises, promises.
In the case of OV Marketplace, we didn’t get what we desired, nor what was promised. We got swindled. We got what was best for the developer and the end result is that it never became the popular shopping destination or community gathering place that Vestar and the Town promoted. What assurances do we have that Main Streets will be any different?
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Guest View-Rosalie Roszak: What Makes a Main Street?

Part 3: Oro Valley’s Main Streets Proposals

Main Streets Vision and Funding
Oro Valley’s Main Street Fact Sheet envisions Main Streets as a long term project with implementation between 2018 to 2030. It states that: “The Improvement Plan is a detailed blueprint to make Main Streets a reality. It includes designs, funding mechanisms and Town Code revisions.” It also states, “Main Streets will be achieved through public-private partnerships and various funding tools.”

The broader Draft C concept Plan mentions regional bonds and Town capital improvement programs as funding mechanisms. This type of verbiage makes a number of Town residents uneasy. What exactly does the Town mean by all this? How much will it cost area residents and taxpayers, and what will it achieve?

Main Streets workshop participants and Town planners discussed traditional Main Street areas wherein buildings are closer to sidewalks and therefore more visible, drawing pedestrians and shoppers into the centers. These types of designs would require revisions to the Town’s existing zoning and development codes. Typical suburban designs require larger building setbacks and parking areas such as we see in many of our existing retail centers.

Themes and Branding
Oro Valley’s existing retail and commercial development lacks a cohesive theme. Buildings were constructed with differing designs throughout the community, and many are not particularly attractive. The Town also acquired older commercial areas along Oracle Road to the south through annexation. Some of these will likely undergo renovations in the next decade.

Oro Valley could develop a theme or “Branding” for its commercial areas, particularly in the prime locales they are identifying as the focal points of their Main Streets Project.

Santa Barbara, Ca.

For instance, the well-known artist colony of Tubac has a recognizable entry arch, which acts as its theme. Other areas have also adopted unifying themes or “Branding” which help identify the community. Santa Barbara’s well known Spanish Mission style evolved from the major 1925 earthquake which destroyed many of the downtown buildings. When the city was being rebuilt, the Architectural Commission decided upon the Spanish Colonial Revival style for its downtown area, and that decision made the city famous. This in turn resulted in a strict architecture code, particularly in the central downtown area, which remains in effect today.

Oro Valley can resolve to adopt a “theme” or branding for its new development projects and for redevelopment of prior uses. Much of this can be incorporated through zoning and development codes, but the Town has neither the funds nor expertise to enact major developments on its own. The Town, however, can encourage private developers to carry out its theme in future developments.

Carmel, Ca.

Improving Pedestrian Access and Walkability
More than 3,000 Oro Valley residents live within a half-mile to one-mile walking vicinity of these centers. The Town could improve walkability to the centers and pedestrian access at the targeted intersection of LaCanada and Lambert as an initial step toward their “Main Street” concept. The Town could also provide some benches on LaCanada along the one mile stretch between Lambert and Naranja as an immediate enhancement towards walkability. Most successful downtown redevelopment areas include benches for people to rest on, sit and visit.

A mile is a long way to walk for many. A couple of benches along the route would encourage more residents to make that walk. Similarly, some benches and shade trees could be provided along Lambert Lane between LaCanada and Oracle Roads. Pedestrians will more likely frequent an area, if it is made easier and more inviting to do so. A signal controlled pedestrian walkway at Canada Hills Drive and LaCanada would improve access and safety for walkers heading to the commercial destinations at Lambert and LaCanada.

Transforming Vision into Reality
In summary, some of the Town’s proposed ideas for Main Streets appear doable if enough residents are interested to advance them. Other ideas seem less likely to achieve, such as narrowing the already busy LaCanada Drive to add street parking. The Main Streets Project as envisioned will need cooperation from multiple sources to include the citizens, Town Government, and the Development Community. The project will also need to address the viability of proposed funding, particularly if significant public monies are needed to implement some of the project proposals.
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Rosalie Roszak is a 25 year resident of Oro Valley, moving here in 1992 with husband Rudy, 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 recently retiring. 

Rudy Roszak also contributed to this article. Rudy was an Oro Valley Town Councilmember in 1995-1996. He has also resided in a number of urban communities, including 25 years in Oro Valley. Both Rudy and Rosalie may often be found walking in Oro Valley’s multi use trails and parks.

Guest View-Rosalie Roszak: What Makes a Main Street?

Part 2: Oro Valley’s “Four Corners” Main Street Locations

LaCanada and Lambert Intersection
The Town of Oro Valley incorporated in 1974 with no commercial shopping areas. The saying was “you can’t even buy a loaf of bread in Oro Valley.” When we moved into the Canada Hills neighborhood in 1992, the nearest grocery store, gas station and other services were five miles distant.

Lambert and LaCanada is one of the two areas that the Town is considering for their “Main Street” focal points. Although the area is currently built out with existing uses, Town Planners indicate that these uses might not always remain or might evolve within the next few years. Most particularly, the Valero gas station on the NE corner and the vacant retail “box” building on the SE corner might evolve into new uses.

The center on the SW corner with Harvest and Café Torino Restaurants is another of the Town’s targeted corners. This center has long had two vacant pads.

The NE Corner
Area residents were thrilled when the new Smitty’s Supermarket opened at the corner of LaCanada and Lambert in 1993. This store was a marvel and included a food court with a sandwich shop, a yogurt store, and a Cinnabon store. It also contained a small Bank of America branch, a commercial postal store, and an optometrist. We were in heaven.

The market evolved from Smitty’s to Smith’s and then to Fry’s Food Stores. The strip retail buildings were developed both south and north of the original supermarket building.

Although some area residents walk to Fry’s, mostly it was designed to service the suburban automobile culture. Oro Valley’s existing retail centers all fit this model with a large automobile parking area at the front with the stores at the rear of the parking areas. Only the recently developed San Dorado Center on Oracle Road has a different feel, with the stores located closer to the street frontage.

An Oro Valley Future "Main Street"?
Lambert Lane and LaCanada

Traditional Main Streets conversely developed for pedestrian use. They are walkable and street parking is more towards the rear and in less abundance. Can Oro Valley’s existing retail be modified to more resemble traditional Main Street areas?

The SE Corner
A corner Osco Pharmacy was the initial building at the shopping center on the SE corner, but had a short life span, unable to compete with the established Walgreen’s and Fry’s Pharmacy. This building remained vacant for several years until being occupied by a Big 5 Retail store. Big 5 vacated about two years ago and the building remains vacant.

The two retail strip buildings, one fronting along Lambert and one along LaCanada, were opened about 2008/2009, right as the recession hit. These both had substantial vacancy until about two years ago and are now almost fully leased.

NW and SW Corners
The development of Walgreen’s went smoothly, but somehow a fire station later emerged at the rear of that site. Neighbors fought development on the SW corner, and were able to obtain concessions on building heights, landscape buffers, and such. This corner now has two retail buildings anchored by Harvest and Café Torino’s and has proven to be a very popular center.

Managing the balance between needed amenities and small town charm
Oro Valley residents and Town planners did recognize LaCanada and Lambert as a main commercial corner for the Town around the time of the original Smitty’s Supermarket construction. The proposal to build a gas station at the NE corner of LaCanada and Lambert around 1995 created the first of several major use contentions. Many residents believed a gas station was not a good use for the Town’s most important or “gateway” corner. Others welcomed the convenience.

The Planning Commission and Town Council held public hearings. It seemed as if 50% of residents wanted the gas station and 50% were opposed, believing such uses belonged along Oracle Road. The gas station was built and occupies that main corner today. Several years ago, Fry’s lobbied to add their own gas station, and now we have two along that stretch of LaCanada.

Planning successful development for a “Main Street” feel
Although the Town of Oro Valley may have ideas as to what types of development they would like to encourage at these potential sites, ultimately private development will be up to developers and land owners. Cities and Towns do not typically fare well when they attempt forays into actual developments. Even experienced developers don’t always fare well. If their projects enter the market at the wrong time, such as the 2008 recession, they may sit vacant for a number of years.

Ultimately it will be the willingness of private developers to bring new monies to the Oro Valley community, which will spur both new and redevelopment/repurposing efforts in the Town’s existing retail properties and for future proposed retail and commercial projects. That said, there are some steps that the Town could make in encouraging re-uses for these areas, that are more in keeping with a “Main Street” theme.

Part 3: “Oro Valley’s Main Street Proposals” will be published on Friday.
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Rosalie Roszak is a 25 year resident of Oro Valley, moving here in 1992 with husband Rudy, in search of good air quality. She grew up in Flushing, New York and has also 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 recently retiring.

Guest View-Rosalie Roszak: What Makes a Main Street?

Town Of Oro Valley is planning a "Main Street Areas" According to the town: "These areas will be walkable and unique and include places to gather, dine and shop.." This is the Part 1 of a three part posting. We will post parts 2 and 3 on Wednesday and Friday of this week.
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Part 1: Main Streets Of The Past

Small Town Main Streets
I grew up in Flushing, New York in the 1950s and 1960s in an area with a local “main street” although we never called it that.

Our little main street, Francis Lewis Boulevard, had a variety of stores and services located in two long, walkable blocks. We had a pharmacy, bakery, dairy store, two delicatessen’s, a butcher shop, shoemaker, beauty salon, a Chinese laundry, and a TV and Radio repair shop. We also had local institutions, including George’s Junk Shop -- a variety store packed literally floor-to-ceiling with merchandise, and only the owner knew where anything was. His store surely gave the fire department nightmares.

We also had a luncheonette counter serving a variety of hamburgers, eggs, milk shakes and cherry cokes, candy, newspapers and sundries. New Yorkers called them “candy stores.” Finally, we had a small older A&P Supermarket and a wonderful Italian grocery store with a meat counter and various other products. The owners of this store knew all their customers, and we also knew their children, who began working there at about age six.

As a small child, I walked to these stores with my mother. As I grew older, she would send me on my own to pick up various items. My mother didn’t drive at that time, and we walked everywhere or rode the bus. Our local “main street” area did have some parking in the front of the stores which could get crowded at times. Most people walked to these local stores. Another somewhat larger local Main Street area was one mile in the other direction, and this area had more varied stores including clothing stores, a florist, etc.

My older neighborhood local main street area evolved naturally along a busy thoroughfare. It was walkable. It served as a neighborhood “gathering place” although there was no central focus area.

Regional Main Streets
Similar local shopping districts, some larger and with more services, were located about one mile from one another in our community. These areas were serviceable, but not particularly attractive. They all evolved to provide needed services for area residents.

Flushing also had a large, regional “Main Street” about three miles from our house, which required a bus ride. This regional area (the starting point for the subway line into Manhattan) was always crowded as buses delivered commuters from all over the region to the subway line or just to shop. Main Street Flushing was our regional shopping area, with a couple of department stores, and about a half-mile area lined with a variety of smaller clothing stores, shoe stores, deli’s and restaurants, bagel shops, etc. Of course, the area has evolved considerably since the 1960’s, but remains today as a busy regional transportation and shopping hub.

Some communities I’ve visited such as Prescott, Arizona, were built around a central Town Square Plaza area. As an example of how Main Streets evolve in various ways and have different focal points, my regional Main Street Flushing area had the subway line entrance stations as their focal point. A variety of non-descript stores were built starting from about 1930, to serve both the commuters and local and regional area residents. The grouping of stores became a draw themselves, acting as a regional center.

Growing Pains and Urban Renewal in Small Town America
Flushing is a very old community, settled originally by the Dutch in the late 1600’s. Yet the downtown Flushing Main Street commuter serving area retained none of this focus in the incarnation I remember from the 1960s and 1970s, and certainly did not have any of the charm.

Flushing's Rendesvous Point

The area has evolved once again, and presently is a thriving regional shopping center for Asian communities. Many of us who grew up there in the 1950s through 1970s would not recognize the area today, although some landmarks remain. Our former local department store “Gertz,” is now Macy’s, and the clock at the corner of Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue where the subway line begins remains today. “Under the clock” always served as a rendezvous point for trips into Manhattan, local shopping trips, etc.

Click here to learn more about Flushing's Main Streets.

Part 2: “Oro Valley’s Main Street Locations” will be published on Wednesday.
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Rosalie Roszak is a 25 year resident of Oro Valley, moving here in 1992 with husband Rudy, in search of good air quality. She grew up in Flushing, New York and has also resided in Washington, D.C., Santa Barbara and Los Angeles, California. 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 recently retiring.

Walk The Block on January 21

“Walk the Block” with us on Jan. 21 to kick off the Oro Valley Main Streets project

Oro Valley, Arizona (January 11, 2017) – The Town of Oro Valley invites the public to join in and share ideas at a community event for the Oro Valley Main Streets project. The “Walk the Block” event will be held Saturday, January 21, 4-7 p.m. at the intersection of Lambert Lane and La Cañada Drive. It is a chance for residents to meet friends, family and neighbors for a short walking course around the La Cañada Drive and Lambert Lane area. The event will include learning activities, games, giveaways, a raffle and a food truck area. The first 200 people to complete the short walk get free gelato! The event will culminate with a Luminaria Walk at 6:30 p.m.

What is Oro Valley Main Streets?
Oro Valley Main Streets is a Town project to promote areas for gathering, dining and shopping that serve as a town center. These walkable and unique areas will enhance OV’s lifestyle and economy. Two local commercial areas are the focus of this project. The first area is at Lambert Lane and La Cañada Drive. The second area is near Oracle Road and First Avenue.

As a first step in the project, the Main Streets Draft Concept Plan was recently released. Based on community input, the Concept Plan offers high-level direction and illustrates a possible future. Members of the public are invited to read the draft Concept Plan and answer a three-question survey at this link. Input will shape the final Concept Plan and set directions for future detailed planning.

Visit this link to learn more about the Main Streets project.
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Source: Town Of Oro Valley Press Release

Guest View-Shirl Lamonna and Diane Bristow: Is Oro Valley Main Streets Project a Road to More Taxes?

Is Oro Valley Staff Off On Yet Another Folly?
Were you, like us, confused by the postcard and Explorer advertisements about an Oro Valley Main Streets Project? Does Oro Valley really need a "downtown?" Is this what the residents want?

After all, Oro Valley is already 85% built out.

Isn’t a planned downtown area a little too late? Didn't Oro Valley already pass on this? Why didn't Oro Valley move forward with a "Town Center" that was originally planned at Rancho Vistoso Boulevard and Moore Road? At one time, wasn't the strip center on Oracle and First Avenue (across from Rooney Ranch) supposed to be a gathering place? Didn't the Majority-4 tout the Community Center as a gathering place? So why does Oro Valley need a Main Streets project and who will pay for the project?

Several of us attended town staff hosted workshops (See panel below).
At these workshops, we were told that the idea of Main Streets grew from the Town Council's 2015 Strategic Plan, the Planning & Zoning fiscal years 2016 and 2017 work plans and the town's 2016 General Plan "Your Voice, Our Future" project.

Even after the workshops however, we weren't clear that the desire to "create the heart" of Oro Valley and reinvent Oro Valley was a priority to residents.
So, we checked out town staff's stated justification for investing resources to even plan this concept. After all, don't they have better things to do than look for work?

We found no compelling reason for a "Main Streets" Project
Reviewing the Oro Valley 2015 Strategic Plan, we found within the Economic Development Focus Area two strategies possibly referring to Main Streets:

• Continue developing Steam Pump Ranch as a cultural and historical destination.
• Evaluate the development of an entertainment district that includes music, sports, museums and private/nonprofit galleries.

From the Town’s website, we were not able to locate the Planning & Zoning Commission work plans to which the staff had referred. We did find mention of it in the "Oro Valley Main Streets Background Inventory, under Project Origin". There is mentioned a Planning & Zoning Commission Commission Work Plan – Item 3: The District… “The Work Plan identifies the District project as a high priority… includes… a complete streets policy and mixed-use zoning.”

We then reviewed the 2016 yet to be voter approved General Plan, Your Voice, Our Future (90% Completion). In the Complete Community Section, "Neighborhoods", we found Policy CC.6: “Promote the creation of unique community gathering places that are inviting, walkable, attractive and vibrant and offer commercial, entertainment or cultural activity.”

We also found Action 10, relating to Policy CC.6.: “Develop a plan for designating areas of Oro Valley that serve as the community’s gathering places."


Finally, we analyzed the Your Voice Our Future telephone survey to gain a better understanding of the backing for the project. We discovered that...

The desire of the residents for a central gathering place is as rare as the demand for golf and a restaurant at the Community Center
In other words, it is so far down on the list of wants to be irrelevant.

Our conclusions:
There is minuscule resident interest in creating a downtown
Why do we say this?
First, very few residents attended the Main Street's workshops (see panel above).

Second, the statistically valid 2013 survey of residents that was used to define portions of the 2016 General Plan did not contain a single question about a downtown or community gathering place. Few people commented on a downtown area or a central location to meet people. Only 3% of the 306 respondents believed more restaurants and dining choices were required to make Oro Valley a more complete or livable community.

Third, we imagine there will be even less resident interest in this if the residents will have to pay in any way for Main Streets. At the moment, this is considered long-range planning so cost and maintenance cos was not addressed despite direct questions on funding of the project.

Our apprehension with the Main Streets Project centers on the fact that Oro Valley Council and Staff seem to have an agenda to reinvent Oro Valley into a crowded Scottsdale-like city, despite a complete lack of community interest. Instead there is an overwhelming community's desire to retain Oro Valley's small town feel. 

Diane Bristow
Shirl Lamonna
Oro Valley Residents