Council Shifts $400K Saved To A New Shannon Road Project

Town Council approves using "leftover" money... Staff "Slips one through"
The Oro Valley Town Council, during its March 20 meeting, approved using $400,000 in leftover funds from the La Cañada mill and overlay project to improve a temporary dirt path along Shannon Road between Naranja and Tangerine roads. The funds will be used to create a dust-free, two-lane local road with a cape seal surface and a separated multi-use path (MUP) for pedestrians and cyclists.

Council votes on March 20 to repurpose funds
The Oro Valley Town Council, during its March 20 meeting, approved using $400,000 in leftover funds from the La Cañada mill and overlay project to improve a temporary dirt path along Shannon Road between Naranja and Tangerine roads. The funds will be used to create a dust-free, two-lane local road with a cape seal surface and a separated multi-use path (MUP) for pedestrians and cyclists.

Project funding comes from significant budget savings
The La Cañada Drive mill and overlay project was completed on November 15, 2024, under budget by $594,243.57. Town staff requested $400,000 of these funds for the Shannon Road improvements, which will cover design, grading, compaction, and cape seal treatment on the new roadway and MUP. Shannon Road currently transitions from a two-lane paved roadway to an unmaintained dirt path; long-term plans under the RTA Next plan envision a $23.4 million widening and paving project.

Neighbors call for dust control and safer access
The path was initially created during the installation of a water line and has since become a shortcut for vehicles, raising dust and creating safety issues for residents. Several residents spoke in support of the improvement, sharing concerns about dust, emergency vehicle access, and pedestrian safety. They noted that emergency responders previously had difficulty locating homes in the area and that current traffic conditions pose hazards to both residents and students from nearby Ironwood Ridge High School.

Town engineer calls this an opportunity for safety improvements
Town Engineer Paul Kiesler described the project as an opportunity to use leftover funds efficiently and improve safety. The project also reduces emergency response times by creating a direct route that eliminates a three-mile detour. The temporary roadway will be posted at 25 mph and serve as a local collector connection until the planned arterial project is built, pending RTA Next funding approval.

A road built for light use may face heavy traffic

The town plans to build the Shannon Road connection using a cape seal surface — a treatment designed for light to moderate traffic on local roads. This approach combines a chip seal and slurry seal to create a smooth, dust-free surface but is not meant to withstand heavy, sustained traffic over long periods. Now that the road will connect Tangerine Road to lower Shannon, it is likely to see significantly more use, including school traffic and deliveries. Resident Ryan Broom expressed this concern, stating the road is already a traffic problem: “The town has created a major nuisance... We have a huge high-speed thoroughfare connecting a state route to a high school.” His comment highlights the tension between a cost-effective short-term solution and the reality of heavier long-term use.

Vice mayor objects... This project was never planned...Funds could be saved for projects that are already in the town's capital improvement plan
However, Vice Mayor Melanie Barrett abstained from the vote, voicing several concerns. She questioned the use of these funds for a project that was not part of the town’s planned capital improvement projects and noted that the proposed road surface could be temporary until a larger road project is potentially funded through RTA in several years. Barrett also recalled past opposition from residents to making Shannon Road a through street, expressing uncertainty about current resident sentiment. She requested more time to evaluate whether this was the best use of funds compared to other capital needs. No other Council Member objected.

Council moves forward despite Barrett's concerns
Despite these concerns, the council voted 6-0 to approve the project, with Barrett abstaining. The project will move forward with design and construction planned for this budget year.

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Guest View-Mike Zinkin: Oro Valley Council vs. Staff-Who Really Controls the Town’s Spending?

Publisher note: tomorrow night the Oro Valley Town Council will conduct a review of the performance of Town Manager Jeff Wilkins. The review will be held in executive session, behind closed doors. We think that resident Mike Zinkin's comments that follow have some relevance to that discussion.
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The takeover of spending by staff of Oro Valley is out of hand
Town Policy #6 requires the Town Manager to come before the Council for any unbudgeted expenses. This ensures the Council has the final say in all financial matters, as they should.

However, ex-Town Manager Jacobs spent over $600,000 to update the Council chambers without  Council concurrence. Now, the Town has discovered that making the Community Center ADA compliant is going to cost more than estimated. Did they come before the Council to get permission to spend additional money? No.

Now there is an issue with the horrific turf reduction the Town did on one of the holes on the Conquistador Course. There are over 40 yards of dirt and dust, making the air unsafe during a wind storm or monsoon. The golf contractor has received an estimate to place gravel/decomposed granite to rectify the situation. The Parks and Rec. Director has determined that the estimate is too high.

Nobody knows what the estimate is, but staff has determined it is too high. How about doing something new… present the situation to the Council and let them determine if the cost is too high? First, staff spends without Council authorization, and then staff decides not to spend without Council approval.

Spending is the authority of the Council
The Council are the elected decision-makers, not staff. Nobody voted for any staff member. Staff is there to carry out the decisions of the Council, not make decisions that are under the authority of the Council.

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The Avilla Story: Residents Can Make a Huge Difference When They Get Involved

Tiny rental homes could not be a worse fit for Oro Valley
Last week’s council denial of the Avilla tiny rental homes rezoning project was a victory not only for those who live in the area but also for all residents of Oro Valley. It was a victory because if there ever was a residential housing project that didn't belong in Oro Valley, then this was the project. Residents felt that two hundred and seven tiny rental homes stuffed around the Safeway plaza in Rancho Vistoso was just a bad idea—such a bad idea that it is astounding that town staff supported it.

Residents hated the project
Residents made it known that they were against the project in big numbers when they packed Council meeting chambers [see panel below-right]. They presented a number of objections… from traffic concerns… to a tainted Planning and Zoning Commission approval… to the simple objective of cramming ultra high density rental housing around the Safeway Plaza.

Fearing a worse traffic nightmare than already exists
This project, residents felt, would make it worse, despite the assurance of the applicant that they were going to make things better by creating a shiny new intersection. After all, a little skepticism is a good thing. 

The shiny new intersection was presented by a traffic engineer hired by the applicant and not by town engineer, Paul Keesler. Keesler only spoke when pressed by Council Member Solomon to guesstimate what it would cost the town to build the intersection. He was very hesitant to answer, dropping a number in the $2-$3million range. He did not opine on whether the proposed intersection design was a good solution or even the best solution.

Residents were involved
They made a difference
We think the most telling thing was the gathering of 23 pages of 1,045 signatures—all against the project. This represents more than 700 households. Resident Shirl Lamonna and others gathered the signatures. The time and effort devoted to doing this was a significant commitment over many months. The result was Lamonna’s three-minute clip [panel left] in front of the council to tell them that the people didn't want the project. That’s a lot of work for a moment in front of the council, but it made a huge difference

Thus, the land remains zoned for commercial use
At the meeting, Town Planner Michael Spaeth painted a doomsday scenario if the project were not approved. He told the residents that the property, as it is currently zoned, could one day have very large buildings on it—buildings that could obstruct views and bring "gobs" of traffic. His inference, of course, is that the residents should want the Avilla project because it will be less of a monster; and, as a bonus, they will get a shiny new intersection. The residents and the town council didn't buy his argument.

One day the property could have commercial buildings on it. On the other hand, it may stay vacant for another 50 years, which would be just fine with everyone who lives in the area—everyone except the property owner, who doesn't live in the area.

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Near Term Fix For Pedestrian Access At Naranja Park Entrance “In the Works”

What is being considered will make a huge difference in pedestrian safety

Last week, we reported that town staff is considering actions to improve pedestrian safety at the Naranja Drive entrance to Naranja Park. At that time, we stated that we would report what we learned about this as we learned it.  Our latest information is based on a March 5 memo to the Oro Valley Town Council from Public Works Director Paul Keesler. 

Considering a “Gravity block retaining wall system” to separate pedestrians from cars on the south side of Naranja Drive

A gravity wall is a physical hard surface wall. Such would run along those sections on the south side of Naranja Drive where “pedestrians must use the hard shoulder due to the presence of a guardrail or steep adjacent slope.” There are four of these areas on Naranja Drive. Keesler’s memo does not specifically identify the park entrance area as one of these sections. But it is one.  It is where the tragic March 17 accident occurred. Had a gravity wall been in place, the teens would not have been hit by the car because they would have been on the pedestrian side of the wall.

Construct a pedestrian connection for the “pinch point” on the north side of Naranja Drive this summer

There is a section on the north side of the Naranja Drive entrance where the town installed a vehicular right-turn lane. When they did that, the town eliminated the pedestrian walkway since they paved over it. The town did not make any allowance to accommodate the fact that pedestrians could no longer walk there. This summer, staff will construct “…a temporary pedestrian connection … from east of the right-turn lane into the Archery Range parking lot.” Had this been place on March 17, the teenagers could have used it to safely get to the unmarked crosswalk back to their grandparent’s home on Pomegranate Dr. They would never have been on Naranja Drive at all.

Studying adding other safety measures for those crossing Naranja Drive to the park like a HAWK light and crosswalks

There is no pedestrian controlled traffic light or a marked crosswalk at the park entrance. Town staff had decided against this for two reasons. One is that staff decided that it it would not be used very much. Second, and of much more importance, staff recognized that "The crossing would not end on a pedestrian facility on the south side of Naranja Drive, such as on a sidewalk or MUP system".  

Staff is now reconsidering this decision. The gravity wall retaining system, which they will hopefully build, will create the “pedestrian facility” that does not now exist.

Studying a change in speed limit

Keesler’s memo states the staff is studying the speed limit for the park entrance section of the park. The current speed limit is 45 mph. There is a “cautionary” speed limit of 35mph as eastbound drivers approach the park entrance. There is no such sign as for westbound drivers. Keesler memo states “ Speed should be set on a thorough data- based evaluation, that is based on the 85th percentile speed profile.” We are not sure what that means. Frankly, the area needs to be designated similar to a school zone, marked and speed limited as such.

You need to act

Please contact any of the town council members to voice your support of improving pedestrian safety at the park entrance now. Let them know that waiting for a long term multi-use path solution simply will not do.

Guest View-Don Cox: Council Inaction on Growth-“Lean Years Are Coming”

A friend forwarded a copy of a recent post on this blog. After reading it, I felt compelled to submit some thoughts of my own about the post and the Town of Oro Valley in general.

That post was penned by Mike Zinkin. If you have been around the Oro Valley for 20+ years, you probably know that Mike and I have had a few differences over the years. What may surprise you is that in the past couple of years, we have discovered that we agree on many issues. In fact, he and I have been featured jointly on the Jim Horn’s Oro Valley Podcast” in recent weeks. So at this time, I want to ‘dovetail’ on some of his commentary.

In the past 5 years, the governance of Oro Valley has taken a well oiled financial machine, the envy of the vast majority of the municipalities in the United States and placed it on the road to financial failure. Unfortunately we have now moved into the fast lane of that road.

The current Town Manager’s proposed FY 2023/2024 budget is nothing more than documenting the stated desires of the Town Council in writing, and then assigning a cost to it. It does not address the needs of the town. Rather, it reflects the personal desires of the town council members. A “splash pad” did not come from the residents. it came from Vice Mayor Melanie Barrett. A “Pump Track” did not come from the Town residents. It came from, Councilman Josh Nicholson. 

About 3 or 4 months ago you were given a clear ‘red flag message’ when the Director of Public Works, Paul Kessler, announced at a Town Meeting that the estimated cost of the ‘projects’ on the Town Council wish list, which was to be paid for by that $50 million non-resident approved bond, was closer to $100 million. How does Winfield and crew, make a $50 million error on a $50 million bond? The answer to that question is simple. It’s fiscal irresponsibility!!

I have spent a great deal of time examining the Oro Valley proposed FY 2023/2024 revenue budget. It’s available on the Town website for all to see.

Here are some direct quotes from the Revenue Summary: 

“Local sales tax is expected to show gains over the FY 22/23budget, but a slight decline when compared to with the FY 22/23 actual revenue.”
Translation: Our sales tax revenue is going down

“This is largely attributable to construction sales tax, as permitting activity has slowed from the highs we saw during the COVID -19 pandemic.”
Translation: We are building fewer homes. Where have you heard that before? Yours truly!!! 

“The Town is projecting 119 single family residential (SFR) permits for FY 23/24 compared to the 171 SFR permits budgeted for FY 22/23. Commercial development revenues are expected to decrease based on projected building activity.”

Translation: “Commercial follows residential.” We have no residential growth therefore we have no commercial growth.  

Now my friends, is the 1600 hundred pound elephant in the room

The current Town Council majority has not approved a single residential development in Oro Valley (with the exception of a 64 +/- project that was already approved by Pima County before it was annexed)! No new commercial development has been approved in the same period. The exception to the latter statement is the Marketplace re-development which they gutted for no logical reason. The 2018 campaign promise of a “Moratorium on Growth”, which was later denied by Melanie Barrett, has become a reality.

From the time of Council approval, it takes an average of 3 years for projects to start generating construction sales tax. Construction sales tax is currently running about $6,000,000 a year. Translation: This Town Council majority has created an eight year void in the Construction Sales Tax pipeline. That’s $6 million a year that is going away for a minimum of 8 years. And that money is not replaceable.

Prepare yourselves for some very lean years in our immediate future if we don’t come up with a way to generate more income for the Town.

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Don Cox moved to Oro Valley in 1997.  He has served on various town committees including an extended stint as a chair and vice chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission.  He is a member of the Oro Valley Optimist Club and the Arizona Youth Partnership.

Town Acts To Improve Safety On Naranja Drive...But Residents Want More Now

Teen's death on Naranja Drive spurs action
On March 17, a teen girl was killed by a motorist on Naranja Drive. Her dog was also killed and another teen was injured in the accident. The location of the incident is where Naranja Drive intersects with Pomegranate Drive. That is at the entrance to Naranja Park. The Police Department is working on their investigation. That report will be available this week. We will publish it for all to read.

The town does not consider that road and that area imminently dangerous to bicyclists and pedestrians
According to town Public Works Director, Paul Keesler, that road does not pose an imminent risk to bicyclists and pedestrians. Note, that Keesler is referring to Naranja Drive in total and not to the entrance to Naranja Park, which is where the accident happened:

“Naranja drive, much like many other two lane arterials and collectors within Oro Valley (Shannon, Moore, west Lambert, Buena Vista, for example) does currently provide safe and separate pedestrian travel corridors via paved and soft shoulders. In fact, Naranja Drive between La Canada to First Avenue offers more paved shoulder than many other similar roads within Oro Valley, as well as providing the maximum soft shoulder the surrounding terrain allows. Combined with State Statute 28-735 Overtaking bicycles; civil penalties where vehicular traffic must exhibit caution and space passing a bicycle, these two-lane collectors and arterials do not exhibit a history of frequent pedestrian versus automobile collisions. Yes, providing separated multi-use paths is even safer and better for the traveling pedestrian community, but to make the claim that Oro Valley streets without adjoining MUP’s [Multi-Use Path] or sidewalks pose an imminent risk to the public is not supported by data." 

Public Works Director Keesler:  Town acted immediately to address situation

"This incident was immediately addressed within the Town’s internal Traffic Safety Committee (TSC). The TSC is a consortium that is composed of members from Engineering, PD, Planning, Legal, GRFD, and Safety Management." 

According to Keesler, the town has initiated the following actions:

• Increased Police patrol 
• Added this section of Naranja to the Police traffic complaint hotline – the traffic unit has added it to their list of complaints that they actively work 
• Speed trailer present next week 
• Increased speed enforcement stops to provide education to motorists 
• Continue to work on the MUP, processing this through the Federal system to get under construction
• Will be conducting a speed study next week to confirm the proper posted speed limit. Posting an artificial speed limit that is too high or too low for the design of the street can actually pose additional hazards/problems. That is why the Town adheres to setting speed limits that correspond to the use and design of a particular street. 

Site of the incident is the entrance to Naranja Park.. inherently dangerous to pedestrian travel

We don't know the details of the accident. We are awaiting the police report to learn that. However, we do know that the accident occurred east of the entrance to Naranja Park. The panel at right is a picture of that area, viewed from Pomegranate. 

As you can see from the panel, there is a narrow paved shoulder between the eastbound travel lane and a guard rail. Any pedestrian walking in that area has no escape route if danger is imminent.

There is no pedestrian walking shoulder on the north side of Naranja Drive [see panel below left]. This is because there is a guard rail that abuts an entrance lane to Naranja Park. There is a travel lane for bicycles and a sign that tells drivers to beware of such.  There is no such warning regarding pedestrians. In addition, it appears that the town paved over a soft shoulder where once pedestrians could walk in order to create this exit lane. A pedestrian walking in that area is has no access option.

Finally, there is no cross walk nor is there a pedestrian controlled traffic light. Nor are there any signs to alert drivers to pedestrians going to and from the park. Add to this a 45mp speed limit, which is far too fast for this section of Naranja Drive.

Our conclusion: A pedestrian walking along the roadway in that area has no option to seek safety from traffic regardless of which side of the road they are on.

In comparison, pedestrian access to Riverfront Park access is far safer

The town knows how to create a safe park entrance.  The pedestrian access Riverfront Park is excellent. There, the town built multi-use paths and added pedestrian-controlled traffic light for crossing the roadway.  This access is first-class.

Pomegranate Drive residents want more action now

We asked the council what had been done to improve pedestrian/bicycle safety on Naranja Drive because we saw no changes on that road since the accident. We also listened to three residents who live on Pomegranate Drive.They spoke in the "call to audience" portion of last weeks Town Council meeting. They addressed their concerns about pedestrian safety on that road and made suggestions as to things that could be done immediately. Resident Dr. Diane Stephenson called for an immediate reduction of the speed limit. Another called for markers to be installed to demarcate the turnoff lane into the park, where the accident occurred. There is no pedestrian safe area there. A third decried a rather dismissive email received from Keesler discussing the long term solution of a planned multi-use path.

There is so much more that the town must do to make this entrance pedestrian safe now.

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Avilla Homes Proposal: The "Rooftops Strategy" on Steroids

There are two rezoning requests that are making their way through the town's vetting process. They are proposals to add 215 "tiny" rental homes near the intersection of Tangerine Road and Rancho Vistoso Blvd. 

Avilla East would add 90 homes in a commercial area just north of the Safeway Shopping Plaza. Avilla West would add 125 homes to the west of Rancho Vistoso Blvd. The panel below shows both of these proposed developments. 

The town held two Neighborhood Meetings on the East Project. Tomorrow the town will host the second Neighborhood Meeting on the West Project.

Both projects are listed on the town's web sites as "rezoning requests" from commercial property (C-1) to high density residential. The projects are not also being proposed as general plan amendments or amendments to the Rancho Vistoso Planned Area. They should be because the 2016 General Plan has these lots designated as commercial. The use of this land for residential purpose requires a general plan amendment.

"Big Dollars" at stake

It is obvious why the project makes sense to the applicant. It will put the properties into a revenue generating position. The very high density residential use of the property will guarantee a sustainable revenue stream for years to come.

Unanimous resident objection to project

It is obvious why residents don't want to see the properties developed.  The land is currently zoned for commercial use. The applicant does not believe that anything commercial will be built on it. According to the applicant, the land will remain "open desert" for years.  

When the applicant's representative Paul Oland of Paradigm Land Design discusses the land use he refers only to retail store use.

The current land use could be used for a host of non retail store purposes within the current commercial land designation. For example, there could be an office building, medical offices, or a school on the property.

The hook: Town Staff thinks that the projects will alleviate an existing traffic problem... One they have wanted to fix forever!

The "hook" is that the Town Engineer Paul Keesler, though not endorsing the project, believes that its creation will be a solution to a current accident prone situation in the area. 

As seen in the panel below left, the project will use a portion of the applicant's land to create a more favorable traffic flow. Speaking at the August 28 second neighborhood meeting on the East Project: "I endorse the design as better [for safety and level of service] than is there now." 

According to Keesler: "We modeled it for working flow and it decreases wait time." There is no solution without the use of private land. Here's why...

Two new roads and a traffic light

The projects would create two new roads. Both involve Woodburne Ave. Traffic heading east on Woodburne would be able to travel west on Tangerine without having to access Rancho Vistoso Blvd. Woodburne travelers would also be able to more easily access the Safeway Shopping Center. 

The plan uses the alleyway north of the center as the major access into the Safeway Plaza.

The two new roads are being built on the developer's land.

Lots of reasons residents don't want this

Residents believe that there are many reasons why these projects are a bad idea:

• Avilla Homes has a bad reputation
• Using an alleyway for travel makes no sense
• There will not be enough parking for residents of the tiny homes
• Very high density housing makes no sense for Oro Valley 
• The high density of the homes will add significant auto and foot traffic to the area
• The property owner knew they purchased commercial property. The fact that it is not currently developable is their problem

Time for you to be involved

This is a major intersection used by many in our community. It's the first impression people will get as they visit a premier area of our community. If you travel though it, this project will impact you. On broader perspective, do you want Oro Valley to set a precedent with very high density housing? Weigh in tomorrow or at future meetings as they develop.

Inflation, Availability, Uncertainty Haunt Town's 2023 TMRB Public Works Budget

"Challenging"
“If I could summarize this past year in one word, that word would be ‘challenging’”.  Paul Keesler, Oro Valley Director of Public Works noted this in his remarks to the Town Council at last week’s 2023 Town Manager Recommended Budget ("TMRB') Study Session.

Inflation, lack of supply, and lack of contractor availability cloud future

“Over this past year we were able to operate and move forward in this continuing inflationary, lack of supply, lack a contractor atmosphere. It’s no mystery. We’ve been talking about this for a while now: Supply chain issues and material availability… [lack of ] contractor availability: That's another battle that we've been fighting… many times we're only getting one bid and sometimes that it's not even in earnest."

2022: We've done a lot in a very difficult market. 

Keesler pointed to a number of accomplishments this year. “The biggie that Oro Valley is known for is that we're able to keep our street condition in its usual great shape… we treated approximately one-fifth of our streets this past year, which is per our schedule. Every street gets retreated depending on his condition roughly every 5 to 7 years so we we shoot for that roughly 20% every year.” Keesler noted this may not be the case going forward because of a shortage of one of the materials used in pavement preservation.

The town has also faced the inability to get replacement vehicles, whether they be for public works projects or police department vehicles. Keesler sees no end to this particular challenge for at least two more years.

Town is plunging forward with an aggressive fifty-project program for 2023
The TMRB for public works this year is $20.9million dollars. That is just for "normal" public works projects like road building and maintenance, building maintenance, and purchasing and maintaining vehicles.

Major "normal" public works projects planned for this year include rebuilding a portion of Shannon Road. This represents a shift in road funding because it is a replacement of an aging road. The town will be paying for this rebuilding from its own funds as opposed to getting funds from other governments sources as they have in the past.

One of the challenges Keesler noted was the need to do “cosmetic work” on the town’s bridges. This will not happen this year because the bid price for doing this was patently ridiculous. What should cost $400,000 was bid at $2 million.

...that includes managing the capital spending of some other departments

The Public Works Department also administers the capital spending of some other departments. This includes the capital spending on the town's parks that is included int he Parks and Recreation Department budget. The Parks and Recreation Department pays for the parks. But it's Keesler's department that actually gets the parks built!

This year this includes building some portion of Naranja Park, replacing the irrigation on one of the golf courses, and building additional multi-use paths. All of these three items are being paid for by the Towns $25million Parks Bond that was issued last September.

But there’s more. The town is replacing the tennis courts at the Community Center. That is another Parks and Recreation project. These courts require concrete. Keesler observed that contractors can only buy a specific amount of concrete. In order for there to be enough concrete for the town's project, the contractor has to use material from other projects on the Oro Valley tennis courts.

Keesler: A reorganize focus for 2023

Keesler has fifty projects on tap for the year and he has reorganized the department to get the job done. He has assigned projects to ten individuals who will be the project managers. There is one full-time project manager for Naranja Park. The other project managers will have four or perhaps five projects they will oversee.

Clearly, it will be a challenging 2023 for the Oro Valley Public Works Department.

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Council Approves "HAWK" At Ironwood Ridge

Device will be installed this summer

Last week, the Oro Valley Town Council approved the installation of a HAWK traffic control system at Ironwood Ridge High School. Students will be able to cross Naranja Drive safely starting with the fall semester. 

Council overrides staff recommendation

The decision of the Council to move forward with this overrode the recommendation of town Public Works Director Paul Keesler. Keesler did not believe that there would be use sufficient to warrant requiring the system.

Keesler based his conclusion on standards published by the US Federal Highway Administration. "The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways (MUTCD) defines the standards used by road managers nationwide to install and maintain traffic control devices on all public streets, highways, bikeways, and private roads open to public travel."  Keesler said that an average of 20 students per hour needed cross in a one-hour period. His team observed the intersection on several occasions in late April and identified not more than a maximum use of 14 people.

Keesler's strident assertion that the standards of the MUTCD must be met in this case is in stark contrast to the implementation of a traffic light at the Community Center and La Canada Drive. There was no study done to determine the need for that traffic light. Town staff justified that light on the basis that there was a "line of sight" problem and that a traffic light was necessary.

Council Member Solomon brought the issue to town council

Council Member Solomon presented the motion to move forward with HAWK approval.  Solomon said that he had been contacted by residents. We do not know if he discussed this with town staff. Rather, he chose to discuss it with former Police Chief Danny Sharp. According to Solomon, Sharp chairs the Highway Safety Committee of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Sharp is also a candidate for mayor. Sharp told Solomon that a HAWK system was the most appropriate solution.

Barrett... Jacobs.. Keesler say they have been "working on this for some time"

According to Vice Mayor Barrett, speaking at the same meeting, this is not a new item. The town has been aware of the need to consider a traffic control device at the school since students returned to school last August after the pandemic.  According to Town Manager Jacobs: "We have been working very closely with the neighborhoods and the police" in this regard.  According to Keesler: "We've been working on this for quite some time."

... with no results

Regardless of alleged good intentions, the issue did not become important enough to investigate in detail until this April when Keesler did a survey to determine the actual potential HAWK usage.  That's when he did his surveys of potential use.

Town Manager asserts that she budgeted for the signal but...

The Town Manager stated (1.34:38 at the meeting) that she included funding in the 2023 Town Manager Recommended Budget Capital for the signal. Her statement is true but it is misleading. 

The Town has not allocated any of its own funds for the signal. The $400,000 for the signal is a line item in the Regional Transportation Authority and Pima Association of Governments ("RTA/PAG") This means that the Town must apply for the money and then RTA/PAG must approve the money to come out of their funds. There is no guarantee that they will approve it.  In addition, Keesler would need to approve the warrant for the signal. 

Council approval settles the issue and funds project

By approving the HAWK system at last week’s meeting, the Council said that it’s time to get this done regardless of what is Mr. Keesler or Ms. Jacobs thinks.

What else is being overlooked by town staff?

The decision to move ahead with HAWK does make one wonder. Why did Council Member Solomon have to put this on the agenda to prompt town staff to do something now? Isn't student safety of paramount importance? Why was the decision allowed to languish in a "bureaucratic" state?

This is the second item that Solomon has put on the agenda that appears to have been overlooked by town staff. The other is the discussion about improving mobility access at the community center. It was the action of Solomon that brought this to the forefront so that the Council acted to do something now. We wonder what would’ve happened if he had not made this a centerpiece of discussion?

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Note: Ironwood High School sits on a Naranja Drive, east of Shannon Road. It was opened in 2001. In recent years, medium density housing has been built around it, creating the need for some sort of crossing traffic control. Resident Jeff Taylor lives in the area. Yelling a council at the meeting, Taylor said that he has been after the town to do something for the past 18 months. Taylor did not live in Oro Valley prior to that. The schools were closed for much of that time due to the pandemic. They opened last August.

Bits and Pieces

Don't Run The Red
A 2019 AAA Foundation Survey found that more people are being killed by red light runners than ever before. "More than two people are killed every day on U.S. roads by impatient and reckless drivers blowing through red lights."

That fact has been noted by Oro Valley Public Works Director and Engineer Paul Keesler. Speaking on Jim Horn's Oro Valley Podcast last week, Keesler said that intersection safety will be a key focus area in 2020.

"We have to get people to obey the traffic control because the T-Bone accident is one of the most dangerous." Keesler is going to study the most dangerous Oro Valley intersections to try to determine what is causing the accidents.  There was one of these last Friday at Oro Valley's most dangerous intersection: Magee and Oracle.

Residents note property tax increase
Oro Valley residents are becoming aware that there are consequences for voter approval of the Golder Ranch Bond. Posting on NextDoor, a resident seemed astounded to learn that taxes are going up. The resident learned this when they were notified of the need for increased property tax escrow by their bank. Send thank notes to the Golder Ranch Fire District.

Ironwood Ridge Lights On... Nobody There

Ironwood Ridge HS...
Lights burn bright at night
The lights are on in the ball fields at Ironwood Ridge well into the evening. It's a time when the fields are not being used. The neighbors are annoyed.

According to one: "Nobody is in sight anywhere on campus and the parking lot is empty. Why [is Amphi School District] allowing taxpayer money to be wasted while ruining our night skies in Oro Valley by leaving these lights on until 9:00 PM, M-F, regardless of actual use?" We referred the writer to Council Member Joyce-Ivey. She is the council liaison to the Amphi School District. Joyce plans to look in to it.

Traffic proceeds nicely at Moore and LaCanada

Roundabout works well
The roundabout at Moore Road and La Canada seems to work quite well. This a according to Paul Keesler during an interview last week on Jim Horn's Oro Valley Podcast.

Keesler invested considerable time determining ways to make sure that drivers approach the intersection cautiously and at low speed.

Horn noted that the roundabout works well for bicyclists. We took a look at it Wednesday. Indeed, it does work well.

Light installation at Naranja and La Canada

Town installs turn lights at Naranja and La Canada
This week, the town added a protected left turn arrow at the intersection of Naranja and La Canada. The line of traffic traveling northbound was back to the Frys Shopping Center.

Here's a look at the work.

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Echoing the Mayor and Council appears to reap financial rewards for Town Staff

A recent LOVE posting discussed how the Town Manager and Town Staff “control the message.” The staff works for the Town Manager. The Town Manager works for the council majority. (He/She works for the majority because these four members can vote to fire the Town Manager with or without cause).

Other than being rewarded for their compliance by keeping their jobs, is there also a financial reward for echoing the message of the Majority-4 Council members so that they always get their way? Let’s take a look.

Paul Keesler. Community Development and Public Works Manager.
Community Center Traffic Light. He is the individual who was responsible for justifying the traffic signal in front of the Community Center. When asked to present a "Signal Warrant Analysis" for the justification of the signal, his response was, "we didn't do one." Keep in mind that this analysis is a standard practice for the justification of traffic signals regardless of the cost. (Most traffic signals cost at least $500,000.)

Mr. Keesler advised that there were 500 cars a day utilizing the Community Center and that the hill to the south of the entrance was enough justification to warrant a signal. (There are over 23,000 cars using La Canada daily who now have to stop at this traffic signal). Forget the traffic problems at Moore and La Canada. This signal was more important.

Do you think that the mayor and council majority had a self-interest in establishing this signal?

The reward. As of 3/1/17, Mr. Keesler's annual salary was $127,760.80. As of 3/1/18, Mr. Keesler's annual salary is $132,871.23. This is a 4% raise totaling over $5,000.

Bayer Vella. Planning Department Administrator.
Recommending approval of development proposals. The Planning Department has been known to recommend approval of every development request that is heard before Council. Could this be because the developers and builders who are requesting these land use and rezoning changes have contributed heavily in the past to the campaigns of the mayor and the current six council members? After all, the mayor and council need to reward these major campaign contributors so that they will continue to contribute to their campaigns, including this year’s Town Council election.

The mayor and council want these developments to be approved and it appears that the Planning Department simply echoes their desires and recommends approval.

The 5-story building. As you read last week in LOVE, the 5-story Nakoma Sky Retirement Community was allowed at the intersection of First and Lambert after Mr. Vella arbitrarily removed a restriction from the General Plan that prohibited tall buildings in this area.

The council majority at that time (Hiremath-Hornat-Snider-Waters) were supporting the 5-story building and it appears that the Planning Administrator altered the General Plan to accommodate their wishes.

The reward. As of 3/1/17, Mr. Vella's annual salary was $99,188.34. As of 3/1/18, Mr. Vella's salary is $103,155,94. This was a 4% raise totaling over $3,900 and he has not yet received his 2018 performance evaluation and raise.

Stacey Lemos. Town Finance Director.
Community Center. Despite almost three years of continuing losses at the Golf courses and Overlook Restaurant, Ms. Lemos has done everything possible during her presentations at Town Council meetings to spin the purchase of the Community Center property and the ongoing poor financials in a positive light.

Naranja Park. She did all she could to support the need for a property tax to build ball fields at Naranja Park, but when it failed to win voter approval, she now brags about the Town's pay-as-you-go philosophy. In doing so, it appears that she is trying to save face for the mayor and council.

The reward. As of 3/1/17, Ms. Lemos' annual salary was $149,848.82. As of 3/1/18, Ms. Lemos' salary is $155,842.78. This is a 4% raise totaling almost $6,000.