Heather's Corner: Tohono Chul: A History of our Desert Oasis

Many of us know of Tohono Chul Park and perhaps have frequented the botanical gardens as a place to enjoy nature, conservation, art, and culture. But the modern park, which became part of the Town of Oro Valley in April 2013 with the Oracle/Ina Annexation, has a very interesting story of origin.

During the 1920's, Northwest Tucson, and more specifically the property between Orange Grove and Ina Rd. was owned by Maurice Reid. Introducing black date palms and citrus groves to the area, the area was eventually subdivided. The future site of Tohono Chul Park was sold to John T. deBlois Wack in 1937 after walking the property with young Gene Reid (future namesake of Tucson’s Reid Park Zoo) for the bargain price of $16,000.00 for 80 acres, or $200.00 per acre.

Eventually building a Santa Fe style house, today's exhibit house, the property exchanged hands several more times until purchased by Colonel Robert Bagnell and his wife Eugenia, whom began the process of wide lawns and rose gardens. Mrs. Bagnell donated a portion of the property to the Catholic Diocese of Tucson to serve as the site for St. Odilia’s Catholic Church, visible today to the north, while their son built "West House,” the current site of the Tohono Chul Garden Bistro and La Fuente Museum Shop.

In the 1960's a portion of the property was sold to Richard and Jean Wilson, the founders of what we would come to know and love as Tohono Chul Park. Thirty-seven acres including the section with the "West House," though they offered it up as a halfway house instead of inhabiting the home themselves, would begin to form the "core" of the Park. They refused to sell it to developers in the 1970's and instead decided to "put down some lime to make a path and marked the names of some of the plants and bushes, but then it started to snowball.” In fact when Pima County condemned a strip along the southern boundary of the property in order to widen Ina Road, Mr. Wilson "demanded that they move every saguaro and replant it on their adjacent property." By 1980 they received a citation from the Tucson Audubon Society for "saving the desert greenspace and opening it to the public."

With the addition of special collection plants and demonstration gardens the park began to take shape. Tohono Chul Park was formally dedicated as a 37-acre desert preserve on April 19, 1985. The Wilsons deeded the property to the non-profit foundation, Tohono Chul Park, Inc., in 1988. With the help of longtime member John Maher, Tohono Chul was able to acquire another 11 acres of property to the north in 1995, establishing a memorial to John’s late wife, Mary.

I would ask that you think of the Wilson's the next time you visit the park and especially the foresight of this couple to preserve and cultivate an oasis of Sonoran desert. Anytime I visit I know how effortless it is to forget I'm in the middle of an urban town. And I think that is exactly it's purpose. Any experiences you'd like to share about time spent at the Park? We'd love to hear from you.

(Source)
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Heather Nenadovich has lived in Oro Valley for 6 years. She has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Arizona. She loves gardening, nature, art, and travel. Currently her two young children fill up most of her days (and nights) with chaotic bliss. Oro Valley favorites: memorial bench at the entrance of Romero Canyon Trail in Catalina State Park, Toscana Studio and Gallery, OV Fall Festival, the gumption and determination of OV residents! z

Tonight: Council To Consider Oracle/Ina Annexation

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Oro Valley Town Council will consider three regular session agenda items regarding the annexation of the Oracle/Ina Road area, which includes Tohono Chul Park ("TCP").  The total annexation inludes "107 acres of unincorporated territory located between Chapala Drive to the north, Ina Road to the south, Paseo Del Norte to the west and Oracle Road to the east."

First, the council will conduct a public hearing on a pre-annexation agreement with Tohono Chul. This is an agreement to induce the park to sign the annexation agreement.  The agreement requires that the town to improve Northern Avenue from Ina Road to Chapala Drive.   In addition, TCP will have its own planned area development ("PAD") agreement.  "The PAD provides for future development in accordance with the Park's master plan" as a park.

The Annexation Area

The agreement also states that:

• "The agreement states that impact fees will not be required for improvements to the Property permitted under the PAD"
• "The PAD does contain a specific sign program."
• "The Town shall include the Park in reasonable future Town marketing, economic development, tourism and related promotional materials as a destination attraction, which may include Town participation in the development of joint signage on the Property"

The agreement notes that the TCP plans to add 20,000 square feet of structures and " new pathways and trails, a children’s ramada, a catering area, and additional parking."

The council hold a public hearing to annex the Ina/Oracle road annexation area after the TCP PAD hearing is completed.  The town has obtained sufficient signatures to "make it so" if they wish.

What is the impact on Oro Valley?

Fiscally, the impact means:

"The Oracle / Ina annexation will have a positive fiscal impact on the Town. Additional revenue will be generated from retail sales tax, bed tax, utility sales tax, Stormwater Utility fees, permits and business licenses. Additional expenditures are primarily due to operations and maintenance costs for additional roadways including Paseo del Norte, Chapala, and Northern Avenue. A significant capital expenditure is anticipated in FY 2014/15, for the reconstruction of Northern Avenue. Although the Town will not have jurisdiction over the entire Oracle / Ina intersection, it is anticipated that the Town will assume primary responsibility for incident response in this area. Additional personnel are not budgeted at this time."

Strategically, however, it has even more significance.  It now brings Oro Valley's borders to the Oracle and Ina intersection, a roadway that is going to undergo significant improvement over the next three years.   It is that is exclusively commercial.  Without much additional cost, Oro Valley could add substantial sales tax revenue by annexing the other three corners, then  moving west to annex Westward Look.  Who knows?  Perhaps parts of the foothills thereafter.
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Annexing Tohono Chul Park Area Still Pending

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The Oro Valley 2013 Strategic Plan identifies annexations as another way of developing sustainable revenues for the town.  The plan specifically mentions annexing the area south of town to Oracle Road.

This area is formally known as the "Oracle/Ina Annexation Area." It is 107 acres.  It includes Tohono Chul Park.   The boundaries of this area are from Chapala Drive to the north, Ina Road to the south, Paseo Del Norte to the west and Oracle Road to the east.  The area includes the park, a motel, and retail businesses.  These will generate sales and bed tax revenues. Other businesses include Platinum Fitness, a religious broadcast station, and Sun Dental Center. Finally, there are some single-family residential properties on the northwest sector of the annexation area.   All properties will generate utility tax revenues.

"For the proposed annexation to be successful, more than 50% of property owners, representing more than 50% of the assessed valuation of real and personal property in the Oracle/Ina Annexation Area, must sign a petition in favor of annexation." (Source: 4-18-12 Memo To Town Council Of Kevin Burke)

In January, in "The Utility Tax Strikes Again", we wrote that the main sticking point was overcoming the added tax to the annexed businesses and residences of the 4% utility tax.  We wrote at that time: "The utility is an added cost of doing business. It will cost those who annexed thousands of dollars a year simply because their property would now be part of Oro Valley. In effect, the utility tax is a disincentive."

The latest update from the town on the "Oracle/Ina Annexation Area." is that the town town is still working on getting the required signatures.

It's been well over a year since the annexation process began.  At one point, in December, the Town and Tohono Chul Park were considering a "pre-annexation' agreement.  This 48 acre portion would be an “island annexation” if the rest of the owners decline annexation.  The Tohono pre-annexation was presented at the December 5, 2012 Oro Valley Town Council meeting.  Tohono Park asked for a continuance. We have heard nothing since.  Perhaps, the town and the park are waiting to see if the required signatures for the entire area can be gained.

There are no other annexations pending for Oro Valley.
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