Two "Black Eyes" For Oro Valley

Oro Valley got two "black eyes" last week: 
One: The abandonment of the Nakoma Sky senior living project.
Two: The closing of the Golf Club of Vistoso.

The result: Bladed desert and a dry golf course
Oro Valley will have 80 or so acres of bladed desert behind Home Depot; and Rancho Vistoso will have an overgrown, nicely brown closed golf course.

You can thank the town council for the Nakoma Sky "black eye"
Project sponsor and contractor, Posada Life Services, announced last week that they are abandoning the Nakoma Sky Senior Living Facility project. There will be no senior living facility behind Home Depot. Instead, there will be bladed desert.

Mayor Hiremath and council members Hornat, Snider and Waters let a general plan text amendment, made by town staff, stand.  As a result, only a four person council majority was needed to approve  Nakoma Sky's five story building.

Nakoma Sky (First Ave, Behind Home Depot)

The land was subject to a special use policy. The policy was specified in the General Plan. The policy stated that any two story property built on this land was not to be seen from First Avenue.

The property was zoned as "medium density residential." MDR zoning had a two story restriction.

Posada Life Services, the parent of Nakoma Sky, wanted a 5 story building.

The "text amendment" removed the two story sight restriction on the property. Thus, opening the door for the five story building.

The "text amendment" process bypassed the will of the people, as stated in the General Plan.  

The "text amendment" process bypassed the general plan requirement that a super majority of five council members approve a major change in the general plan. 

Mayor Hiremath and council members Hornat, Snider and Waters knew that the text amendment had been made. Rather than have the full council vote on it, they chose to let the amendment stand.

Why did they engage in these shenanigans? They used the "text amendment" process to bypass the General Plan requirement of a 5-vote super majority of council for approval of a change in the General Plan. This tactic was likely used because they feared that with council members Burns, Garner, and Zinkin on council at that time, that a 5-vote super majority to approve a 5 story building was not likely.

The fact that the building was even approved and in construction is because of the maneuvering of the Majority-4 on council at that time. It's their development. They own it.

Posada started to blade the desert last August. The desert will lay bladed and deserted for the foreseeable future. Mayor Hiremath and council members Hornat, Snider and Waters own that too!

You can thank the town council for the Vistoso Golf Club "black eye"
The closing of the Golf Club is the result of overcapacity of golf courses in our area.

Mayor Hiremath and council members Hornat, Snider and Waters are responsible for Vistoso's closing because they have kept 45-holes of golf, the El Conquistador courses, in operation when the facilities should have been closed. Using your money, they artificially inflated "supply" such that a private golf course was driven out of business.

Vistoso Golf Course

To be very clear:

• They single-handedly approved the purchase of the El Conquistador Country Club.  
• They single-handedly have authorized millions in financial losses to keep these courses running under the guise that it is a "Community Center".

Their actions have placed the Town Of Oro Valley in direct competition with private golf courses. These courses do not have the infinite financial capacity to continue forever in what is an overcapacity market.

This year, Mayor Hiremath and council members Hornat, Snider and Waters are doubling-down on their mistakes. They plan to borrow $6 million to fix up the golf courses.

Thus...

There are more "black eyes" to come
It is patently unfair that the Town Of Oro Valley compete with private businesses at at time when all of these courses are in financial distress. The town has the financial capacity to invest in the golf courses; and the current council has the unbridled will to do so. Private courses do not have this financial capacity. You see. They can't tax us or issue bonds to pay for their operations. The town can and does.

The Majority-4 on council and now the United-7, are artificially manipulating the market by bolstering supply. They will only put other courses out of business at the expense of "saving face."

The question is: Which private golf course will be the next victim of their huge mistake.
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Click here for independent reporting on the ending of Nakoma Sky construction.
Click here for independent reporting of golf course overcapacity along the Tangerine Corridor.
Watch the Town of Oro Valley's history with the Town of Oro Valley County Club