The Town of Oro Valley is moving forward with extraordinary urgency regarding the State Trust Land (885 acres of pristine Sonoran Desert) that lies at the northwestern edge of Oro Valley. The reason for the urgency is a mystery, but here is what we know so far.On August 28th, Primary Election Day, the Town of Oro Valley residents voted to replace the incumbent mayor and council with Joseph Winfield (mayor) and Joyce Jones-Ivey, Josh Nicolson and Melanie Barrett (town council). The newly elected officials ran on the platform of responsible development and improving compromise and balance between residents and developer interests.
The very next morning, August 29th, the Town staff were out pounding their notorious yellow “Public Meeting” signs into the ground announcing two neighborhood “public meetings” on September 13th and 20th regarding the State Land annexation.
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| Proposed Rezoning Area (Source: Town of Oro Valley) |
Here is the potential real problem
Once two neighborhood meetings have been held, the minimum requirement has been met. At this point, the proposal moves forward to Planning and Zoning and then to the Town Council for approval.
Where is the real community outreach and compromise with the people who live around this area?
Real public input should include the following
After the two neighborhood meetings, there should be smaller group meetings with neighbors in each unique area; north, south, east, and west of the property. If that sounds like a lot of little meetings, that’s how many different and diverse neighborhoods there are around these 885 acres. All of these people will be affected by this rezoning and annexation. Therefore, each of these surrounding neighborhoods needs to be listened to individually. These meetings should all happen after the September 20th meeting after which we should gather together again for one or even two large neighborhood meetings, to finalize the compromises. That would be real public input and involvement.
Other concerning and mysterious details
In the original Tangerine State Land Rezoning and Annexation documents posted on orovalleyaz.gov the following dates were listed.
Meeting Dates-
1. First neighborhood meeting – September 13,
2. Second neighborhood meeting – September 20, 2018
3. Planning and Zoning Commission Hearing – October 8, 2018*
4. Town Council hearing – October 24, 2018*
(*Tentative and subject to change)
However, by Friday, August 31st, the Planning and Zoning and Town Council hearing dates were removed and replaced with “To be Determined.”
Is the staff and council’s intent to push this rezoning and future annexation through prior to the new council being sworn in in November?
What is being presented on September 13th
High-density Condo, Apartment (up to five stories high) and Townhome parcels. Upwards of 1500+ units and potentially over 1500+ single family homes on small 5500 sq ft lots. In all there will be 3000+ units, plus additional commercial sites all on 885 acres.
This is the largest rezoning and annexation in Oro Valley in over a decade. Let’s get this deal done right and not rush into rezoning deals that Oro Valley and her residents will later regret and resent.
Please come to both neighborhood meetings on September 13th and 20th. Your presence is needed.
Click HERE to read the Town notice of the two meetings.
Click HERE to read the project fact sheet.
Click HERE to read Tim Stellar's article in the Arizona Daily Star. Read what Mayor Hiremath and Mayor-elect Joe Winfield have to say about this rezoning.
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Alyssa Page is a wife, mother, writer, photographer and community activist. She is a graduate of Brigham Young University with a BFA in Photographic Design and a minor in Communications.
