Oro Valley's Ticking Development Time Bomb

Approved projects will keep Oro Valley growing for some time
Residents who want to see a slowdown in growth of Oro Valley are not going to see it for some time. The pace of development is going to continue. LOVE estimates that there are more than 2,300 homes that are either under construction or approved for construction. The calculations are based on our analysis of all Oro Valley development projects.

These development projects are "embedded growth." They are projects over which the incoming council has no control. The projects will continue on pace, subject to required construction approvals that need to be obtained as homes are built. They will run for several years.

Requested but not yet approved projects present a growth challenge
The council does not have the authority to disallow construction on the property that is zoned for the use to which is being used. But the incoming council does have some influence over development that will take place in subsequent years.

The council has authority to approve or deny General Plan Amendment requests and zoning change requests. Here are a few of the approvals that are pending:

• The annexation and the rezoning of State lands on the west side of Oro Valley's planning area. Approval, as currently proposed, will result in approximately 3,200 “dwelling units” in various combinations of single family homes, apartments, and townhomes. 
• A Planned Area Development (PAD) rezoning on El Conquistador Way includes a mix of Neighborhood Commercial, Senior Care, and Multi-Family Residential 
• The project on Innovation Park Drive could result in the construction of 74 homes 
• Cresta Morado (La Cholla by Church of the Apostles) could result in the development of 55 homes. 
• A change in the Oro Valley Town Center Planned Area Development could allow 90 homes plus apartments

There are upcoming neighborhood meetings on some of these.

It's about criteria
The incoming council is under no obligation to approve any of these projects. However, to simply reject them on the basis that the town no longer wishes to see growth is probably not in the best long-term interest of the community.

We believe that the incoming council will consider not only the wishes of the people ratified in the General Plan, but also the welfare of the entire community.

Some suggested criteria
Here is a suggested list of criteria that we think council should consider - a list that we think was completely ignored the past eight years:

• Water: Oro Valley has been growing as though it has an infinite supply of water. The West in general has been suffering an 18-year drought. There are upcoming restrictions on Colorado River water that will, at some point, reduce the water our town gets to recharge its aquifers. Certainly, every project that is proposed should be required to present a water impact study. Indeed, it may be that water is the eventual gating factor of Oro Valley's growth 
• Small Town Feeling: We want a small town. That is clearly the message voters sent in August. We don't like tract houses packed like sardines on small lots. 
• Scenic Beauty: We want to preserve the scenic beauty and desert environment that we love.
• Wildlife: We appreciate our wildlife and don't want to disrupt the patterns of their life. 
• Noise and Inconvenience: Let's not forget that construction is an enormous inconvenience to us all through the noise created, the roads closed and the general dust kicked up in the desert.
• Cost of Service: Oro Valley needs to consider the long-term financial impact of new residential property on the town's budget. New communities must be served in the same manner as existing communities. This adds cost to the town. For example, the town has to provide public safety. The major source of town operating revenue is the sales tax. How will these new homes bring sufficient sales tax revenues to the community to support their cost? (No. A property tax is not an option.)

Soliciting and hearing community input is they key
In the movie "Darkest Hour", King Edward tells Sir Winston Churchill to trust the people to determine what to do. Churchill proceeds to ride the tube, talking to the "common folk" of Britain. It made the difference. While the general attitude of Parliament was to surrender in some form to Hitler, it was the people of Britain who told Churchill that Britain must fight for survival.

The most important criteria isn't listed in the bullet list. It's community input. It’s YOU.

For eight years, Oro Valley leaders have deliberately stayed away from getting the opinion of the community. They have told us to surrender to development. That have told us that development is inevitable.

At hearings, residents were given three minutes to express their views while developers were been given hours to state their plans. We think that this paradigm needs to be reversed.

It is now time to change.

This is Oro Valley's fight for survival.
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