Today’s speech is by Oro Valley resident, Don English.
Don English – Let the rubber meet the road
"I attended all the meetings and I don’t think the Planning Staff recommendations reflect the many serious objections to this project and the hundreds of voices (literally) of opposition. This project simply does not reflect an improvement. It is not even compatible. The negative impacts are dramatic and many. These hillsides will be scalped and graded beyond anything you’ve eve seen. There will be thousands of tons of more concrete and asphalt because there are many additional streets and sidewalks beyond the original footprint."
He then discussed additional traffic on Oracle and water issues not being addressed during the meetings.
"The developer’s attempt at mitigating these issues are modest at best. It’s still a 34% increase in the density of housing. There is still a 250% reduction in lot sizes. The 70% open space preservation claimed by the developer is an exaggeration. It will be closer to 50% because of the playground where they will scalp and grade the highest hill in this project.
The projected plan for a few more trees along Oracle Road and a wall won’t even come close to mitigating the view destruction of the Oracle Road Scenic Corridor. You’d need thousands of trees to do that, not a few. There is little justification for this dramatic rezoning. There was never any marketing study that was made public for us to look at and have professionals evaluate. That means the marketing study is, at best, self-serving.
You don’t have to go far up First Avenue or Rancho Vistoso to see that there are developments with larger houses and lots that suggest that other marketing and demand is there rather than these small dense houses. And finally, there is no empirical evidence as suggested by the Chamber (of Commerce) that this development will increase tax revenues more than the one that would come under the existing zoning.
And finally, the reputation of this developer is not good. (He was referring to the builder, Richmond American.) A cursory review of the internet shows that they’ve been sued dozens and dozens of times in the last decade. Class Action lawsuits that include up to 32,000 thousand houses. All of them claim shoddy workmanship and broken promises to cities and homeowners.
We had an election. A new leadership. A new direction. You promised to take a harder look at rezonings. Here is your chance to let the rubber meet the road…put a moratorium on this or just flat out say no."
Part 3, the speech by Bill Gardner, will be published on Thursday. Tomorrow we are running a Guest View by Diane Peters regarding Councilmember Solomon’s rude behavior towards the citizens who gave the speeches that we have been presenting this week.
