The Canada Hills Community Association Board of Directors is opposed to any change in the structure of the operations of the town owned country club. They sent a letter to their members dated April 8 stating their position. They stress a possible reduction in property values for their homes if there is any change. They also make a veiled threat of a law suit opposing any change.
This is not the first time we've heard these assertions, as they have been presented to council in hearings.
We think it is important to understand their position. They are our neighbors and they will be directly impacted by any decision regarding the courses. Thus, we are reprinting the contents of their letter in its entirety without further comment in this posting.
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Canada Hills presents their position: Property value will drop
"This communication is coming to you from the Board of Directors of your master Association, Canada Hills Community Association ("Canada Hills"). It is in regard to your property at 11520 N Scioto Ave Oro Valley, AZ 85737-7207, Account Number: 15-061.
As many of you are aware the Oro Valley Town Council ("Town Council") is currently deliberating on potentially closing or repurposing all or a portion of the golf courses associated witb_the_Orq__yalley Community Center.
A portion of this golf course is intertwined with Canada Hills. We, as the Canada Hills Board of Directors, are very concerned regarding the impact to Canada Hills and Oro Valley if the Town Council were to decide to close or re purpose any portion this portion of the golf course. In general, closure of golf courses devalues view lots by up to 20 per cent and nearby homes by 5 per cent. Studies of similar communities with a golf course closure suggest that a $300,000 home would lose between $15,000 to $60,000 in value.
This letter is to update you on our involvement and actions on this issue on behalf of the community. It is also intended to inspire you to communicate with your council members, whether you share the Board's view or not. This is a time to be sure your opinion is heard by your elected officials.
We presented our concerns at the February 2019 Town Council meeting. In our statement, included in this communication for your reference, we focused on the potential property devaluation in Canada Hills.
At the Canada Hills Annual Meeting held on March 13, 2019 many homeowners expressed their apprehension regarding this issue. The message from these homeowners was clear -they are very concerned regarding potential devaluation of their homes in Canada Hills.
We sought legal counsel to understand what actions we are authorized to perform by the Canada Hills Governing Documents. Based on this legal advice, we have decided that it is within our rights and duty to act to protect the Canada Hills property values within the limits specified in the Governing Documents.
Our first step is to share our perceptions with the members of Canada Hills in this letter. We are also working to retain an expert appraiser to estimate the likely decrease in home values and present the results and our demands to the Town Council. We, as representatives from the Canada Hills Board and Oro Valley homeowners, continue to attend Town Council meeting, are working to meet with the Town Council, and are restating our concerns on a regular basis.
While the impact to Canada Hills is potentially significant, it is our opinion that the Town Council has not fully addressed the impact this decision could have on all of Oro Valley. Things that could impact Oro Valleys financial future include:
- Loss of property tax revenue that is returned to the town's roads, schools, fire departments, libraries, etc. due to the significant devaluation of property on or near the golf courses.
- The cost to Oro Valley of repurposing the land and its long-term maintenance, which could be significant.
- Loss of Oro Valley Water Utility revenue if the golf courses does not purchase effluent (recycled) water.
- The loss of Oro Valley tourism and tournaments that draw people to Oro Valley. This will result in a loss of revenue for Oro Valley in bed taxes and a reduction of city tax collected.
- Potential monetary liability to Oro Valley from lawsuits resulting from this decision .
- The opportunity of increasing t he net profit of the golf course by restoring golf fees to their previous levels and decreasing expenses by implementing delayed infrastructure and maintenance projects. i.e. Irrigation replacement.
To date we have not heard the Town Council address these basic financial issues.
It's also obvious that the look & feel of Oro Valley will be significantly different if the green space provided by the golf course is eliminated. Homeowners in Oro Valley should also anticipate t he reduction of amenities that we take for granted in Oro Valley, such as hotels and fine dining, that have a dependence on tourism.
There are thirteen hundred homes and two large apartment complexes in Canada Hills. Our residents make up approximately six percent of t he population of Oro Valley. Communicating your position to the Town Council can make a difference and will assure that Canada Hills is represented in this discussion. In order to make your work easier we have attached a copy of the contact information for your council members and town manager. These, and other resources, are available at http://www.canadahillscommunity.com/.
Regardless of whether you agree with our position or oppose it, please act today. We recommend communicating your opinions directly with your council members and attending the Town Council meetings to express your opinion immediately. The Town Council could choose to decide on this matter at any time.
We love living in Oro Valley. We are proud of Canada Hills and want to do everything within our power to influence the Town Council to do a t horough analysis of this topic and make an intelligent and informed decision. This issue will be on the agenda for Canada Hills Board Meetings for the foreseeable future. The time and location of Canada Hills Board Meetings are posted on http://www.canadahillscommunity.com/.
We encourage you to act today and let your voice be heard!"
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Source: Letter to resident of Canada Hills from the Canada Hills Community Association Board of Directors, April 8, 2019
