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Below is the speech that I’ve been attempting to give since July 24th at a Town Council Public Hearing or during the Call to Audience.
Mr. Mayor and Council,
Although my husband and I don’t live near the golf courses, we understand the concerns of the people who do. They purchased their homes expecting that they would always have a golf course view. They are now understandably concerned about what will become of their views and property values if the courses are closed. But those residents aren’t the only ones affected by a change in their views.
We purchased a home with desert views. All the undeveloped land surrounding our home was zoned for low density rural residential. So, we expected that when that land was eventually developed, that it would be low density, one-story homes on very large lots…and our magnificent desert views, the peace and quiet, and all the wildlife would remain. That’s what we bought.
But over the years, developers got all that unspoiled desert rezoned down to much smaller lot sizes, including tiny mass graded lots with 2-story homes.
If that’s not enough, the road behind our house was a quiet 2-lane road with dirt shoulders. There were no traffic lights, streetlights, or sidewalks. Today, that road is being turned into a 4-6 lane main road with multiple traffic lights, a concrete median, and sidewalks. But wait…there’s more. We’re also getting the addition of twelve, count ‘em twelve streetlights at the intersection near our home.
Residents along the golf courses stated that they purchased their homes along the golf courses for the following reasons:
• the beautiful views
• the tranquility
• the serene neighborhood
• the abundant wildlife
And they’ve made the following arguments for what will happen if the golf courses are closed:
• the ambience they paid for will disappear
• digging up the courses could subject them to Valley Fever
• closing the golf courses would be a pretty dramatic hit both visually and financially
• it will transform an esthetically pleasing landscape into something far less desirable
• it will result in a dramatic reduction in their home values
Now replace the words “golf course views” with “unspoiled desert views” and you will understand our situation.
So, our question is, why should their property values be deemed more important than mine or anyone else’s?
Our neighborhood has changed drastically and yet we’re being asked to subsidize the views for residents living in another neighborhood. Where are the tax subsidies to maintain our views, our peace and tranquility, our property values?
Since 2015, residents who have lost their views and property values due to rezonings and unbridled development have been forced to pay an increased sales tax to maintain the views and property values of other residents, and in doing so, the former mayor and his majority council turned Oro Valley into what I call -- The Royalty vs. the Peasants. The Royalty has been given hours upon hours of time to present their case at numerous town meetings. Tonight, I’m speaking as one of the peasants.
It seems to me that an equitable compromise would be a combination of 18-holes of golf, natural open space, walking trails, and maybe a park. Then everyone gets something for their tax dollars. That’s a lot more palatable than caving in to the Royalty’s demands for special treatment and millions of dollars in public support to protect their lifestyle and their views.
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Diane Peters has lived in Oro Valley since 2003, moving here to escape the humidity of the East Coast. She’s been involved in OV politics and development issues since 2006. In 2014, she organized a citizens group, Citizen Advocates of the Oro Valley General Plan, who over a 9-month period, successfully negotiated a controversial 200-acre development project. In her past life, she worked in medical research at various University Hospitals in New England. Her interests include reading, writing, nature photography, travel, art galleries, museums, and politics.
