"Kai" Proposed General Plan Amendment: Death By A Thousand Cuts

The Kai family, owners of the Silverhake Property, have spent a decade getting general plan and zoning amendments successfully approved. Oro Valley resident Devon Sloan reminds us of the history of this property as they voiced his concern on the latest Kai attempt during the virtual comment period. The words are theirs. The subheadings are ours...
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50 years of ownership
"The Kai family is very fortunate to have been able to purchase land in our area over 50 years ago, and I am well aware that times change, but why do our voter approved General Plan and our zoning requirements need to change every time the Kai family wants to do something different with their purchase?

From residential to commercial to residential
In 2015, the family's property near First and Tangerine was zoned as large lot residential, and they wanted and were granted a change to neighborhood commercial office. Now they want to change it back to residential, but not large lot. They want to make it 167 one story or 200 two story apartments or town homes or possibly a two story senior citizen facility.

The reasoning is as follows:

• poor visibility for retail at that location 
• the parcel of land is not exactly on that corner 
• there is a weak market for retail at that location because there is a lack of residents in that area AND because of the abundance of other retail space nearby 

Plus, they claim that retail won't improve in this location.

Already reduced density in previous approved amendments
Keep in mind that the Kai family is the owner of the land that is now Sanctuary at Silverhawke with 40 homes and the Villages at Silverhawke with 186 lots. The Villages at Silverhawke were originally approved as low density residential and in 2013. The Kai family was able to have it changed to medium density residential with the property square footage reduced to 5,520 from 7,200.

Also remember that Oro Valley lives on sales tax revenues, and changing zoning entitlements away from commercial, only limits the future of sales tax revenues. Once all construction/impact fees are paid, the land will produce no revenue for our Town. With the probability of apartments going in at the Oro Valley Marketplace, this area will be saturated with apartments. Unless the Town initiates a "renters tax", apartments don't produce income. The best use of the land for Oro Valley is to remain commercial. There are no lack of residents, especially with the development of both Silverhawke complexes.

Why do we have a voter approved General Plan and Town zoning requirements if a wealthy owner of the property can change what the property becomes just by saying 'I don't want to do this anymore. I want to make more money.'"
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