First hearing begins review of town’s 10-year plan tonight
The Oro Valley Planning and Zoning Commission will hold the first of two required public hearings Tuesday on the Final Resident Recommended Draft of “OV’s Path Forward,” the Town’s next 10-year General Plan. The session is for discussion only, with no vote scheduled. Commissioners will take public comment and ask questions before making a formal recommendation at a second hearing on April 14. The plan is then scheduled to move to the Town Council for a public hearing on May 6. The plan will ultimately go to voters for approval in November. Three-year effort reflects extensive resident input
The plan is three years in the making, beginning in early 2023 with a structured community engagement effort designed to gather broad resident input. Through surveys, meetings, working groups, and community outreach, more than 10,000 comments were collected to help shape the plan’s vision, goals, policies, and actions. Four resident working groups met dozens of times to develop the draft, which was then reviewed and refined through multiple public comment periods. The result is a plan intended to reflect the majority of resident priorities.
The plan addresses a wide range of issues that shape Oro Valley’s future, including land use, housing, economic development, transportation, parks, and environmental conservation. It emphasizes maintaining the community’s character, including protecting views and generally limiting building heights, while also recognizing the need for additional housing options and targeted economic growth. As the town approaches buildout, the plan places greater focus on amenities such as parks, trails, gathering spaces, and recreational opportunities, along with business attraction and retention. Several new actions were also added in the latest draft, including items related to the Vistoso Trails Nature Preserve, trail access, and expanded recreational and community programs.
New plan builds on, and expands beyond, 2016 "Your Voice Our Future" General Plan
The new “OV’s Path Forward” plan builds on the Town’s current “Your Voice, Our Future” General Plan, which was approved by voters in 2016 and established broad goals, policies, and actions to guide growth, services, and development over a 10-year period. While both plans are community-driven and follow a similar multi-phase engagement process, the new plan reflects a more mature community that is nearing buildout. As a result, it places greater emphasis on amenities, redevelopment, and filling gaps rather than guiding large-scale growth. It also incorporates updated priorities such as expanded recreational opportunities, business retention, and specific implementation actions refined through recent resident input, rather than the broader foundational direction outlined in the 2016 plan.
Kudos to Planner Milini Simms
The development of the plan reflects a sustained effort by the Town’s Planning staff, led by Principal Planner Milini Simms. Simms guided the process from its early stages through multiple drafts and public reviews. She coordinated the extensive outreach, supported the resident working groups, and incorporated thousands of comments into the final draft. The result is a document shaped over several years through ongoing community input and staff coordination. A job nicely done!
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Next Thursday: Look For LOVE's "3-minute primmer" on the plan.
