Bits and Pieces

Catalina Foothills group opposes Oro Valley annexation efforts

During the public hearing on Oro Valley’s Path Forward General Plan, this past Wednesday, Tom Pugh, speaking on behalf of the Catalina Foothills Association, urged Oro Valley officials to stop pursuing annexation efforts involving nearby unincorporated areas. Pugh said the association represents more than 1,700 homes and does not want to become part of Oro Valley. He stated that letters expressing those concerns had previously been sent to the Town and asked Council to respect the wishes of residents living in the Catalina Foothills area.

Unused Preserve funds redirected to pond irrigation and ADA trails
The Oro Valley Town Council voted Wednesday to use about $150,000 in unspent fiscal 2025-26 Vistoso Trails Nature Preserve funds, plus $50,000 from next year’s allotment, for plant and turf irrigation in the pond area as part of the pond restoration project. Council also approved use of a $136,210 Arizona State Parks grant for ADA trails in the same area. Supporters said doing the irrigation work now, while the pond is being built, would be more cost effective and would make it easier to complete other improvements later. 

Council approves Stonegarden Grant funds for police night vision equipment
Wednesday, the Oro Valley Town Council unanimously approved participation in the Operation Stonegarden grant program, authorizing the Police Chief to enter into an agreement with the Arizona Department of Homeland Security to receive up to $38,808 for equipment. The funding will be used by the Oro Valley Police Department to purchase night vision goggles to support regional law enforcement efforts, including coordinated deployments with U.S. Border Patrol aimed at reducing human trafficking, smuggling, and related criminal activity. The grant is reimbursable and tied to specific federal requirements, with the equipment intended to enhance officer effectiveness in targeted operations.

Town extends agreement with Pima County for animal control services

Also Wednesday, the Oro Valley Town Council approved a one year extension of its intergovernmental agreement with Pima County for animal control services, continuing the current arrangement from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. The agreement does not include a direct contract payment amount. The service model is based on Pima County retaining licensing fee revenues and covering remaining costs through its own general fund, with no change to the existing terms. The extension allows Pima County to continue enforcing local animal control ordinances and providing sheltering and care services within Oro Valley. During public comment, one resident urged the Town to seek stronger enforcement response provisions for neighborhood complaints involving pet waste and animal control issues.

Town terminates contract legal services to consolidate under Town Attorney 

The Oro Valley Town Council approved termination of its contract with Mesch Clark Rothschild for Town Attorney services, following the establishment of an in house Town Attorney position, currently held by Steven Zraick. The change reflects a shift to consolidate legal services under a single office that reports directly to Council. According to the staff report, maintaining both a contract attorney and an in house Town Attorney created potential confusion over roles, raised ethical concerns about who provides legal advice, and could result in unnecessary costs. The contract termination was made by mutual consent and allows the Town to streamline how legal services are delivered going forward.

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Council Picks "Plan B" For Annexing Retail Rich Ina and Oracle

Council targets $1.6 million in new sales tax revenues from annexing three Oracle-Ina Centers

Annexation of retail-rich commercial areas is part of Oro Valley’s financial strategy. The three shopping centers at the intersection of Oracle and Ina roads are a prime target. Two of them already meet the state’s annexation requirement because they touch Oro Valley’s boundaries. Together, the three centers could generate about $1.6 million annually in sales tax revenue for the town with minimal added cost. How annexation of all three centers might occur was the focus of last week’s Oro Valley Town Council strategic planning study session.

But Center owners see no benefit in annexation

The town has approached the owners of the commercial properties, but there has been no interest in annexation. Several say they already receive acceptable service from Pima County. What they would prefer is a financial incentive, such as a rebate of sales tax revenue. State law, however, prohibits that approach. While the town can offer inducements to encourage annexation, those typically involve infrastructure improvements such as roads or other public facilities. Those types of incentives have little relevance for the existing shopping centers.

So, the town will turn to Plan B: Include nearby residential areas in the annexation

The town is moving to Plan B. Under this approach, nearby residential neighborhoods would be included with the commercial properties in a proposed annexation area. Arizona law requires annexation petitions to be signed by property owners representing more than 50 percent of both the owners and the assessed property value within the area. Including nearby homes could help meet those thresholds and allow the commercial centers to be annexed as part of the same action. 

The approach may have promise. Vice Mayor Melanie Barrett said residents living near one of the Ina and Oracle shopping centers have approached her asking why their neighborhoods have not already been annexed into Oro Valley.

Plan B does have its challenges

There are a number disadvantages to Plan B. 

• First, it requires convincing far more people to support annexation than a simple discussion with a single property owner. This would require a significant outreach effort by the town. It also opens the discussion for negotiations.
• Second, some residents, or perhaps outside groups, could organize to oppose the annexation.
• Third, the strategy is more complicated to structure because the annexation area must be carefully designed to meet state requirements for both property ownership and assessed value. 
• Fourth, including residential properties generally reduces the financial attractiveness of the proposal. Residential areas produce less revenue and increase the town’s service obligations, particularly for police, road maintenance, and administrative services. According to staff, adding residential support to annex the two areas south of Ina Road, for example, would add about $116,000 in annual costs while generating only about $40,000 in additional revenue. This is a net cost of roughly $76,000 per year.

Plan B could guide future annexations of Foothills and LaEncantada

Plan B could provide a roadmap for pursuing the annexation of the former Foothills Mall and LaEncantada

• The Foothills Mall area is not contiguous with Oro Valley’s current boundaries. Annexing it will require bringing in residential areas that together include roughly 2,500 residents.
• Annexing La Encantada will require residential participation, which may not be readily available. During the Westward Look annexation discussions several years ago, some residents in nearby neighborhoods expressed little interest in becoming part of Oro Valley.
• The cost of serving larger areas such as these could be significant. For example, the roads in those areas are currently maintained by Pima County, and the town would need a much clearer understanding of road conditions and long-term maintenance costs before moving forward.

For now, the safest direction for the town and the one most likely to produce results in the next several years are the Ina–Oracle annexations. That is where the council directed staff to focus their effort.

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Council Sees Annexation As One Solution to Future Revenue Challenges

Focus on revenue-generating areas
During last week’s strategy session, the Oro Valley Town Council discussed annexation, framing it as one of the town’s tools to address long-term revenue challenges. Council members repeatedly described annexation as a way to expand the sales tax base without adding new taxes or increasing existing taxes on existing residents.

Balancing revenue with service costs
Council members emphasized that annexation decisions must account for the costs of providing municipal services. Public safety, road maintenance, and infrastructure responsibilities would expand with annexation and must be evaluated alongside potential revenues. Staff noted that departments such as police, public works, and water would need to assess service demands to ensure annexations do not create na situation in which the one-time and continuing cost of the annexation exceed the revenue benefit.

Define specific targets... Clear strategies
Several council members expressed concern that Oro Valley’s annexation strategy has lacked clarity and follow-through. While annexation areas have been discussed for years, council members said they have not consistently been provided with detailed maps, defined boundaries, cost estimates, or clear action steps. The council signaled interest in narrowing its focus to specific high-impact areas and pursuing those annexations more deliberately. [See panel right for areas mentioned at the meeting]

Overcome hurdles: Property owner consent remains a major hurdle
The discussion highlighted two limitations of annexation, On is that property owners must agree to it. Council members noted that many properties under consideration are owned by out-of-state investors who evaluate annexation strictly based on financial return. Several questioned how Oro Valley can make annexation attractive when those owners already receive basic services and may see little financial advantage in changing jurisdictions.

Overcome hurdles: Legal limits on annexation incentives
Council and staff identified a second limitation. The Arizona’s constitutional “gift clause”.  Under state law, the town cannot offer financial incentives, tax relief, or other benefits to private property owners unless Oro Valley receives clear and measurable value in return. Future tax revenue alone does not meet this legal standard. As a result, annexation incentives are largely limited to infrastructure-related investments, such as improvements to roads.  The barrier: In already developed commercial areas where little new infrastructure is needed, the town has few lawful tools to encourage annexation, even when potential revenue benefits are clear.

More discussion to come on this at the March strategy session
Council directed staff to return with more detailed information at the council’s second strategy session on March 2, including defined annexation boundaries, estimated revenues, service costs, and legal constraints. The discussion made clear that the council views annexation as a potential response to future fiscal challenges, but one that will require sharper focus, clearer strategy, and realistic expectations to move forward.

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Tackling Key Challenges in Oro Valley’s Latest Five-Year Financial Forecast

Reasons for optimism

Yesterday, we discussed the town’s latest five-year financial forecast and highlighted the challenges ahead. Today, we focus on what the town can do to meet these challenges.  We think there's reason for optimism.

Returning Operating Fund reserves to historic levels would eliminate the capital fund "deficit"

The town maintains a General Fund reserve of 30% of General Fund expenditures, an increase from the previous 25% level implemented five years ago to address economic uncertainty from the pandemic. 

At the meeting Vice Mayor Barrett suggested that reducing the reserve back to 25%, which could free up approximately $2.5 million as a one-time boost for capital projects. Gephart acknowledged this benefit but warned that “it doesn’t address the long-term closing of our excess ongoing revenues over ongoing expenditures” in the general fund. However, what it does is to release funds that more than cover the shortfall of $1million in the 2030 projected balance of the capital fund. 

Bond financing would provide needed spending for major items 
Unlike last year, there was no significant discussion of bond funding for capital projects in this year's discussion. However, there were indications that bonds might be issued to finance a new police facility study next year. The town’s latest grant request status report includes a $3.8 million request from the Department of Justice - Byrne Discretionary (Law Enforcement), a fund designed to support community justice projects. The grant is pending.

The town could sell for capital projects that will not be covered by grants. This is a common use of bonding and the town's current debt service [panel above] decreases substantially by 2027.  In addition, the town's future debt service projection indicates a substantial drop in debt service funding, thus freeing up the capacity to bond future projects.

Annexing retail rich areas can improve the General Fund sales tax revenue "picture"

We have not seen a recent Town of Oro Valley annexation plan. The last one we saw was in 2021. That plan identified a number of areas that are target rich for Oro Valley. Here are a couple of areas; and we've added in one of our own.

As for the General Fund and the shortfall in sales tax revenues, move forward to annex retail rich areas for annexation. One area is the east side of Oracle north of Ina that has Guadalajara Grille and other retail already in place. A second area is to annex the retail businesses on Oracle south of Ina Road. Retail there includes Safeway and Whole Foods. 

In the longer term, focus on annexing the "New Foothills Mall".  The town considered this almost 20 years ago. The town concluded that it just wasn't a good idea at that time. That was before the La Cholla Blvd became a "highway".  Now La Cholla Blvd as a giant siphon for bringing business out of Oro Valley. That's because it's far easier for residents who live in that area to quickly get to shopping rather than traveling across town to get to Oracle Road, which is where most of the retail is  located in Oro Valley.

"Reducing retail leakage" will help too

One area on which the town is focused is finding ways to reduce “retail leakage.” That is when residents spend money outside of Oro Valley instead of supporting local businesses, leading to lost sales tax revenue that could fund town services. The town has already identified challenges such as significant retail leakage in categories like automobile dealerships, clothing stores, gasoline stations, electronic shopping, and general merchandise, with total estimated lost revenue exceeding $776 million. Some of the actions the town is considering include educating residents about the benefits of shopping locally, targeting specific audiences for year-round campaigns to promote local shopping and dining, and strategically recruiting businesses that align with local consumer demand. The next steps include setting recapture goals, aiming to reduce the leakage gap by a percentage through a combination of shopper retention efforts and attracting new businesses to meet local demand. (Source: Presentation to Town of Oro Valley Town Council by Economic Development Director Paul Melcher, 3-5-25)

Bringing focus to revenue generating touring is another avenue 

Oro Valley is conducting a Leisure and Travel Study to develop a tourism strategy after taking over destination marketing from Visit Tucson in March 2024. Initial efforts, including hiring a marketing manager and launching digital campaigns, have shown limited success, leading two major resorts to rejoin Visit Tucson independently. The study, led by CSL International and a town-appointed steering committee, aims to assess the effectiveness of current tourism investments, explore sports and arts tourism, and consider regional partnerships with nearby communities. Some residents are concerned about the study’s focus, transparency, and the town’s lack of experience in tourism management. Critics argue the strategy should prioritize generating tax revenue rather than simply increasing visitors and note that the decision to leave Visit Tucson was made without consulting key stakeholders. The study, expected to take six to eight months, will present its first update in April. (Source)

And remember

Financial forecasts are conservative planning tools rather than definitive predictions. The future is almost never what is predicted. In addition, town leadership is actively seeking alternative funding sources, including federal grants and strategic fiscal policies, to ensure continued support for essential community projects. With thoughtful planning and careful adjustments, Oro Valley can navigate these financial hurdles effectively in the years ahead.

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Bits and Pieces

$90 million lawsuit against town commences on tragic Naranja Park entrance death

The Town of Oro Valley has been noticed that it is being sued in the tragic death of Olivia Villalobos and injury to her sister Avry on St. Patricks Day.  “The Town received notice of claims for the accident involving the two young girls hit while walking on Naranja Drive near the park. There are three separate claims totaling over $90 million. The claims have been forwarded to our insurance company who should appoint an attorney to represent us. We’ll plan for a brief executive session on October 4 for the topic.” (Source: Wilkins email to council, 9-14-23). Read about this most tragic accident here.

Don’t get fooled by “AI” voice impersonators

Criminals are employing Artificial Intelligence (AI) for voice impersonation, a concerning development. One common scam involves imitating a family member, like a grandchild, who claims to be in distress and urgently needs cash cards. It’s crucial not to be deceived by this. Instead, independently verify the situation with your friends and family before taking any action.  For more information visit the Safe Circle web site.

Oro Valley is home of High School Southern Arizona State Champions

Bet you did not know that “Other than Salpointe Catholic in 2013, three of the last four Southern Arizona State Champions came from Oro Valley. That includes Pusch Ridge Christian Academy, Ironwood Ridge and CDO. CDO and I-Ridge are part of the Amphitheater Unified School District.” This year’s CDO’s football team looks good enough to challenge for another state title. (Source)

Reader suggests Oro Valley annex for “real business” growth

Oro Valley, along with the rest of Southern Arizona, struggles to attract substantial businesses that can generate high-quality employment opportunities for the community. While retail jobs are beneficial, they often come with lower wages. What steps can be taken to address this challenge? This from one of our readers: “The central issue revolves around the high land costs in Oro Valley, particularly with Venture West and Kai owned properties. In contrast, lands in Casa Grande, Eloy, and the outskirts of Chandler are more budget-friendly. To tackle this, Oro Valley should contemplate annexing 500 acres on its western fringe, converting it into a Tech Park conveniently situated around a 10-minute drive from I-10.”

Town grows by 36 acres

The Town Council voted last week to annex 36 acres of land at La Canada and W Moore. The land is zoned for low density residential use. (See panel right)

Town votes to settle Joplin law suit

Some time ago, we reported on an incident at Naranja Park involving 17-year-old football player Elijah Joplin, who suffered a severe eye injury following a collision with a light stanchion positioned near the field's out-of-bounds line during an event sponsored by Victory Fundraising. It's worth noting that the Town of Oro Valley provided the fields and, to the best of our knowledge, delineated the field boundaries. Adding to the complexity of the situation is a $2 million insurance policy that is being distributed among the parties involved. Joplin subsequently filed a lawsuit against the town and others. In July, the council convened an Executive Session, and last week, they voted to approve what we believe to be settlement documents. (Source: LOVE’s outstanding research sleuth)

Tropical Smoothie coming to Oro Valley 

Last week, the Town Council unanimously granted a "conditional use permit" for a Cafe Tropical Smoothie Drive-Thru at the Canada Crossroads Center, situated at the Southwest Corner of La Canada and Lambert Lane. Samith Patel, the proprietor and operator of this establishment, selected this location because of the presence of various existing restaurants within the center, such as Harvest, Cafe Torino, and Subway. During the meeting, the Council deliberated on modifying the specific details of the proposed facility, with a particular emphasis on minimizing the potential for cars to idle in front of patrons dining outside at Harvest or Cafe Torino.

Register for "CommunityAcademy"

"Would you like to learn more about local government and help shape Oro Valley’s future? Then we invite you to register for Oro Valley’s Fall 2023 Community Academy, which will have a special focus on the upcoming Townwide planning efforts. For 26 years, the Town has been hosting this free, informative and award-winning series. Please register by Oct. 1 to reserve your spot." (Source: Town of Oro Valley Press Release) This is the 26th anniversary of the Academy.

Rothschild Contract "ReUpped"

Last week's Town Council's decision to continue employing Jonathan Rothschild and his law firm as external legal counsel raises some eyebrows, given that the firm was initially engaged during the tenure of the previous town manager. It's noteworthy that Rothschild maintains close ties with the Tucson development community.

New conservator over Vistoso Trails Nature Preserve

Archeology Southwest is now responsible for the easement that protects the 202 acres of the Vistoso Trails Nature Preserve. Their job is to insure that the land remains as open desert forever. The Conservation Fund had been the administrator.

First Avenue Construction to cause delays starting September 25

The Town “…will remove and replace the asphalt on First Avenue beginning at the Cañada del Oro River bridge and extending east to Oracle Road starting Sept. 25 through Oct. 3. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction during construction hours, which are from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Speed will be reduced to 25 mph. Drivers are asked to find alternative routes during construction hours to avoid long delays.” (Source: Town of Oro Valley Media Release)

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Bits and Pieces

Westward Look annexed

The Oro Valley Town Council voted 4-1 on three measures to annex the Westward Look Resort. This happened at Wednesday’s council meeting. Council Members Nicolson and Solomon were absent from the meeting. Mayor Winfield, Vice Mayor Barrett and Council Members Joyce-Ivey and Green voted in favor. 

Council Member Bohen voted against the measures because the annexation did not include residents who live east and west of the resort. Indeed, as town manager Jacobs confirmed, the town had never considered bringing these residents into Oro Valley. Bohen noted that the town was violating its own annexation policy of only annexing continuous areas, and not annexing “islands.” Bohen is also fearful that these residents, having participated in a rather rancorous process, will not be interested in joining Oro Valley in the future.

Impact of big payment to PSPRS won’t be seen until fiscal 2024
As previously reported, the Oro Valley Town Council approved an additional budget item to be included in the tentative 2021-22 budget. It regards using $10 million from the general fund and using the proceeds from a $17 million pension ob bonds to be issue to fund the PSPRS underfunded obligation. 

If this item is included in the council approved budget, the payment will occur the first week of July. The plan is to then continue to fund PSPRS at State determined annual contribution levels. For the next two years, those payment amounts will be determined as though the $27 million was never contributed. This is because the funding requirement is determined as of June 30 and any change takes place starting the following July 1.

Single family residents permits issued set record
The Town of Oro Valley is on its way to issuing almost 400 single family residence building permits this year. That level is an historic high, an increase of 43% over last year. Projected revenues from permits to the town this fiscal year is $2.8 million.

Projected sales tax revenues set record
One of the unexpected consequences of the Pandemic is seen in the town’s sales tax revenues. Oro Valley sales tax collections were more than 15% higher than the prior year, This was “...helped greatly by an increase in online purchases.” Total sales tax revenues are projected at $14million this year. This extrapolates to $553 million in resident purchases.

“Ghost” golf course in Oro Valley

“We discovered an abandoned, formerly luxurious golf course in Oro Valley that we dubbed the “ghost golf course.” We meandered along the paved cart path wondering what had happened to change this oasis in the desert into a peaceful yet scrubby eyesore to the advantage of walkers and bikers.”  This quote appeared in an Colorado Springs  online publication. We suspect that the writer is referring the former Vistoso Golf Course.  We love the referfence to the “scrubby eyesore”.

Oro Valley wins Distinguished Budget Presentation Award” for 13th consecutive year

“For the 13th year in a row, the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) has awarded the Town of Oro Valley the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its 2020 budget. The award represents a significant achievement by the Town of Oro Valley. It reflects the commitment of Town Council and staff to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting. the conservation” (source)

Former Purchase Golf Course negotiations continue 

Negotiations between Rompsen LLC and The Conservation Fund regarding the purchase the former Vistoso Golf Course continue. Romspen is getting an appraisal of the property for negotiations with the Fund.  Romspen is also in negotiations to sell the parcel of the property that is zoned for multi-family residential.  This according to Town Manager Mary Jacobs, speaking at  this weeks Oro Valley Town Council meeting.

History Tonight: Westward Look Joins Oro Valley

LOVE Welcomes Westward Look To Oro Valley
Tonight the Oro Valley town Council will pass three measures that will make the Westward Look resort part of the town of Oro Valley. It’s the first annexation in eight years when the town annexed Tohono Chul and surrounding areas. 

The annexation benefits both the resort and the town

The town will receive revenues of approximately $800,000 annually from the sales tax and bed tax revenues. In addition, the town will get sales tax and construction fees of $2million.  "It is estimated that the total net revenues received by the Town over the 20 years would be $16.8-$23.8 million." (Source)

In return Westward Look gets to build commercial/office property that it may not have been able to build under Pima County Zoning, plus excellent police protection and improved roads.

The annexation process has had its challenges
Residents who live around the resort have expressed their concerns about the transitional zoning, the potential building height of new Westward Look facilities, and the traffic impact of the proposed retail/commercial property. As a result, there have been many revisions to the annexation plan.  Residents and others will have the opportunity tonight to opine on four of the five resolutions

Tonight, council will consider five resolutions

• The first resolution is the agreement between the town and the resort. That agreement stipulates that the town will not rezone the property within 15 years unless agreed by the resort; that the town will repave the roadway leaving the resort; and that the town will take responsibility for the intersection between Westward Look Drive and Ina Road. These types of conditions are typical of annexation agreements. When the town agreed to annex the Tohono Chul area, it also agreed to repave roads. 
• The second resolution is the formal annexation in accordance with Arizona state law. It declares that the town is now extending the town limit.
• The remaining three resolutions present the translational zoning, a general plan amendment to allow the neighborhood commercial/office on two parcels along Ina Road, and translational zoning for the entire property.

Next up
We presented the chart at left in our posting on the town's annexation plans. Westward Look is one of three current targets.  A Casas Adobes Plaza annexation would extend Oro Valley to south of Ina Road. The State Lands annexation would increase the town boundaries to the north.  

In the meantime, love welcomes Westward Look. 

It will be a good marriage between the resort and the town.

Oro Valley's Newest Member

 

Planning and Zoning Commission To Hear Westward Look General Plan Amendment Tonight

Tonight, the Oro Valley Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing on the proposed annexation of Westward Look and surrounding area.  Though many in Oro Valley are happy with the prospect, not all who will be annexed are.

Lots of dissent

Based on our review of neighborhood correspondence to the town regarding this annexation, residents who live in Westward Look Heights are not happy with the prospect of becoming part of Oro Valley. They don’t want to be annexed. They say that the Westward Look resort and the Town of Oro Valley are the ones that benefit from the annexation; and that annexation and subsequent development will happen at Westward Look Heights resident expense. 

Resident concerns focus on five areas

: 

• An anticipated decrease in home value because of proposed commercial development of a parcel adjacent to Ina Road 
• The height of buildings that may be built on that parcel and in the renovation of the resort 
• A negative impact on wildlife in the area that development will have. There is a lot that could be lost, as seen here. 
• The possible violation of a 100 year agreement that Westward Look Resort signed in 1972. This is an agreement that requires the area to be preserved. It is being enforced by Pima County. 
• Increased traffic congestion at the intersection of Westward Look Drive and Ina Road that will result from the construction of commercial property on a parcel that is currently zoned by the county for single family residential.

Westward Look Heights residents overlook some other disadvantages

These residents are not yet part of Oro Valley so we suspect that they do not realize that their cost of living will increase by merely becoming part of our town, as we have previously reported. They will pay an Oro Valley sales taxe on everything they purchase. This 2.6% rate is in addition to the county sales tax rate they currently pay. The will see an increase in their water bill because Oro Valley charges a utility tax of 4% plus other taxes and fees. Generally, these fees double the water bill. We believe that they will become part of the GRFD Taxing district. They are currently served by Rural Metro at a much decreased cost. 

There at two major benefits

The only benefits we can identify to Westward Look Heights residents are: Police protection from the Oro Valley police department and better road maintenance than the county road maintenance.  

Annexations are negotiations

Discussion only really beginning. Residents adjacent to Tohono Chul negotiated and got paved roads. Residents of Rancho Vistoso got a police substation. On the other hand, the attempted annexation of the Foothills Mall failed because there really was nothing for the town to negotiate.

Tonight, all residents have the opportunity to have their voices heard. Here’s the link to do so.

Westward Look Resort Considers Joining Oro Valley

The "give and take" of annexation
The Town of Oro Valley and Westward Look Resort are considering "marriage." In this case, the marriage is the annexation of Westward Look with the proviso that the resort gets to do something with some of the now vacant land it owns that abuts Ina Road. That something will require an Oro Valley General Plan Amendment and a property rezoning.

Bed tax and sales tax revenues in exchange for GPA
The town will get bed tax and sales tax revenues to support the added services it will provide the resort. Hopefully, these will be substantial once the pandemic is simply a "bad memory." In addition, the town will receive fees during the construction of this project.

A first class resort with a rich history
If annexation occurs, Oro Valley will have the prestige of another four star resort.  It is a Wyndham resort. The resort was acquired in 2012 by Westward Look Resorts LLC for $32 million. This is a Florida based company.

If Westward Look is annexed, Oro Valley will be the home of the oldest resort in the Tucson area, a resort with a rich  history. The resort was founded in 1912.  "By the 1940s, it became a thriving dude ranch, and by the 1960s, it was well on its way to becoming the 244-room property it is today." (source)  Learn more about this legendary resort here.

Three project concepts floated
Westward Look is floating three project concepts, all of which would be built along Ina Road. This is the south side of the property.  (See blue oval on map panel above)

Luxury Apartment complex with boutique retail and restaurant 

Mixed use office, mixed use commercial, restaurant, hospitality and office plaza retail 

Luxury apartments, hotel and residential buildings 

General plan land use and zoning would have to be changed to accommodate these. However, there is no obligation that any of these will be built eventually. Generally, market conditions at the time of construction dictate what is built.

Get engaged now... participate on September 15
There are many questions residents should be asking. This is, after all, a huge move for Oro Valley. The Town is asking residents to get involved. Best way to start is to visit this link to become familiar with the project. Then, participate in a September 15 Zoom meeting. Meeting time is 6 PM.

Bits and Pieces

Council to consider HOA agreements to help support town golf operations next Wednesday
"In October 2019, the Town Council approved a motion that provided certain conditions and parameters by which the Town would continue to operate and invest in the Town's golf courses. One of the provisions stated:

'The Canada Hills HOA will contribute up to $100k annually to reduce the tax support necessary for the 36 hole option to include the Conquistador and Canada courses. This will be for a 10 year period limited to 10% of the town’s audited figures for the previous year’s tax support needs. The Villages of La Canada will contribute $25k per year under the same conditions as the Canada Hills HOA. Payments will be made quarterly, beginning July 1, 2020.'"

The Town Manager and Town Attorney negotiated with the representatives of the two HOA's, resulting in the agreement attached. The agreement provides for a 10-year period with contributions of the $100,000 and $25,000 specified in the motion, but removing the limitations the motion established to no more than 10% of the town's audited figures for the previous year's tax support needs, and instead securing the full contribution for five years with an opportunity to renegotiate additional contributions in year 5 of the agreement.

The agreement further stipulates the Town's commitment to abide by the other provisions of the Council's motions on October 2 and November 6, 2019. It further provides for the possibility of extending the irrigation investment in the courses one additional year due to the pandemic, should that be necessary." (source)
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Click to enlarge

Council to discuss annexation strategy next Wednesday
The Oro Valley Town Council will discuss an annexation strategy in special session next Wednesday.
The strategy has annexation targets as detailed in the graphic at right. (source) Read our LOVE March 23 article on annexation here.
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Candidates participate in Jim Horne's Town Hall
The five candidates for Oro Valley's three council seats participated in a Zoom.us town hall last evening. Oro Valley resident Jim Horne, author of the Jim Horne's Oro Valley Podcast, was the moderator. The purpose of the town hall was for each candidate to discuss their candidacy with the public. There was no debate or cross discussion. Watch the town hall here.
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Council to discuss "Primary Employer Incentive Program" next Wednesday
"The purpose of the Primary Employer Incentive Program is to help enable long-term financial sustainability in Oro Valley through the creation of new primary job opportunities and the generation of new capital investments in the Town. In accordance with the economic development goals embodied in the voter-approved General Plan, the Town Council's Strategic Leadership Plan and the Council approved Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, this program is proposed to assist Oro Valley in its efforts to attract high quality primary job opportunities and new capital investment to the community. If approved by Council, the Town of Oro Valley may offer different incentives such as fee reductions or reimbursement of other eligible expenses, depending on the nature of the project. Reimbursement amounts will be restricted to the amount of construction sales tax and related fees collected by the Town in association with the project.

These incentive reimbursements will help offset qualifying expenditures by the primary employer such as required new public infrastructure improvements, which could include partial offsets to impact fees, employee relocation and qualified job training programs, exterior building aesthetics and renovation expenses. The program aims to encourage the retention and expansion of existing primary employers. Additionally, the program will help attract new primary employers to the Town." (source)
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Annexation and Oro Valley

Annexation key to Oro Valley's history
The Town of Oro Valley incorporated in 1974. It was 2.4 square miles, centered around the Kreigh Park area. That's the "original" Oro Valley.

Obviously, Oro Valley is much bigger today. It is 36 square miles. That is the result of 20 annexations:

• 12 annexations were less than 1 sq mi
•   5 annexations were between 1 and 3 sq mi
•   3 annexations were greater than 3 sq mi

Click to enlarge

Rancho Vistoso was the "big annexation"
The town annexed Rancho Vistoso in 1987. When annexed, Sun City was pretty much Rancho Vistoso.

"Sun City was still a relatively small retirement neighborhood miles to the north of Tucson when Oro Valley annexed it in 1987, and the development transitioned from Pima County to the young town.... more than half of Rancho Vistoso was set aside for open space or recreation, including parks, golf course."(source)

Plans for more annexation on the horizon
The town has created a draft annexation plan. That plan is in the process of town council review. The draft plan includes annexation of the following in the future

• Next three years: 800 acres of state lands
• Four to six years: The east side of Oracle Road, north of Ina. That annexation would include Westward Look Resort
• Seven to ten years: Almost 6,000 acres from Ina Road, past La Cholla, north to Overton. That area includes the Foothills Mall.
• Ten years plus: 11,600 acre annexation of the land that is known as "Great Wash". This land is north of Rancho Vistoso.

Landowner approval required

Regardless of what Oro Valley plans, the owners of the properties being sought for annexation must approve the annexation. That approval requires 51% of the total land value saying "yes." Not everyone says "yes."  The last time the town tried to convince the Foothills Mall area to join the town they got a resounding "no."

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Last State Lands "Informational Meeting" Tonight

Tonight is the last of four focus area workshops on the "...rezoning of an Arizona state-owned property comprising approximately 885-acres located north and south of Tangerine Road in proximity of Thornydale Road and Shannon Road, OV1802373 6 – 7:30 pm at Casas Church, 10801 N. La Cholla Boulevard."

It is a chance for you to learn what the town is considering. You will also have the opportunity to voice your thoughts.

However, the time to present your opinion is when the rezoning is heard by the Planning and Zoning Commission; and then, by the council. So, we suggest that you go to the meeting to learn as much as possible so that you will be able to present a cogent discussion to the commission and to the council if you wish to do so.

The meeting will be held from 6 – 7:30 pm at Casas Church, 10801 N. La Cholla Boulevard.
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Expansion: A Daunting Oro Valley Challenge

In 2016, the residents of Oro Valley approved a general plan. There is a map that is part of the general plan (adapted below). This map shows the current boundaries of Oro Valley. It is within these boundaries that all of us are neighbors. And it is within these boundaries that the town must provide essential services, such as water and police protection. It is within these boundaries from which Oro Valley collects sales taxes, the primary source of town operating revenues.

The map also shows an area that extends beyond the boundaries of the town. This area is unincorporated Pima County land. It is land which Oro Valley can attempt to annex to our community. The "State Lands Annexation and Rezoning" is one example of land that is not part of Oro Valley but is within it's planning boundary. The resort, Westward Look is another example. All the businesses on Oracle Rd, from Orange Grove north are also examples of properties included in the planning area.

The planning area is huge

Oro Valley Town Limit and Planning Area

Attempting to bring unincorporated Pima County land into Oro Valley presents both a challenge and an opportunity to the new council.

Mayor Hiremath's theory was that business will locate in Oro Valley if Oro Valley has more rooftops. Thus, the community saw many general plan amendments and zoning changes that did, indeed, enable more rooftops. As we will discuss Wednesday, there are many more rooftops to come.

A change in direction provides many options
The people of Oro Valley clearly stated in this past election that they don't like the rooftops strategy. They want Oro Valley to have a "small town feeling."

Why expand at all?
If Oro Valley no longer has a "rooftops strategy", then getting more buildable land through amendments or through annexation is no longer a sole reason for change.

What, therefore will the new council do regarding expansion of Oro Valley's boundaries?

The General Plan does not mandate expansion.

It's up to council.

So, the first question the council must answer: Why expand at all?
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Mark your calendars

Tangerine State Land Rezoning

Neighborhood Meetings

This Thursday, September 13th

6:00 to 8:00 PM

Town Council Chambers

Next Thursday, September 20th

6:00 to 8:00 PM

Town Council Chambers

Please read the below Guest View for complete details on what is being proposed for this 885 acre parcel and why you should attend this meeting.

Guest View: Alyssa Page ~ More desert destruction on the horizon

The Town of Oro Valley is moving forward with extraordinary urgency regarding the State Trust Land (885 acres of pristine Sonoran Desert) that lies at the northwestern edge of Oro Valley. The reason for the urgency is a mystery, but here is what we know so far.

On August 28th, Primary Election Day, the Town of Oro Valley residents voted to replace the incumbent mayor and council with Joseph Winfield (mayor) and Joyce Jones-Ivey, Josh Nicolson and Melanie Barrett (town council). The newly elected officials ran on the platform of responsible development and improving compromise and balance between residents and developer interests.

The very next morning, August 29th, the Town staff were out pounding their notorious yellow “Public Meeting” signs into the ground announcing two neighborhood “public meetings” on September 13th and 20th regarding the State Land annexation.

Proposed Rezoning Area
(Source: Town of Oro Valley)

Why have the meetings within one week of each other? The typical purpose and timeline of neighborhood meetings is to gather information from the first meeting, then make alterations based on resident input which is then presented at the second meeting. Most neighborhood meetings are weeks apart or even a month or more apart. Seven days is highly unusual, and hardly allows for any changes or compromise.

Here is the potential real problem
Once two neighborhood meetings have been held, the minimum requirement has been met. At this point, the proposal moves forward to Planning and Zoning and then to the Town Council for approval.

Where is the real community outreach and compromise with the people who live around this area?

Real public input should include the following
After the two neighborhood meetings, there should be smaller group meetings with neighbors in each unique area; north, south, east, and west of the property. If that sounds like a lot of little meetings, that’s how many different and diverse neighborhoods there are around these 885 acres. All of these people will be affected by this rezoning and annexation. Therefore, each of these surrounding neighborhoods needs to be listened to individually. These meetings should all happen after the September 20th meeting after which we should gather together again for one or even two large neighborhood meetings, to finalize the compromises. That would be real public input and involvement.

Other concerning and mysterious details
In the original Tangerine State Land Rezoning and Annexation documents posted on orovalleyaz.gov the following dates were listed.

Meeting Dates-
1. First neighborhood meeting – September 13,
2. Second neighborhood meeting – September 20, 2018
3. Planning and Zoning Commission Hearing – October 8, 2018*
4. Town Council hearing – October 24, 2018*
(*Tentative and subject to change)

However, by Friday, August 31st, the Planning and Zoning and Town Council hearing dates were removed and replaced with “To be Determined.”

Is the staff and council’s intent to push this rezoning and future annexation through prior to the new council being sworn in in November?

What is being presented on September 13th
High-density Condo, Apartment (up to five stories high) and Townhome parcels. Upwards of 1500+ units and potentially over 1500+ single family homes on small 5500 sq ft lots. In all there will be 3000+ units, plus additional commercial sites all on 885 acres.

This is the largest rezoning and annexation in Oro Valley in over a decade. Let’s get this deal done right and not rush into rezoning deals that Oro Valley and her residents will later regret and resent.

Please come to both neighborhood meetings on September 13th and 20th. Your presence is needed.

Click HERE to read the Town notice of the two meetings.
Click HERE to read the project fact sheet.
Click HERE to read Tim Stellar's article in the Arizona Daily Star.  Read what Mayor Hiremath and Mayor-elect Joe Winfield have to say about this rezoning.
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Alyssa Page is a wife, mother, writer, photographer and community activist. She is a graduate of Brigham Young University with a BFA in Photographic Design and a minor in Communications.

Guest View: Robert Peters ~ Oro Valley is Nothing More Than a Profit Center for Developers

My wife and I recently attended an Oro Valley Neighborhood Meeting regarding the proposed annexation of a 321-acre parcel of State Trust Land on the NE corner of Tangerine and Thornydale.

Contrary to what your real estate agent may have told you when you agreed to pay a premium to live next to State Trust Land, this is not public land that will never be developed. It is land governed by the Arizona Constitution that can be sold at auction to the highest bidder for the economic benefit of “Trust Beneficiaries.” In this case, that beneficiary is the schools (K-12).

Oro Valley is proposing annexation of this land to prevent Marana or Pima County from doing the same. Their reasoning is that they would prefer to have control over how this land is eventually developed. For those of you who have been living here for many years, the notion of Oro Valley getting their hands on a large parcel of pristine desert is not a comforting thought.

Councilmember Solomon was more interested in his phone
The Neighborhood Meeting was packed. The following five councilmembers were in attendance: Mary Snider, Lou Waters, Bill Rodman, Rhonda Pina and Steve Solomon. It should be noted that Solomon spent most of the evening looking down while scrolling on his cell phone. This is not the first time we’ve observed him doing this during a Town meeting. This should give you some insight as to how much he cares about listening to his constituents.

Residents speak up
After the Town’s presentation, the Q&A session became quite heated. People were justifiably concerned about their property values, their privacy, and the impact to both flora and fauna. They were well-aware that recent land rezonings in our town have featured mass grading, tiny 7,000 square foot lots, and a mix of one and two story homes separated by the smallest setbacks allowable under building codes, leaving little room for indigenous desert plant species and wildlife.

Comments from the audience included the following [paraphrased]:

• They need to come up with a better plan to fund education other than destroying the desert.

• Why bother building wildlife tunnels when there will be no wildlife left to use them?

• First you sell the land to raise money for schools. Then developers build more homes on that land, thereby increasing the school population, which will then necessitate the selling off of more State Land to raise money for more schools. It’s a never-ending cycle of desert destruction.

• Since money is all this town cares about, we can all protest by not shopping in Oro Valley. Spend your money elsewhere.

• One woman began her speech by connecting the Town Council’s poor financial decision in purchasing the Community Center and Golf Courses as the reason why they don’t have any money for ball fields at Naranja Park which has led to a property tax proposal in order to fund them.  Regarding the annexation, she stated that you can expect them to mass grade this beautiful land in their never-ending quest for money. She ended her speech with, “We need to vote these [expletives] out of office!”

And that will give you some idea of the anger in that room that night.

Oro Valley Standards?
The Town’s Senior Planner, Roosevelt Arellano, explained why Oro Valley wants to annex this land:

“We want to assure a good design that’s compatible with Oro Valley standards; something that we’re used to in our community.”

And therein lies the problem, because for many years, what we have become “used to” with “Oro Valley standards” is wanton destruction of the desert with barren, bladed landscapes free of any living plant or animal with homes packed so closely together that you can look out your kitchen window and watch your neighbor’s television.

A Studied Observation
Having the retrospection of 14 years of experience attending these Neighborhood Meetings and working with town staff, land owners and developers, we have come to realize an all too familiar pattern. Going forward, this is what you can expect:

Step 1: The highest bidder
Unless someone who cares about preserving the land can come up with enough money to outbid them, the land will be sold to a wealthy land developer.

Step 2: Enter the usual suspects
Most or all of the following people/entities will be involved in the development of this parcel: The WLB Group, Greg Wexler, Mike Carlier, Meritage Homes.

Step 3: Neighborhood Meetings
Neighborhood Meetings will be held where the developer will attempt to convince the surrounding neighbors that their proposal is the best use for this land. (NOTE: Similar to how a car dealer does not give you his best price upfront, it has long been rumored that the initial development plan includes much more than what they actually want. This gives them room to negotiate when neighbors form a Citizens’ Group to protest the development).

Step 4: Divide and Conquer
The Town and the developer will then use a divide-and-conquer strategy to covey favor with certain members of the citizens’ group in order to lure them away from the larger and stronger group, thereby weakening the group. They may approach individuals to discuss plans and negotiate terms privately and/or elect Neighborhood Captains of their choosing to help win over support for the proposed development. They will usually single out the owners of the most expensive homes as well as those in the group that they believe will be the easiest to convince and manipulate.

Step 5: Full Speed Ahead
The developer will make a few concessions to the neighbors, most of which were never high on their priority list anyway. Then, despite any remaining protests, the developer (most likely the WLB Group) will convince the Town Council to rezone the land to the highest density possible, after which you can count on Meritage Homes to be “the chosen builder.” The land will be mass-graded to cram in their usual 5-6 homes per acre for a total of over 1,000 homes.

Conclusion
This, as always, will be an uphill battle as the Town’s number one job is to collect revenue and the higher the density, the more revenue they will collect from development impact fees. It will always be a war to protect our lush desert surroundings (or what’s left of it) when there is money to be made.

Robert Peters is an Army veteran who served in Germany and South Korea. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Russian and Eastern European Studies and a Master’s degree in Business Management. He relocated from New England to Arizona in 2003 and was employed by Raytheon Missile Systems for 12 years, retiring in 2016 after 50 years of working. He’s been active in dog rescue organizations for the past 20 years. He’s also an avid reader and history buff who has traveled extensively throughout the U.S., Europe and Russia. A former hippie, he attended the 1969 Woodstock Festival in Upstate New York.

Bits and Pieces

Oro Valley reaches to annex lands of former resident
Reader Glenn Davis wrote to tell us that he sees Oro Valley growth avarice on the move. Glenn wrote us:

"We moved from Oro Valley due to the shenanigans of the town council and now here they come wanting to annex our neighborhood. We want nothing to do with Oro Valley, I drive out of my way just so I don't have to pay their sales tax to support their failed endeavors.

Glenn submitted the following to the local advertising circular:

"Oro Valley Town Council is continuing their efforts to pave or develop every piece of land whether it falls within the town or not. The latest land grab is 800+ acres of State Trust land at Thornydale/Moore/Coyote Crossing and the block South of Tangerine for a "master planned" community. Another is the wash between Oro Valley Hospital and Safeway. This land is used by a lot of us for recreation as it was intended. We moved to the NW for the open desert lifestyle. The town gets a one time developer fee for doing this with no other revenue after that other than their increased sales taxes and bond measures to cover their fiscal irresponsibility.

If you oppose these developments please attend the public meetings on Aug 2 and 21 at Casas Church 6 pm. Visit savethecactus.org for more information and updates."

Seems to us that this is an important meeting, something to which we should pay attention.
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A familiar sound: City of Tucson considers downsizing municipal golf
The City of Tucson operates 4 municipal golf courses. Collectively, they lose money and are thus subsidized by the citizens. Sound familiar? Well, we reported on this years ago when we urged the Oro Valley Town Council not to purchase what has been and will continue to be a citizen subsidized golf course venture to support the golfing pleasure of 200 or so members.

Arizona Daily Star sports columnist Greg Hansen reported that the city is considering options to "right size" its four golf courses. Sound familiar? That's what the consultant's report to the Oro Valley Town Council recommended, as we reported last week.

Now, the Oro Valley Town Council, the same people who raised your sales tax to subsidize this golf disaster want more from you. They want you to approve a property tax to pay for ball fields because this council foolishly threw away your money on this crazy golf venture. Their request reminds us of the "child who killed his parents and then threw himself on the mercy of the court because he was an orphan."

And, it also reminds of the lyrics to a song by the group, The WHO:

"Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday 
Then I'll get on my knees and pray 
We don't get fooled again"
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Lambert-LaCanada Road work postponed due to weather forecast

Oro Valley, Arizona (August 2, 2017) – The previously scheduled median grading and paving work at Lambert Lane and La Cañada Drive has been postponed due to this weekend’s weather forecast. (Originally, severe lane restrictions were going to be in place August 4 – 7, 2017 while the work was performed.) A new date has not yet been selected for this portion of the project. The Town will issue a Traffic Alert when that information becomes available.
(Source: Town Of Oro Valley Press Release)
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Savethecactus.org Fights Oro ValleyAnnexation
We have previously reported, and will continue to follow, the saga of some Pima County property owners faced with ("bleak") possibility of having state lands adjacent to their properties, annexed by Oro Valley. With that, they fear, rightfully so, that the land will then be used to build track homes or other development. Watch their saga in this KVOA report.
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Tonight: Council To Consider Oracle/Ina Annexation

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Oro Valley Town Council will consider three regular session agenda items regarding the annexation of the Oracle/Ina Road area, which includes Tohono Chul Park ("TCP").  The total annexation inludes "107 acres of unincorporated territory located between Chapala Drive to the north, Ina Road to the south, Paseo Del Norte to the west and Oracle Road to the east."

First, the council will conduct a public hearing on a pre-annexation agreement with Tohono Chul. This is an agreement to induce the park to sign the annexation agreement.  The agreement requires that the town to improve Northern Avenue from Ina Road to Chapala Drive.   In addition, TCP will have its own planned area development ("PAD") agreement.  "The PAD provides for future development in accordance with the Park's master plan" as a park.

The Annexation Area

The agreement also states that:

• "The agreement states that impact fees will not be required for improvements to the Property permitted under the PAD"
• "The PAD does contain a specific sign program."
• "The Town shall include the Park in reasonable future Town marketing, economic development, tourism and related promotional materials as a destination attraction, which may include Town participation in the development of joint signage on the Property"

The agreement notes that the TCP plans to add 20,000 square feet of structures and " new pathways and trails, a children’s ramada, a catering area, and additional parking."

The council hold a public hearing to annex the Ina/Oracle road annexation area after the TCP PAD hearing is completed.  The town has obtained sufficient signatures to "make it so" if they wish.

What is the impact on Oro Valley?

Fiscally, the impact means:

"The Oracle / Ina annexation will have a positive fiscal impact on the Town. Additional revenue will be generated from retail sales tax, bed tax, utility sales tax, Stormwater Utility fees, permits and business licenses. Additional expenditures are primarily due to operations and maintenance costs for additional roadways including Paseo del Norte, Chapala, and Northern Avenue. A significant capital expenditure is anticipated in FY 2014/15, for the reconstruction of Northern Avenue. Although the Town will not have jurisdiction over the entire Oracle / Ina intersection, it is anticipated that the Town will assume primary responsibility for incident response in this area. Additional personnel are not budgeted at this time."

Strategically, however, it has even more significance.  It now brings Oro Valley's borders to the Oracle and Ina intersection, a roadway that is going to undergo significant improvement over the next three years.   It is that is exclusively commercial.  Without much additional cost, Oro Valley could add substantial sales tax revenue by annexing the other three corners, then  moving west to annex Westward Look.  Who knows?  Perhaps parts of the foothills thereafter.
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