Guest View-Rosa Dailey: Leadership That Turned A Problem Into A Nature Preserve

In a few short weeks a remarkable accomplishment will come to fruition. Through the collaborative leadership of Mayor Winfield and Vice Mayor Barrett of our current Town Council, and Mike Ford of The Conservation Fund, our Town will become the owner of the new Vistoso Trails Nature Preserve. That will happen when The Conservation Fund transfers the title for more than 200 acres of land that was once the Vistoso golf course to the Town of Oro Valley. In all, the deal took 21 months to complete and became the land transaction Mike Ford regards as one of the most challenging of his more than two-decade career with The Conservation Fund.

Suffice to say that when a piece of land is in play in Oro Valley there is no shortage of opportunism. Despite a community commitment of more than $1.8 million, there were multiple delays and many disappointing tactics to navigate and endure, some caused by people who should know better and garner a higher moral compass in their capacity to serve.

Regardless of the obstacles, the leadership held. Mike Ford secured two of the three appraisals it took to work with the unreasonable property owner while respecting his fiduciary responsibility to the over 600 community donors who deserved a fair price in the purchase of the land.

Mayor Winfield and Vice Mayor Barrett authored a total of three unanimously supported council motions to keep the deal moving forward and provide the necessary Town backing. In doing so, they balanced their support for those of us who live in one of the 17 neighborhoods directly affected by the Vistoso property with their duty to do what is in the best interest of all citizens of Oro Valley. The ability to make the correct decision when honoring more than one obligation is a hallmark of effective leadership and the Vistoso deal proves this truth.

On July 8th you can take a walk in Oro Valley’s new nature preserve.

On August 2nd you can vote for the true proven leadership that made it happen and reelect Mayor Joe Winfield and Vice Mayor Melanie Barrett to the Oro Valley Town Council. 

Rosa Dailey

Oro Valley Resident

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Publisher Note: Rosa Dailey is a 15 year resident of Rancho Vistoso. She worked tirelessly for years to make the Vistoso Preserve a reality.

Nature Preserve Preliminary Remediation Timetable

The following is a press release from The Conservation Fund, owner of the Town of Oro Valley Nature Preserve, regarding the timing of the remediation of the property. LOVE added headings for reader convenience.

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Preliminary schedule released

As many of you know, The Conservation Fund has contracted with Brightview Landscape Services to perform preliminary clean-up of the property on behalf of the Town of Oro Valley to address fire and public safety issues. Below is their preliminary schedule along with maps to show the various areas which are anticipated to be temporarily unavailable for public use to avoid conflict with equipment being used. These are subject to change.

Invasive plant removal and control will be a long term issue for the maintenance of the preserve

We are aware of the invasive species that occupy the property, including Buffelgrass and Fountain Grass. A coordinated effort will be necessary among all parties to adequately deal with long-term removal and eradication. 

Due to the time needed to fully resolve this issue and our interim ownership of the property, that is not within our current capability. 

Effective treatment and removal will need to be on a sustained continuous basis and additional public education is necessary before expending additional significant time and/or expenses. The Town is aware of the concerns being raised and will coordinate as necessary and appropriate once the property is conveyed on or after July 1st.

Please do not remove any material from the property 

Finally, we would like to remind everyone that removal of any material from the property, including plants, cactus, rocks, or sand or gravel is not allowed without permission from The Conservation Fund or the Town of Oro Valley. If you observe any suspicious activity, please contact the Police Department (Non-Emergency) number as follows:

• Call: (520) 229-4900 (Reception answers M-F, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) 
• After-hours is the same number (Listen through all the prompts to get to dispatch)

Additional information forthcoming as developed 

Additional information will be forthcoming as developed. Again, thank you for your continued cooperation and patience as we work to improve site conditions. 

Please feel free to contact me at kkowalsky@conservationfund.org if you have any questions or concerns. 

Kirste Kowalsky 

Southwest Field Representative 

The Conservation Fund

Conservation Fund Details Vistoso "Oro Valley Nature Preserve" Remediation Activities

The following is a press release from The Conservation Fund, owner of the Vistoso Preserve. It was issued last week. We added captions as an aid for the reader.

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It's the "Town of Oro Valley Nature Preserve"

As part of our on-going communication, we want to update the public regarding current actions associated with our interim management of the former Vistoso Golf Course, which we are informally referring to as the “Town of Oro Valley Nature Preserve.” 

We have recently contracted with Brightview Landscape Services to perform preliminary clean-up work of the property in concert with the Town’s direction and input.

Fire and public safety issues remain the initial priority

...including creating a clear, consistent, and sustainable buffer adjacent to existing cart paths and behind the homes that border the property. The current Scope of Work with Brightview involves the following preliminary improvements to the 202-acres as follows:

• Remove sand and debris from all cart paths.
• Trim small shrubs, grasses, and weeds to no more than 5 feet of height from the ground level and within a 5 feet distance on either side of the cart paths.
• Trim trees impacting the cart path to a height of 8 feet using arborist standards.
• Remove sand and debris from within the underpasses.
• Remove noxious weeds from the periphery of the property, and behind homes within 30 feet distance from the property line or common walls. 
• Cut and remove desert broom to ground level. 
• Buffelgrass and fountain grass will be cut to a height of 3-4 inches, with some cuttings to remain as mulch. 
• Mechanical equipment and hand tools will be used for tumble weed abatement reducing all tumble weeds to small particles. 
• Minor amounts of debris will be evenly dispersed on-site. Large mounds will be removed for aesthetics.

Note: Large sections of the Cart Path will be closed during work hours to avoid conflict with equipment being used. Brightview will provide up to 2 weeks advance notice, along with maps, indicating temporarily closed sections. 

Work is expected to begin in April and continue through the end of May / early June

During this timeframe, we remind all residents and visitors that no other work is allowed or authorized on the property without first obtaining approvals from the Town or The Conservation Fund. However, the property will remain open for passive recreational visitor use and enjoyment, subject to the temporary closures as described above.

We look forward to completing this important interim step as we continue to work with the Town towards the donation and transfer of the property on or after July 1, 2022. Additional information will be forthcoming as developed.

Questions?

Again, thank you in advance for your continued cooperation and understanding. Please feel free to contact Kirste Kowalsky (kkowalsky@conservationfund.org) if you have any questions or concerns in the interim. 

Mike Ford 

Nevada and Southwest Director 

The Conservation Fund

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