Guest View-Shirl Lamonna: Your 7-I Guide

Tonight, the Oro Valley Town Council will not discuss item number 3; a request to amend the  Rancho Vistoso PAD Amendment for Parcel 7-I. It has been pulled from the agenda. The request has been withdrawn. The request was to amend the PAD to allow apartments. The town's Development Infrastructure Services Department and the town's Planning and Zoning Commission approved this request.The residents of the adjacent community were 100% opposed to it.

The following "Guest View" was prepared prior to the withdrawal. We felt that we should publish it anyway because we don't think that the "issue" of requests to change the use of this property will ever be settled until it is built upon.

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On January 12^th, approximately 50 to 75 Oro Valley homeowners attended the Venture West informational meeting at Town Hall concerning the proposed apartment development on Parcel 7-I.    

Fred Steiniger, one of the Venture West partners, persisted in a presentation - from a developer’s perspective – of why apartments are a more desirable option than unknown commercial development. 

Concerns were addressed as follows:

Why not build apartments on parcels already zoned for HDR? - “Just because a parcel is zoned for apartments, does not mean it’s a good location for them.”  But from a homeowner’s perspective: sometimes legitimate businesses are simply not appropriate use of a given parcel of land  – as in this case where the apartments would be located in close proximity to single family homes and situated on the scenic Tangerine Road corridor.

Steiniger cited data provided by OV Planning & Zoning staff: Oro Valley currently has 11.8% of its housing stock as multifamily while that number is 33.4% in Scottsdale.  Using the same US Census Bureau source, one will find vast differences in several other key factors that apparently were not analyzed:

	ORO VALLEY	SCOTTSDALE
POPULATION	41,011	217,385
# BUSINESS FIRMS	4,180	37,104

Perhaps Scottsdale’s greater need for apartments relates to a larger population & the higher volume of businesses that are 5.3 and 8.9 times greater (respectively) than that of Oro Valley??    

What about the increased traffic?  – Venture West proposed the apartments would be gated with an ADOT approved single entrance/exit onto Tangerine Road.   A bridge would be constructed over the protected wash area with a second exit (right turn only) onto Rancho Vistoso Blvd.  This would necessitate a traffic light on Rancho Vistoso Blvd in close proximity to the current one at the Tangerine Rd intersection.  One can only imagine the congestion that would be created when 200 or more apartment tenants began to exit for their morning commute!  Woodburne would not be impacted until the commercial section of 7-I was developed.  Wait!  Apartments and commercial on 7-I?  Wouldn’t that make this a Mixed Use parcel?  Didn’t the Zoning commission just vote in favor of a General Plan Amendment that will go before the Town Council for review?

Will the apartments overload schools? – The assistant superintendent of Amphi School District assured Michael Carlier, Venture West’s Broker, that elementary students living at the apartments would be provided with bus service directly to Copper Creek Elementary.  Therefore, the Painted Sky Elementary (with 32+ students in some classrooms) would not be overcrowded.  Both Carlier & Steiniger appeared surprised to learn that this solution may not be effective due to a 1994 Arizona state law that allows students to apply for admission to any public school, based on available classroom space.

Venture West made several attempts to enlist community members for committees designed to assist them in mitigating neighborhood concerns.   They asked to “reset the clock” and to have homeowners negotiate with HSL so that they could approach Town Council together on the 18th for another continuance.  This fell flat with the homeowners in attendance who were largely unresponsive to the pleas while united in their opposition to rezoning.

At the end of the night, it was apparent that the homeowners were firm in their conviction that apartments are not a good fit for 7-I; that the parcel should remain C-1 Neighborhood Commercial which will ultimately provide valuable community services. 

Of interest: Town Council came to the same conclusion in 2004 when they denied WLB Group’s request, on behalf of Vistoso Partners, to amend the 1996 General Plan to change a 14 acre portion of Parcel 7-I from Community Commercial to Medium High Density Residential.  Yet with the 2011 application, the Zoning Commission approved WLB/Venture West’s request for a PAD Text Amendment/Special Policy to clarify that apartments were already allowed?  Shouldn’t Staff & the Zoning Commission have reviewed past history and considered their “clarification” logic could be faulty?  Shouldn’t they have consulted with Legal Counsel prior to moving forward with this application? 

   

It is regrettable that a quality real estate developer such as Venture West – who has brought some good projects to our community – was so ill advised by Town Zoning Staff who neither understood the existing zoning laws nor grasped the pulse of the community earlier in the planning stages. 

The January 18^th Town Council meeting should prove interesting.  See you all at 6 pm in Town Council Chambers.    

Shirl Lamonna

January 16, 2012 

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Major Rezoning For Apartments Under Consideration

Town considers more apartments
The The Town of Oro Valley commissioned a study of apartments. "The purpose of this study is to provide information to assist the governing body in evaluating Oro Valley’s housing mix and upcoming apartment proposals." (Source)

The study is a follow on to action item 135 in the 2016 Your Voice Our Future General Plan. That action item called for "Developing a housing plan that addresses the needs of a diverse community." (2016 General Plan Page 81).

Almost 3,000 apartments now

"Oro Valley currently has 12 apartment communities with a total of 2,961 units, 790 of which were completed in the last five years....Oro Valley has 19,295 housing units and apartments represent a 15.3% share of all Oro Valley housing units."(Source: Report Page 10).  By our estimate, apartments house approximately 8,400 residents. The occupancy rate is 96%,

The town is zoned for an additional 95.5 acres of apartments. The Town is currently processing five apartment proposals that would add 1,036 units, housing approximately 2,400 residents. The average rent is $1,123 per month. There are two more anticipated requests that would add 712 units housing approximately 1,660 residents.

Many more on the way.. if council chooses

There are five apartment complex request under consideration and two more are anticipated. If all are approved, they will add 1,748 apartments to the town's inventory, increasing apartment capacity by 59%. 

Two of these requests require no council approval. These are circled with a solid line in the map at right. They total 83 apartments. 

The other five of these seven requests require rezoning of 83 acres to accommodate 98% of the planned units. 

Thus, residents, through council, have 'control' over what happens with these as resident participation in the process will be required.

Oracle corridor the target

All but one of the seven complexes will be built on or near Oracle Road as can be seen in the panel map. These 1,665 apartments will add about 3,000 cars along Oracle Road daily. 

Oracle traffic will increase substantially

Traffic on Oracle Road, which is already heavy, will be even heavier. The area most hard hit will be from Hardy to Ina Road, an area with high traffic accident rates and long light cycles. The problem is that Oro Valley does not have the businesses to employ these several thousand household workers. And it likely that Oro Valley will not have added jobs for many years to come. Like it or nor, Oro Valley is a commuter community.

The report is an advertising circular supporting apartment construction in Oro Valley 

We urge each LOVE reader to download and read the report. It alleges that it debunks all alleged concerns residents have had regarding apartment growth. Some of the "concerns" are simply foolish such as the impact on our community of lower income families. We've not heard that voiced as a concern.

The issues it does address are done in a very superficial way.

For example, one alleged concern is that the school system does not have capacity to house a  significant number of new students. Don't worry! According to the report:  "Renter household sizes tend to be smaller, with fewer children, resulting in less of an impact on schools than new single-family homes. That may be true but it does not provide real data for consideration.

The report also dismisses the issue of possible crime increase because of an increase in household density as not supported by fact. Seems to us that a thief could ride the bus up and down Oracle Road and have a party since that's where all the apartments are.

There are many other, important issues that need to be considered such as the density of housing and its impact on Oracle Road, as we've mentioned, and the substantial increase in water use. 

The report will be heard by the Planning and Zoning Commission tonight.

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"Mixed Use Neighborhoods" mean APARTMENTS

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Friday, John Musolf contributed a very detailed, considered piece defining what he thinks is meant by MUN.

As one of our bloggers noted in an email to me:

MUN "...would allow developers to apply for rezoning to allow multiple uses on their land.  For example, they could have commercial and apartments/condos on the same parcel.  This would be like the apartments sandwiched between the gated community of homes and the Big Five Sporting Goods/Noble Hops strip center at La Canada & Lambert."

So, what does MUN mean?  Given we have heard to date, one word keeps coming up when it comes to MUN:  Apartments.

A few months ago, the Oro Valley Development and Infrastructure Department and the Developer stated, at a  public hearing on Rancho Vistoso Pad 7-I, that there is very little land in Oro Valley zoned for multi-family residential, Apartments.   They both felt that more land was needed.   Perhaps that is why they supported the general plan amendment that would have allowed apartments on 7-I.  Perhaps that is why the Oro Valley Planning and Zoning Commission recommended this change.

At each public hearing the the Oro Valley Development and Infrastructure Department has conducted on  Mixed Use, every mixed used development example provided includes Apartments.

This quote is from a highly reliable source: "It is the intent to make Mixed Use part of a General Plan update - along with other issues - this year."

If a Mixed Use Zoning designation is approved by this Oro Valley Town Council, you should expect to see many requests put forth to rezone properties for mixed use, since mixed used gives developers much more flexibility regarding what can be built on a property: Like apartments.

This designation, once placed on a property, will also make it much more difficult for residents to oppose apartments if they don't want them since the zoning code mixed use will already include a permission to build apartments.

In other words, one never knows what will actually be built on a property once the mixed use designation is placed on the property.  Who knows what property 7-I or the Ford Property in Rancho Vistoso would have become if it had been designated under this MUN code.  

The mixed use zoning designation was rejected by the Oro Valley voters in approving the 2005 General Plan.  So, if the Oro Valley Town Council moves to approve such a designation, they are going directly against the will of the people.

Thing is: Adding this zoning designation to the Oro Valley codes is a major, not a minor change to the General Plan. Therefore, shouldn't it be for the people, not the council, to make this change? That would occur, if approved, in the 2015 General Plan.
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Public Hearing Tonight on Apartments at Lambert Lane and La Canada

Public to discuss multi-family building

The town will conduct a second public hearing tonight regarding a potential three story multi-family building ("Apartments") located on Lambert Lane, east of Noble Hops. 

Hearings and eventual council architectural approval are needed before the property can be built. The property is part of the El Conquistador Planned Area Development (“PAD”) that was established in 1983. Apartments are a permitted use in the PAD. 

In addition, the height of the proposed apartments is 36 feet. This exceeds a limit of 24 feet. This limit was determined as part of a 2003 council granted grading exception.  The property was intended for restaurant use.

Plan is to build on south side of lot, away from Lambert Lane

According to Beztak Companies, the applicant and landowner, the site has been vacant for thirteen years. They have had one serious inquiry regarding use of the land for a restaurant in the past seven years. 

The applicant wants to build apartment units on the south side of the property (see panel right). They will be set back from Lambert Lane. There will be one building containing 16 units, with 1 story closest to Lambert on the north; and 3 stories along existing apartments to the south (see panel below).

A unique apartment proposal

This Beztek apartment proposal is one of seven apartment proposals the town is considering or anticipating. It is unique for two reasons. First is its location. Most of the anticipated apartment units are located along Oracle Road. The result would be to cluster apartment residents in one area. They would certainly not be geographically dispersed within the community. This proposal, however, puts the units in another area, promoting diversity of housing physically. Second, the apartments are really an addition to the existing apartments. 

Three primary resident concerns

During a prior hearing those attending voiced concerns in three areas Increase in traffic; parking capacity regarding Noble Hops; and the impact of the building on the view of the Catalina Mountains. The applicant has supposedly addressed these in their latest plans and we will hear more about this tonight. For example, they changed the location of the building and the architecture to set it back from Lambert Lane.  This allows the exposure (from Noble Hops) of the majority of the mountain view. In addition, the new plan is for fewer apartments (from 19 to 16) and for a smaller footprint for the building.

Click this link to learn more about this project and how to participate in this hearing tonight. You can also watch a video describing this project.

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LOVE has written an extensive analysis of potential apartments in Oro Valley. You can read that here.

Vistoso Trails Apartments To Proceed Despite Residents' Opposition

Fate Sealed Long Ago

In 2022, the town negotiated a deal to transform the former Vistoso Golf course into open space. In the process, then-town manager Mary Jacobs and Town Council Attorney Jonathan Rothschild negotiated a “settlement agreement” that would result in apartments being built on a small portion of that land. They argued that such an agreement was necessary for the 202 acres of open space to become a reality.

Resident opposition fails

The council approved the settlement agreement in a 2021 Executive Session. Residents were never informed of the deal. Two years later, just last week, many residents attended a public hearing. They voiced unanimous opposition to the apartments. With one council member's exception, their pleas were ignored. Apartments will be built.

Residents who live near the Vistoso Trails Reserve are "Collateral Damage"

As Oro Valley resident Chuck Davis noted at the meeting: "Almost everybody won… everybody except for the three or four hundred residents within about 500 feet of this property. We are the collateral damage.”  Indeed, Davis is right.  Former town manager Mary Jacobs and Town Council Attorney Jonathan Rothschild negotiated the deal on the Preserve. Their interests were not represented. 

The problem was that the deal to create the Reserve was complicated

There was urgency to get it done because there were lots of moving parts: Preserve Vistoso fundraising for the purchase, a town financial contribution for the purchase, the involvement of developer to assume ownership of the six acres under discussion, and the need to retain the interest and commitment of The Conservation Fund. 

and needed be be acted upon quickly

There was also urgency spurned on by the continuing possibility of large scale development of the entire former golf course. According to resident Rosa Daley, writing in LOVE: “When the over 200 acres of the closed Vistoso golf course drew developers like flies, the Winfield administration was able to swat them away and serve the residents who deserved to have the land remain recreational.” 

And that resident dissatisfaction was inevitable

The Council saw the agreement in a December 2021 Executive Session. They were given little time to assess it. Speaking to the residents at last week's meeting, Council Member Tim Bohen said that resident disapproval of the apartments was an inevitable consequence of the agreement. Regarding the negotiations:  Council members "...were never in the room. We were brought proposals and asked to vote in a majority for it." Our guess is that the council was told that this was the best deal for all.  And they bit.

Regarding the apartments, town staff interpretations rule

Bohen shares resident frustration that their pleas would go unheeded. "We represent you," he noted "but so much of what impacts you is decided by town administrator rulings that we have no control over. This might be a bitter experience, but hopefully, you'll gain a better understanding of how your town government truly operates. The town’s administrators wield a significant amount of authority, and it's not unwarranted for you to question how they employ it.”

In the End… Zoning rights trump the General Plan

There will be 132 apartments built on 8.7 acres,  The approval for these was a complicated deal last week, requiring four motions. Only Councilmember Tim Bohen voted against it. Council approval was inevitable.  The landowner is entitled to build apartments on over six acres due to the property's zoning as high density residential. According to town staff, no other document, not even the 2016 general plan's land designation of the property as medium-density residential, holds precedence. As town Planning Director and Town Engineer Bayer Vella noted in the meeting: The General Plan “…cannot and does not override a zoning right. The zoning right is high density. That can't be swept aside.”

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Guest View-Josh Nicolson: We Will Get The Marketplace Right

Probably my favorite thing about doing this job is getting out and talking to people. I am always drawn to a good conversation with a citizen, and this election season I have talked to hundreds of Oro Valley residents. 



One thing keeps coming up… they want to know about the Marketplace, and few are in support of the five and six story apartments in our scenic corridor that were proposed by Town West and HSL Properties. My opponents all support this original proposal for 75 foot, downtown style apartments. 



No doubt my opponents will approve tall buildings in the Marketplace

I got asked the other day: If those running against us win the election, can the developer can still get high rise apartments. The answer is: Yes!  This issue hasn’t been resolved and will be on the table until the area is developed.


I told Town West that four and five story buildings would not “fly” in the Marketplace


When Town West and HSL purchased the marketplace, they met with council members and Town staff. At the time, they were presenting two and three story garden-style apartments along Tangerine, and a four and five story apartment along Oracle Rd. 



I told them they had some good concepts, but that five story apartment just wasn’t going to fly in Oro Valley. 


Yet… they submitted that plan anyway!

A couple of years later when they filed the application, they had five and even six story apartments at both Tangerine and Oracle Rd. Approval could set a precedent for high rise apartment buildings and exceptions to General Plan designated scenic corridor requirements. These are the five and six story apartments the developer was proposing.




These buildings would be “really, really high”, blocking our scenic views

Council members were taken on a site tour, and apparently the applicant had run out of helium before placing balloons at the corner closest to Oracle where the view would be most blocked. I grabbed a balloon from another location and tramped through the brush to get it set up correctly to be able to see the correct height impact. Due to the flexible nature of the balloons and wind, the balloons lean at an angle. We ended up getting the police department to bring out drones to show us how tall the buildings really were. 


The shaded area shows you the view blockage

These pictures [panel right] show you just how much the view would be blocked from Tangerine Road and the multi-use path next to it:

A. This picture shows the view to the West, and just how much higher the drone (actual building) would be than the balloons. 

B. These pictures are from near the multi-use paths near the Marketplace. You can see how high the balloons are from that angle, as well as the drone higher up.








 

The latest plan is workable. It is “community friendly”

In the end, the council members whose campaigns weren’t funded by Town West and HSL were able to negotiate for the citizens and asked for a plan that would be within existing heights and setback limitations to preserve the scenic view. 



A plan is pending that would allow for two and three story garden style apartments, and a small amount of height allowance for two 49’ hotels that would follow scenic corridor setback requirements. 



We will always fight for you

If you feel, as I do, that this would be a better fit for Oro Valley, please be sure to re-elect your Mayor and Council to represent you.



Josh Nicolson

Oro Valley Council Member and Council Candidate

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Note: LOVE added the subheadings for reader convenience

Guest View-Jack Stinnett: “Mo” Greene’s Shocking Ties to Developer Donations

Accused Price Fixer, HSL Properties, bas been a fixture in financing Oro Valley candidates since 2014
Since 2014, their practice has been to invest in the campaigns of development-friendly candidates. Their goal is to displace non-aligned, self-funded candidates on the council, none of whom were development-inclined. 

This approach reached a zenith in 2016 when HSL-funded council members Steve Solomon and Bill Rodman were elected to the council by outspending and defeating incumbents Mike Zinkin and Bill Garner.

The HSL strategy of financing candidate campaigns paid off for them
Since buying the El Conquistador resort in 2015, HSL Properties has developed apartments along Oracle Road. In addition, it has 500 apartments approved for their Oro Valley Marketplace development and is Oro Valley’s largest rental landlord. HSL is currently charged with price fixing rents.

Residents said "No" to developer campaign financing in 2018
Oro Valley residents voted out HSL-supported candidates in the 2018 council election and in 2022 rejected the HSL candidates once again. This occurred despite more than $81,000 of HSL-directed donations to mayoral candidate Sharp and council candidates Rodman, Hurt, and Erceg.

These donations included $32,000 from four HSL family trusts, which constitute campaign finance violations. That matter is currently being investigated by the Pima County Attorney.

Solomon and Greene, HSL-financed current council members, championed high-rise apartments for the Oro Valley Marketplace in 2022
Re-elected in 2020, council member Steve Solomon was the HSL spokesman for their proposed five and six-story apartments at the Oro Valley Marketplace. Dr. Harry “Mo” Greene, newly elected in 2020, provided the necessary second for Solomon’s pro-HSL Oro Valley Marketplace motions and voted with Solomon to approve the Town West / HSL plan for these apartments. Fortunately, the Winfield majority voted down the Solomon-Greene motion and approved two and three-story apartments at the Marketplace. These apartments will be adjacent to the Tangerine Road and Oracle Road scenic corridors.

Now, HSL funds Greene’s re-election campaign
In the first quarter of this year, HSL’s owner and employees contributed $13,050 to “Mo’s” re-election campaign [panel above right]. None of the contributors are residents of Oro Valley. The second quarter campaign finance report may show more.  Even, then, there will be a campaign finance report filed after the election. That may contain more.  For example, Greene reported an added $4,500 recived  from HSL officers and employees after the 2020 election. 

With council member Solomon’s recent announcement that he will not seek re-election in 2024, it looks as if Dr. Greene, if re-elected, will likely be the HSL spokesman on the Oro Valley Town Council. So look for HSL funded campaign ads and thousands of mailers supporting “Mo” and attacking his opponents to help re-elect their main man.
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Editor Note: No other candidate has accepted donations form the development community.

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1000 Eyeballs

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The "law of unintended consequences" is in operation once again. This time, it has occurred in relation to the three-story apartments that are going to be built in Steam Pump Ranch. The "unintended consequence" is the 1000 eyeballs living in the apartments that will be able to peer directly into the backyard of a neighbor's home.

The neighbor is Ken Anders. The home is located across the CDO wash from the apartments.  Ken learned that the apartments were to be built long after public hearings had taken place. This is because Ken's home is beyond the of 400 foot abutting neighbor requirement for receiving notice.

Several weeks ago at a Council meeting that discussed apartments,  Mayor Hiremath allowed Ken speak to counsel regarding his situation. Unfortunately, Ken is the only neighbor impacted by the apartments in this manner. The Council listened politely to his concerns but no action was taken.

Ken has been told that the developer will place some additional landscaping on the west side of the development.   This may be of some help to him. We told Ken we would post regarding his situation on the blog in hopes that perhaps one of our readers has a suggestion for him.
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Oro Valley Village Center Public Hearing At Tonight’s Town Council Meeting

Four zoning exceptions to be considered
Tonight, The Oro Valley Town Council will continue the hearing of the Oro Valley Village Center (“OVVC”). That is the new name of the revisioning of the Oro Valley Marketplace.  

Making OVVC a reality as is currently proposed requires that the Council do things:  One is to approve four exceptions to town code. The other is to enter into an agreement the developer, Town West, to partner in building and maintaining a proposed Entertainment Center. 

The table in the panel below right shows what is being proposed for each of the four areas in which code exception approval is sought:

 

• Area 1: 248 Apartments which will be 49 feet in total height 
• Area 2: Either a 105 room hotel with a drive thru or 72 apartments. The hotel will be 59 feet high 
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  Area 3: A three story building that may include retail/restaurant and/or 48 apartments. It also has a recreation area with (yet another) splash pad, wading pool, playground and shade structure, turf area, 1 acre public park, courtyard, and overflow parking. Note: These amenities are dependent on the town’s participation
• Area 4: 152 apartments, 128 hotel rooms and a drive-through. 

The purpose of tonight’s hearing is to hear and to approve or not approve the four exceptions. There is no hearing regarding an economic development agreement.

According to the town staff report, the OVVC proposal can only move as proposed if all of the following code exceptions are approved:

• Change the type of open space in the central wash area (Development Area 3) from reconstructed open space to recreational open space
• Use the ESL Mixed-use Flexible Design Option as the applicant is proposing four potential apartment areas  (All Development Areas)
• Amend the PAD to permit customized zoning allowances for building heights (Panel left)
• Grant site use changes that encompass the four (4) Development Areas within the center, one (1) of which (Area 2) has two proposed options

Yet, according to Town Staff: An economic development agreement regarding the Entertainment Center is essential for the the OVVC plan is to proceed as proposed

According to the town staff report: “The applicant has made it clear that development of the Entertainment District is subject to a future Town participation agreement. If alternative methods to meet recreation area requirements for the apartments are proposed in the future, the Master Development Plan will require reconsideration by Town Council.”

To date, there is no such participation (economic development) agreement

There is no drafted economic development agreement between the Town West regarding the Entertainment District.  According to Keri Silvyn, the lead attorney representing Town West:  "Town West, during the planning stages of the project, realized that the cost of developing the entertainment district was beyond that which the private development could absorb. As such, discussions began early on with town officials to explore the idea of a public/private partnership to finance and bring to reality this unique entertainment, dining and recreational space. The details would still need to be worked out, but the costs of construction would be shared between Town West and the town, as would maintenance responsibilities. The details have yet to be discussed."

Silvyn continued: "Town staff has asked us to work on the zoning first and then we would work on the public private partnership details. The idea here is that the Town is investing in unique public facilities that would provide new and interesting entertainment, dining and recreational spaces." 

The amount of the town's investment could be up to $10 million, according to several independent sources.

Council has discussed a participation arrangement or at least the framework for it

The Town Council met in Executive Session on November 4 to discuss a "draft economic development agreement with Oro Valley Lifestyle Center LLC (Town West)". Since there is no such agreement we wonder what was the purpose of this meeting? We asked Mayor Winfield to provide information on this but he has not done so as of the time of this publication.

Things have changed

What seemed like a tentative agreement on OVCC at the May study session seems to changed. What is being requested today is different from what was discussed then. There is no longer mention of prestigious hotel chains clamoring for a site. There are more apartments requested. The Entertainment Center is ‘up in the air.’. All of this should make for a very interesting discussion tonight.

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Marketplace Plan Requires Town To "Transfer Ownership of Land"

Big Changes sought for the Oro Valley Marketplace

The Oro Valley Planning and Zoning Commission is holding a public hearing Thursday on proposed changes to the Oro Valley Marketplace. The changes cannot happened unless the town council approves changes to the the land's current zoning. 

It also cannot happen unless the town transfers ownership of at least part of the CDO multi use path and a parcel on Tangerine Road to satisfy open space zoning requirements for the plans.

There are four items being requested

1. Reclassify the drainage area to create a central entertainment district.
   This is an amendment to the "“Environmentally Sensitive Land Ordinance” zoning map.  This ordinance, reluctantly passed by council in 2011, dictates open space requirements by land area. The area in question is a drainage area that the ESL designates for 95% open space. The request is to change the designation to reduce the open space requirement.
2. 
   Permit apartments and hotels
   The applicants want to use the Environmentally Sensible Open Space ("ESL") zoning option mixed use flexible design option to permit apartments and hotels. This option applies when the site will conserve a minimum of 25% of the area as ESL. The staff argues that the applicant's request meets this requirement because of land that the previous developer in 2007 gave to the county along Big Wash. This is now county land.
3. Increase building heights and reduce buffer zones
   The applicant wants to the town to revise code standards by amending the Rancho Vistoso PAD, Neighborhood 4 (Note: A PAD is a zoning document covering a specific area that represents a higher and better level of regulation than the town zoning code). The applicant wants to increase heights for the apartments and the hotels, landscape buffers and setbacks as well as permit a drive through use in the shopping center.
4. Revise site and landscape design for the new building and entertainment district and the associated parking and circulation design changes.According to Michael Spaeth, town planner:  “Should any of the first three not be approved by town council the fourth can not be approved.”

Town Staff  advocates for the changes

The area population does not justify a regional mall

In his presentation at a study session to the Planning and Zoning Commission on December 14, Spaeth referred to a study town staff had done on regional shopping centers in Arizona. He concluded: "Ultimately the market place has too much supply and not enough people to support the center." (We knew this 15 years ago when we fought against the town giving the developer money, in the form of sales tax revenues, to build it.)

Staff permits use of county-owned wash land to justify the ESL requirement for mixed use

Staff is also "bending backwards" to approve the apartment zoning change request by saying that the requirement to meet the ESL amendment was met because the previous developer gave the county 77 acres along big wash in 2008. "The 77 acres exceed the requirements of the zoning codes to use these flexible design options." This land is not owned by the applicant. 

Building height increases are alright because they are far from neighbors

There are five building height variances. The existing limit is 40 feet.

• Tangerine Apartments: 75 feet
• Oracle Apartments: 59 feet
• Three hotels: 49 feet

According to Spaeth, these height variances are alright because they are "far away" from neighbors.

Town owned CDO use path counts as recreational space

"The zoning code requires that recreational facilities be provided on the same lot as the units. The applicant is proposing to use both amenities within the buildings and throughout the center to meet the recreational requirements."  This the proposed entertainment center and the town owned "CDO use path."

Land ownership transfers from Town of Oro Valley and ADOT must happen for this plan to move forward

A transfer of land from the town and from ADOT is a "condition of approval", as defined by the planning staff. 

One of these transfers of land ownership is from  ADOT along Tangerine and Oracle Roads. This is a few months from happening. The item will be presented to council after this transfer has occurred.

The other transfer involves land now owned by the town; some of which appears to be the multi-use path that runs along the wash.  This has not been highlighted in any forum nor discussed by to the public until this posting. The land in question can be seen in the "Conceptual Site Plan" panel. 

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320 HSL Luxury Apartments On Their Way To The Oro Valley Marketplace

Commission recommends approval for new luxury apartments..Council may discuss tomorrow night
The Oro Valley Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended to the town council conditional approval of the architectural design of the HSL Encantada luxury apartments at their meeting on April 1, 2025. The design is on tomorrow night's town council meeting agenda as a consent agenda item. The council will not discuss it unless a council member requests that they do so.

320 luxury apartments

The new development, consisting of 320 luxury apartment units across 14 buildings, will be situated near the southwest corner of Tangerine Road and Water Harvest Drive within the Oro Valley Marketplace. This project is part of a broader renewal initiative for the Marketplace, which also includes the construction of a new hotel scheduled to coincide with the apartments.

Fourteen two and three story buildings
The proposed development features a mixture of two-story and three-story buildings, complemented by a centrally located clubhouse and leasing office. Amenities for residents will include secured, gated areas. Architectural designs emphasize contemporary desert themes with horizontal bands, metal canopies, and stone veneer finishes. The buildings will incorporate design elements consistent with the existing aesthetics of the Marketplace, including varied parapets, facade articulations, and colors inspired by the Sonoran Desert.

Staff: New guidelines needed to accommodate 
Staff member Michael Spade noted that the proposal aligns well with Oro Valley's existing architectural standards outlined in the Marketplace's Master Architectural Concept Plan (MACP). Given that the MACP did not originally anticipate apartment buildings, staff recommended conditional approval contingent upon updating this guiding document. Tim Smith of Swain Associates Architects added that the clubhouse would serve as an inviting central hub, with significant use of stone veneer strategically placed to enhance visual interest, particularly at pedestrian entrances.

Few commission questions
Commissioner Nichols raised questions about the relatively limited use of stone veneer compared to adjacent buildings within the Marketplace. Smith clarified that the stone finishes were intentionally concentrated around pedestrian entrances to clearly define these areas. Nichols also sought clarification about the placement of two-story versus three-story structures. Smith confirmed that the buildings east of Water Harvest Drive would all be three-story, while the west side of the project would include both two- and three-story buildings.

Project next moves to council approval
Upon approval by the council, the Marketplace's Master Architectural Concept Plan will be updated to include apartment building standards, ensuring consistency in future developments.

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Guest View-Mark Berg Presents His Alternative View To The Ford Property Rezoning

[Ed Note: In this posting, Mark Berg is referring to our posting entitled: "Rancho Vistoso Alert: Rezoning Of Ford Property Is Being Evalatuated".]
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Great work LOVE for again keeping our community informed.

A few thoughts in response to yours, playing Devil's advocate at times:

“The impact on the adjacent residential neighborhood will be substantial. The neighborhood has almost 500 single family homes. There are but two entrances in and out of their area, one of which is on to Ranch Vistoso Blvd. The impact of 256 rental units adding an additional 400 plus cars to the roadway daily will be enormous in terms of road traffic and, of course, additional pollution.”
RESPONSE:
These are 'high' end apartments at $100/sq ft so may be less likely to attract renters who are disrespectful of the neighborhood. Many of us have lived in such apartments and although they are not single family homes, they are not necessarily detractors to the community (think of the apartments at Pusch Wilderness Drive before they were made into condos). These didn't disrupt the community and remember, each one of these tenants lives and shops in OV which equals $$$ for our business and community). A;so, these roads are made to handle more traffic than they currently do. 400 cars a day increase? Even counting a coming and going trip (800 trips) divided by 16 hours in the day when you aren't sleeping, thats only 50 cars an hour)

“There is no guarantee that can be given regarding whether the apartments will be residential upscale, which would suit the adjacent neighborhood, or low income housing, which will not. This is true regardless of what the developer may say.”
RESPONSE:
The 'guarantee' is that the city zones the area and assures the construction and planning is up to standard. They cannot build a slum under the permit they receive.


“What will be the impact on crime in the area? Generally, there is more crime attendant with rental units than with single family residencies.”
RESPONSE:
This may or may not be true generally as you note. Again, look to other similarly priced apartments for comparison crime statistics. In addition, OV has more than enough police to handle the addition of these residents, we all know that!

“We are a bit hard pressed to see how, in this dismal economy, a major new apartment complex, no matter how pretty, has any economic viability (item c). So, as a minimum, the Developer should be asked to provide an Economic Feasibility Study, prepared by an independent third party, that verifies that this project is economically feasible. Otherwise, we could wind up with bladed land with no properties on it or empty units subject to degrading. Either way, the Town should investigate this aspect of the request.”
RESPONSE:
Good point on requiring the city to investigate on what would happen with an unfinished property, but I would caution all of us to avoid "back seat driving" and second guessing any business person or developer. Who knows? This may or may not be successful, but as lovers of freedom and free enterprise we KNOW it's not government's role to second guess business. This is what developers do for a living. Let them decide if it's worth the risk. Moreover, without building in the established city, they will more likely head to the outskirts and develop more open desert, decreasing the quality of environment for us all through further urban sprawl.

“We also fail to see how, given its impact on the "neighborhood" (item d), it would have any community acceptance by those who live in the neighborhood. It will likely reduce their property values since it could possibly block their view of the Catalina's, views for which many of them were charged extra when they purchased their homes.”
RESPONSE:
This gets close to "I'm on board, pull up the ladder." Wouldn't it have been nice for the few people who lived in Oro Vally in 1980 to keep the down just as it was then? No traffic at all, great views everywhere, no pesky neighbors? If you may more for a view that's lost, that's what happens when a city grows. Don't like it? Move to a place with a view and try again.

“What is the impact on our town's infrastructure? For example, what is the impact on our water system? What is the impact on our Police Department? What will the town need to do to accommodate the increased traffic: Widen the roadways of Innovation Drive/Commerce Loop, add traffic controls, or increase speed limits?”
RESPONSE:
Good points to raise, all of them, but, all of these are city duties to consider. Let the city decide if the infrastructure can handle it. That's why we elect and pay these people who are experts in city planning.

Marc Berg
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Guest View-Shirl Lamonna: Framing The Issues On The Upcoming Parcel 7-1 Council Decison

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On October 19th, the Rancho Vistoso community united for the second time in opposition to the proposed development of apartments on Parcel 7-I at the corner of Tangerine Rd and Rancho Vistoso Blvd. Given the Town’s inadequate notification process; our HOA’s refusal to provide timely information regarding the Developer’s request for the PAD amendment, the public outrage has been intense.

Homeowners voiced their opposition via letters, emails, phone calls & petitions. In fact, the outcry was so large that we now have a “legal conflict of interest” based on AZ State Law. This means a super majority vote (6 out of 7 of the Town Council members) is required to pass a PAD amendment change.

But wait, is this really a PAD amendment or is the Zoning Department in the Twilight Zone?
Parcel 7-I is currently zoned C-1 Community Commercial. The Zoning Commission based their approval of the amendment on language found in the Rancho Vistoso PAD, Pg 84:

"D. Types of Commercial Uses/Commercial Development Standards
1. COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL (C-1)
a. Purpose: … It may include uses associated with the central business district."

While Mayor Hiremath, Councilmen Hornat, Solomon and Waters initially chose to ignore this reference, Attorney Tobin Rosen counseled that “may” is an uncertain word and that it created an issue for discussion. Vice Mayor Snider suggested that they are actually considering a zoning change and not a PAD amendment. She indicated the need to ensure the Town has met all the applicable requirements for that.

Councilman Garner raised further doubts on whether apartments are legal under the current C-1 zoning. He also confirmed that the applicant’s plans provide only 20% of the requirement for 30% “open space” and that the 20% includes a portion of the wash which is already protected.

In the end, the Council concluded that more information is needed and scheduled the matter for legal consultation prior to the next Council meeting on 11/16.
Other items of importance addressed at the meeting include:

• Access and Traffic Issues – Tangerine Rd is a major high speed arterial. While the Town cannot deny access to our roads, access onto Tangerine requires approval from ADOT. Zoning does not want drivers to cross over Tangerine to turn into the apartment complex and they don’t want U-turns on Tangerine. Despite the Zoning Commission’s stipulation that their approval is based on ADOT’s decision to permit access onto Tangerine, Zoning Staff still recommends alternate access on Woodburne. This would require realignment of the Woodburne/Rancho Vistoso Blvd intersection and would be paid for by the Developer. Much discussion ensued on the congestion already experienced on Woodburne.

• Safety – HSL, the intended developer, won a national award for crime-free projects. According to spokesman Paul Oland, they offer gated communities that are a breeding ground for sustainability – not crime. He did not confirm, however, that this complex would be gated.

• Rental Rates – Rents would be approximately $1 per square foot. Mr Oland contends that it would be impossible to have rental rates low enough to generate any concern with the apartment tenants. However, when the economy improves, housing sales rise and demands for apartments decline, they will have to reduce rates or experience vacancies. Then who will live there?

• Feasibility Studies – Where is the supporting data for the Developer’s claims that major employers want rentals available for their employees? Or that the Amphi School district has the capacity for additional students residing in the apartments? Do we just accept this from the Developer on good faith?

• Town Center/Zoning – The Town Center (Neighborhood 6) is an undeveloped parcel located on the eastern side of Rancho Vistoso Blvd at the intersection with Moore Rd. It has mixed use zoning that currently allows multi-family residential. There are several other areas within Rancho Vistoso already zoned for apartments. Why not build on one of them instead of rezoning appropriately planned commercial areas for other uses?

So what's next?

I encourage everyone to stay involved. There is strength in numbers.

Sign up for email. Write the Mayor, Town Manager and Town Council to express your concerns with this project. Keep a copy for your records to ensure your voice is counted. If you’ve written once, write again based on the new information on the orovalleyaz.gov website.

Come to the Town Council Meeting on 11/16. Be sure to review the agenda available on the Town website 48 hrs prior to the meeting [Note: This blog will link to these agenda materials]. Fill out a blue card to speak.

Shirl Lamonna
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Heather's Corner: "What Has Happened To Oro Valley?"

Allow me to vent. I know a lot of the critics of the LOVE blog believe we are all retired old naysayers just looking for an opportunity to contradict whatever the majority four on Council suggest. I contribute regularly to this blog, am 38 years young, a mother of two children under five, and I believe the majority four have done a lot of good for the community.

I am also not against growth or expansion. I was raised in Silicon Valley and appreciate the value of diversity, high paying jobs, and housing options. My first Silicon Valley apartment, if you can call it that, was a converted attic in what is considered to be a very posh little town. My rent was $400.00 more than our current mortgage on our Oro Valley home. Down the road were subsidized apartments for those needing financial assistance. And up the road was a home listed for $11,000,000.00. I get it. But it was done in such a way that cohesively married all socio-economic levels because nothing stood out. Not mansion nor apartment complex. Not the 7-Eleven nor the boutiques.

But I have to ask: What is the vision for our quaint town of Oro Valley? I ask myself this every time I drive down Oracle Rd. from Linda Vista Blvd. to the Oro Valley Marketplace, which I have endearingly re-named "Apartment Row." I feel especially less than sentimental about the metamorphosis of our town as I pass the Jurassic mammoth apartments by 1st. Ave. I know this topic is a dead horse but aren't those in charge at all worried by these massive irreversible footprints scarring the look and feel of our town? Do they drive "The Row" and bask in the grandeur of these atrocities? I know there are so many other town issues at the forefront of their attention that these apartments are probably a distant memory, but was this the vision they had in mind? Do they drive by these goliaths on their way home or to the store or movies and say, 'Darn it, those look good!'?

I don't have a degree in architecture, city planning, or the like. All I have are my layman's eyes telling me "Apartment Row" is for lack of a better word, blatant. There is no subtlety amongst these giants. They are the most obvious of landmarks, to those unfamiliar with Oro Valley, on a major traveled road into our town, (with Oro Valley Marketplace and the hospital a close second and third but farther down the beaten path.) These apartments are to Oro Valley what the Golden Gate Bridge is to San Francisco, the Gateway Arch is to Missouri, and the Space Needle is to Seattle. Of course those of us that experience all that our great town has to offer, realize that Steam Pump Ranch, Catalina State Park, or even "The Tree of Knowledge," outside of our library, are several examples of our true and prideful landmarks. Unfortunately if you don't know they exist, you'll blink and miss them.

I have chosen to blindly trust those in charge that their vision for our town over the next five, ten, twenty years, are more advanced than what my uneducated eyes can conceive. That, and because the damage has already been done. And with that, time will tell. Until then I'll close with the words of my father-in-law, whom recently visited from Canada, after being away for some time, and viewed the apartments in their current state:

"What in the world happened here?"

Thanks for the opportunity to vent.

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Heather Nenadovich has lived in Oro Valley a total of five years. She has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Arizona. Her husband is Canadian so she is a hockey fan by default and so are her two very clever children. When not being a mommy, she enjoys hiking in Catalina State Park, hand building pottery, and gardening. Her favorite things about living in Oro Valley are the towns recognition of art and culture, their commitment to preserving nature and the Christmas parade. (Also anything from GMG Chinese Bistro.)

Romspen received $4.25 million for the former Vistoso Golf Course

The beginning of a 202 acre preserve

Friday’s announcement by The Conservation Fund that they purchased the former Vistoso Golf course was fantastic news for the community. It marked the end of a long and difficult negotiation with the property owner. More importantly, however, it marks the beginning of a 202 acre nature preserve for everyone in the community to enjoy.

We plan to tell the story of how this all came about. It is indeed a very complicated story.

Today, we start our story with the result: The settlement agreement that was signed for the purchase of the property.

Resulted from a deal that required a “settlement agreement”
“A settlement agreement is a legal contract that resolves the disputes among all parties by coming to an agreement. It is a legal document where all parties in a court case, in civil law, agree to an outcome of any judgment being made in advance.” (https://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/what-is-a-settlement-agreement.html). When it comes to the Vistoso Golf Course, there are many issues that needed to be resolved. The most important of which was what development was going to be allowed on the property. There is after all a 6+ acre parcel that is already zoned for apartments. Then there is the 202 acre golf course including a clubhouse that could have been potentially used for a variety of purposes. The settlement agreement states exactly how all of this was resolved.

The deal has six key elements

• 202 acres will be a permanent nature preserve.That is the golf courses.
• 6+ acres, the clubhouse area, will house proximally 132 apartments
• The apartments will be no higher than two stories. The property is zoned for up to a three-story apartment building.
• A small portion, roughly 1 acre, adjacent to the the 6+ acres will be available for use for parking for the apartments.
• No county recapture of property taxes will be incurred by any party as a result of the sale.
  
• Romspen will receive funds as detailed in the panel at right

There are four participants in the deal
Romspen (Vistoso) LLC

Romspen LLC is the owner of the property. They purchased it in 2012 in a bankruptcy proceeding. They operated the golf course until 2016. They shut it down and proceeded to spend the next five years concocting various ways to parse the property for development. They received $4.25 million for their effort.
Ross Rulney

Ross Rulney is a Tucson based developer. He developed "El Corredor" which is located at Oracle and Linda Vista. It is a mixed-use development. Rulney took over that property from a company that was trying to build a motel there. They went out of business.  Rulney is going to build the apartments.. He paid $1.75 million to buy the property. 

The Conservation Fund 

The Conservation Fund ("TCF") is the entity that now owns a golf course. They will be donating it to the town once they find a conservator to manage the settlement agreement such that nothing other than a natural preserve will ever exist on the property. Through the efforts of the residents, TCF raised donations sufficient to pay Romspen $1.615 million. That was the appraised value of the land.

Town of Oro Valley

The town of Oro Valley is the fourth participant in the transaction. The town agreed to pay $885,000 to settle all remaining “disagreements.”  This resolved a "legal dispute."

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Want to learn more? Read the Settlement Agreement here.

Bits and Pieces

Oro Vista Apartments Council Hearing Next Wednesday

Next Wednesday, the Oro Valley Town Council will discuss and decide upon rezoning for the Oro Vista Apartments.  However, the item now appears on the Wednesday meeting agenda as a “consent item.”.  That means that the whoever put the agenda together, which most certainly includes both the Mayor and town manager, don’t think a hearing is required.  In fact, unless the item is “pulled” from the consent agenda by a council member, there will be no discussion.

These  apartments are located on the south east corner of Lambert Lane and La Canada, directly east of Noble Hops restaurants. The lot in question is currently a parking lot. The lot is adjacent to apartments that are already there. You can read about these apartments in our prior posting. The town has posted information on this project. “The proposal would allow for a maximum 3-story apartment design on the vacant parcel adjacent to the Noble Hops restaurant.”

You will need to let one of the council members know if you are interested in having this item discussed by council.

Oro Valley Optimist club to hold “Scramble For Youth” 

The Oro Valley Optimist club is holding its annual “Scramble for Youth” on May 1 at Dove Mountain. It is an event to raise money for Oro Valley programs such as Dispose-A-Med, Camp Fury, Project Graduation, and Police Explorers. Next year perhaps the Optimist Club will hold the event at the Oro Valley Community Center, using the town’s municipal golf course. This will bring added visibility to our municipal golf courses. It will support the homeowner’s association and the town council’s efforts to make our municipal golf courses financially successful.

Northwest Explorer sold

Tucson Local Media, owners of The Explorer, has been sold. The Colorado based owner sold it to Times Media Group. This is the “largest family of free newspapers” in Arizona. It is headquartered in Tempe. According to one Phoenix-based news source, the publications that Times Media buys “ ... have not stood our for their journalistic prowess. Former journalists and editors have complained about low pay and how they have to work on too many of the company’s publications at one time.” 

Portion of multi-use path to close in May

A portion of the CDO shared-use path will be closed for repaving in May. It is the section that travels through the Oro Valley Marketplace.  It will close starting May 5 and will reopen in Mid June.

CDO and Ironwood High Schools in top 20% nationally

US News and world report has issued its 2020 rankings of Best High Schools.  Basis Oro Valley ranks #3 in Arizona and #23 nationally.  CDO ranks #1 in the Amphi School District; #10 in Tucson; #53 in Arizona; and #3172 nationally. It has a 92% graduation rate.  Ironwood Ridge ranks #2 in the Amphi School District, #14 in Tucson; #79 in Arizona; and # 4798 nationally. Its graduation rate is 90%.  Oro Valley’s two public high schools are ranked below five other local public high schools: University High, Catalina Foothills, Tanque Verde High, Empire High School, and Vail Academy. All of these schools are in the top 20% of all high schools in the nation.

Guest View: Mike Zinkin – Is the Environmentally Sensitive Land Ordinance (ESLO) just another Disingenuous Ordinance?

 

Chapter 27.10 of the Town Code established the ESLO
Its purpose states that: “The environmental sensitive lands (ESL) regulations implement the Oro Valley General Plan by conserving natural, scenic, hillside, and cultural resources. This has been accomplished in a comprehensive manner by accounting for environmental, archaeological and historic resources, economic development, and housing policies.”

Just as we saw in the Town’s Water Ordinance, the words mean nothing. Just as the Town preaches for its citizens to conserve water while at the same time wasting millions of gallons on golf courses, the Town preaches environmental regulations that help destroy the environment.

Town West is using a sentence in the ESLO as a vehicle to circumvent the General Plan and increase water waste.
Town Code Chapter 27.10.F.2.c.iii.h is titled, “Mixed Use.” It states that: “Residential uses that are functionally integrated, including access, nonvehicular circulation and amenities, with commercial or employment uses may be approved within commercial zoning districts.”

The Marketplace is a commercial district, therefore the ESLO potentially allows for residential use. Apartments are a form of residential use. The key words are may and potentially. This is what staff calls an ask. The decider is our elected body (the Town Council). Of course, our current Council has chosen to “kick another can down the road” by continuing this application to a future date.

Apartments and Hotels use much more water than retail and restaurants
Every store and restaurant has restrooms, and the restaurants also wash a lot of dishes. They use water... potable/drinking water. Now let’s use the ESLO and change the businesses and restaurants to apartments and hotels. Both of these entities have multiple bathrooms, showers, and dishwashers.

One can only imagine how much more water is utilized by the apartments and hotels when compared to commercial businesses and restaurants. Yet this is allowed under the Town’s Environmentally Sensitive Lands Ordinance. That’s correct -- the ordinance that is supposed to conserve natural resources is being used to exponentially increase the use of natural resources.

Is this disingenuous? Why can’t our elected leaders understand this?

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Mike Zinkin and his wife have lived in Oro Valley since 1998. He served on the Oro Valley Development Review Board from 2005-2009, the Board of Adjustment from 2011-2012, and the Town Council from 2012-2016. He was named a Fellow for the National League of Cities. He was a member of the NLC Steering Committee for Community and Economic Development and a member of the Arizona League of Cities Budget and Economic Development Committee. He was an Air Traffic Controller for 30 years. Mike has a Bachelor’s degree in history and government from the University of Arizona and a Master’s degree in Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education from California State University, Northridge

Solomon Uses Scare Tactics

The other day, council candidate Steve Solomon dropped a "scare flyer" on the doorsteps of some. This one alleges that Burns, Garner and Zinkin have "pledged to close and sell your golf course-destroying your home value." Oh my. Tragedy to follow! What will these poor residents do?

We wouldn't be surprised to see more flyers, saying that incumbent candidates plan to "gut the police force;""take your gun rights;" kidnap and  your children and grandchildren.

Heck. Solomon will make anything up. And those who live only on "sound bites" will believe it.

The fact is: The supporters of the challengers would like you to vote from fear.

Solomon will feed you any "horse petuti" that he thinks that you will swallow!

Here's what one Oro Valley resident thinks about Solomon's behavior.
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TIRED OF THE SOLOMON FALSEHOODS? 

Four years ago, Steve Solomon ran for Council in an attempt to retain the seat that he was appointed to by the Majority-4 in 2010. Since being beaten in the 2012 primary, no one has seen hide nor hair of Mr. Solomon. He has not been present at any Council meeting, board or commission meeting, and has not volunteered for any Town project. Now, after all this time, he reappears.

Solomon is a "big developer", "big projects" guy.

On April 20, 2011, Solomon voted to rezone the property where the HSL apartments now stand in Steam Pump Village. On Dec. 7, 2011, Solomon voted to approve a Major General Plan Amendment to allow for the apartments at Linda Vista/Oracle. On April 18, 2012, Solomon voted to rezone the property to allow for the apartments at First/Oracle. On May 2, 2012, Solomon voted to approve both the conceptual site plan and architecture plan to allow for the Encantada Apartments at Steam Pump Village to be 3 stories high.

Now Mr. Solomon is trying to tell you that he will save the Police and SRO's. In fact, the current council increased the number of SRO's by a 7-0 vote, and when have the police been threatened? He’s taking credit for forming Dial-A-Ride when it was a concerted effort by citizens and multiple council members after Solomon voted to eliminate funding for Coyote Run, the town’s former transportation service for the elderly and disabled.

Now he is telling the people who live adjacent to the golf courses that, if you do not elect him, your property values are going to diminish.  (See right panel)  Next he will tell you he laid the cornerstone to the library and Town Hall.

Solomon is telling you that the incumbents have pledged to close and sell the golf course. This is absurd. The incumbents are the only candidates who have offered any alternatives to the continued losses incurred by golf. Evert incumbent has also stated publicly that they want to include the People in finding alternatives to stop the continued losses from the golf operation.

Solomon is n got going to save your property values. He has not offered one solution to stop the recurring losses from the golf course operation. His “plan” is to do nothing and thereby continue to lose more than $1,000,000 annually for at least the next 5 years. His “plan” could result in the need for a property tax because Oro Valley cannot afford five more years of these substantial losses.

Solomon was bad for Oro Valley during his 2-year tenure as an appointed Councilman. He has done nothing to help our town since his defeat in 2012. It would be a serious mistake to return Mr. Solomon to Town Council.
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