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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHistorical Records - The Oro Valley Voice (50) TOW'1 OF ORO VALLEY OFFICE 9O4 ) j ORACLE RD TUCSON , AZ 85704 .. THE AM 4111i SEM /la 1 .1111111111111. 111111111ND MRS/ wino. ammo , i.�r i is ilNIMI iii, =•...... ,....iir__ ____ _ _ ____ _ __ Vol. III No. 7 Published for residents of the Taws oHHro Valley.Pima County.Arizona July A 7 c • • • • Rezoning for new 45 -home subdivision to be debated at hearing ByDENNIS JOYCEfinanciallytroubled Horizon that when he signed a deed for ject Planner Dennis Wall w Corp., of the nation's the Oro Valley land in 1973, he doesn't feel that the conditions A rezoning request to allow Corone was in Florida. of Oro Valley's largest land developing comp- are that stringent, he said. construction Y first major subdivision since the anies, and is currently a consult- Although the Planning and "The conditions are not un- town's incorporation incor oration in 1974 will ant for the company. Zoning Commission voted a- usual.Many are par for this kind public a before hearing Timan, a Tucsonan, is re- guest Timan's rezoning re- of land.A couple of things we've this Thursday'at the regular coveringfrom an illness in quest, it drew up a list of found difficult, but not too -�-monthly meeting of the Town California and couldn't be reach- conditions to be met by the strong," Wall said. Council. ed for colnnent. His secretary developer that it suggest the He added that many of the to Horizon office in Tucson Town Council impose if it commission's proposed require- beginTne meeting is scheduledat the at 7:30p.m.in the Canyon said Timan is proposing the new chooses to okay the request. ments are redundant and are del Oro High School library. development independent of the "These are very rough con- premature. p P The proposal to allow con- company. ditions.Rougher than the com- "A lot of them are things we'd struction of about 45 homes on Town Zoning Administrator mission wrote for theP.S.T. have to comply with anyway Valle del Oro Road carries a Dorothy Montgomery said Ti- rezoning(another rezoning case even if they weren't written negative recommendation from man has a partner in the Pending before the Town Coun- down here." the town Planning and Zoning venture named Simon Gluck- cil. See related story)," Mrs. Among the requirements are Commission. man.She said she doesn't know Montgomery said. provisions for the building of But Cella, Barr, Evans' Pro- [Continued on Page 3] The -commission voted 3-0 who Gluckman is, but addedag against the rezoning June 2, on the recommendation of the town TUCSON ENGINEER THINKS SO engineer, and the U.S. Bureau of Mines, which said the soil.on 'no-growth' the 60 acre tract is too sandYDoes town /n o �o w t / philosophy? Cella,Barr,Evans and Assoc- iates a Tucson engineering firm inates the land for all but the representing the subdivision's A recommendation by the veryaffluent," he said. developer, has disputed these Oro Valley Planning and Zoning _ssments and claims that Commission to discourage den- ei, ...• _ s I believe this is discrimin- asse with ro er en ineerin , the ser development in three sub- anon against the average home P P g g land can built on. ' divisions here is viewed by onerte,,.::. �,�, buyer." A maximum of 45 three- Tucson engineer as evidence of Wall's interest in Oro Valley bedroom and 15 four-bedroom a"no growth"philosophy in the zoning stems from his involve- single family homes could be town. sarily prohibit denser develop- ment in a rezoning request for at the site, although the de- Dennis Wall, project planner ment in the three areas, but it some SR land outside the three veloper has indicated he would for Cella Barr, Evans and would remove the guarantee subdivisions in question. build no more than 45 total Associates, commented on a that a rezoning hearing — Wall is representing Joseph homes there. That could boost commission recommendation necessary to allow denser build- Timon,who is seeking rezoning Oro population's o ulation by 150. issued July 7 which proposes ing — would be held, said of 60 acres here CR-1,four times The Town Council has been amendments to the Oro Valley Zoning Administrator Dorothy denser than the current SR. asked to change the suburban Area Plan. Montgomery. All the land affected by the ranch(SR)zoning now in effect Those amendments, pro- This apparent discourage- proposed area plan amendment to CR-1 zoning, which would posed by residents of the ment of denser developing, is currently zoned SR but allows increase the number of homes subdivisions affected, would however, in effect would pre- CR-1 in long-range, future de from one every four acres to one allow construction of no more vent any building at all in vacant velopment. The amendments everyacre. than one home per four acres lots at the three subdivisions, would change that long-range The man who submitted the (144,000 square feet) in the Wall said. maximum to SR. ,._: '8�nal Oro Valley Area Plan in Campo Bello, Linda Vista and "You can't go out and develop Rosalyn Glickman, chairman 1958 — a document which has Linda Vista II subdivisions. SR (suburban ranch, one home of the Planning and Zoning dictated land development here The Town Council is sched- per four acres) land in Oro Commission, disagrees with proposing since — then isthe uled to consider the corn- Valley or Pima County. It's `\all's assertion that the town is subdivision. mission's proposal at its month- almost impossible, because of adopting a no-growth policy. 1 this Thursday. cost factors," Wall said. "We made the recommen- chairmanJoseph Timan is a formery meeting . Y . of the board of the The proposal wouldn't neces- This "large lot" zoning "elim- [Continued on Page 2] EDITORIAL Council should deny rezoning request It would be a serious mistake, we believe, for Oro Valley's feel if a town council controlled by Linda Vistans were to pass town council to approve the request by three residents of the legislation leading to, say, five houses per acre within Oro Oro Valley Country Club area to rezone their 9.3 acres in Linda Valley Country Club. Vista Tracts — or to grant them a zoning variance,which could Advocates of rezoning [or a variance] point to a 1958 Pima amount to much the same thing. County zoning plan which proposed eventual conversion of the The matter is likely to be decided, one way or the other,by Linda Vista SR zoning to CR-1. [Attempts to convert to CR-1 the council at its meeting next Thursday evening[July 29].It's have been turned down many times since then,however.] a decision we hope the council members will consider carefully, In any event, few would contend that what was once with all its ramifications. recommended by some Pima County planners should be One of the major considerations, of course, is that virtually dutifully echoed by the Town of Oro Valley. Indeed, isn't that every Linda Vista property owner who currently lives here is one of the major reasons we incorporated? — to give us some opposed to such rezoning. [The petitioners contend that a control over our local zoning and the ability to guide our number of non-resident owners of nearby properties aren't community's growth in the direction local residents wish? opposed — which may be true. But it seems to us that any The petitioners in this case are all men of substance; they decision should be weighted heavily toward those Oro haven't demonstrated any hardship, to make such rezoning Valleyans who have established their homes and lifestyles in imperative. And rezoning would be bound to create a this community, and who would be most seriously affected by dangerous precedent which could lead to eventual disin- rezoning. Non-resident owners have no such permanent tegration of the present zoning so treasured by Linda Vistans. commitment.] - [Such a collapse of suburban ranch zoning,of course,might well Nor is the opposition of the Linda-Vistans based on any be-applauded by some non-resident property owners if they dislike for the three petitioners; on the contrary,the rezoning bought their land primarily for speculation. Obviously, it's opponents repeatedly have referred to Messers Peck,Seaman- resale value would rise sharply under new zoning which would and Thorell as"fine gentlemen,"and said they would be happy permit a subdivider to put three to five homes per acre on that to have them as neighbors — but not if their arrival means land. smashing the neighborhood's established zoning pattern. Above all, the council members should beware of misusing The popularity of Peck,Seaman and Thorell within their own their power on the town council simply because they have it. Country Club Estates is what makes the Linda Vista residents Coming so soon after the hard-won incorporation of Oro Valley, fearful that the rezoning request will be approved — since a rezoning approval could only embitter most non-Country Club three of the five town council members are also Country Club residents, some of them all too eager to find evidence that residents. "those rich guys"wish to lord it over them. . That fear may have some validity.We hope not. In our opinion, the Country Club majority on the council has Country Club residents, who are used to living on one-acre no such intention.We hope Thursday's decision will underscore lots, conceivably could fail to appreciate the desire of Linda that view. Vistans to maintain their 4-acre parcels. If so, they should be reminded of several factors: — That manyof the Linda Vistans moved to this area a -gro wth for OV? number of years ago precisely because of the Suburban Ranch zoning and because they felt it gave them some protection from high-density urbanization; [Continued from Page 11 take a look at this is because the — That many of the Linda Vista residents keep horses and dation because that's what the current master plan is old. We other pets which require more room than one-acre lots nor- people wanted us to do. That's are accomplishing the purpose madly permit; breaking the zone pattern would allow, even- why we're here," she said. of why Oro Valley was formed in tually,higher density housing — which seems a sure guarantee "Anyone can still apply for the first place by passing a new of disputes and acrimony between horse owners and non-horse CR-1 zoning even if the amend- plan." owners; ments are passed by the Anthony Van Marie, — Country Club residents may appreciate the fears of the council." spokesman for the Linda Vistl- rezoning opponents if they will try to imagine how they would The only difference with the residents, told the Voice last Burglar receives 1 -year sentonee amendment,she said,is that the commission itself could decide month h that "the issue with thf proposed amendment is loca --- — - - - --- ; whether even to consider a control." must make restitution to OV victim request for rezoning denser The Planningand Zonini _ than the proposed SR The burglar who broke into voice their dissatisfaction that g maximum. Commission passed the amend the John Kriss home in January Warren was released prior to ment to the Oro Valley Are; Under the current area plan taking$2,000 in appliances, allowing was the trial. — a CR-1 maximum — flan by a 4-0vote July 7 sentenced to twelve an applicant forte months in One resident said "we'rethe denser CR-1 following a public hearing on it the Pima County Jail and five pretty disgusted with burglars zoning is guaranteed he'll be Newly-appointed membe months probation. being turned loose after being heard. Thomas Rainsberger abstainer Bobbie D. Warren was also caught red handed." Mrs. Glickman echoed one of then, saying he didn't hav, ordered to make restitution to Warren was arrested on poli- the arguments presented by enough background on the case the victim and the insurance t i v e identification (license residents of Linda Vista in Also at the meeting Mrs company for the$2,000 worth of plates and fingerprints) within defending the commission's de- Glickman was reelected chair items taken. 36 hours of the burglary, ac- cision to approve the amend- man of the commission an( Several Oro Valley residents cording to Lt. Fred Roof of the ment. Gerald Korte was again chose] turned out for the July 8 trial to Oro Valley Police Department. "The reason we decided to vice-chairman. l Construction of 45 -home subdivision [Continued from Page 1] choose to have action on their for the first time before the Rosalyn Glickman, com- dead-end cul de sacs to the south cases postponed until the Town Council. mission chairman and one of of the tract, recording of cove- newly-elected Town Council Despite the unanimous vote those three incumbents, said, nants releasing Oro Valley from appointed successors. by the Planning and Zoning however,that she voted againt blame in the event of floods,and Timan decided not to wait Commission against the rezon- the rezoning"because the gov- leaving drainageways and vege- because every day's delay add- ing, Wall said he "wouldn't be ernment reports were over- tation in their natural states. ed more cost to his engineering surprised if (the council) did whelmingly in favor of retaining Cella,Barr,Evans'engineers fees, Wall said. Timan submit- vote for it." the SR zoning." will be collecting new soil ted the rezoning application in "The only reason the commis- "My review indicated that the samples from the lot before April, he added. sion's vote was unanimous was land isn't suitable for reasons of Thursday,because the town has Wall and Peter Cella will because there were only three runoff and drainage, as,well a indicated it won't accept the appear at Thursday's council of them there. They all had to stability of the soil, Mrs. firm's samples taken from meeting to argue Timan's case, vote some way." Glickman said. neighboring lots — a "common technique," according to Wall. BECAUSE OF BORDERING LOT Recommendations by the town engineer and U.S.Bureau of Mines against allowing dens- PST Corp. c request, er building on the land reflect their "analytical, impractical" viewpoints, Wall said. but could bconstruction without i t "They work in a very theoret- ical manner. They're not in the construction business. We had Three Oro Valley men con- the town's okay for its building rezoning. an engineering testing lab go tinue to seek a zoning change so proposal through another pro- Among the reasons the corn- over the soil — one that's had each can build a house on a cess — rezoning of the land. pany hopes to avoid rezoning experience in construction. single lot here, even though The Town Council is sched- now through the variance pro- they've been assured they can uled to consider P.S.T.'s rezon- posal are two of these con- "They told us the conditions go ahead with construction ing application at its meeting ditions,which the company says that must be dealt with. We without it. this Thursday. The company are particularly stringent. can build anything we want Current zoning on the 9.3 acre has asked that the request be They would require that a there because the soil isn't that lot,owned by the P.S.T. Corp., tabled until after the Aug. 10 hydrology report on drainage in critical a problem." allows construction of only two variance hearing,in the hopes of the P.S.T.lot be submitted and The Planning and Zoning houses. avoiding the need to rezone. that a portion of Linda Vista Commission disagreed, how- But the company's owners, P.S.T.'s9.3 acres is currently Boulevard adjacent to the land ever,and went so far as to visit Howard Peck, Duncan Seaman -zoned SR, suburban ranch, be paved to full town standards. the site to view the 60 acres of and Al Thorell, also own a which allows one home per four Meanwhile, P.S.T. owner badly eroded land; miniature smaller lot that borders the 9.3 acres.They have requestedthat Peck has already moved to the canyons criss-crossed with the acres, which increases the total it be rezoned to CR-1, allowing three men's lot, where he blade of a bulldozer. acreage enough to allow build- one home per acre. oversees construction of his - ing of the third house on the On the basis of opposition to house from a trailer. The frame The land was torn up and the larger lot. the rezoning by nearby resi- of the small,two-bedroom home drainage interrupted with the The men neverthless are dents, the Oro Valley Planning has already been erected, he start of road construction there seeking a zoning"variance"—a and Zoning Commission has said. over a decade ago;construction zoning on of suspension that was never followed up, pregular — voted against recommending Peck has also sold his old on the 9.3-acre parcel to allow approval to the Town Council. house in Oro Valley Estates, Wall said. construction of the three homes. and he said his partners have "The road gradingwon't have The council was originally again.We'll t have Two requests for a variance scheduled to consider the rezon- offered their homes — also in to be doneg by P.S.T. in the past two years ing at its July meeting, but Oro Valley Estates for sale. them right where they are,"he have been denied by the town postponed discussion in order to Peck, an architect, designed said. If we go back in to correct Board Of Adjustment — a body study it further at the July 5 his new home and said he the drainage and pave the composed of all five Town study session. expects he'll design Seaman's roads, the problem will be Council members. and Thorell s, as well. At the July 5 study session, Thorell' s, But at a Jul y 5 study session the council discussed 10 con- The men are also planning to on the P.S.T. case, the council ditions proposed by the Plan- build a community swimming The Planning and Zoning indicated it would reconsider Hing and Zoning Commission pool and barbecue for their use, Commission consisted of only those refusals.A public hearing which it suggested P.S.T. hut construction hasn't yet three members when it voted on on the variance request, which should meet in order to gain begun on them, he added. Timan's request, since two the company submitted two - " — members' terms had expired days later, is scheduled Aug.8. Published once per month by The Sancruval corporation,P.O.'Boa 3003,Tucson,Az. shortly before then. In the 16 months between the 85702.Offices at 426 East Seventh St.,Tucson. All of those with business Single copy 15 cents.By mail,$2.00 for a 2-year subscription until July 1,1976; refusal of the last variance and thereafter$3.00 for one-year subscription. pending before the commission P.S.T.'s reapplication July 7, Application to mail at second-class postage rates is pending at Tucson,Arizona. were notified that they could the company has sought to gain GrowingCouncil discusses unlicensed bikes, thefts numbers of unli- One local woman has had her gency system at the town police serve three year terms on the station, which will help de- Oro Valley Planning and Zoning tensed motor bikes and car car stolen twice, Roof said. thefts in Oro Valley have Local police have "coun- crease response time and handle Commission. Stewart is an prompted police here to take seled"at least 12 families in the multiple calls, he said. incumbent, having been ap- Also at last month's council pointed to fill an unexpired special action, Lt. Fred Roof past.month in an effort to deter told the Town Council at its children who've been caught meeting: term. meeting last month. riding unlicensed motor bikes. — The council instructed — Terms for a 13-month Police will begin issuing ci- The offense carries a maxi- Attorney Walter Henderson to contract with Town Attorney tations to parents of youngsters mum $150 fine, he added. write a letter to the Pima Henderson were agreed upon who continue to ride unlicensed Roof also announced at the Association of Governments by the council. motor bikes in the town,he said. meeting that a new town police acknowledging that Oro Valley The contract was changed to Andolice will seek state number is included in the has been denied membership in 13 months so the annual con- funds to help in retrieving Mountain Bell phone books A that association under its pres- tract renewal time would not stolen cars, some of which are currently being distributed. ent voting system. coincide with.seating of newly- taken byescapees from the That number is 299-1411. —Bill Gallant was appointed elected council members. Arizona Youth Center north of The new exchange is ac- building inspector for Oro Henderson will be paid $500 Oro Valley. companied by a beefed-up emer- Valley.He will be working with per month for 20 hours work. Town Engineer Jim Kriegh who Any hours in excess of this will has also served as building be billed at $30 per hour. Pros and tons o f PS T plafl inspector since the death of Bud Unused hours will be credited tc • Sullinger. Gallant is president the future month. t'1 of the Oro Valle Townhouset t' Junt mee Y —The council entered into an e a e a � . �Association. _ agreement with the Amphi- Arguments for and against dents who want to retain a — Richard Eckenrodt was theater School District to furn- the controversial rezoning of 9.3 suburban ranch neighborhood. appointed assistant plumbing ish"Resource Officers"services acres in Linda Vista Estates "If the zoning change is inspector. and equipment for eight hours. were heard at the June Oro granted it will be great for'fast — Maja Stewart and Tom per day to Canyon del Oro High Valley Town Council meeting. buck'absentee land owners,but Rainsberger were appointed to School. not for residents and home- Thirty-six signatures of Linda PAG owners in Linda Vista Estates, Vista residents protesting the re e isdecision that who wish to keep their neigh- rezoning that would change the borhood as it is," Korte said. Oir land from SR-4 to CR-1 zoning Linda Vista residents at thecan'te euinmember were presented to the council. meeting said they have no ob- _ Linda Vista residents Gerald jections against Howard Peck, The Pima Association of Gov- under a weighted voting sys Korte, Royale Bouchon, Sam Duncan Seaman and Al Thorell ernments (PAG) repeated its tem, that would give the twc Politte, Dr. Gerald Chessen, —the three members of P.S.T. assertion last month that Oro larger members five votes eaci Anthony Van Marle and R. who are requesting the rezon- Valley can't join it as an equal and Oro Valley and Soutl Echenrodt spoke against the ing. member, so the Town Council Tucson one each. rezoning. They "would love to have will consider budging from its A letter from local resident them as neighbors" as as declaration — up to now, Oro Valley has in the pas Orville Shields, who said he g long insisted it won't join unles the precedent of the zoning equally as stubborn — that it couldn't attend the meeting, change isn't necessaryin order won't otherwise. given equal status, but Vice was also read in protest. g joincouncil's discussion of the Mayor E.S. "Steve"Engle sail to do so. The the Town Council will at leas Major points of argument by Attorney Richard Dowdall issue at its regular meeting this the opponents were: - could break the stale- consider changing its stand. represented the P.S.T. apple Thursday — That the P.S.T. members cants at the meeting. His main mate that threatens to prevent Engle attended the monthl; could build one house on Lot 62arguments were: Oro Valley from joining PAG. PAG Regional Council meetin; —an adjoining parcel owned by — That even if the request A majority of PAG members, last month for the first time a P.S.T. — and avoid a zoning were granted, it still leaves Tucson and Pima County, will Valley's liaison with the change. enough area so as to not change allow the town to join only agency. — That the owners request- - ~" q the character of the neighbor- ing the rezoning bought the land hood. knowing how it was zoned, the — That adjoining absentee Chip this u n n p o e — mail it is with $2 fir same as any other land owner in land owners don't object to the Linda Vista. your seIscriptira to the Oro Valley Voice! change. — That if the zoning change — That residents of Oro My name were granted, then the change . • Valley Country Club, where all might as well be granted to all of P.S.T.'s owners live or did 10-acre owners. Street , r live,don't object to the change. —That Oro Valley was incor- — That those requesting the City State ZIP ' porated so residents could con- change were "of the character" trol their own neighborhoods, that anyone should want them and Linda Vista residents were for neighbors. against the zoning change. — That the applicants don't Mail to: Bouchon said that the council } ;own any adjoining land in Linda Oro Valley Voice, Sancruval Publications, Ted Turpin, should be responsive to the Vista excepte for the one-acre Editor. P.U. Box 3003,Tucson. Az. 85702 wishes of t hu Linda Vista resi- Lot 62.