Development
RESIDENTS OPPOSE OVER-DEVELOPMENT; WANT TO “PRESERVE THE CHARACTER OF ORO VALLEY”
BACKGROUND
A key component of Planning is how growth should be managed to preserve the character of the area. This concept was important to Town residents during development of the Town’s General Plans. However, it was largely ignored when the Town shifted to a “rooftops strategy” under the leadership of Mayor Hiremath (2010 to 2018). During those years, a number of General Plan Amendments & Rezonings were passed to allow high-density residential development & apartment projects.
The Hiremath Council (Satish Hiremath, Joe Hornat, Mary Snider, Lou Waters, Bill Rodman, Rhonda Pina, Steve Solomon) believed that more rooftops would attract more retail businesses & increase sales tax revenue. Instead, it did little more than cause congestion & aggravate residents that felt the town’s character slipping away.
When newcomers Joe Winfield, Melanie Barrett, Joyce Jones-Ivey & Josh Nicolson entered the OV political scene in 2018, they promised sensible development & refused to accept donations from developers & special interests. Voters ousted the Hiremath Council. Since then, reasonable growth – although interrupted by the COVID shutdown – has prevailed & incompatible projects have been denied or improved by the developer to satisfy the Council’s concerns.
In the 2022 Council election, Challenger candidates (Chief Danny Sharp ret., Bill Rodman, Joe Erceg & Charlie Hurt) resurrected the “rooftops strategy” & accepted donations from developers & special interests. The four incumbents stood by their original promises & were re-elected for a 2nd term.
Clearly the development issue remains a high priority to OV residents. Town Staff has already begun planning for the 2026 General Plan. The decisions that affect everyday lives in OV are made at the local level. OV residents must engage in this process to ensure the Town’s character is not diminished any further.
SEE Archives, Development History for more information on General Plans & the COVID impact on Development
Development Videos
7/27/23 Applicant admits Council Suggestion was "a good one." (La Canada-Naranja)
6/6/23 P&Z Commission Unanimously Recommends Approval of 59 Home in Big Wash
10/5/22 Staff Claim No R-6 Code Amendments Since the 1990’s
10/3/22 “Inaccuracies & Misleading Information” in Big Wash / Moore Loop Project Overview
10/3/22 Subsidence Issues in Big Wash Community
8/4/22 Upcoming Housing Study Part 1
8/4/22 Upcoming Housing Study Part 2
8/4/22 What will housing study mean for OV?
8/4/22 Neighborhood Meetings for Rentals
5/3/22 Morning Vistas P&Z Commission Hearing Part 1
5/3/22 Morning Vistas P&Z Commission Hearing Part 2
5/3/22 Morning Vistas P&Z Commission Hearing Part 3
5/3/22 Morning Vista P&Z Commission Hearing Part 4
2/10/22 Neighborhood Meeting for Proposed Cap Tangerine Storage (Part 1)
2/10/22 Neighborhood Meeting for Proposed Cap Tangerine Storage (Part 2)
12/2/21 Neighbors Voice Traffic Concerns at Avilla Rancho Vistoso West Neighborhood Meeting Part1
12/2/21 Neighbors Voice Traffic Concerns at Avilla Rancho Vistoso West Neighborhood Meeting Part 2
11/27/21 Flyover the Tranquilo Subdivision in Big Wash
11/4/21 OV Resident Suggests Developer’s Rep for Avilla Rentals is “Specious at Best”
11/4/21 Avilla Rep Responds to Resident’s Public Comment (Part 2)
11/4/21 Avilla NEXmetro Rentals- Why Consider Adding Traffic to an area with and Extreme Number of Crashes?
11/4/21 Make Way for Avilla Rentals in Rancho Vistoso
2/3/21 Kai – Misunderstanding or Another Sales Pitch?
1/20/21 Do Councilmembers read public comments when making land use decisions?
1/6/21 Kai-1st & Tangerine General Plan Amendment Yes votes
1/6/21 Bohen & Nicolson vote NO on Kai GPA
1/6/21 Barrett explains NO vote on Kai General Plan Amendment – Part 1
1/6/21 Barrett NO vote on Kai GPA part 2
1/6/21 Barrett NO vote on Kai GPA part 3
11/4/20 Apartments Study – Council Comments, Part 1
11/4/20 Apartments Study – Part2 – Solomon
11/4/20 Apartments Study – Part 3 – Solomon
9/30/20 Silverhawke – Then & Now
9/16/20 OV Town Council votes to approve EEZ code amendments
9/16/20 Impact of Pre-grading on Valley Fever
7/15/20 Potential pre-grading of EEZ & Commercial properties
7/15/20 Vice Mayor Barrett on pre-grading
7/1/20 Destroying Big Wash
5/5/20 Lax enforcement of Rancho Vistoso PAD
2/26/20 Proposed Beztak Apartments – Community Impacts
2/26/20 Proposed Beztak apartments – Community concerns
1/9/20 Grazing in Stone Canyon VII
1/8/20 Marathon Study Session on Proposed Zoning Code Amendments
1/8/20 Vice Mayor Barrett advocates for public notification of Zoning Code Amendments
1/8/20 Councilman Solomon on EEZ Code Amendments
1/8/20 Councilmember Nicolson questions if incentives are needed to attract businesses to Oro Valley
7/9/19 Part 2 – Neighbors cry foul: Claim OV misinterpreted rural residential zoning code for the Ark
7/9/19 Part 1 – Neighbors cry foul: Claim OV misinterpreted rural residential zoning code for the Ark
5/15/19 Mayor explains his vote on OV Town Centre PAD rezoning
3/6/19 Residents oppose OV Town Centre rezoning
2/7/19 Cresta Morado Over building water supply
2/7/19 Neighbors stand firm in opposition to Cresta Morado
2/5/19 No to density
1/8/19 The Good, the Bad & the Ugly in Oro Valley
11/15/18 Cresta Morado Design
11/8/18 Ford Innovation Park/RVB Economic Expansion Zone (EEZ)
11/1/18 OV Town Centre Rezoning
10/23/18 Cresta Morado Water
10/23/18 Cresta Morado Park
10/11/18 Ford Innovation Park/RVB – Fib Planning & Zoning
10/9/18 Big Wash
9/9/18 Ford Innovation Park/RVB General Plan Amendment (GPA)
8/8/18 Blading in OV – multiple projects
7/22/18 Mayor Hiremath's Dream Team
6/19/18 Blading 1st Avenue, Oro Valley
6/11/18 Miller Ranch Pleas
5/29/18 Cresta Morado – Como Drive
5/15/18 This is Capella
5/8/18 How the lock-step OV Council hyper-developed Oro Valley
4/29/18 Miller Ranch – Bait & Switch
4/26/18 Why we don’t live in Oro Valley anymore
4/9/18 Bill Rodman does About-face on Rezoning Beliefs
4/3/18 Saguaro Viejos False Information
2/26/18 Cresta Morado Part 1 Wells & Water rights
2/26/18 Cresta Morado Part 2 It’s all about money
2/26/2018 Cresta Morado Part 3 Play by the Rules
12/14/17 NO More Apartments
11/29/17 Big Wash
3/5/17 OV Town Council approves non-conforming project
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