Chairman Gribb called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

 

PRESENT:

Tom Gribb, Chairman Michael Schoeppach, Vice Chair Jill Anderson, Member Richard Luckett, Member Dennis Ottley, Member Ray Shelton, Member Gene Wowk, Member

Chairman Gribb led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

Open and closed without comment.

 

MOTION: A motion was made by Vice Chair Schoeppach and seconded by Member Luckett to approve the Consent Agenda as presented.

 

MOTION carried, 7-0

 

Mr. Popelka, OV Acting Planning and Zoning Director, reviewed a PowerPoint presentation previously presented to the Town Council.
 
- Development Review 2007 - 2010 Improvements
- Development Review Options (Continuous Improvement)
- Option "A"
- Option "B"
- Option "C"  
- Option "D" 
- Development Review Options Advantages/Disadvantages
- Development Review Options Fiscal Impact

Discussion: 
Member Ottley asked Mr. Popelka if the Homeowner Association’s (HOA’s) would be a part of the development review process.
Mr. Popelka said HOA’s are an important part of it because it affects their own neighborhoods, neighboring properties and the community.

Member Ottley said if the DRB is eliminated, the Town will bypass the HOA’s because they each have their own design guidelines.
Mr. Popelka said any development within the boundaries of an HOA would be subject to the HOA restrictions and those would supersede the Town rules. 
Chairman Gribb said the DRB is more restrictive than the Town and if DRB relegates to Town staff then the Town would suffer.

Member Wowk asked how many staff members are currently Oro Valley residents. 
Mr. Popelka said most of the Oro Valley employees are town residents and feels that non resident employees have a professional commitment to the Town.
Member Wowk said the DRB members have the best interest of the Town at heart as a whole.

Vice Chair Schoeppach asked why the DRB was not provided information about Councils interest to make the proposed changes prior to this juncture.
Mr. Popelka stated this was a Council direction to consider possibilities before bringing this to the DRB.  The Town’s intent was to initiate this thinking and bring it back through this process but does not believe the intent was to shut out the DRB members as the primary stakeholders.
Vice Chair Schoeppach asked why the DRB were never asked their view as to how some of these issues might have been addressed.
Mr. Popelka said he believed the objective was to create a beginning and to tear it apart in more detail.  The process is just beginning and maybe you should have been brought into this earlier, but this has been a Council initiated process so far.

Member Shelton said it may have been your intention for it to be the beginning but it almost ended at the Town Council meeting. 
Mr. Popelka said the Town Council considered it at a study session and there was no formal action to be taken.  They provided direction and took options A, B, C, and D forward. 
  
Vice Chair Schoeppach asked if Mr. Popelka could describe the public process that will be used to solicit citizen input. 
Mr. Popelka said they will make a concerted effort to reach the citizens with the website, advertising, open houses, meetings with individual HOA’s, and so forth.
 
Member Luckett said the DRB has a significant and visual impact on what is built in our community and asked why the development plan and architectural plans for the permitting process could not be submitted together.

Mr. Popelka said staff has worked hard to simplify the time so that submittals are returned in a timely manner, but we run into problems going back and forth several times to finalize a submittal.  That loses time and there are cases where the town is wrongfully blamed. 

Paul Keesler, OV Development Review Division Manager, said we are constantly trying to make improvements to that process.  A tremendous amount of money and effort is put into this and we can not go to far forward without putting the developer or neighborhood at risk.

Vice Chair Schoeppach asked Joe Andrews, OV Civil Attorney, if the DRB could have a study session to give the board an opportunity to provide some input on these proposals. 
Mr. Andrews said if properly noticed, any public body can have a meeting.

Chairman Gribb asked what the typical development cycle is from beginning to end.
Mr. Keesler said they did a study but did not have it with him and will provide it to him.

Member Anderson said she would like to see the staff process flow charts and asked if a cause and affect analysis had been done.  Member Anderson agrees with a scheduled study session and would like the opportunity to look at these items then. 

Bill Adler, OV resident, said this is primarily a budgetary matter and does not revolve around the DRB.  We look at what efficiencies can be gained and this is one of them.  Mr. Adler asked the DRB to take a look from a budgetary standpoint, not just for the Town, but for the developer.  He asked them to be patient with it and allow the staff to work with this.  

 

MOTION: A motion was made by Member Ottley and seconded by Member Anderson to pursue a date for a study session for further discussion.

 

MOTION carried, 7-0

 

David Ronquillo, OV Senior Planner, gave an update on Planning & Zoning related items for future Town Council meetings.

Chairman Gribb said this is his last meeting because his term of office ends in June and he will be out of the country for the next two meetings.  He will submit his resignation so an election can be made.

 

MOTION: A motion was made by Member Luckett and seconded by Member Anderson to adjourn at 7:22 p.m.

 

MOTION carried, 7-0