MINUTES
ORO VALLEY PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION
SPECIAL SESSION
November 20, 2014
ORO VALLEY COUNCIL CHAMBERS
11000 N. LA CAÑADA DRIVE
 
11/20/2014 PLANNING & ZONING COMMESSION SPECIAL SESSION PACKET

SPECIAL SESSION AT OR AFTER 6:00 PM

CALL TO ORDER

Chairman Cox called the November 20, 2014 session of the Oro Valley Planning and Zoning Commission Special Session to order at 6:00 PM

ROLL CALL

PRESENT:
Don Cox, Chairman
John Buette, Vice-Chairman
Greg Hitt, Commissioner
Bill Rodman, Commissioner
Bill Leedy, Commissioner
Frank Pitts, Commissioner
Tom Drazazgowski, Commissioner

Also present: 

Joe Hornat, Council Member and Council Liaison
Lou Waters, Vice - Mayor
Mary Snider, Council Member
Greg Caton, Town Manager
Bayer Vella, Interim Planning Manager
Joe Andrews, Chief Civil Deputy Attorney
Paul Keesler, Director/Town Engineer - Development & Infrastructure Services

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Chairman Cox led the Planning and Zoning Commission members and audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.

CALL TO AUDIENCE - at this time, any member of the public is allowed to address the commission on any issue not listed on today’s agenda.  Pursuant to the Arizona open meeting law, individual commission members may ask town staff to review the matter, ask that the matter be placed on a future agenda, or respond to criticism made by speakers.  However, the commission may not discuss or take legal action on matters raised during "call to audience."  In order to speak during "call to audience" please specify what you wish to discuss when completing the blue speaker card.

There were no speaker requests.

COUNCIL LIAISON COMMENTS

Council Member Hornat had no updates to present this evening.

SPECIAL SESSION

1.

REVIEW AND/OR APPROVAL OF THE OCTOBER 7, 2014 REGULAR SESSION AND OCTOBER 21, 2014 SPECIAL SESSION MEETING MINUTES


October 7, 2014 Planning and Zoning Commission Draft Minutes

October 21, 2014 Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting

MOTION: A motion was made by Commissioner Leedy and seconded by Commissioner Rodman to approve the October 7, 2014 Regular Session and October 21, 2014 Special Session meeting minutes.

MOTION carried, 6-0. with Tom Drazazgowski, Commissioner abstained.
 
2.

PUBLIC HEARING:  LA CHOLLA BOULEVARD AND NARANJA DRIVE SOUTHWEST AND LA CHOLLA BOULEVARD AND NARANJA DRIVE NORTHWEST


A.

MAJOR GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT FROM RURAL LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL (0-0.3 HOMES/ACRE), LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL (0.4 TO 1.2 HOMES/ACRE), MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL (2.1-5.0 HOMES/ACRE), NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL/OFFICE, PUBLIC/SEMI PUBLIC, OPEN SPACE AND SIGNIFICANT RESOURCE AREA TO MASTER PLANNED COMMUNITY COMPRISED OF LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL, MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL, HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL, NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL OFFICE, SENIOR CARE USES, AND OPEN SPACE FOR 202 ACRES LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF LA CHOLLA BOULEVARD, BETWEEN NARANJA DRIVE AND LAMBERT LANE.  THE APPLICANT ALSO PROPOSES TO DELETE THE SIGNIFICANT RESOURCE AREA DESIGNATION AND ADOPT SPECIAL AREA POLICIES RELATED TO THE MASTER PLANNED COMMUNITY, OV1114-002


B.

MAJOR GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT FROM MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL (2.1-5.0 HOMES/ACRE) AND SIGNIFICANT RESOURCE AREA TO MASTER PLANNED COMMUNITY COMPRISED OF NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL OFFICE AND/OR MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL FOR 8 ACRES LOCATED AT THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF LA CHOLLA BOULEVARD AND NARANJA DRIVE. THE APPLICANT ALSO PROPOSES TO DELETE THE SIGNIFICANT RESOURCE AREA DESIGNATION AND ADOPT SPECIAL AREA POLICIES RELATED TO THE MASTER PLANNED COMMUNITY, OV1114-003


Staff Report

Attachment 1

Attachment 2

Attachment 3

Attachment 4a

Attachment 4b

Attachment 5

Attachment 6

Attachment 7

Attachment 8

Attachment 9

Attachment 10

Chad Daines, Principal Planner, presented the following:

- Request
- Current & Proposed General Plan
- Concept Plan
- Special Area Policies
- Significant Resource Area
- Environmentally Sensitive Lands
- Amendment Evaluation
- General Plan Vision
- Notable Genera Plan Policies
- General Plan Evaluation Criteria
- Conditions in community have changed?
- Socio-economic betterment/community and environ compatibility
- Reflects market demand
- Will not impact community without mitigation?
- Neighborhood Meetings
- Changes in request since October 7th
- Amendment Evaluation
- Summary/Conclusion
- Recommendation

Paul Oland, WLB Group, representing the applicant, introduced the following:
Greg Wexler representing the Kai Family
Mike Naifeh of Valbridge Property Advisors
Dean Munkachy of Suite 6 Architecture and Planning

Greg Wexler, represent the Kai Family, presented a brief history of the property.

Paul Oland, WLB Group, representing the applicant, presented the following

- Conditions have changed since General Plan was last adopted
- The proposed change
- Market Demand
- The subsequent rezoning process
- Land Use
- Low Density Residential
- Medium Density Residential
- Neighborhood Commercial/Office on Naranja
- NC/O Expansion on Lambert
- Open Space Recreation Area
- Open Space
- General Plan Policy Conformance
- Viewshed Analysis from west
- Viewshed Analysis from south
- Special Area Policies

Mike Naifeh, Valbridge Property Advisors, representing the applicant, presented the following:

- Market Study
- Income
- Single Family Demand Analysis
- 2013-2023 Household Growth Projection
- Conclusions
- Multifamily Residual Demand
- Senior Housing
- New Worth by Household Age
- Retail Surplus/Leakage Analysis Summary
- Conclusions

Dean Munkachy, Suite 6 Architecture and Planning, presenting the applicant, presented the following:

- Location Map
- Scale of overall development
- Project Goals
- Boundaries
- Washes
- Connections
- Roadways
- Uses
- Linkages - non-automotive
- Open space
- Pathways
- Concept Study north east corner Commercial Land patterns
- Concept Study south east corner Commercial Land patterns
- Paseo character
- Entry character
- Intersection character
- Attached residential character
- Commercial character

Chairman Cox opened the public hearing.

Roslyn Nemke, Oro Valley resident, asked the Commission to deny the amendments and to leave the General Plan as is.  Ms. Nemke voiced her concern with commercial in the area along with safety issues for students. Assisted living and senior care facilities might be needed in Oro Valley, but these uses would exacerbate traffic problems.  Townhomes and commercial in the middle of a single family residential area does not seem like sound planning.  After speaking to a number of residents, the consensus was that no one is willing to walk to shopping and traveling by car will be more difficult. 

Richard Tracy, Oro Valley resident, voiced his concerns with traffic, population and safety.  Mr. Tracy still remains undecided until he becomes better informed.

Donald Bristow, Oro Valley resident, commented that the Town's economic strategies specify that the Town shall continue to attract new high end retail and service businesses, especially those in underrepresented categories in order to help reduce expenditure leakage. The Commission needs to take a closer look at the zoning requirements and the way this land is addressed in the General Plan.

Bill Ball, Oro Valley resident, echoes what Roslyn Nemke has to say about the proposed commercial.  The applicant's documents on pages 59-60 refers to strip commercial. Mr. Ball indicated that he is not against commercial, but he is against veering from the Town's plan as approved by the voters.

Tom Danker, Oro Valley resident, expressed his concern with the egress and ingress from La Cholla into Canada Hills at Catalina Drive. He was concerned with being blocked from making a southbound turn onto La Cholla. Mr. Danker would like to be a part of a task force that looks at the egress and ingress from La Cholla.   Another concern of Mr. Danker is whether La Cholla can handle all the projected traffic. 

Betty Danker, Oro Valley resident, voiced her concern with making a left hand turn onto La Cholla from her street.  Ms. Danker is asking the Town to look at a possibility of an access road.

Gary Meyers, Oro Valley resident, commented that the request does not address the concerns of the neighbors. He was concerned with the level of density proposed.  The Town seems more responsive to the developer than with its current residents. 

Larry Hudson, Oro Valley resident, questioned how La Cholla would be realigned and whether it would require an elevated roadway over the wash. Mr. Hudson expressed his concern with the medium density housing and how close homes will be built to the wash area. He asked the Commission to vote no.

Joe Snapp, Oro Valley resident, commented that he feels like the silent majority of the Town that don't get involved.  What is being proposed makes sense and revenue is needed to drive the growth of a town and improve the roads. People need to drill down to the specifics and this is what the people need to focus on.  Mr. Snapp commented that he is favor of the proposed amendments.

Darin Hoffmann, Oro Valley resident and representing the Casas Church Leadership, commented that he is favor of the proposed amendments to the General Plan.  It creates options that will allow Casas Church utilize their property in the future.  This proposal has produced a good compromise that creates opportunity for taxable revenue and space for new people to join our beautiful city. 

Bruce McDaniel, Oro Valley resident, expressed his concerns with the traffic studies and drainage.

Karen Stratman, Oro Valley resident, stated there are still a number of problems with this proposal that have not been addressed.  In the past, there have been a lot of promises made by developers to create the perfect vision, only to fall through on those promises.  Ms. Stratman sees no need for senior care on this property and there is no market demand for it.  There is no community acceptance of the amendments.  Increased commercial at Naranja and La Cholla needs more study. 

Jeff Grobstein, Oro Valley resident, stated that the owners have owned the property for a long time.  He is excited about a more diverse master plan that will bring a great vision to a great property within a great community.  The planning that is proposed will raise everyone's property values.  The positive economic impact coupled with the smart planning and growth and layered with the rigid constraints of the policies fully supports a change to the General Plan.

Bill Adler, Oro Valley resident, stated that he is not opposed to the development, but he expects good development and he expects developments to comply with the rules.  Mr. Adler expressed his concern with the failure of the neighborhood meeting process and with the failure to achieve community acceptance.

Dave Perry, Oro Valley resident, stated that the Greater Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce's is in support of the proposal.  The character around La Cholla is going to change because the RTA will build a four lane divided desert parkway.  It makes sense to concentrate impacts along La Cholla with some higher density housing, office and commercial uses clustered at major intersections and near the roadway.  There is greater community concern at play, Oro Valley needs wise growth which includes neighborhood, commercial, retail and office uses along busy roadways.  These general plan amendments represent a reasonable and intelligent, considerate, forward thinking way to develop Oro Valley's dwindling supply of land. 

Ron Bliss, Oro Valley resident, stated his opposition to the proposal because it doesn't meet the legal standards required of a major amendment to the General Plan.  In order for this amendment to be adopted, it has to meet the four criteria.  The only things we have heard today is that the demand is not here but it’s coming, and a bigger roadway is planned which justifies a bigger population. 

Trace Paulette, Oro Valley resident,  stated that the requested plan is very reasonable and should be approved.  Development like this is important to Oro Valley's future economic welfare. 

Chairman Cox closed the public hearing.

MOTION: A motion was made by Vice-Chairman Buette and seconded by Commissioner Leedy to Recomend Approval of the Major General Plan Amendments requested under case OV1114-002, specifically the land use map as shown on Attachment 6, deletion of the Significant Resource Area and adoption of the Special Area Policies shown on Attachment 3, conditioned upon the expansion of the Casas Church continuing as an allowed use, based on the findings contained in the staff report.

MOTION carried, 6-1 with Commissioner Pitts opposed.
 
MOTION: A motion was made by Commissioner Leedy and seconded by Commissioner Drazazgowski to Recomend Approval of the Major General Plan Amendments requested under case OV1114-003, specifically the land use map as shown on Attachment 6, deletion of the Significant Resource Area and adoption of the Special Area Policies shown on Attachment 3, based on the findings contained in the staff report.

MOTION carried, 6-1 with Commissioner Pitts opposed.
 
PLANNING UPDATE (INFORMATIONAL ONLY)

Bayer Vella, Interim Planning Division Manager, indicated that the Planning Update will be postponed until next week.

FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

Commissioner Pitts requested the following be added to a future agenda: 

- Explore neighborhood meeting procedures
- Advertising in the Explorer vs. Daily Territorial
- New homes built in Oro Valley require roof top solar
- New construction tax (this item was withdrawn)


Commissioner Drazazgowski requested the following be added to a future agenda:

 - Presentation on low density vs. high density in regard to transportation infrastructure

ADJOURNMENT

MOTION: A motion was made by Commissioner Rodman and seconded by Commissioner Drazazgowski to adjourn the Special Planning and Zoning Commission meeting at 9:16 PM.

MOTION carried, 7-0.