Update from the County
The latest notice from Pima County Planning and Zoning indicates
that the hearings on this project have been postponed at the
request of the developer. No new dates have been set yet. See
the latest notice
from the County for more details.
Notes From Last Neighborhood Meeting
Wednesday, October 7th 7:00-9:00 PM
Training Room 2
Golder Ranch Fire Station on Golder Ranch Road.
Given the news that the developers had pulled their request
for now, the turnout was lighter than the previous meeting.
Folks expressed concerns that the developers might either come
back with a new plan that would use lower-priced housing or low
rent apartments. Other people expressed the concern that the
developers might seek new financial backers and simply refile
under a new LLC company name. People mentioned the increased
problems along Twin Lakes such as mail being stolen and
vandalized mailboxes and recent break-ins in many parts of
Catalina.
It is important that folks check back
regularly for updates on this development plan and contact us
should the rezoning notices re-appear on the property on the
west side of Twin Lakes.
Notes From Previous
Neighborhood Meeting Sept. 9, 2009
A surprisingly large number of neighborhood
residents and concerned community members met at the firehouse
to discuss the pending Arber Ridge development. The highlight
was news from the County that the developers had requested a
delay on the Design Review hearing. According to County
Supervisor Ann Day's office:
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"The earliest that Arber Ridge can go to the DRC (Design
Review Committee) would be in November and to the BOS
(Board of Supervisors) in December. Pima County
Development Services will send out new notices when the
hearings are rescheduled."
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Among the many concerns expressed by area
residents were:
- concerns about the additional traffic
congestion on Golder Ranch Rd. and possible expansion of
Twin Lakes to 4 lanes of traffic
- concerns that property tax increases
in these difficult economic times could place some residents
in danger of losing their homes
- concerns that the Arber Ridge
developers operating as an LLC (limited liability company)
like many large businesses these days could lose financial
backing and walk away from loses leaving banks and the
public to pick up the tab
- that the extremely high density on
the south end of the subdivision displays the greed of the
development group and that at double the density of the
Black Horse Ranch development, the tightly packed condos are
out of character for the area
- the impact that new residents with
children would have on the already overcrowded Coronado
school, thereby causing busing of existing school children
to distant schools in the school district
- concerns that in determining water
availability, County officials would fail to recognize the
many other existing and pending developments (City of
Tucson, Oro Valley, Oracle, Saddlebrooke, Saddlebrooke
Ranch, Catalina, Arroyo Grande, Willow Springs, Falcon
Valley) placing demands on the single regional aquifer for
the area
- concerns that dramatically increased
groundwater pumping by wells not only for this subdivision
but for the entities noted above could increase the
possibility of drawing the plume from the
Page-Trowbridge toxic waste
dump into the aquifer under the dump
- the potential for increased crime
that comes from any high density development
- that new residents might be less
tolerant of the largely rural lifestyles of area residents
and force restrictions on livestock and other similar
activities
- concerns that any Pima County Board
of Supervisor restrictions would later be reversed or waived
by individual County departments as they had in the nearby
Black Horse Ranch development
- concerns that additional
infrastructure improvements needed for the higher density
development would impact the area like the recent sewer project on Hawser
- that water retention basins on the
property would increase the existing mosquito problems and
that earth movers would increase Valley Fever problems that
have killed many family pets in the area in recent years
If you want to be kept informed on issues, email us at:
neighbors@savecatalina.com
To address issues that the Design
Committee uses in their recommendations see the following County
document:
Pima County Design Review Committee Mixed Use Guidelines
Concerned individuals can contact the
County officials directly at:
Pima County Planning and Zoning Commission:
Board of Supervisors Contact Information
Supervisor Ann Day, District 1
Pima County Board of Supervisors
130 W. Congress, 11th floor
Tucson, Arizona 85701
(520) 740-2738
(520) 740-8489 fx
email: Ann.Day@pima.gov
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