Oro Valley A quarterly publication for the residents of Oro Valley
IN THIS ISSUE:
Mayor’s Message Snow day in Oro Valley! Aquatic Center Grand Opening OV Cash Mob Shop OV: Planet Fitness
Volume VII, Issue 8, Spring 2013
TSO Just for Kids Second Thursday Concert Series Constituents’ Corner 2012 Volunteers of the Year Arbor Day in OV 2013 Strategic Plan
Popular Annual Financial Report It’s budget time in OV Development is on the rise Regional partnerships: One year later Settlers Day at Steam Pump Ranch Water Ways
The Aquatic Center is open! See page 3.
Oro Valley VISTA Magazine
VISTA
Spring 2013
Oro Valley
FO
UNDED 1974
Oro Valley Mayor & Council Dr. Satish I. Hiremath, Mayor Lou Waters, Vice Mayor Brendan Burns, Councilmember Bill Garner, Councilmember Joe Hornat, Councilmember Mary Snider, Councilmember Mike Zinkin,Councilmember For Mayor and Councilmembers, call: (520) 229-4700.
Mayor’s Corner: Spring 2013 is an exciting time in OV! Welcome to the spring edition of VISTA Quarterly. We’re just now coming out of the winter months and spring has already delivered some pretty amazing milestones. We started things off with a splash on March 15 when we opened the new Oro Valley Aquatic Center at James D. Kriegh Park. WOW, what a celebration! More than 750 guests were in attendance for the ribbon-cutting and Community Pool Party. This facility will become a center of community activity for our residents as well as an economic driver for the Town. See page 3 for event photos.
Town Manager
Greg Caton (520) 229-4725 gcaton@orovalleyaz.gov
Design & Production
Town of Oro Valley Communications Division Misti Nowak, Communications Administrator (520) 229-4712 | mnowak@orovalleyaz.gov Lisa Gallardo, New Media Developer (520) 229-4721 | lgallardo@orovalleyaz.gov Copyright 2013 by the Town of Oro Valley. All rights reserved.
We’ve already begun the budget process for Fiscal Year 2013-14, and we recently published our first-ever Popular Annual Financial Report, with the goal of making the Town’s financial position easier to access and understand. You can read more about that on page 7. On April 1, be on the lookout for the launch of the Town’s new website. Staff has been
working hard to create a user-friendly site with improved services and interactive features so that you can find what you need more quickly. The new site will become a hub of information for the community, greatly improving communication. Our first-ever Settler’s Day at Steam Pump Ranch is just around the corner, on April 13. We’ve got a full slate of family-friendly activities, entertainment and educational opportunities. History is coming to life at Steam Pump Ranch, and we want you to be part of it! Details are on page 9. And in case you hadn’t already heard, Bloomberg Businessweek named Oro Valley the Best Place in Arizona to Raise Kids 2013! Among our many assets, Bloomberg noted that the Town’s exceptional public safety and schools were key factors in their decision. As I’ve said before, life’s good in OV, and this is a very exciting time for our community! Respectfully, Dr. Satish I. Hiremath, Mayor
2/20/13: Snow day in Oro Valley!
Photos courtesy of Stan Weintrobe.
Article ideas are welcome. Please direct all inquiries to Misti Nowak, communications administrator. The Oro Valley Vista is a quarterly publication published by the Town of Oro Valley.
On the cover: Opening Day at the Oro Valley Aquatic Center, March 15, 2013. Town of Oro Valley 11000 N. La Cañada Drive Oro Valley, AZ 85737 (520) 229–4700 www.orovalleyaz.gov page 2
Are you on the list? Stay up-to-date on the latest news. It’s free and easy to sign up, and you get to select what kinds of notices you’ll receive, including press releases, the quarterly Vista newsletter, Town Council meetings and much more. Just visit us at www.orovalleyaz.gov, click the blue “Online Services” tab and select “Email notification.”
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Oro Valley VISTA Magazine
Spring 2013
The Oro Valley Aquatic Center opened with great success on Friday, March 15, 2013, as more than 750 people participated in the free Community Pool Party. The new facility includes a splash pad, water slide, 25-yard recreation pool, 50-meter competition pool, family changing rooms, community classroom and concessions. GRAND OPENING & RIBBON-CUTTING Photos from top:
SPRING 2013 HOURS & FEES
Ribbon-cutting with Council & special guests; Attendees enjoy the pool & slide; Olympian Lacey (Nymeyer) John poses with local swimmers; Testing out the new slide; Fun on the splash pad. Photo at left: Attendees at the ribbon-cutting.
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Oro Valley VISTA Magazine
What is a Cash Mob? Watching the news you may have heard about flash mobs; where groups of people assemble in a public arena and perform staged choreography or sing a musical number. A cash mob is a spin-off of a flash mob except it has a direct benefit to the community and is a fun way to support your local businesses.
What are the rules? Participation is simple: Sign-up. Show-up. Have Fun! OV Cash Mob utilizes social media (in this case Twitter), email newsletters, and text messages to inform participants of the meeting place, date and time. Businesses are selected at random and participants do not know what business they will be mobbing until everyone shows up at the meeting place the day of the event. Businesses with a mercantile/retail base that have products under $15 or less for sale will be randomly selected. Our goal is to have participants get to discover a business or a product provided not only by the actual business that is mobbed but adjacent businesses as well. The minimum purchase requirement is $15, although you can spend more if you like. After shopping, the mob will congregate at a nearby eatery to chat about the event, to meet new friends and neighbors and to discuss your new purchases.
How do I sign up? Check out our OV Cash Mob webpage at http://tinyurl.com/OroValleyCashMob. From there you can view our YouTube clip and get instructions/links for twitter, text, or email newsletter subscriptions. If you have any questions, contact William Vicens, Economic Development Specialist at 520-229-4758 or wvicens@orovalleyaz.gov.
Southern Arizona Urgent Care ribbon-cutting, 12/15/12.
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Spring 2013
Shop OV: Planet Fitness 10525 N. Oracle Road Phone: (520) 544-4200 www.planetfitness.com Open 24 hours
Planet Fitness is Oro Valley’s newest 24-hour fitness center, providing a “Judgment Free Zone” for all of its members. This unique fitness center focuses on fostering a place where anyone and everyone, regardless of fitness level, can feel comfortable. With their affordable $10 a month membership fee, you can enjoy a safe and energetic environment perfect for any workout. To show their support for the community, Planet Fitness presented the Town of Oro Valley with a $1,000 check for the Oro Valley Aquatic Center. On doing business in Oro Valley, Operations Director Scott Nelson stated, “We could not be happier about being in Oro Valley. We are very fortunate to have a terrific facility in the Rooney Ranch Shopping Plaza, and we are grateful for the wonderful response we have had thus far. We are excited about developing roots in the community and reciprocating all the support we have experienced from this township and its residents.” Included in this stylish new facility are elliptical machines, treadmills and a variety of strength-training machines. You can also use free weights, enjoy the circuit workout or hop on a stationary bike. After your workout, sit and relax in one of their soothing massage chairs or lie down and benefit from their hydro-massage bed, loosening up every muscle in your back. Planet Fitness also offers a tanning bed and free one-on-one, 30-minute personal training sessions. Planet Fitness is a first-rate, hassle-free facility with brandname cardio and strength equipment perfect for everyone. If you want an inviting, friendly place to exercise, and love a great deal, then you will love Planet Fitness!
Planet Fitness grand opening celebration, 2/1/13.
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Oro Valley VISTA Magazine
Spring 2013
CONSTITUENTS’ CORNER QUESTION: What is being built on the west side of Oracle Road, north of BASIS Oro Valley? Saturday, April 6, 2013 Piano Trio "Mack and Millie" In the mountains of Tibet, where things are rather chilly, live a Yak named Mack, and a Dri named Millie. (In case you're not up on yak etymology, Mack's a he and Millie's a she.) Join the intrepid pair as they encounter the dreadful Yeti. Will he turn them into Yak spaghetti? Find out in a Musical Adventure by TSO violinist Michael Fan. TSO Just for Kids Concert Series will continue in the Oro Valley Council Chambers at 10 a.m on the first Saturday of the month until June 2013.
More than 100 people gathered for “Princesses, superheroes & pirates…oh, my!”
ANSWER: The project under construction is the Encantada Apartments at Steam Pump Village. The developer plans to build a gated, 288-unit apartment complex comprised of 12 apartment buildings, leasing office/clubhouse, maintenance building, pool and a coffee house that is accessible to the public. The development will follow all Town and zoning codes, including the Town’s Dark Skies ordinance which limits lighting on the site and requires down shielding of all lighting fixtures.
Above: Conceptual drawing of Encantada Apartments. Below: View of property grading from Oracle Road.
FREE CONCERT SERIES! Second Thursday Concert Series at the Oro Valley Marketplace
(in front of Century Theatres) 6 - 7:30 p.m. on the 2nd Thurs. of each month April 11 May 9 June 13
ForTheLuvvaMusic (Mark Willis) Full Sail (Blues/Jazz/Funk) Greg Spivey Band (Country)
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Do you have questions about Town programs or projects? Please contact Chris Cornelison at 229-4711 or ccornelison@orovalleyaz.gov. page 5
Oro Valley VISTA Magazine
Spring 2013
Lois Nagy’s first volunteer appointment for Oro Valley was as a member of the Citizen’s Advisory Committee for Planning and Zoning in 1976. She is currently the President of the Oro Valley Historical Society and is one of the original appointed members of the Town’s Historical Preservation Commission. In his nomination letter, former Mayor Paul Loomis stated: “Lois has impressed me with her dedication, desire and love of our community and her willingness to step forward and do whatever is necessary to assure the Town’s success.”
George Royer has been volunteering with the Oro Valley Police Department’s Citizen Volunteer Assistance Program since 2003 and has accrued more than 4,800 hours of service. Among his many duties, George currently serves as the Director of Patrol, and is a cornerstone of the Dark House Program. The majority of CVAP volunteers currently on patrol had George as their field training officer. In her nomination letter, Sgt. Amy Graham stated: “George works hard to make this program a success by being a role model for all of us.” Nagy (top) and Royer (bottom) with Mayor Hiremath, Vice Mayor Waters, and Councilmembers Snider, Hornat and Zinkin.
ARBOR DAY IN OV Sat., April 27, 2013 9 a.m. – noon Steam Pump Ranch 10901 N. Oracle Road
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Join us for a tree planting demonstration, information on site selection, tips on tree care and more. This event is made possible by a grant from the Arizona State Forestry Division’s Community Challenge program. The grant is also helping to fund a tree inventory of Oro Valley, and develop a tree management program in cooperation with the University of Arizona.
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Oro Valley VISTA Magazine
Spring 2013
What is a Strategic Plan?
What’s a PAFR?
The Strategic Plan is grounded in the “vision” expressed in the Council-adopted and voterratified Oro Valley General Plan. While the Strategic Plan guides short-term decision-making, the General Plan provides a long-term (up to 20 years) direction regarding the growth, development and redevelopment of the community
Each year, the Town of Oro Valley produces a Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR), which outlines our financial position and operating activities and includes audited financial statements, presented in conformity with generally-accepted accounting. However, due to its length and scope, the CAFR can be overwhelming and not very user-friendly.
The Strategic Plan guides Town decision-making and resource management in pursuit of organizational goals. It is “strategic” in the sense that it provides guidance over a 2 to 5 year timeframe. The strategic plan will be reviewed and updated periodically by the Town Council and management to ensure that the goals, strategies and actions outlined in the plan remain relevant. The 2013 Strategic Plan is available on the Town’s website or by clicking here.
NEW FEATURE!
In an effort to make this valuable information more accessible to the general public, the Town of Oro Valley created its first-ever Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR) which provides a scaled-down summary of the Town’s financial position. This new report includes a summary of accomplishments, net assets, activities, revenues, expenditures, debt and financial ratings and employee salaries and benefits. We hope you find this new report helpful in your understanding of your Town’s budget. The PAFR is available on the Town’s website or by clicking here.
In case you missed it…
On the third Wednesday of each month, the Town of Oro Valley publishes an article in the “Town Talk” section of the Explorer Newspaper, sharing information and success stories with the community. With all the great things happening in OV, we didn’t want you to miss out on these stories, so they’ve been re-printed here for your convenience.
It’s budget time in OV By Greg Caton, Town Manager
Originally published in the Explorer Newspaper, January 6, 2013 In the Town of Oro Valley, January marks the kick off of budget preparation process for the FY 2013/14 fiscal year that begins July 1, 2013. Launching the budget process this far in advance affords us the time to secure the involvement of all community members, providing opportunities to gather input from their unique perspectives. Before I explain our process, I would like to point out the importance of the Town’s budget. It’s not just a guideline for spending. Our budget actually serves four critical functions: • As a policy document, the budget indicates what services the Town will provide during the next year and spells out the level of services and reasons for their provision. • As an operations guide, the budget
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indicates how departments and funds are organized to provide services to the community. • As a financial plan, it summarizes the cost to the taxpayers for current and approved service levels and how they will be funded. • As a communications device, the budget is designed to be user-friendly with summary information in text, charts, tables and graphs, and includes definitions of financial budget terms for additional clarity. As a first step in the budget development process, the Town Manager’s budget development team is established, comprising key staff members from the Finance Department and Town Manager’s Office. During the month of January, the budget team meets one-on-one with each member of Council to hear their budget priorities for the coming year. These priorities are based on feedback from their constituents. Also in January, the Town conducts an employee and community budget forum to
help educate the public on the budget process and seek input from employees and residents. This year’s community forum will be held Thursday, January 17 at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers. In the coming weeks, the budget team will also meet with Town of Oro Valley department directors to better understand the needs and priorities of staff. While Town staff is responsible for developing and presenting a proposed budget to Town Council on April 3, 2013, final adoption of the budget is ultimately Council’s authority. As such, careful consideration is given to the development of this document, ensuring that it is guided by the Town’s Strategic Plan and voter-approved General Plan. Prior to Town Council adoption of the tentative and final budgets, public hearings will be held at the May 1 and May 15 Council Meetings so that residents have additional opportunities to share feedback.
Continued on page 8 page 7
Oro Valley VISTA Magazine
It’s budget time in OV Continued from page 7 Oro Valley’s approach to budget development has been very successful. For the last four consecutive years, we have received the Distinguished Budget Award from the Government Finance Officers Association. This award reflects the commitment of the Town to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting. Our success is a reflection not only of the tremendous efforts of Town Council and staff, but also of the thoughtful input we receive from community members. So I invite you to be part of the process this year by attending the January 17 public meeting or one of the public hearings listed above. Any resident who is unable to attend a meeting but would like to share input is encouraged to contact our Constituent Services Coordinator at 229-4711 or ccornelison@orovalleyaz.gov.
Development is on the rise By Paul Keesler, DIS Director
Originally published in the Explorer Newspaper, February 20, 2013 For several years, as our nation struggled through a downturned economy, the Town of Oro Valley also experienced a sharp decrease in development activity. Although we are still on the mend, a quick look back to fiscal year 2011-12 shows that development is on the rise, and there are some very exciting projects in the pipeline. While our slow climb out of the Great Recession has certainly contributed to the uptick in OV’s development activity, there are some other factors at work. The business and development atmosphere in Oro Valley is different. Without compromising our standards for excellence, the development atmosphere has become more business-savvy and efficient. Town staff, many of whom have been recruited from the private industry, understand the potential challenges to successful development projects, and they know how to mitigate or solve problems that may arise. Town staff also realizes the ongoing importance of protecting our community through the vigorous application of code and statute. The newly Council-approved Economic Expansion Zone (EEZ) is a code which maintains Oro Valley’s standards and aesthetics while simplifying the process and allowing developers to work through an administrative review process for project approvals which align with established code. The new Conceptual Design Review Board (CDRB) has eliminated detailed engineering
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Spring 2013
detail on plans to be approved through the Town’s public processes. This streamlines both the amount of work and cost needed to get a project approved, but it also speeds the entire process up. Even the Zoning Code has been rewritten to provide design guidelines that take the mystery out of what the Town expects. With these innovative changes, development activity is finally on the rise. In fiscal year 2011-12, 56 single family residential (SFR) permits were issued. Since the beginning of this fiscal year, FY 2012-13, 148 SFR permits have been issued. We are projecting to issue more than 200 SFR permits through the close of this fiscal year, which ends June 30—over a 250% increase over the previous fiscal year. The total volume of permits is up dramatically as well, including commercial buildings, tenant improvements, home improvements and general miscellaneous construction. The Town estimates that it will issue more than 1,500 permits this fiscal year—a 34% increase over last fiscal year. So what’s in the pipeline? Projects currently under plan review, permit and/or under construction include: • LA Fitness (Oracle/Hardy) • Encantada Apartments at Steam Pump Village • Great American Theater (former Ikes location) • San Dorado Apartments, including a CVS Pharmacy and Paradise Bakery • Securaplane expansion at Innovation Park In addition we are anticipating new and exciting projects to start soon such as: • SFR subdivisions (Rancho Vistoso Neighborhood, 10 along Pebble Creek Drive as well as Rancho Vistoso Boulevard) • Rancho del Cobre SFR subdivision (SE corner of La Cholla Boulevard and Tangerine Road) • Rancho De Plata SFR subdivision (La Cholla) With the policy and code changes by Council, in combination with staff’s efficient and business friendly approach, Oro Valley is positioning itself to benefit from the economic recovery.
Regional partnerships: One year later By Mayor Satish I. Hiremath
Originally published in the Explorer Newspaper on March 20, 2013 “Regional collaboration is what happens when you think outside the box…By creating and taking advantage of opportunities for partnership, we have learned to extend our resources while redefining success and financial stability.” Those familiar words came from my 2012 State of the Town Address, in which I focused on the concept of “success through collaboration.” It’s been exactly a year since the Town of Oro Valley forged two very strategic partnerships, and I wanted to recognize those successes.
In an effort to meet the transportation needs of our residents, while maintaining efficient and cost-effective services, the Town of Oro Valley entered into a partnership with the Regional Transportation Authority to launch the Sun Shuttle Dial-A-Ride transit service. This new, Town-operated service integrates the former Coyote Run senior transit, Handicar paratransit and the RTA Sun Shuttle circulator services into a single, expanded service that provides mobility to more residents in our community. If you’re wondering whether this partnership has been successful, let’s take a look at the numbers: annual ridership of 32,061 reflects an increase of 17,688 passenger trips per year, or 123 percent over the same time last year. And according to a recent passenger survey, overall customer satisfaction is high, and ridership continues to grow. In addition to expanding transit service for our residents, this partnership is producing an annual savings of $154,000 for the Town and $125,000 for the RTA. We are extremely pleased with the results of this partnership after just one year, and we will continue working with our friends at the RTA to identify additional areas of improvement and shared resources. Also one year ago, the Town of Oro Valley partnered with the City of Tucson to begin delivery of Central Arizona Project (CAP) water. As a result, the Town has been able to deliver wet water from the Colorado River for the first time ever, which is important because our future depends not only on the resources we acquire, but also on our ability to put those water resources to use by working cooperatively with neighboring jurisdictions. The Oro Valley Water Utility promised us that this partnership would result in the delivery of approximately 1,500 acre feet of CAP water into our potable water system each year, significantly reducing our reliance on groundwater and preserving our aquifer. They have delivered on that promise. To date, more than 100 million gallons of CAP water have been delivered to our water customers, reducing groundwater use by 15% in 2012. Combined with our reclaimed water delivery, which was also the result of regional cooperation with the City of Tucson, 37% of our water supply now comes from renewable water sources. I’m proud that we can look back at these partnerships and, after only one year, see tangible results that are improving the quality of life in our community. As we move forward, Oro Valley remains committed to engaging in partnerships and collaborations that will result in the success of the entire region.
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Oro Valley VISTA Magazine
Spring 2013
Go GREEN with paperless billing
Pool water savings
Did you know that the Oro Valley Water Utility offers paperless bills or e-bills? Using today’s technology to conduct business is environmentally friendly, efficient and reduces costs associated with postage, pre-printed forms and envelopes. Once enrolled in the program, you will receive a monthly email notification alerting you that your e-bill is available for viewing. The e-bill will tell you the bill amount and due date of your water bill. This e-bill will also have a link to the Water-on-the-Web site where you can view your current water bill and pay it online if you choose.
Now is a great time to be thinking about the beautiful outdoors. The weather is warming up and pretty soon the heat of summer will be upon us. As the temperature goes up so does the evaporation rate from fountains and pools. In general, pool owners empty and fill their pool once a year as a result of the evaporation process. Below are some tips to save water and money while maintaining your pool. For this information and more, visit the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association webpage.
Say YES to paperless! Register online for e-bills at: www.orovalleyaz.gov. Under Town Government scroll down and select Water Utility, then click on e-bill registration and follow the instructions. Please allow approximately one month to begin receiving your e-bill. When you become an e-bill customer, you will no longer receive a paper bill. Should you want a copy for your records, you may print it from the web site. You may continue to pay your water bill as you currently do, or you may opt to pay online or through an automated payment program. If you have questions regarding e-bills, please contact the Customer Service Department, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at (520) 229-5000.
Did You Know? As an Oro Valley Water Utility customer, you can receive emails that provide you up-to-date information about billing, water saving ideas, and more! Just click on Sign up for our Email Subscription.
Help get your office into the habit of saving water Homeowners and businesses alike are looking for ways to cut costs. If you have taken the time to make sure that your home is leak free and as water efficient as possible, why not look to your office to find ways to save? Creating a conservation culture shouldn’t be a secret. Make sure staff is aware that saving water is a priority. In commonly-used areas such as break rooms, post ways that employees can save water. Also, create a group of people to monitor leaks in and around the building so that maintenance staff can be alerted to problems quickly. These are just some of the ways that you can make a difference in your workplace. page 10
• Plant a windscreen of trees and shrubs to reduce evaporation. • Shade your pool to reduce evaporation. Plant trees or build structures to keep hot afternoon sun off the surface. • Use a liquid pool cover or a pool blanket during seasons when you use the pool less often. Water evaporates on warm Jan. and Feb. afternoons in sunny Arizona. • Keep chemicals in balance to help minimize the need to backwash. • Use cartridge filters or hose down filters near landscaping instead of using automatic backwash. Every backwash cycle uses 250-1000 gallons of water. • Check that your auto fill is operating correctly. Overfilling and leaks can be costly. Try this: • Set a bucket on the top step. • Fill bucket to same level as water outside the bucket. • Place bucket on deck for three to four days without disturbing or covering it. • Put bucket back on step. • If pool water level is lower than the water level in the bucket, there may be a problem with auto-fill or a pool leak.
What else can I do to keep the pool efficient? Run circulating pumps at night when power demand is lowest. This will reduce power costs for those on time of day rate plans. Also, use a pool blanket to extend the pool season without using a heater.