News

News Briefs BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI

County OKs rezoning request for neighborhood

The Pima County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a rezoning request to develop a residential neighborhood at the northwest corner of La Cholla Boulevard and Overton Road.

The rezoning approval increases the allowable density of home development on the 51-acre site from 15 total residences to a maximum of 139 single-family residences. The increased zoning, from Suburban Ranch to CR-5, is consistent with that of a neighborhood adjacent to the property.

The rezoning approval includes an extensive list of special conditions, to be completed within five years of approval.

These special conditions include: • No additional splitting or subdividing of lots without board of supervisors approval. • Completion of a traffic impact study. • Keeping 14.2 acres of on-site natural open space. • Removal of invasive nonnative plant species on-site.

The rezoning matches with Pima County development standards established in the county’s comprehensive plan, Pima Prospers. Specifically, the rezoning meets the objective to “designate areas for a mix of medium-density single-family and lower-density attached-dwelling units” and “to provide opportunities for a mix of housing types throughout the region.”

The conditions also address existing issues with drainage and sediment accumulation related to flooding events. The changes will have a positive effect to downstream property owners by reducing the extent and frequency of the flooding they experience.

The flood control measures also will help alleviate over-street flooding common along Overton Road. These also tie into flood control work as part of the Regional Transportation Authority’s La Cholla Boulevard improvement project, which addresses drainage issues in the area.

Health department contracts with labs for testing

contracted with Arizona-based Laboratories Paradigm and Prorenata, collectively operating as P2 Diagnostics, to assist that county in ramping up its testing efforts.

Since the labs were approved for COVID-19 testing on March 28, more than 15,000 tests have been purchased and the labs have orders being filled for another 16,000.

The contract with Pima County is expected to add another 2,500 to 5,000 orders per week.

The labs can do q-PCR (quantitative polymerase chain reaction) testing after creating a CDC/FDA-approved test for the coronavirus. Results are available in roughly 24 hours. They also have a supply chain that enables them to obtain materials needed for testing on a massive scale.

Pima County is the first large government entity to engage P2 Diagnostics.

Student apartment complex to undergo renovation

Sahara Apartments’ new ownership, Sahara Apartments LLC, and its management, MEB Management Services, will spend $2.5 million renovating the 173- unit housing complex. The group took over the apartments in late 2019.

Inspired by a 1950s Palm Springs appearance and feel, Sahara Apartments will have new modern amenities and renovations. Interior updates include full-size stainless-steel appliances, woodgrain flooring, complimentary internet service, and spacious balconies in select apartments.

Exterior renovations include a gated courtyard and parking area, elevators, secured laundry rooms with card readers, an outdoor gaming area, a fully equipped gym, a yoga studio, a zen study garden, a remodeled pool area and retro-style exterior paint. A complimentary shuttle bus will be available for daily transportation to the UA campus as well as weekly trips to a local grocery store.

“At Sahara, we want our residents to feel comfortable, happy and have a sense of belonging,” says Ross Hubbard, Sahara Apartments general partner. “We want Sahara to be a place where students and the community can gather together, whether that’s studying, having a barbecue with friends, playing a game of pool or relaxing poolside.”

Life is Grande, a Mexican-inspired restaurant, will also open at the community. The semi-casual restaurant will be located on the ground floor in a fully renovated 2,400-square-foot space serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Tortas, burritos, burgers and healthy breakfast items will be on the menu. Plus, a full bar will serve up favorite Mexican drinks and an extensive tequila list.

Two additional vendors will also come into the other commercial spaces.

The renovations are slated to be completed in August, prior to student movein for the new school year.

Info: saharaapartments.com or check out the social channels

Casino Del Sol delivers lunch to health care workers

During the quarantine, Casino Del Sol’s culinary staff prepared and delivered lunches to local Tucson hospitals. Over six days, it served meals to more than 3,000 health care workers at five hospitals as well as multiple Pascua Yaqui Tribe public service departments.

“Supporting our local community, especially those on the front lines, during this uncertain and difficult time is of the utmost importance to us at Casino Del Sol,” says Kimberly Van Amburg, CEO of Casino Del Sol.

“We must all come together and do everything we can to help those who are making sacrifices for us. They are so busy caring for others, they don’t even have time to stop and grab lunch, so we brought lunch to them.”

Freshly prepared lunches were delivered to St. Mary’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital, Tucson Medical Center, Banner - University Medical Center Tucson, Banner - University Medical Center South, El Rio Community Health Center, and Pascua Yaqui Tribe Facilities Management Department and police and fire departments.

Info: casinodelsol.com

Villegas fills Elias’ term

After an emotional morning honoring the life and public service of Supervisor Richard Elías, who passed away March 28, the Pima County Board of Supervisors at its April 7 meeting appointed Betty Villegas to fill the remainder of his term, which expires in December.

Villegas, a Tucson native and a 23-year Pima County employee who retired in 2018 as the county’s affordable housing director, is not among those who filed to run in the 2020 election for the District 5 supervisor seat. She will assume the duties of the District 5 county supervisor immediately.

Villegas submitted a letter of interest to the board and discussed her long professional relationship with Elías, whom she worked with at the County Housing Center before his appointment in 2002 to the board of supervisors.

“My experience working for Pima County as the housing program manager for more than 17 years means that I am intimately familiar with how the county structure functions,” Villegas says.

“As well, I possess valuable crisis management experience, having served as a leader in affordable housing during the Great Recession and foreclosure crisis. I would seek to support the board’s efforts to help all of the county’s residents and serve as a reminder of the concerns that kept Richard up at night and as an advocate of the solutions he championed.”

The new supervisor worked in the banking industry before joining the county in 1999. She served on numerous community boards and commissions, including United Way of Greater Tucson, Arizona Housing Alliance, Arizona State Housing Commission, Los Descendientes del Presidio de Tucson, and the Tucson Pima Arts Council/Arts Foundation of Southern Arizona.

“Richard’s loss has been a painful shock to all of us,” she says.

“The pain is felt worst and most intimately by his wife, Emily; his daughter, Luz; and by his family. I know it is essential to his wife and daughter that the person selected stands for what Richard stood for—someone who will continue the work he started in his spirit as a poet warrior who was known for always doing the right thing.

“I humbly request your consideration to be selected as the interim District 5 supervisor. While I cannot fill his shoes, I will seek to walk his talk.”

JUNE 2020 | 7