Sun City board says Mountain View programming nearly complete; members press for schedule and costs

Vice President Chris Netassign said the RCSC board expects the programming phase for the Mountain View renovation to finish this summer and that Triarc will present programming results before the board moves to design.

The update matters to homeowners around Mountain View because programming determines what amenities are studied and prioritizes member input that will shape design and cost estimates. Vice President Chris Netassign said the board is deliberately avoiding detailed public preferences during programming so members — not directors — can influence the final scope.

At the Exchange meeting, Netassign described completed and in-progress items in Triarc’s work: stakeholder interviews with clubs and RCSC stakeholders, programming deliverables, and “bubble” or concept drawings that show where amenities could fit. “This will be after the members have had an opportunity to weigh in. The board’s not making decisions before that,” Netassign said.

Members pressed for a firm construction schedule and a clear contract timeline. “I sure hope this board can make a decision, sign a contract and get this going,” said member Matt Gruenauer, who called the project’s repeated delays and changing proposals frustrating. Director Austin Collins said delays in earlier work were driven in part by the pandemic and resulting cost escalation and that maintenance “band-aids” had been necessary while design work was re-scoped.

Netassign said programming should conclude with Triarc’s stakeholder presentation; the next step would be a design contract and the detailed architectural phase. She said the programming timeline anticipates Triarc’s work wrapping this summer and that design would follow, but a definitive construction start date depends on decisions made after programming and on design-phase scheduling. “That’s the point where the rubber hits the road,” Netassign said.

The board asked members to send neighborhood or individual input to boardofdirectors@suncityaz.org and not directly to Triarc, to preserve consistent communication channels. Netassign said Triarc will present programming results to the membership and the board will host town halls or livestreams to gather wider input.

Clarifying details from the meeting: Triarc’s programming includes club and nonclub stakeholder interviews and base concept drawings; the board anticipates programming deliverables and the Triarc presentation to occur before the end of the summer months, with design to follow. The board repeatedly emphasized that programming is not the same as design and that a formal design contract and construction timeline will be set only after programming and member input.

Members and directors said cost estimates from the programming and later design phases will be required before any commitment to construction. Board leaders said they will present Triarc’s analysis and concept drawings to the membership before directors make final scope or budget decisions.