Commission reviews 30% draft of Oro Valley's 10-year general plan, "Oro Valley's Path Forward"

Planning staff presented the 30% draft of Oro Valley's 10-year general plan, called "Oro Valley's Path Forward," and asked the Planning and Zoning Commission for comments to help align resident input, working-group recommendations, and elected officials before the next draft.

"The purpose of this item is to gather the planning and zoning commission's comments on the 30% draft of the community's next 10 year plan known as Oro Valley's Path Forward," said Malini Sims, principal planner, who described the outreach and working-group process that produced the draft.

Sims told commissioners that the process began with a statistically projectable resident survey, events and online input that generated more than 9,000 comments. In phase 2, about 116 residents served on working groups that met roughly 25 times to refine guiding principles, goals, policies and actions. The 30% draft bundles that resident guidance into goals, policies and actions; Sims said the document will be expanded with maps, graphics and additional text in later drafts.

Working groups discussed limits on building height to protect views and neighborhood compatibility; town council had recommended adding language to the guiding principles limiting height to no more than three stories in some places. Sims said working groups reached consensus that the plan should address both height and building bulk and should use specific actions to limit taller buildings for particular uses or in defined locations. She noted that in phase 1, 82 percent of survey respondents prioritized protecting views while 14 percent said four- to five-story rental apartments might be acceptable in some contexts; Sims cautioned that the latter figure cannot be read as a direct inverse of the former because of the survey's statistical design.

The resident groups also recommended changing language so the plan emphasizes a "town" sense of community rather than the phrase "small town," to avoid implying a prohibition on growth while retaining the community-value aspects residents described.

The draft also includes three new growth-area designations (Tangerine & Thornydale intersection; extension along Oracle Road to Rudacille and La Jolla & Lambert) and recommended parcel-level adjustments where the land-use map did not match existing zoning (an example given was an apartment project on Vistoso Highlands Drive). Sims said the next formal milestone is a 60% draft expected this fall, followed by broader community outreach and a legally required review period; the final plan will be placed on the ballot for voter approval in November 2026.

Commissioners asked about amendment criteria, how the land-use map differs from zoning, and how actions will be prioritized. Sims said later drafts will include timeframes and departmental responsibilities for actions and that the plan's implementation will be coordinated with Oro Valley's biennial strategic plan to guide prioritization.