Oro Valley staff launches OV Trails Connect outreach; community survey to go live Feb. 24

Town planner Miss Chavez presented the OV Trails Connect trails and multi‑use path master plan to the Oro Valley Town Council on Feb. 19, outlining a four‑phase process that includes inventory and branding, community outreach, draft goals and actions, and final community review.

Chavez said staff and consultant Kimley‑Horn have mapped existing legal trail access and used crowd‑sourced Strava data as a preliminary indicator of where residents use trails. She and staff emphasized the limitations of Strava data — not all users publish trips — and said the Phase 2 outreach will collect primary data through an online survey and on‑site "trail side" chats.

Key outreach steps announced include an interactive project website (ovtrailsconnects.com), a community survey launching Feb. 24, an invitation to join a trail stakeholder group, and a series of in‑field events starting March 1 at Big Wash Trail (the presentation named additional planned stops at Rancho Feliz trailhead and other locations). Chavez said the project will coordinate with regional partners and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board at 30/60/90 percent plan checkpoints.

Council members praised the presentation and asked about goals, accessibility and mapping. Vice Mayor Barrett said he hopes the plan ultimately helps visitors and residents find trails via mapping platforms; Chavez said the plan will identify connectivity gaps and consider ADA and signage needs, adding survey questions about accessibility.

Chavez described early Strava findings showing hot spots for pedestrians and cyclists, with The Loop, Big Wash Trail and sections near Rancho Vistoso among frequently recorded routes. She said staff will not rely solely on that data and will validate use patterns through public outreach.

Chavez invited residents to sign up at ovtrailsconnects.com to join the stakeholder group and to participate in the survey and outreach events.