HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/01/1997 Regular Council Meeting MinutesMm~JTES OF R~GULAR COUNCIL /i
~A TOwN COUNCIL
AP~ 1997
PLACE AND DATE
Marana Town Hall, April 1, 1997
I. CALLED TO ORDER
By Mayor Honea at 7:05 P.M.
II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Led by Mayor Honea
III.
Vo
VI.
INVOCATION
A moment of silence was observed
ROLL CALL
COUNCIL
Ed Honea
Sharon Price
Tom Clark
Ora Ham
Herb Kal
Sherry Millner
Bobby Sutton, Jr.
Mayor
Vice Mayor
Councilman, excused
Councilwoman
Councilman
Councilwoman
Councilman
STAFF
Hurvie Davis
Dan Hochuli
Sandra Groseclose
Dave Atler
Jerry Flannery
Roy Cuaron
Jocelyn Entz
Hugh Holub
Jane Johnson
Town Manager
Town Attorney
Town Clerk
Town Engineer
Planning Administrator
Finance Director
Assistant to Town Manager
Water Councel
Human Resource Director
I Member of the Press
15 Members of the Public
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
A motion was made by Bobby Sutton, Jr., seconded by Sherry Millner and carried
unanimously to approve the Agenda as written.
ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES
A motion was made by Ora Harn, seconded by Bobby Sutton, Jr. and carried
unanimously to accept the minutes of the Regular Town CounciI meeting of March 18,
1997.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
CALL TO THE PUBLIC/ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mayor Honea: Advised of a Town of Marana Proclamation stating that due to the
NCAA Championship Basketball game, where the University of Arizona Wildcats were
victorious against the University of Kentucky, whereas the University of Arizona
Wildcats demonstrated their commitment to sportsmanship and athletic excellence, it is
proclaimed that the Marana Town Council is proud to honor the University of Arizona
Wildcat Basketball Team by naming thc first week of April as University of Arizona
Wildcat Basketball Week.
Ora Harn: Commented: YEAH!
Mayor Honea: Expressed his concerns as to the action by the Pima County Board of
Supervisors this week by voting 3 to 2 to provide live-in companions of any Pima
County Employee, Pima County Health Benefits. He feels it shows a complete
carelessness and irresponsibility with the funds of the tax payers of this community. He
feels we should have people calling Sharon Bronson's office or sending letters to them.
He wants to encourage the Town to do the same and wants this issue placed on the next
agenda. He feels this action shows a complete lack of respect for what really needs to be
done in our community.
STAFF REPORTS
GENERAL ORDER OF BUSINESS
Consent
1. Ordinance No. 97.08 and Resolution No. 97-25 - Amending the Town of
Marana Personnel Policy, Article 03.04, Leave of Absence Policy
2. Resolution No. 97-27- Request by Northwest Fire District to the Town
of Marana for Approval of the Adonis and Marana Governmental
Annexations
A motion was made by Bobby Sutton, Jr., seconded by Sharon Price and carried
unanimously to approve the consent agenda as written.
B. PUBLIC HEARING; Ordinance No. 97.03, Case Number PCZ-9685 Rezone
- Consideration of Approval of Ordinance Number 97.03 to Rezone Property
Consisting of Approximately 40 Acres Located on the West Side of Tortolita Road
and Approximately 1/2 Mile North of Moore Road in the Southeast 1/4 of the
Northeast 1/4 of Section 26, Township 11 South, Range 12 East, Assessor's Parcel
Numbers 218-44-23A, 24 and 25, from Town Zone "C" (Large Lot Zone) to "R-6"
(Single Family residential, Minimum Lot Size 6,000 Square Feet). Property Owner
is David T. Cox, 1436 E. Marshall Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85014.
Hurvie Davis: This is a request to rezone 40 acres of property located on the West side
of Tortolita Road, approximately 1/2 mile north of Moore Road -- the present zoning is
zoned "C' -- large lot zone; the request is for "R-6" single family residential, minimum
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lot size 6,000 square feet. This item was continued from the March 4, 1997 meeting.
Staff recommends approval of "R-8". He turned this over to Jerry Flannery for further
information.
Jerry Flannery: The recommendation is for 4-rac maximum on the project which will
translate to about 160 lots, them is a sewer service agreement that the property owner has
that Pima County Wastewater provide for over 164 lots, so the recommendation is for
"R-8" and that is consistent with other rezones that we've had with other parts in the
Town, especially in this area. The applicants are here to speak on the issues if you so
wish to speak with them.
Mayor Honea: Asked if them was anyone from the public that wished to speak on this
issue. There were none. He then asked if the applicant would like to make a short
presentation.
Jack Neubeck, 450 W. Paseo Redondo, Tucson: He placed a copy of a map on the
board showing where his proposed plan is in connection with Heritage Highlands,
RedHawk Blvd., Moore Road and Quail Crossing. Is lesser density than what is being
done with Heritage Highlands. It is similar density with what is being done with Quail
Crossing. When this property was purchased by Mr. Cox, in 1986 this section (section
26) of land was the only section of land east of the Interstate. When the Cottonwood
swap that occurred in 1987, at that time the specific plan that was done for Tortolita
properties showed Tortolita Road as the main entrance to the property. In 1992 that was
altered. At that time the use of this property was changed, in the original Marana
General Plan, this land was shown for commercial use. When RedHawk Boulevard was
changed in alignment, to become the main access to what is now known as RedHawk,
this use obviously changed from being commemial to residential. At that point, Mr. Cox
negotiated with Westinghouse at the time and then later with US Homes to insure that he
could get the sewer and water hookups necessary for this project. That is why we have
come before you requesting this zoning, we feel it is consistent with the new General
Plan in that it is similar density to the adjacent uses. He showed on the map which part
of the property is in Pima County and which part is in Marana. The new Tortolita Road
alignment which now goes through Quail Crossing, and will dead end at approximately
at the end of the section, it will not cross Ruelas Wash. The major wash crossing will be
along the alignment of RedHawk Boulevard. This is one of the other reasons why we
feel that this property is now suited for residential development. We would concur with
the staff report and we hope for you approval.
Ora Itarn: What is the zoning in RedHawk Community? It is "R-6" or "R-8"?
Mayor Itonea: In RedHawk there's several zonings. They vary, some of it is "R-6" or
even higher density.
Bobby Sutton, Jr.: Heritage Highlands area? I think that's "6"
Jerry Flannery: The RedHawk development has a variety of different zone from
medium high density to high density to village commercial.
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Ora Harn: It was the Heritage Highlands area I was thinking about.
Jerry Flannery: The underline zoning is a variety of zonings but mostly it's higher type
zoning. It's developing it more like 4 or 4.1, so the actual density is developing is lower
than what it's zoned for. That happens with most specific plans.
Herb Kal: On your tentative development plan, you show one entrance to your site, is
that only one, could that be modified?
Jack Neubeck: That could be modified, at the present time, that was one of the
comments. We did that to be consistent with the recommendation of the engineer. John
Siath recommended that we showed one entrance to be conducive with the Tortolita
Road.
Herb Kai: The improvements to Tortolita Road, running North/South, will your
associates or land owners be involved in funding some of that project work or is that all
part of the improvement district.
David Cox, 1436 E. Marshall Ave., Phoenix, AZ: We expect that US Homes will
probably construct the road. Marana has a fair share ordinance and our arrangement
lease we have, I understand with US Homes, that the road will be constructed pursuant to
that Fair Share arrangements. I think the expectation would be, yes we the owners would
fund for the road originally and then dedicate it to the Town of Marana.
Herb Kai: I guess we're going to do a traffic analysis impact on this area, is that
correct? That's all part of the agreement?
Jerry Flannery: That is correct.
Herb Kai: How far south would that impact analysis incur, into the end of Thomydale
Road, Tangerine Road area? Or how far will that study extend to?
Jerry Flannery: That might be a question I may be ask Mr. Atler.
Dave After: Typically that would extend to the nearest major roadway which would be
RedHawk Boulevard. If the Council wished, they could extend the study further south to
show distributions to Tangerine then to Thornydale.
Herb Kai: It's not necessary to go any further south? Should this be addressed?
Dave After: I think it was based on the size of the development compared to the overall
RedHawk development. The trips being generated there absorbed by the overall,
meaning that it's relatively insignificant in compared to the total 9 to 13,000 units.
Mayor Honea: The Planning Commission recommended "R-12" and we don't have "R~
12". The Planning Commission is working on more ordinances to allow us several
different zoning aspects that should get probably next month. If you take the overall
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APRIL 1, 1997
area of this property and divide 164 units into it, it comes out a little over 11,000 square
feet per lot. So basically even though we would be voting on "R-8", the density on the
property is truly going to be "R-11" because the agreement they have with RedHawk,
and with the county is only for 164 units, maximum. What "R-8" allows them to do is to
cluster on more open pieces of property and leave more indigenous vegetation on the rest
of the property.
Mayor Honea stated Council is out of Public Hearing.
A motion was made by Ora Ham, seconded by Bobby Sutton, Jr. and carried
unanimously to approve Ordinance No. 97.03 pursuant to the staffs recommendations,
C. La Mirage Effluent Agreement
Hurvie Davis: Stated this was put on the agenda in the hopes that there would be more
news to report relative to the negotiations with the City of Tucson and Pima County
Wastewater, regarding the effluent agreement for the La Mirage project. The proposed
agreement with the City of Tucson, Dr. Doerkan indicated that the City of Tucson would
have control and ownership rights of the effluent coming out of the plant. We had a
tremendous amount of difficulty with that in that we are purchasing the CMID M&I
Water System which is in that service area, so the Town of Marana would be providing
the water. We didn't think that it was quite right that the City of Tucson would have
control of the effluent which means a lot to us in the future. Several weeks ago Mr.
Howard and myself met with John Nachbar, the Deputy City Manager and Benny
Young, Assistant City Manager, of Tucson to discuss this issue. Mr. Nachbar indicated
to me that he would be back to me within a few days. I have not heard back from him.
Dave Atler: I don't have anything further to add other than what Mr. Davis has
mentioned tonight. Just that Mr. Holub had responded about a week after we received
the letter from the City of Tucson with a fairly clear and direct letter on the Town's
position.
Hugh Holub: We sent the letter, stating our position and then we have a draft IGA. The
draft IGA is being reviewed by staff and what we wanted to do was take the initiative
and say "here's our version of what we want to do". We had gotten a response on my
letter from the Attorney's office saying the City wants to do everything at once, which
would solve everything in the north end of the county and we said no, let's focus on the
narrow issue. I think the impression we're getting is that there are different factions that
we deal with over there at City Hall. We have a draft IGA that carries out our ideas and
the way it should be. I think it's time to send it there and give it to the Mayor or the
Manager and see if we can get the negotiations going on in a Mayor to Mayor or
Manager to Manager level. See if we can get away from trying to talk to that water
utility, because it looks like we're getting a lot more progress dealing with the senior
officials of Tucson. Having fights about water is not something that is helpful to either
side.
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Ora Itarn: The issue appeared as you know on the PAG Regional Council Agenda,
about the 208 permit and the changes in it to allow the Manager to go on with the
process even though an IGA had need been roached between the municipalities and we
were successful in passing the motion and getting the number one and number two issues
where they could have mom time to resolve those issues. We're in good shape as far as
the 208 permit at this present time.
Hurvie Davis: As this issue unfolds further we will bring it back to you.
D. Public Transportation - Transportation from Marana to Medical Services
Mayor Honea: I along with several other Council Members asked to have this put on
the agenda. I have been contacted by citizens in the community that are interested in
getting to the Northwest Hospital complex, either for employment or for medical
services. Our bus system here, the pony express, will take folks in to make a connection
with the Sun Tran, currently goes to La Cholla and Ina, I believe. We have a lot of our
citizens that have to walk from La Cholla and Ina to Orange Grove and La Cholla to get
to the Medical complex, because there's not a Sun Tran connection between those 2
streets and the Pony express does not travel that distance either. I was hoping that we
could either expand the Pony Express to go on from Ina and La Cholla down to the
Northwest Hospital complex, turn around and come back out or that we could come up
with some other similar solution.
Ora Harm I got a copy of the awards of 16 B-2 vehicles that the Arizona Department
of Transportation awards to agencies. Oro Valley has applied for 16 B-2 vehicle. These
are vans that the Arizona Department of Transportation awards and most generally
awards to non profit organizations for transportation to low and moderate income
people. The state pays 80% of the vehicle and whoever applies pays 20% and the
vehicle is awarded. Oro Valley has asked for and evidently received a non profit status
for this vehicle because they were going to use it for non profit community service.
They have received one of these vehicles to transport their elderly and physically
disabled people in their community to medical services and other services that am
needed. I mentioned this because maybe there are some avenues out there that we could
pursue similar to this. In talking to Mr. Goffbefore our meeting, I think personally as a
Council Member, I would like to see our staff and maybe some of our Council Members
get together talk about the need. Talk about where we need to go with it, not just for
Northwest Hospital, the next item, which is Continental Ranch. And put together some
kind of an over all plan, decide how we could do it, what it would cost us and come back
to us with some information. 1 think this is a very important issue and is an issue that the
Town really needs to think about as a service to the people we serve in our community.
Mayor Honea: Before Mr. Davis comments, actually Item D and Item E are basically
talking about the same thing. There's a need. There are some individuals in Continental
Ranch, there are some older folks that don't drive that need a way to access the public
transportation system -- Sun Tran. We had talked about possible setting up a new bus
route that would take the north end go up go through maybe Coachline or something
through the center core of Continental Ranch. That will allow those individuals that
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need to have a way to get into the City of Tucson bus system so they would have access
to the entire urban area. Theses are both correlated together so we might end up kind of
overlapping on them.
Hurvie Davis: As a matter of fact, all three items: D, E and F really are related. F
being the total overview of Transportation funding. Not only public transportation but
roadway transportation as well. Which it all boils down to money. The technical
solution to the problem exists, it's just a matter of money and how you want the service
to operate. When first looking at this, we thought about taking the Pony Express route
and extending it to the hospital, that route on Pony Express is really a long one. Perhaps
it would not be conducive to extend that route. My idea and Mr. Atler has looked at this
as well, which is in item E, is taking a route from Happy Acres going down maybe even
to Puelte Del None, I believe it is down to Continental Ranch on down to the Ina
Thornydale Road ama to the Northwest Hospital area and not just to Northwest hospital
but the whole medical complex that is in that area. People could transfer from the route
coming from the valley onto this route or the route from the valley could be extended
down as well. Mr. Atler has been working with Mr. Goff and others -- the operations as
well as the cost to provide the services.
Dave Atler: We have been looking at this and we have been talking with Mr. Ben Goff
with the Pima County Dept. of Trans. Mr. Goff is here this evening to address any
question you may have and maybe to elaborate a little bit more on what's been said. 1
can give a little more background information than perhaps what some of you have heard
from some of the public that have asked to have this looked into. One of those
background items would be that them was a petition passed around the Northwest
hospital area and sent to Pima County. They were looking for that link. Apparently
there's the Sun Tran B-16 that goes down Ina Road, and Mr. Goff could elaborate on this
as well. The Pony Express goes from the Northwest Hospital area, south on La Cholla
but there is about a mile or so gap in them where there's no connection. What the Town
Manager was mentioning with perhaps a secondary route would connect not only to the
existing Pony Express route but also could connect with the route 16 for Sun tran. Once
they get down to the Ina Road area then they can get on any of the rest of the network
that is provided. That will provide for the average ama ridership but that won't provide
for some of the people that have called, some people that are disabled that are not on the
existing route, they can't drive. The information that Council Member Harn was
mentioning would have to be a separate system from that, where we would provide a van
to go directly to some of these doors and deliver them. This is sort of what Oro Valley
has and they deliver them where they want to go. Oro Valley also has, or is looking for a
volunteer driver from some of the retiree's in the Vistoso ama.
Mayor Honea: Commented he agrees with what Council Member Harn said, however,
a lot of these individuals am not necessarily handicapped individuals. They're just
individuals that don't own an automobile or for some reason don't drive and they need
transportation just to link us to these. I don't think they're asking for door to door pick
up, they're just asking for the Pony Express or however our bus service from the north
end. Somehowto get from ContinentalRanch and get upto the LaCholla Orange Grove
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area. Because 111,2 Soil Tran does not have a cunnection from lua to Orange Grovc.
think that's the main problem of the north end individuals that were asking.
Ora Harn: I wasn't particularly suggesting that we do what Oro Valley did, I am just
suggesting that this may be some kind of alternate way that we could supplement the
other transit, so that we could people from Ina to the hospital and back. I agree with you,
it isn't just disabled people that want to go there. There are many reasons for people to
visit that area.
Bobby Sutton, Jr.: Feels the transportation issues are important. He feels we need to
find some ways to do it regardless of how it gets done. It's real important to some way
get it on the budget.
Hurvie Davis: Advised we weren't ready to come to you this evening with solutions.
We asked to put it on the agenda to investigate it some. Perhaps we can get this done in
time to put money's into the upcoming budget process, if you desire. If possible to do it
this fiscal year, perhaps there may be some money remaining in the contingency fund
that it could perhaps start the operation some time this fiscal year. We're trying to get
some interaction and feed back and we'll take that information, then come back to you
with more plans.
Mayor Honea: I had an individual who wanted to speak on this issue.
Janie M. Darnell, 12659 W. Hinton St.: I appreciate all the effort that everybody's
putting into this. It's obvious the Council's worked very hard, the response is
overwhelming. We're a small community but we are really growing. We don't want to
see big busses running through here, but if we need it, we're going to have to do it. One
of the areas that wasn't mentioned tonight is Silver Bell West. No one over there has
any access to public transportation, there are a lot of homes over there. A couple of
things were brought to my attention, and I think the turn around within the complex, I
think that's a very good idea because that is a big area and there is a lot of walking to do.
I don't drive and I have a 13 year old, I would like to get her into Town. The kind of bus
that Oro Valley has, I don't know if they allow children on that. Is that like a van tran?
Ora Harn: Their transit probably will be that people that need to go to some special
facility, will call and they will go and pick them up and take them. It's going to be more
of a, taxi type of system. But you can put any kind of a plan together for 16 B-2 Vehicle
that falls within the guidelines of providing transportation. There are other ways that we
can put that kind of plan into the system.
Hurvie Davis: Van Tran basically is operated by the City of Tucson; it's a service
basically for the disabled. I think the Federal Government have tightened up the criteria
for that. We want a service that lets everybody ride it, and that way we can get some
economy upscale perhaps.
Janie Darnell: I have a daughter that I need to get to the doctor's offices a lot and I like
my privacy. As you mentioned before, a lot of elderly people have to get someone to
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drive them to the Nursing Home to visit their loved ones. I have talked to a lot of
people, not just the Council Members, but also the City of Tucson and Pima County and
I appreciate the response and I think you're doing a great job.
Dave Atler: I'd like to ask Mr. Goff to come up and maybe he can add some
information on that. Mr. Golf administers among other things the transit services
through Pima County.
Ben Goff: Advised; Pima County has received many of the same comments and
petitions. Stated his department has come up with a concept for this area written for
both ends; for Marana from either Oracle Road or the transit center at Stone and River.
He has put together a supplemental budget based on private contractor service, not Sun
Tran. The total budget amount for a 6-day a week service is between $110 and
$130,000. The funding for this supplemental budget, however, is not currently available.
He advised the State Legislature has taken another shot at reallocating "Power Ball"
revenues for public transit. He commented no complete plan is going to be able to be
laid out without imput from the Town. A survey was done at Continental Ranch, which
resulted in good information. He further stated with his route proposal -- it was laid out
so it could go from Oracle Road to the Northwest complex and on to Continental Ranch
in order to serve the whole area with one route. His office is prepared to work with staff
and the community on a plan that would serve all needs together.
Mayor Honea: We're talking about the next fiscal years budget?
Ben Goff: We're talking about the fiscal year 1997-98.
Mayor Honea: Which starts in July?
Ben Goff: Yes.
Mayor Honea: The one way we were talking about with the small bus that would
basically go from Continental Ranch to the Northwest area or to the bus terminal, back
and forth -- that would not extend out to this area?
Ben Goff: Commented there are many ways you could look at routes and services.
There is a 5-day a week service from the far north area into the lnaJThornydale area.
This area could be developed as a focal point for public transportation; this also was the
most frequent cited destination in the survey that was conducted at Continental Ranch.
This would provide an opportunity for transferring service; whether it's from the far
north into the central area. It gives a place to end a Northwest Hospital service route,
that could also go down into perhaps the Stone/Wetmore area. He further stated the
concept of going only from Continental Ranch to Northwest Hospital is feasible, but it's
a short route. There are many other areas in your community that could benefit from the
same service. He advised these all are concepts and he stressed his department will be
glad to sit down with staff to discuss terms.
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Mayor Honea: What type of financial split we would have on a route like this? You
know we pay a proportionate cost right now.
Ben Goff.' The current IGA between the Town of Marana and Pima County for the rural
transit route is based on miles of service and in the jurisdiction. You pay the share of
route mileage that occurs in the Town of Marana, we pay the share of route mileage that
occur in the unincorporated area.
Mayor Honea: Would a new route be the same?
Ben Goff: There's no reason why a new route couldn't be done the same way. It would
make sense that it would be done that way.
Hurvie Davis: Should we undertake a joint effort on another route or two, obviously
has to be done in conjunction with each jurisdiction.
Mayor Honea: You did feel it that we could possibly get it in this fiscal years budget if
we started working on it?
Ben Goff: Stated it would be the next fiscal year; looking at perhaps something
beginning in the latter part of this calendar year. Commented the State is a party to the
current grant program but would not be a participant in this program. He advised if this
will be a joint program, the Town will have to wait until Pima County goes through their
budget process to be able to put something together. However, that doesn't mean the
Town could not decide to go ahead on your own. He doesn't want the Town to be tied to
the County having to take action before we can see some sort of service that might be a
benefit to the residents.
Hurvie Davis: Commented these things do take time. Even if we wanted to do
something this fiscal year and we had the money, doesn't mean we can get it done
because the people that we would contract a service with do not necessarily have the
additional vehicles and drivers sitting around trained and ready to go. It takes some time
for them to get vehicles and get their operation up and running.
Mayor Honea: I agree with Councilman Sutton. We need to identify our exact needs as
a Town; what the County can provide, what we can provide and what the cost is going to
be. The Mayor asked if there were any comments as to the Continental Ranch survey.
Vice Mayor Price: Commented the needs out there are not only medical, but also
recreational.
Bobby Sutton, Jr.: Feels this survey is good for staffto have to put into this plan when
they're working it out. It was a good tally of what the public is actually requesting.
Hurvie Davis: Feels the survey also indicated that the most popular destination would
be for the Ina/Thornydale Road area, which provides most of the services that people
need, unless you wanted to extend it down to the Northwest Medical Complex ama.
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Mayor Honea: Stated we've basically covered items D and E, is there any extra things
we need to cover on item F or do you think we've covered these three items?
Herb Kai: I would like to discuss item F somewhat. Besides identifying our problems,
we definitely need to earmark some funding from our revenue sources that the Town has,
specifically for these transportation problem areas. It seems like if we don't make plans
for it, the money just goes to another department or another area. I think if we don't do
that those funds will get lost.
Hurvie Davis: Stated this will be an issue for much discussion when the budget process
is brought to Council. Priorities need to be made -- transportation is one of those
priorities. He went on to advise in terms of new development; the Twin Peaks project --
a $1,000 voluntary contribution was approved by Council, to be used for offsite
transportation impacts. He commented Council could have a policy determination that
the sales tax from each home sold could be put into a transportation fund. He did advise
though, Marana doesn't have a property tax. He commented the City of Tucson does
have a property tax plus other types of tax that Marana does not have and they are short
in funding for transportation. He advised he was involved in transportation for 22 years
and during that time various people, from neighborhood people to community leaders
have said there's a need for more transportation along with funds. He advised the
Federal Government provides a large part of money for Capitol purchased such as busses
and so forth but historically they have provided operator assistants to help operate those
buses. Congress has cut back on money coming from the Federal Government and if we
want to solve the transportation problem, it'll have to be done locally. It comes down to
finding new sources for transportation funding in this valley.
Herb Kai: I think we're both on the same wavelength, it just seems like to me that we
just have some funds that if we don't earmark them -- they're going to go somewhere
else. My point is we have a transportation problem, we better start earmarking funds
maybe some other project may have to go, second priority until we get these
transportation problems resolved.
Dave Atler: Mr. Davis put it very well. Mr. Jim Altenstadter from PAG TPD their
transportation planning division is here to give you a brief overview of metropolitan
transportation plan. He will be followed by Mr. Curt Lueck who did the economic
analysis and identified the funding sources, and there are 3. Then we'll get down to the
Marana issues.
Jim AItenstadter, 177 N. Church #501, Tucson: Advised PAG is trying to find ways
to coordinate our transportation planning through the year 2020. The challenge is that
over the next 23 years we're going to grow by more than 400,000 and we're seeing that
the miles that we travel is growing somewhat more than twice than even population
growth. Unfortunately our transportation system is not keeping pace with the growth in
people or in jobs. We're attempting, as we put together this long range transportation
plan, to look at all modes of transportation; not only our roadway system but transit,
bicycle, pedestrian and other facilities and services that we need. You've been discussing
one very good example of those with very special transportation needs tonight and how
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plan, to look at all modes of transportation; not only our roadway system but transit,
bicycle, pedestrian and other facilities and services that we need. You've been discussing
one very good example of those with very special transportation needs tonight and how
important it is to consider those who do not have a car or cannot drive and still have real
needs to get to various activities. The other area that we're trying to keep a close eye on
is clean air and that's very important to us, the clean skies that we have. Finally, funding
is an issue as Mr. Davis said earlier, that is where the real challenge lies for us. At this
point, we would have Curt Lueck to describe a little more detail some of the assumptions
we've made as to possibilities for additional funding and what in particular that means to
the Town of Marana.
Curtis Lueck, 5780 W. E! Camino Del Cerro: Is a transportation and planning
consultant working with PAG on the metropolitan transportation plan. He passed out
several handouts to Council. The first sheet is a summary of the different types of
revenue sources for the different options. There's a lot of information on this page. The
first column is potential revenue sources: these are new sources that we have been
considering for discussion within the region. The next column identifies funding use.
For example, we're talking about advertising fees. Those advertising fees would
probably be restricted to transit use. The next 2 columns deal with the revenue potential.
The next 2 columns I think are important. That deals with whether or not each of these
revenue sources is a user fee. If there is an x in the column associated with a revenue
source, it means we currently within the region at some jurisdictional level. The next
column is option A, existing sources -- and as you look down that column, you'll see that
it's blank. And the reason for that is that none of these new revenue sources are included
in the existing revenue source. Another handout will show you your current existing
revenue sources. In Option B we begin to add some of these new revenue sources.
Option B has an increase use of improvement districts for example, regional
development impact fee type of structure and several other items. In Option C, adds
even more. Option A is would basically be direction from the voters in this community
that there would be no increase in transportation revenues. Option B is a semi-
aggressive increase in transportation funds. And Option C is a very aggressive increase
in transportation funding. Mr. Lueck talked about Pima County and the 1/2 cent sales tax
and a gas tax increase. Mr. Lueck advised he was asked to talk a little bit about the
concept of a deficit. When we discussed the issue of deficits or short falls of course
we're trying to subtract one number from another. If we were to consider option C to be
a relatively reasonable idea of what the transportation system expenditures are over the
next 20 some years, with it for the Town of Marana and then subtract the anticipated
revenues, there would be a projected deficiency of about $155,000,000. If we were to
consider option B which is the moderate increase in expenditures, that type of a system
expansion and then again subtracting your current revenue sources there's a deficiency
of about $122,000,000 within the community. And then under option A there's a less
significant deficiency of about $29,000,000. We're trying to flush out the issue of how
to overcome this deficiency under option A and one of the things we've been discussing
at the consultant and PAG level is consideration of more development exaction's to
cover some of the roadway improvements. Primarily to cover roadway improvements
like the RedHawk Boulevard, which is within a development, it's not something that the
Town is persay paying for, but you're going to have to maintain it. We're trying to
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MARANA TOWN COUNCIL
APRIL I, 1997
incorporate all of these system improvements and all the system operation and
maintenance costs over this long term horizon. The last hand out given is the base line
analysis, in other words -- if you had a community American Express card and didn't
have to worry about repaying it and wanted to go out and make all the capitol
improvements to solve today's problems - they're identified on this list. You'll see this
sheet identifies about $71,000,000 in current deficiencies within the currant Town limits.
I know I have given you a lot of information but there certainly are implications of all
this and there's some very important decisions on the horizon dealing with transportation
funding. Those important decisions of course are what types of services do we want to
provide for the community and how do we want to pay for them. I would suggest that as
elected officials you take a good hard look at some of the revenue sources that we've
identified and see how they sit with you because the implementation of these revenue
sources is going to fall into your laps as well as the other jurisdictions within the region.
There are some projects specific issues that I know Dave Atler wanted to talk about and
talk a little bit about the development process.
Dave Atler: Mr. Lueck did a pretty good job of boiling down two years worth of work
in just a few minutes, so if it seems like there's a lot of information them, it really is and
the process is ongoing. That transportation plan has about another years worth of work
to go on before it finally goes to the public for their feedback and their vote. The purpose
behind this again was to show the amount of work that has gone into this over the last 2
years, not just at PAG but also with in house staff. When a project comes in for review,
either rezoning or a new development project, we are to look at the traffic impact
analysis. We're going to try to start building on an overall regional transportation study
that links all the development and as model, each new development has to be modeled
on that basis. That's not something that we have yet instituted, but we're formulating it
and we're asking for more information as time goes on. This years budget has about i/2
million dollars for road maintenance and that's typically spent on overlays and chip seals
and other routine maintenance projects like Lon Adams we'll be starting over the next
month or two for reconstruction, should normally be considered as a maintenance project
because we're not adding capacity. So it's sort of misleading to say we have 1/2 million
dollars for maintenance when, for example again the Lon Adams project is about 1/4
million dollars for reconstruction. That's actually a maintenance project. Business Park
Drive has been on the budget for I think the second cycle. That is a reconstruction again,
that's a maintenance project, commercial area that it serves. With that you can see, and
that's another $200,000,000 for that one so you can see that it continues to grow. I think
this current fiscal year, we're roughly at somewhere 20% to 25% of the overall Town
budget just on road projects. The money that Curt was talking about provides the Town
with roughly 2 to $3,000,000 on the average over the next 20 - 23 years. And
$3,000,000 doesn't get you much. Sounds like a lot of money but it's roughly about a
miles worth of road for a 4-lane road.
Iturvie Davis: Now we've painted a bleak picture for you, give you a little reference of
scale for you here in terms of a Town Budget. Our Town budget this year is 15.1 million
dollars. He advised between Public Works and Public Safety, that's about 60% of the
Towns budget. He asked, do you want to take and add another 10% of your budget or
another 20% of your budget for transportation? To reduce parks and recreation, general
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MINUTES OF REGULAR COUNCIL
MARANA TOWN COUNCIL
APRIL I, 1997
operations, development services or whatever, you're getting up to 70 to 80% of your
total budget in two departments. It doesn't leave you much for thc other departments as
well. And basically you know the water system is supposed to operate as an enterprise
system and certainly we've been having to put general revenue from the Town budget
into the water system to some extent. We've used a lot of CDBG funds to upgrade the
old Honea system, the Marana municipal system. Our money's in them for the purchase
of CMID water system as well as the Marana Water service. So we don't have a lot of
money to play with, at least in terms of our real needs and we're talking about billions of
dollars and the projects that were passed. The picture is bleak and when we come to you
on a budget it's going to be a matter of priority. Mr. Davis his first priority is creating a
sound economic base for the Town to increase our revenue picture. That's the only way
that we're going meet these needs. But more importantly he feels we need to do
something on a regional basis. We need to do it jointly. I think we have the ability to
increase our sales tax in the Town but I don't think we want to increase the sales tax in
the Town another 1/2% - 1/4% and when all of our competitors, all the jurisdictions
around do not have that sales tax. But we're talking about money and we're talking
about once you get into any type of transportation -- like the streets you've got the
capitol costs to build the streets initially but you have the recurring costs of maintenance.
Like the Police Department, it's a recurring cost that we incur each and every year. So
we've got to have the funding available to fund that not only for the first year, but each
subsequent year thereafter. As you know the costs continue to increase each year and we
have to have a revenue stream that's increasing in relation to the cost of providing the
service. 1 hope we have provided some information to you this evening to paint the big
picture as well as the small picture and tell you the picture looks a little bleak. There
have to be some hard decisions made. Certainly those decisions will need to be made or
we'll just end up 20 years from now as bad off or worse than we am today.
Ora Harn: I would like to ask Mr. Atler, on this where we see the draft MTP existing
condition. Do we have a time element for completion of those projects?
Dave After: The total dollars that you see, these am based on over the next 23 years.
Don't take that out of context please, these projects that you see as the base line needs
are one the current transportation improvement program. Cortaro Farms Road and Ina
Road projects are not on the current transportation improvement program. Moore Road,
Tangerine Road projects, the Sandario/Marana intersection -- those are on the current
transportation improvement program and we are programming to move those up as soon
as possible to get them done. PAG is moving in the direction, actually the jurisdictions
are moving in the direction that if projects aren't constructed, if the money is not spent
on projects to programs within the 5-year transportation improvement program, the
jurisdiction stands a chance of losing those funds. We are moving very rigorously at
trying to get all these projects done.
Ora Ham: I don't know ifa week goes by that I don't get someone commenting to me
about Moore Road. 1 think that there's a lot of people in our community don't
understand the cost of transportation, putting roads down. I know that that's an
expensive proposition, I think it's one that we need to try to keep up with. What
money's are there and available and try and get those projects completed.
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Dave Atler: We got a letter from ADOT last week or the week before, unfortunately the
way that project was started by our previous outside consultant was started through
ADOT because it's Federal funding and only certain jurisdictions are certified to
administer those projects and so they chose ADOT to administer and ADOT's flow chart
can take a minimum of a year and half after you've gotten pretty much everything done.
We're trying to work with, Pima County is also certified, we're talking to them about
doing some of the other projects. Moore Road is already on ADOT's.
Ora Harn: Where are we at?
Dave Atler: The start of construction is by this June, '97.
Hurvie Davis: The ADOT Board meets as you know in Tucson, April the 18. And I
asked Mr. Atler if they plan to award that contract at the April meeting when they're in
the Tucson area and the answer was no, but they do plan to award the bid in the May
meeting.
Ora Harn: I would like to compliment whoever did the Sandario Road from the bridge
in that area. One of the important things that I think in transportation is to be careful and
watch when we do roads, that we get the best work we can and they put them in, I was
very impressed with the fact that they did the turn out lanes with cement borders and so
forth and all those little things that we do that way. I think preserves the road a little bit
longer and I think that when we're talking about our dollars that we, not only what
dollars we spend but we make sure what dollars we spend we spend them well and that
the work that is done, is done well.
Hurvie Davis: Good design, I believe you're referring to Sanders Road as opposed to
Sandario Road.
Ora Harn: Yes I am sir, I'm sorry. That was an excellent job, it took forever but when
we got a road, we got a very good road there.
Mayor Honea: Asked if there were further questions for Mr. Davis or Mr. Atler.
There were none.
G. MAYOR AND COUNCIL'S REPORT
Sherry Millner: The only thing I have to report is 1 had lunch with Shirley Scott and we
discussed some of the things from the projects that they were doing on the east side of
Tucson that we might be able to get some good ideas from and maybe support.
Bobby Sutton, Jr.: The fourth annual Marana Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament
is this weekend, Saturday. At Heritage Highlands and I believe the deadline for entries
is tomorrow. It's a little bit late notice but it is becoming a very good turn out. There's
going to be about 100 golfers out there, some real good prizes a chance to win a car. The
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hole in one and if anyone is not in and they're a golfer, please call the Chamber and get
signed up so you can play.
Herb Kal: Just wanted to report we had our assistant Town Manager committee
meeting, Councilwoman Ham, Councilwoman Price and myself, Dan McQuade, Hurvie
Davis and Jane Johnson were present and 1 guess we came up with a short list of 8 names
or 9, that we'll be doing interviews. (Asked Ora Harn when will the interviews be done -
- she answered on the 11).
Vice Mayor Price: No report.
Ora Harn: I also wanted mention and thank the search committee -- they've been great
they have worked hard I hope that all the Council Members received a listing of the short
list. One name has been added to that at the request of several Council Members and at
the consent of the committee. We have added Byron Howard to that list, making the
short list 9. We will meet again one Tuesday morning for a little while to review what
ever written information is sent in to us from exemises and then we will interview all day
on Friday the 11, to complete the interviews and be able to bring back a recommendation
to our Town Manager and the Town Manager will bring that recommendation before the
Council. So we are moving quickly in that process. I also wanted to state that on Friday
evening, the Mayor and myself and Council Member Millner attended the graduation of
the explorers. It was the most pleasant, exciting thing I've been to in a long time. To
see these young wonderful people of our community who are working. Our Mayor did a
presentation, I think he did wonderful. It was a very nice event and I just have to say
that I was very proud of our Police Department and of our Town as a whole. I thought
we were represented very well in that event. And proud of these young people. We had
some young people there that came from Oro Valley;
Mayor Honea: Cochise County, Pinal County
Ora Harn: Eloy, was it?
Mayor Honea: Eloy. And San Manual or Superior or something
Sandy Groseelose: San Manual.
Ora Harn: Santa Cruz County wasn't it?
Sandy Groseclose: Mammoth
Mayor Honea: Mammoth, I think there were 7 different agencies of young people.
Ora Harn: Yes, 7 different agencies there that work with these young people and gives
you a new hope about our future with some of these young people.
Mayor Honea: That was some of my report as well and Ms Groseclose is also very
active with the Explorers and helping a lot of the young people get to the meetings and
Officer Santorno and Officer Ashby both did and excellent job, it was really rewarding
to see not only these young people participating in Law Enforcement information but our
staff providing a lot of the services as well. It was a really rewarding experience. On
that same evening, Mr. Davis and Council Members Millner and Harn and I met with
Mr. Abrahams concerning some properties over fairly contiguous to our properties and
about some possible annexations and things of that nature. Preliminary discussions, it
looked pretty good, but very preliminary at this time. Also last week, Council Member
Ham, Council Member Clark and I along with Mr. Davis, Mr. Flannery and Mr. Atler
met with the El Dorado people to talk about the Albertson's store over at Cortaro and the
freeway and what's happening there. I'm not sure we know what's happening them. We
of course encourage business in our community. I think Albertson's is a little
apprehensive right now about other stores being built in the ama, the Fry's and a Bashis
as well. I don't know if they're going to come in right now or not. We did our best to
sell it to them, but we really don't know where they're at at this time.
H. MANAGER'S REPORT
Hurvie Davis: I've been crossing things out of my list too that I had planned to say.
But first of all I wanted to say that item H on your agenda packet is the Chamber of
Commerce quarterly report, it was to be in the staff report section, but it was
inadvertently got put in item H, I don't know how it got into H. Anyway that's the
Chamber report in your packet this evening. One thing that I didn't have Council
Members involved with so I get to report on -- I had a continuing series of meeting with
staff on a number of issues. Water, effluent, Santa Cruz, bank protection and recharge --
as you know we've been working quite closely with Pima County on the bank protection
tied in with the recharge project here across the river for the CAP as well as the high
plains effluent recharge. The issue of water and effluent is a never ending issue. I also
attended with Mr. After, Mr. Holub and Mr. Howard, I think it was a Bureau of
Reclamation planning session on use of effluent in the metropolitan area, in Pima
County. We'll probably be coming back to the Council, maybe on the 15, to see if the
Council wants to support some effort to lobby our congressional on delegations to help
us get some funding for the Bureau of Reclamation to do some planning on the use of
effluent in our community. Finally l wanted to remind the Mayor and Council that the
budget process is underway as we've indicated to you before, we plan to finalize the
budget negotiations or sessions with the staff by mid May and bring the tantative budget
to the Council on June 3, with final approval coming to you on June 17. Besides the
bleak picture that I painted to you earlier, this evening regarding transportation; at this
time I don't see an increasing trend in revenues coming into the Town as we've
experienced the last few years. I think we've had a pretty sizable increase itl revenue
because of a lot of things coming on the ground. I just don't see that happening to the
same degree in the next year. Of course we have the Driver's Mart coming on perhaps
in August, we expect that to hopefully be a sizable increase in tax revenues for that one
business. It seems like somewhat of a slow down as I'm able to gauge things in the
community right now, I think our residential will be pretty strong with Coventry on the
north end of Continental Ranch and with the RedHawk; least the Heritage Highlands and
AI'RIL I, 1997
the Quail Run, Vail Creek -- building permits and fees from residential development this
year is probably going to come in somewhere between 50 and 60% of what we estimated
in revenue's, however we've had a lot of commercial/industrial in the Town this past
year. The Continental Ranch Business Park and so forth, with those fees coming from
the industrial and commercial activity, we've been able to come right in line with our
projection on development fees. We're still looking for any particular projects that you
may want us to include in the budget process this year. And obviously as we indicated
to you this evening we'll be coming back and giving you a picture of what we see as
needs from the department stand point and from what direction we've received from the
Council so far, we'll be putting that together with projected revenues and bringing that
issue to you for your decision. With that, 1 have nothing further.
Ora Harn: I forgot to tell you that I did attend a Chamber of Commerce luncheon. The
Chamber of Commerce has changed its format for their meetings and are now meeting
and having luncheons instead of breakfast. I had a wonderful lunch prepared by
Councilman Sutton's lovely wife and it went very well. We were meeting at Trico
Electric meeting room and I think the next meeting is the 16, for lunch. We were a little
short in turn out I think, but I think as time goes on and people find out about it and
realize we're going to have a wonderful lunch that they will turn out and support the
Chamber. We need to support our Chamber of Commerce.
Hurvie Davis: The Chamber meeting has always fallen the day after the Council
meeting and depending on what hour we break up for the evening, it's very difficult for
me to the 7:00 meeting in the morning. So hopefully I'll be up in time to make the
luncheon.
Xlo
ADJOURNMENT
A motion was made by Bobby Sutton, Jr., seconded by Vice Mayor Price and carried
unanimously to adjourn the meeting at 9:05 P.M.
CERTIFICATION
1 hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are the true and correct minutes of the
Regular Council Meeting of the Marana Town Council held on April 1, 1997. I further
certify that a quorum was present.
~ST~SE CLOSE
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