HomeMy WebLinkAboutDevelopment Services Annual Development Activity Report 2019
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Mayor and Town Council
Mayor Ed Honea
Vice Mayor Jon Post
Council Member Dave Bowen
Council Member Patti Comerford
Council Member Herb Kai
Council Member Roxanne Ziegler
Council Member John Officer
Planning Commission
Thomas Schnee, Chairman
Don Duncan, Vice Chair
Terry Fehrmann, Commissioner
Ronald Hill, Commissioner
Richard Miller, Commissioner
Bryan Schachter, Commissioner
Sharon Tyson, Commissioner
Town Manager’s Office
Jamsheed Mehta, Town Manager Erik Montague, Deputy Town Manager
Development Services Department
Department Administration
Jason Angell, Development Services Director Terri Byler, Executive Assistant
Building Division Planning Division
Dave Spurlock, Chief Building Official Steve Cheslak, Principal Planner
Ryan Greene, Assistant Building Official Cynthia Ross, AICP, Senior Planner
Christen Bilow, Business Process Manager Brian Varney, Senior Planner
Angela Nelson, Permit Technician Steven Vasquez, Senior Planner
Pamela Sempel, Permit Technician Anita McNamara, AICP, Long Range Planner
Steven Perales, Development Coordinator
Garrett McMinn, Plans Examiner
Olivia Trouard, Plans Examiner
Paul Froelke, Senior Plans Examiner
CONTENT
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... ii
MARANA AT-A-GLANCE ........................................................................................................ 1
PLANNING PROJECTS ............................................................................................................. 3
OTHER TOWN PROGRAMS .................................................................................................... 5
TOWN PLANS FOR 2020 ......................................................................................................... 6
COMPLETED COMMERCIAL PROJECTS ............................................................................. 7
COMPLETED RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS ................................................................................. 9
COMPLETED PUBLIC PROJECTS ......................................................................................... 10
2020 PROJECTS ...................................................................................................................... 12
Public Projects ..................................................................................................... 12
Commercial Projects ......................................................................................... 13
Residential Projects Underway ........................................................................ 16
COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT TRENDS ........................................................................... 17
RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT TRENDS ................................................................................ 18
DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY ...................................................................................................... 20
1
MARANA AT-A-GLANCE
DEMOGRAPHICS
Marana is one of the fastest growing communities in
Southern Arizona. In 2010, the town’s population was
34,961 according to the United States Census
Bureau. By July 2018, the population grew to 47,213,
and by July 2019, the town’s population was 49,323,
a 4.5% increase over the 2018 population. Based on
building permit data, the Town issued 808 new single-
family residential permits in 2019, which equates to
approximately 2,230 additional residents. In June of
2019 alone, the Town issued a near-record of 97 new
single-family house permits. This pace of
development is expected to continue past 2020.
By the time of the 2020 Census, the Town of Marana
will exceed 50,000 residents. Among other
benchmarks, this enables the Town to be eligible to
directly receive Community Development Block
Grant funds. The Town, instead of the state or
county, will then have the ability to decide how this
money is allocated.
Marana is a young community. Its median age is
younger than the median age of the United States as
a whole. The median age dipped slightly in 2016 and
2017, but the overall trend since 2010 is slow increase.
Median household income in Marana has steadily
increased over the last four years. In comparison,
the 2017 median household income in Oro Valley
was $79,458, similar to the Town of Marana, while
household income was $39,617 in Tucson.
HOUSING MARKET ACTIVITY
Housing Prices and Cost Burden
According to the latest data from the Tucson Association of Realtors (TAR), the median sales price
of a single-family home in the Northwest Metro Tucson Area (northwest area) increased a healthy
15.6% from November 2018 to November 2019. Rent costs in November 2019 averaged $1,622 for
single-family residences and $1,450 for townhomes, while the average rent cost for an apartment
was $1,102. Rent costs for apartments in 2019 increased an average of 13.07% from 2018.
A household is considered to be “cost-burdened” when that household pays more than 30% of its
income for rent or mortgage and utilities. According to Making Action Possible of Southern
36.5
37
37.5
38
38.5
39
39.5
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Median Age
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
2015 2016 2017
Median Household
Income
Marana Oro Valley Tucson
2
Arizona (part of the University of Arizona) and the Census Bureau, Marana fared fairly well with
25% of households in this category. As a comparison, the city of Tucson has 40% of its residents in
this category. Other communities in the metropolitan area, Sahuarita, Vail and Green Valley, had
comparable numbers to Marana (in the 23 to 24% range). Renters in Marana are much more
cost-burdened on average (40%) than are homeowners (24% for those with a mortgage versus
10.5% without a mortgage). However, it should be mentioned that Marana residents fare better
than United States residents as a whole in every category.
Housing Values and Sales
According to Zillow, as of November 30, the median
home value in Marana is $276,119, which is up 3.9%
over the past year. The median sales price of homes
currently listed is $296,000, while the median price for
sold homes is $281,000.
The median sales price for homes has been on the
increase since the great recession. Specifically, the
chart to the right depicts the median sales price for
homes since 2016. From 2018 to 2019 alone, the
median sales price increased by 8%.
The Tucson Association of Realtors (TAR) organizes
MLS listings by the metropolitan area with subsets of
the region. Marana is located in TAR’s Northwest
Metro Tucson Area subset. Each month, and again
at the end of each year, TAR publishes the market
update for the Tucson metro area and its subsets.
These market updates are broken down into listings by housing types (single-family and
townhouse/condo/duplex). The two housing type categories are further broken down by factors
such as new listings, pending sales, closed sales, days on market, median and average sales
prices, percent of list price received, and inventory. The northwest area continues to be a strong
market with the highest residential total sales volume for the Tucson metropolitan area.
TAR also tracks rental property activity for single-family residences, townhomes, condominiums,
casitas, manufactured homes, and mobile homes. The northwest area has the highest overall
rents for single-family residences. For most housing types, the northwest area has the second
highest number of listings, behind central Tucson.
Overall, compared to 2018, 2019 has seen an increase in total sales volume, new listings, and per
unit sales price, and decreases in the number of days on the market and inventory.
256 257 261
281
240
250
260
270
280
290
2016 2017 2018 2019
Median Sales Price in thousnads $Year
Median Sales Price
3
PLANNING PROJECTS
Make Marana 2040 General Plan Update
The General Plan is a visionary document used to provide guidance for development of the Town
over the next 10 to 20 years. State law requires that every city and town adopt and periodically
revise its general plan. The Town’s current General Plan, adopted in 2010, has been in the
process of being updated since 2018, and is called Make Marana 2040 General Plan.
The Make Marana 2040 General Plan update process included robust public involvement
outlined in a Public Participation Plan, adopted by the Town Council. Input was gathered from
focus groups, public workshops, advisory committee meetings, open houses, e-updates (email
blasts), and social media, plus an exclusive webpage for the latest news and information.
According to state law, communities with populations greater than 50,000 residents must address
17 elements. To be proactive with a population rapidly approaching 50,000 residents, the town
included all of the 17 elements, plus three elective elements in this update.
The final draft plan was approved at the final public hearing before the Marana Town Council on
December 10, 2019. The Make Marana 2040 General Plan is
scheduled for ratification in 2020.
Land Development Code Updates
Staff members of the Legal Department and Development
Services Department meet regularly to assess and revise areas of
the Town Code pertaining to development. Where updates and
revisions are necessary, Town staff coordinates with the Town
Manager’s office and Town Council before proceeding to public
and stakeholder input. This is an ongoing process to keep the
Town Code current and migrate the remaining Land
Development Code sections into the Town Code. It is
anticipated that the project will be completed in 2020.
4
Sign Code Update
On February 5, 2019, Town Council adopted a comprehensive update to the sign code, and
moved this section into the Town Code. Some of the changes included: major revisions related to
the Reed v. Town of Gilbert US Supreme Court case that struck down content-based sign
regulations, simplification and modernization and the creation of residential sign programs to
allow temporary signs for subdivision marketing.
Parking Code Update
The Town Council adopted a new parking code on August 6, 2019. As with other Town Code
updates, the parking code has been migrated into the Town Code. The Town’s parking code
now better reflects consumer trends and changes in the marketplace. The traditional method of
determining the number of parking spaces for a project, based on a table of proposed uses and
ratios, was replaced with a process allowing the developer to make the determination of needed
spaces. Under this change, the developer conducts and submits a traffic modeling study to
justify parking needs.
5
OTHER TOWN PROGRAMS
Downtown Marana Reinvestment Fund (DMRF)
The goal of the Downtown Marana Reinvestment Fund (DMRF) is to stimulate development of the
Downtown District/Activity Center as identified in the Marana Economic Development Strategic
Plan. The program is designed to encourage new business attractions as well as current business
retention/expansion through public infrastructure projects. The DMRF reallocates 50% of
construction sales tax revenues received from a new construction or renovation project, and 50%
of general sales tax revenues collected by the Town from new and existing businesses within the
Downtown District to the Reinvestment Fund.
An example of a DMRF project is the Marana Main
Street Roundabout Public Art Project. The Marana
Main Street Gateway Art Project is allocated up to
$25,000 of DMRF money, which is dedicated to the
design, fabrication, and installation of an art piece
to help in the creation of a unique identity for
Downtown Marana and Marana Main Street. On
November 5, the Town Council chose a horse and
rider sculpture design by local artist Trevor O’Toole.
Installation is expected to occur in in early 2020.
Community Development Block Grant
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), one of the longest-running programs of the
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, funds local community development
activities with the stated goals of providing affordable housing, anti-poverty programs, and
infrastructure development.
This year, the Town applied for and received a grant for Colonia Neighborhood Cleanup,
Emergency Home Repair, and Owner Occupied Housing Rehabilitation. The Town and Pima
County have an Intergovernmental Agreement for management and implementation of CDBG,
with the Town of Marana as a sub-grantee.
6
TOWN PLANS FOR 2020
Parks and Recreation Master Plan 2020-2030
The Town’s Parks and Recreation Department is updating its 2010 Parks and Recreation 10-year
Master Plan. With the growth the Town has seen since then, the Town wants to ensure that its
facilities keep pace, while also providing the programming that residents have come to want
and expect. The update involves multiple levels of planning, such as analyzing the Town’s parks
at a system-wide level, determining need for new facilities, and upgrades to existing facilities.
Public involvement is a fundamental part of the master planning process, with input received
through many strategies: on-line surveys, dedicated webpages, social media, and workshops.
Public engagement will continue through this winter with a final plan to be adopted summer
2020.
North Marana Drainage Study
The Town is initiating a drainage study for North Marana to
provide information that will give the Town options to
mitigate monsoon rains and determine which areas could
be removed from the FEMA floodplain. This study will not
only help make North Marana residents safer, but will also
inform future development of this area of the town.
Sewer Conveyance System Master Plan
The goals of the Sewer Conveyance System Master Plan
are to identify system deficiencies and future system
improvements that will provide sufficient capacity for
future growth within the Town’s service area, include
planning level sizing and location of necessary
conveyance system infrastructure (lift stations, force mains
and gravity interceptors), and develop cost opinions of the
recommended improvements to develop a capital
improvement program.
Potable Water Master Plan Update
The Town of Marana Water Department (Marana Water) maintains the
Potable Water System Master Plan, which is a comprehensive document
used to project the infrastructure and water resource requirements for
the Town. The Town uses the plan as a tool to evaluate the system on a
capacity basis to determine the needs of existing and future customers.
The Town is in the process of updating the plan for 2020, which was last
updated in 2010.
7
COMPLETED COMMERCIAL PROJECTS
Medical Use-Related Projects
The large population growth of the town has created
a demand for additional medical facilities. Several
new medical facilities have recently been
constructed in Marana.
Northwest Emergency Center at Twin Peaks Located
off of Twin Peaks Road on Marana Center Blvd, across
from the Tucson Premium Outlets, the 11,555 square
foot Northwest Emergency Center is an example of
the recent expansion of the town’s healthcare
market. Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week,
services provided include a range of treatments, from broken bones to life-threatening
conditions. In-house facilities include a full-service lab, digital X-rays, CT scans, and ultrasounds.
Plus, a complete range of emergency diagnostic services mean patients receive hospital quality
emergency care.
Carondelet Micro Hospital
The 32,250 square foot Carondelet Micro Hospital, located in the Cortaro Ranch shopping center,
represents Carondelet’s first expansion into the northwest Tucson area. Hospital features include
a 14-bed emergency department open 24/7, board-certified emergency physicians, two
operating rooms, eight inpatient rooms, laboratory services, diagnostic imaging including x-ray,
computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound, and select inpatient procedures.
8
Fresenius Kidney Care Center
Located in the Tangerine Crossing shopping center,
at the corner of Tangerine and Thornydale Roads,
this 9,988 square feet dialysis center is the first clinic
dedicated to dialysis in Marana. The new clinic offers
home hemodialysis, home peritoneal dialysis and in-
center hemodialysis. The location is unique
compared to other Tucson area locations because it
is located adjacent to the new Arizona Kidney
Disease & Hypertension Center, which is an added
convenience for patients.
Hampton Inn and Suites
Located adjacent to the new Northwest Emergency
Center, the Hampton Inn and Suites at Marana Center
opened in January 2019. This is the first hotel to open in
Marana since 2009. The hotel has 101 guest rooms, a
24-hour business center, fitness center, meeting room
and outdoor pool. Wi th its proximity to I-10, this location
is convenient for both leisure and business travelers.
Dutch Bros Coffee
July 2019 saw the opening of the first location of a
Dutch Bros Coffee in the northwest Tucson area,
located at Cortaro Ranch shopping center. The new
Dutch Bros has no inside seating but instead has an
outside patio with limited seating and two drive-
through lanes.
9
COMPLETED RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS
Watermark at Continental Ranch Senior Living
Located in Continental Ranch on Silverbell Road,
Watermark at Continental Ranch offers both assisted
living and memory care. A total of 108 residences are
available, with 78 of those as assisted living and 21
units (containing 30 beds) for memory care.
Residences come in studio and one- or two-bedroom
options. Community amenities include 24-hour
staffing, a dining room, salon, programmed classes
and activities, and outdoor spaces.
10
COMPLETED PUBLIC PROJECTS
Ina Road Freeway Interchange and Ina Road Beautification
After approximately eighteen months of construction, the Ina Road freeway interchange was
completed and Ina Road Beautification project has concluded. The Town and Arizona
Department of Transportation (ADOT) collaborated on this project involving reconstruction of
ADOT’s interchange, which reconfigured the at-grade railroad crossing by creating an overpass
for the on/off ramps to and from Interstate 10 and both north and south frontage roads.
Improvements also include the replacement of a single two-lane Ina Road bridge over the Santa
Cruz River with two bridges, doubling the road capacity
west of I-10 and creating a bicycle path that connects
with the Loop.
The Town’s Ina Road beautification portion of the
project included the addition of new sidewalks and
improvement to existing sidewalks with the installation of
accessibility ramps, replacing the asphalt on both Ina
Road and Aerie Drive, and adding new street lights and
landscaping, making Ina Road safer and more
attractive.
El Rio Preserve
The El Rio Preserve is located adjacent to the Santa Cruz
River off of North Coachline Road, just east of Silverbell
Road at the existing De Anza trailhead. The project
includes a trailhead plaza with interpretive signs, a sitting
area with benches, a walking path, water harvesting
basins with native plants, and a new observation deck
for bird watching and wildlife viewing.
Water Reclamation and Recharge Facility
In 2018, the Town completed construction of a new
aquifer recharge facility in conjunction with the
expansion of the Marana Water Reclamation Facility
(WRF). The WRF produces class A+ treated effluent
which is delivered to infiltration basins at the recharge
facility and recharged directly to the aquifer. The Town
receives storage credits which contribute to the Town’s
water portfolio.
Currently, the facility recharges and stores about 600
AF/yr of treated effluent, an amount that will continue
to increase with new development tributary to the WRF.
The addition of this recharge facility is a result of
Marana’s efforts to support the thoughtful, planned and sustainable growth of the Town.
11
Dove Mountain CSTEM K-8 School
The start of the 2019-2020 school year marked the grand
opening of this state-of-the-art pre-K through eighth
grade school. The school incorporates new learning
mechanisms to help students learn computer science,
technology, engineering, and math skills. Enrollment has
exceeded expectations, and Marana Unified School
District is currently planning an expansion to
accommodate demand.
Northwest Fire District Station 37
The original Station 37 located on North Tortolita Road
was constructed in 1997 in response to new
development in the northwest area including Dove
Mountain. Over two decades later, as this area of
Marana has grown by leaps and bounds, Northwest Fire
has constructed a new 8,881 square foot station on Dove
Mountain Boulevard between the Highlands subdivision
and the Gallery Sports Club to better serve the area.
Northwest Fire District Station 41
Northwest Fire also has opened a new 8,826 square foot
fire station on the north side of Tangerine Farms Road in
the Gladden Farms area. This new station will serve a
rapidly growing area of the Town.
12
2020 PROJECTS
Public Projects
Saguaro Bloom Community Park
Located on the north side of West Twin Peaks Road in the
Saguaro Bloom area, this new 29-acre community park
will feature soccer and baseball fields, basketball, sand
volleyball and pickleball courts, walking paths, a dog
park, ramadas, a shaded playground, and a restroom
building.
Shared Use Path - Cal Portland to
Avra Valley Road
This path will connect the existing Santa Cruz Shared Use
path, located on top of the flood control levee along the
bank of the Santa Cruz River, to the existing Shared Use
Path at Avra Valley Road. Construction of this portion of
the path will complete the Santa Cruz Shared Use path
and connect North Marana to the Pima County Loop
trail system.
Honea Heights Park
This new ±0.87-acre park for the Honea Heights
neighborhood will include a 2,000 square foot play area
with shade structure, 3,000 square foot turf area, large
ramada, half basketball court, access to the regional
shared use path, and parking.
Central Arizona Project Trail and Trailhead
This project will use the natural-surface bank of the Central Arizona Project (CAP) canal to create
a trail accessed from a trailhead north of Tangerine Road on CAP/Bureau of Reclamation
property. The shared-use path will travel north to the Pinal County line.
13
Commercial Projects
Cortaro Ranch Shopping Center
Just east of the newly completed Dutch Bros Coffee on Cortaro Farms Road, is a new ±13,000
retail building with four tenant spaces. Building permits are under review for the following
businesses.
ATI Physical Therapy
This is the first location in Marana for this physical therapy office, with existing locations in
the northwest metro area, along with locations in other states.
Serial Grillers
This is the fourth location of Serial Grillers in the Tucson metro area, a
popular local restaurant chain that started as a food truck.
Arby’s
This is a new location in Marana for the sandwich chain that features a
drive-through window at the west end of the building.
I Touch Day Spa Nail Salon
I Touch Day Spa is opening its second location in the northwest Tucson
area. The salon offers an array of manicure, pedicure, and related services.
El Rancho Market
El Rancho Market is an Arizona family-owned
grocery store with two existing locations in the
Phoenix area. The new location on Ina Road,
just east of Interstate 10, is its first store in
southern Arizona. In addition to carrying an
array of grocery and other everyday items, El
Rancho has an on-site eatery with an outdoor
patio, plus many other in-house specialty items
from cakes to tortillas to fresh-roasted chilies.
14
Wicked Monkey Brewing Company
Wicked Monkey Brewing Company is a new brewery co-owned by the former
lead brewer of Dragoon Brewing Company. An ±8,000 square foot remodel is
underway for the new brewery on Business Park Drive, just south of the Arizona
Pavilions.
Spice Garden Indian Restaurant
Spice Garden is a 2,400 square foot restaurant in a new commercial building located on Arizona
Pavilions Drive next to Boston’s Restaurant. The restaurant will feature a bar and an outdoor
dining patio.
Jack in the Box
Two new Jack in the Box restaurants are coming to Marana.
Ina Road
This restaurant, located on Ina Road east of I-10, is currently in the
planning phase.
Sandario Road
This restaurant is under construction in Downtown Marana located
just south of the intersection of Marana Road and North Sandario
Road.
Marana Main Gate
Downtown Marana is experiencing more
development. In addition to the Jack in
the Box, the Marana Main Gate project is
an 8,540-square-foot commercial building
located off Sandario Road. A plan for
Bisbee Breakfast Club is currently under
review, and the submittal for another
restaurant is expected soon.
Sol Dog Lodge
Located off of Tangerine Road in the
Tangerine Business Park will be the second
location for Sol Dog Lodge in the Tucson
metro area. The project proposes a 9,413-
square-foot building with boarding kennels,
and provides programs such as behavioral
assessment and training, a dog day camp,
grooming and education, and meeting spaces. A second 2,048-square-foot full-service veterinary
facility building will also accommodate future growth.
15
Dollar General
A new Dollar General store has opened in the Rancho Marana subdivision area. The 9,070-
square-foot store is located at the corner of Tangerine Farms Road and Clark Farms Boulevard.
Circle K
Circle K is opening a new location at the corner of Tangerine Road and Lon Adams Road in the
Heritage Park Shoppes. The proposed project includes a 5,187-square-foot convenience store,
car wash, and seven islands with 14 fuel pumps under a canopy.
QuikTrip
A new 7,318-square-foot QuikTrip
convenience store and gas station is planned
for the northeast corner of Ina Road and Star
Commerce Way.
AutoZone
AutoZone has recently opened its new
location in the Tangerine Crossing center at Thornydale Road and Tangerine Road. The building is
6,466 square feet and is the first AutoZone store in Marana.
16
Residential Projects Underway
La Sonora at Dove Mountain
This 157,000-square-foot senior living facility is under
construction at the northeast corner of Dove Mountain
Blvd and Tangerine Road behind the existing commercial
center. The project will provide 142 suites for independent
living, assisted living, and memory care.
Encantada at Continental Reserve
This is the second multi-family development project for HSL
Properties in Marana. The apartment complex contains
304 units and is located north of Cortaro Road on Arizona
Pavilions Drive, just west of Interstate 10. Apartments are
nearing completion and
currently leasing.
Lazy K Bar Ranch
Lazy K Bar Ranch was originally homesteaded in the 1920s and
began operation as a guest ranch in 1932. In 2006, the guest ranch
closed, and a residential subdivision final plat was recorded in 2019
for the site. The 178-lot subdivision is currently under construction,
and the sale of new Pulte homes is anticipated soon.
17
COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT TRENDS
In addition to new drive-through restaurants and the recent expansion of medical service
providers in traditional retail locations, businesses provide convenience for consumers by
continuing to produce new and innovative ways to operate in Marana. Retailers are capitalizing
on the rapid growth of the online marketplace by providing new types of services.
Buy on-line/Pick-up in Store (BOPIS)
A big trend the Town and the rest of the country is seeing is a
hybrid between brick-and-mortar shopping and online shopping
known as “buy on-line and pick-up in store” or BOPIS. A
customer can park their car and go into the store, or stay in the
car and choose curbside pick-up and store staff will bring their
order to them. These types of services are offered by big box
retailers, department stores, and grocery stores, in addition to
traditional on-line stores such as Amazon that offer pick-up of
online orders at special lockers in stores. Pick-up can be as quick
as one hour for in-stock items or a few days for “ship to store”
items.
Buy on-line / Return in-store
Kohl’s has partnered with Amazon to accept the online retailer’s
returns. It can be a hassle to mail your return back to Amazon,
so Kohl’s has made it easier by packing and shipping your return
to Amazon at no charge.
Grocery Delivery
Need groceries but do not have the time or ability to run to the
store? Whether ordering from a grocery store’s website or
ordering through an internet service such as Instacart, with a
point and click, your grocery order shows up at your front door,
sometimes in as a little as one hour.
18
RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT TRENDS
We are following the products of new home builder innovations as they respond to their buyers
changing needs and preferences that accommodate modern lifestyles.
RV Garages
The RV garage is the ultimate in convenience and flexibility
for some homebuyers. The RV garage allows homeowners
to keep the “toys” in their own garage instead of off-site at
a storage facility. No camper or boat? Let your
imagination design your space. Basketball court? Craft
and hobby room? Homeowners have many options.
Multi-generational Houses - DR Horton, Lennar,
Richmond American
The changing demographics of households in the 21st century
demonstrates a return to pre-nuclear family living situations.
Becoming more common now is the demand for multi-generational
housing: A self-contained unit (separate living and sleeping areas
with full bathroom, laundry and kitchenette) with external and
internal entrances incorporated into the footprint of the house. The
units create flexible living situations for aging parents, boomerang
kids, or other family members who want to be close to family but
maintain some independence.
Flex Spaces
In response to changing needs of consumers, home builders are
creating flexible spaces that allow homeowners to use a
room/space to best suit their individual needs. Examples include
casitas, home offices, teen rooms, exercise rooms, and more.
Similar to RV garages in terms of flexibility, these spaces can be
used for many different purposes in addition to their primary use.
Deacon Plan-
https://www.richmondamerican.com/content/plans/media-
First Floor of Ventana Plan by Lennar: Edgestone
at Gladden Farms
Craft Room - Courtesy of Houzz
19
Connected “Smart” Homes – Integration with
Alexa/Amazon and Google Nest
Home builders offer pre-wiring of new homes to integrate
technology to create smart homes. These technologies
allow homeowners to communicate with different aspects
of their home, including the front door, thermostat,
appliances, and lights via voice control or an app on their
phones. Now, you do not need to worry if you forgot to turn
off the oven before you left the house.
Electric Car Charging Stations
In addition to other green features available in residential
homes, car charging stations are one the newest additions.
While there is an increasing number of car charging stations
due to an increase of electric and plug-in hybrid car
owners on the road, these vehicle owners desire the ability
to charge their vehicles in the convenience of their own
homes. Some new home builders are offering this amenity,
and owners of existing homes are having them installed,
allowing the vehicle owner to charge their car overnight.
Photovoltaic Solar Systems
More homeowners are installing photovoltaic systems to
reap advantages like reducing electric bills and carbon
emissions. Solar panels absorb sunlight, and are the most
visible part of the system, but there are other components.
Other components to a typical photovoltaic system include
a solar inverter that converts energy from direct to
alternating current, a battery that stores the energy,
mounting structures (triangular mount for flat roofs and flush
mount for pitched roofs), and electrical and safety
equipment. As of December 12, 327 photovoltaic permits
have been issued.
Home Battery Backup Systems
To be prepared for power outages, homeowners have
been purchasing gas-powered generators for decades. A
newer, more convenient and cleaner option to this is the
battery backup power system. These systems provide the
same backup power functions as conventional generators
without the hassle of refueling. Battery backup systems can
also be used in conjunction with a photovoltaic system to
charge the system. An example is the Tesla Powerwall,
which uses the same rechargeable lithium ion battery
technology as it uses for its vehicles.
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2WSvOKNAHaE8&pid=Api&rs=1
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https://ww.electrek.co/2018/05/13/tesla- 1
20
DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY
Commercial Activity
With increasing permits for new construction, remodeling, tenant improvements and others,
commercial activity is on the rise. In 2019, 60 commercial permits were issued.
Since 2016, the permit fees and valuations for new construction have been on the overall
increase from approximately $543,000 to $1.2 million for permit fees and from $25 million to $72
million in valuations. Approved commercial square footage increased from 137,531square feet of
floor area in 2016 to over 230,000 square feet of floor area in 2019.
In 2019, total permit fees paid to the Town was $7.6 million with a total valuation of $334.5 million.
Of this, $1.6 million was collected in commercial permit fees with a $72 million valuation, while $6
million was in residential project permit fees with an almost $263 million valuation.
237 252 259
70 92 72
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
2017 2018 2019
Valuations
(in millions $)
Residential Commercial
5.2
5.9 6
0.85
2.6
1.6
0
2
4
6
8
2017 2018 2019
Permit Fees
(in millions $)
Residential Commercial
21
Residential Activity
Single-family House Permits
The number of single-family house permits issued has continued to remain at a high level over the
past few years. As of December 31, 808 new single-family permits were issued. June of 2019 was
an especially busy month with 97 permits issued. This continues the trend of approximately 800
single-family permits issued per year since 2017.
Since 2016, the permit fees and valuations for new single-family homes have been on the
increase from approximately $4.2 million to $6 million for permit fees and from just over $182
million to $263 million in valuations.
Multi-family Development
Encantada at Continental Reserve is an example of recent multi-family development in the Town.
Permitted in the fall of 2018, the apartments are now under construction. Permit fees collected
for this project were $1.5 million, with a valuation of $35.6 million. While no permits were issued for
multi-family development in 2019, the Town staff anticipate multiple new project submittals in the
coming year.
42 43
61
88
71
97
83
62 65
79
62
50
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2019 Single-family House Permits
600
788 824 808
182 237 252 259
0
200
400
600
800
1000
2016 2017 2018 2019
Single-Family Development
Number of Permits Valuations in Millions $
22
Marana Water and Sewer Connections
A standard metric for measuring the
amount of new residential and
commercial development is the number
of new water meters. Another standard
metric for measuring the amount of new
development in the sewer system an
Equivalent Dwelling Unit (EDU). An
Equivalent Dwelling Unit (EDU) is a unit of
measure that standardizes all land use
categories (housing, retail, office, food
service, etc.) to the level of demand
created by one single-family dwelling
unit.
Since 2016, there has been a steady
increase of new development both
Marana Water’s water and sewer systems.
Subdivision Plats and Lot Inventory
Prior to the great recession, there was a
rush to develop residential subdivision lots
to meet the high demand. After the
housing market crash, many of these lots
remained vacant for years and, as the
market returned, home builders
developed these lots first. Since then,
there has been a renewed interest in
creating more platted lots in new
subdivisions.
Ten new subdivision final plats were
reviewed and approved in 2019, creating
1,152 new lots in the town. These lots
represent the addition of over 3,000 new
residents in the town after the homes are
constructed.
With the number of new house permits now averaging 800 per year for the last three years, the
available platted lots in the town has been reduced by approximately 2,400 lots, while 3,006 new
lots have been created in the same time frame.
3745134436071824124874870
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
2016 2017 2018 2019
New Water and Sewer Connections*
Water Meters Installed EDUs
752
1102 1152
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
2017 2018 2019
New Lots Platted Since 2017
Data for Marana Water only. Other providers inside
Town limits (Tucson Water and PCRWRD) not included
23