TUCSON, Arizona — The Tucson City Council voted 7-0 last week to adopt an improved City of Tucson sign code that is less restrictive towards businesses. Metropolitan Pima Alliance, Tucson Metro Chamber, Southern Arizona Homebuilders Association, Tucson Association of Realtors and other membership – based organizations along with other leaders and stakeholders in the business community, have been active participants in the Sign Code Revision Project since it began over a year ago.

The improvements include:

• language that would not hinder the ability of a business to advertise and sell;
• a sign code that encourages economic development; and
• consideration for the concerns of all parties involved.

Some of the specific positive changes that came out of this revision project are the interpretation of canopy signs, and the rate of change for electronic message signs down to one minute (it was formerly one hour.) A huge win for the business community is the Master Sign Program and the individual sign design option, which now gives sign users the potential to be more creative than what has been allowed in 35-40 years. Most importantly, the new sign code gives business owners predictability and consistency.

For all materials and additional information related to the joint PC / CSCC meetings, please visit the following page.

TUCSON, ARIZONA — Several rezoning projects are asking for you to Be Heard, one in the City of Tucson and the other in Pima County. Don’t miss these chances to Be Heard!

First, support is needed at the Tucson Mayor and Council Hearing on TUESDAY NOVEMBER 21, 2017 at the Mayor and Council Chamber at City Hall, 255 W. Alameda, Tucson, AZ at 5:15 p.m.  As many of you know, rezoning is needed at the northeast corner of 22nd Street and Houghton Road for a new Neighborhood Shopping Center that will be anchored by a 99,000-square-foot Fry’s Food and Drug Store.

In the fall of 2016, the City of Tucson Mayor and Council approved the first part of this rezoning, the neighborhood plan amendment. After some procedural issues, it has made it through to the Zoning Examiner hearing AGAIN last month and will be heading to the Mayor and City Council this month.

Much of the success of this project so far is to the credit of the community members who have come to the hearings to voice their support for the project. These concerned citizens and business colleagues recognize that we all need to come together and support responsible growth in our community. The Save Houghton East Coalition is relentless in its opposition of this project and is being assisted by a larger group made up largely of “no growthers” who oppose nearly every new development project proposed in Tucson. They are often successful because of their well-organized, extremely vocal opposition to new development and most importantly, show up in large numbers to the Tucson Planning Commission, Zoning Examiner, and City Council hearings to voice their opposition to these new projects. If we want to see new, responsible growth in Tucson, we need to work together as a business community and rally supporters to attend and Be Heard at these public hearings to counter this opposition.

Please contact Craig Finfrock, CCIM, of Commercial Retail Advisors or Linda Morales of The Planning Center for more information and let them know if they can count on your support. Finfrock should be reached at 520.290.3200 or email him at cfinfrock@cradvisorsllc.com Morales is at 520.209.2632 or by email at lmorales@azplanningcenter.com.

Don’t miss this chance to Be Heard. If you are unable to attend this hearing, it would be greatly appreciated if you would email the Principal Planner and Mayor and City Council Members.

Support for a second rezoning project is also being asked of the community to Be Heard by Jason Tankersley, CEO of The Fairfax Companies.

Tankersley writes: I am attempting to open up another recycling and landfill facility in on South Wilmot Road in Tucson. I need your help!

There is no other facility like this one in the country. We will have manufacturing, mining, composting, landfill, and recycling all in the same facility.

PLEASE, help us in opening this new amazing facility. (attached is a site plan and narrative describing the uses)

This project and my company need all the community support we can get. I have drafted copies of letters and request calling the Supervisors’ offices to help. The Planning and Zoning Commission Vote will be held on Wednesday, November 29^th, so please don’t delay. Letters, faxes, or calls will be helpful. Please contact Tankersley at 520.290.9313 or email him at Tank@ffxsite.net for more information.

At its May 17^th meeting, Tucson Mayor and Council approved rezoning of a Planned Area Development for 63 acres of vacant land at Irvington Road and Interstate 19 (three miles south of Interstate 10) in Tucson. The project was approved unanimously in a 7 to 0 vote.

The owner of the property is Irvington Interstate Partners, LLC, an affiliate of Bourn Companies. The proposal is to create a massive, multi-phase, mixed-use commercial center to be called Irvington Commercial Center.

Commercial Real Estate Developer Bourn Companies proposes to transform the undeveloped desert land at the NWC of Irvington Road and I-19 into a, “… vibrant commercial development to serve the immediate neighborhood along with visitors and the rest of the region driving along our major interstate system,” according to the submitted documents.

The PAD will be divided into five development areas with the actual phasing / order of development and boundary of these development areas varying due to market demands and responses to those market conditions. These development areas will identify the project-site improvements that will be required at the time these specific development areas are developed.

The five development areas are as follows:

• Development Area 1 encompasses about 11 acres and will be developed with smaller commercial pads with high visibility along the I-19 frontage and access provided by a pair of driveways at existing, signalized intersections, as well as a third driveway.
• Development Area 2 (8 acres) will be located near the SWC of the site and will serve as an extension of Area 1 uses, but without direct roadway frontage.
• Development Area 3 (21 acres) lies at the center of the PAD and will be tied to the other four areas by vehicle and pedestrian circulation routes.
• Development Area 4 (12 acres) lies near the center of the site, south of the proposed spine roadway.
• Development Area 5 (11 acres) is on the far north of the property.

The PAD will provide a proposed road (spine road) that links the entire property and development areas and includes an 8-foot pedestrian pathway which will provide 65-75 percent shading. There will be at least two pedestrian/bike connections and access from the PAD site to the Santa Cruz Riverpark. The PAD will establish an architectural review committee to review and approve architectural design, through a self-certification process by providing a letter of approval to the City at the time of development package submittal. The PAD will create development and design standards to establish a common theme and design elements which will unify the site. The developer will provide a bus pullout and shelter on the westbound side of Irvington Road.

No project timeline was identified.