Rocking K planner makes concessions

Officials with Diamond Ventures last week unveiled their latest plan to develop the southern portion of the Rocking K, a controversial development the company first proposed in the late 1980s.

The Rocking K South integrated plan calls for 3,223 homes on 2,047 acres in a triangular-shaped area south of Old Spanish Trail and west of Camino Loma Alta, in the heart of the Rincon Valley.

Residential areas would vary in size and density, much of it clustered into villages, leaving 730 acres for open space with another 70 acres for parks.

That's a much-downsized version of earlier versions of the plan that residents and environmentalists fiercely opposed. Initial versions of the plan called for more than 20,000 homes on more than 6,300 acres, four golf courses and four resorts on the entire ranch that straddles both sides of Old Spanish Trail.

The new plan doesn't include the portion north of Old Spanish Trail. "There are no plans to develop the northern parcel at this time," said Robert Tucker, project manager.

Ken Abrahams, Diamond Ventures executive vice president, said the company hopes to begin work on Rocking K South in late 2008 or early 2009.

One environmental organization that has consulted with Diamond Ventures in recent years approved of the company's environmentally sensitive design.

"The Rincon Institute applauds the Rocking K South design team in its efforts to maintain the rural character of the Rincon Valley," as well as its provisions for open space and conservation features, according to a letter to Diamond from Mary Elizabeth Pollard, chair of the institute's board of directors.

Officials with another Tucson-based environmental group see it differently.

"Bringing large amounts of people into this area is not environmentally sensitive," said Greta Anderson, conservation advocate for the Center for Biological Diversity.

"Any development like this is going to have huge impacts on the groundwater," as well as the area's watershed and wildlife habitat, she said.

Mary Davis, a Diamond Venture spokeswoman, said the company does not yet have an estimate on the amount of water that would be used by Rocking K South when it's fully built.

The water would come from the area's utility, Spanish Trail Water Co.

Diamond Ventures — run by Tucson developer Don Diamond — sweetened the plan to allay concerns of locals and environmentalists who have fought the Rocking K development over the years for being too big and environmentally destructive:

● A golf course included in the project's specific plan has been eliminated.

● Most residential areas will be in the interior of the development, and an open-space buffer will run along Old Spanish Trail and most of the perimeter of the triangular-shaped development. The plan calls for 730 acres of natural open space throughout.

● Two-story structures would be prohibited around the perimeter.

The Rincon Institute will monitor the development and work to minimize its impact on the area.

Most of the 120-some people packed into last week's Rincon Valley Coalition meeting at Academy Village liked what they saw during Abrahams' presentation.

Nate Riggle, coalition vice president, said he and others are impressed with the plan — and realize that it may be about as good as it's going to get.

"We recognize that it's going to happen," he said, "and we think this is a sensible plan. So far."

But some Rincon Valley residents remain wary.

Ann Clotfelter, who lives in Rocking K Estates just west of the proposed development, worries about the project's impact on wildlife.

She hopes Diamond Ventures will provide a means for wildlife to move about by, for example, building large culverts on Old Spanish Trail to allow animals to cross under the road.

Diamond Ventures has agreed to pay for improvements to Old Spanish Trail and East Valencia Road, from South Houghton Road to Old Spanish Trail, to accommodate the increased traffic generated by the development.