Local Opinion: Risk benefit of Pima Wash

The Planning and Zoning Commission of Pima County recently recommended approval of the Pima Wash development of more than 100 individual homes in the southern parcel and 210 apartments in the northern parcel over the objections and signed petitions of more than 1000 concerned Pima County citizens. On July 11th the Board of Supervisors is scheduled to rule on the request to change the long standing CR1 zoning codes for the Wash and surrounding areas. The justification for this change, at least in part, is an urgent need for more affordable housing in Pima County. This BOS decision is consequential, political, economic, environmental and not without great risk.

What this really amounts to is a risk-to-benefit ratio decision for the Board. Supervisor Scott has been very open, available and engaged with the effected citizens in this dialogue. This is not a NIMBY issue. We recognize the right of the developer to build in the Wash. We object to the density. This density, despite enthusiastic opinions about its value outlined in Star editorials, leads to significant risks. The developer has proposed offsets and protective measures for the Riparian dessert in the Wash, proposed changes to the flood plan to protect the housing from flooding at the 100-year flood mark and their traffic engineer has assured us of low-traffic volume increase and enough capacity in the involved streets of N. Oracle and Rudasill Dr. All these strategies and assurances are based on estimates and opinions of experts in their field and the recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission. But if it can go wrong, it will. The protections can fail; the rain can be torrential; and traffic is sure to be significantly increased over predictions. Hence this very significant risk to the Wash, to the communities impacted and to the County.

The benefits are many, all of them directed at the developers, the contractors building the units, the realtors selling and renting the units and the few local businesses along N. Oracle who all stand to profit from this change in the zoning codes. The proponents also site the value of “infill” and “density” and most importantly “affordable housing” for the County. But we understand these to be high end “expensive” rentals and the costs of building the individual homes will most likely put the individual dwellings out of reach for the vast majority of Pima County citizens looking to buy a home.

Based on all of these facts and opinions, the risk-to-benefit ratio would clearly point to rejecting the developers request to change the zoning codes and require them to build to the present codes. That would truly be a benefit to the county and its citizens while still providing more housing with less risk.