pop

POP needs MONEY

2008-12-21T17:53:00.001-07:00

POP needs $20,000 to pay our legal fees. We are out of money despite your generosity. Please help! Our cause was meritorious, 2166 of you voted to reject 100 condo-like units at the Ritz-Carlton Residences.POP needs your help to pay what we owe; money needed to win the law suit forced on us by Five Star. POP remains mobilized in an effort to safeguard the values of the Town of Paradise Valley. To review: Five Star Development sued the Town of Paradise Valley in an attempt to overturn the petition signed by over 900. The petition called for a vote of Town residents on whether Five Star should be allowed to build Ritz-Carlton high-density housing on 105 acres northeast of Lincoln and Mockingbird. It was necessary for POP to intervene in the case because the Town Council did not want the referendum to succeed, making them look foolish. Our brilliant election law attorney, Lisa Hauser of the renowned firm of Gammage and Burnham, won and Five Star lost the law suit; the victory cost POP over $41,000 in well spent legal fees. Prop. 411 was approved.Preserve Our Paradise (POP) spent only $17,204 for advertising. $21,000 has already been paid to the lawyers to defend the rights of the voters of ParadiseValley to exercise our constitutional privilege. But, POP still owes Gammage and Burnham $20,323.The opposition spent a total of $222,936 for advertising. This does not include the unknown amount spent by Five Star Development in legal fees to sue the Town. All of the money spent by the opposition came from Five Star Development and its president, Jerry Ayoub, while all of the money spent by POP was donated by individual residents of our town.We understand that these are poor economic times. We also understand that there are many things which take priority over POP's bills. We are hoping, however, that you will all dig in a little deeper and help out. While the developer's deep pockets won the day, POP made quite an impact on the way the Town will act in the future. The evidence is that the firm, never-to-change-its-mind Five Star Development has already asked and received permission to lower its density from 100 units to 88. We have made a difference. Please help us by giving whatever you can toward the legal fund. POP acted on your behalf, please support our action.Five Star spent about $51 per vote while we spent about $8 per vote. They out spent us by 13 to 1. We did not lose, sadly the votes were bought and won by Five Star and their high-priced PR flacks. Let us not forget that 2166 Town residents share our thinking, more votes than were cast for any of our Town Council members. By the way, we estimate President-elect Obama spent about $7 for each of his nearly 67 million popular votes.POP is alive and well and will stay that way to represent your issues to our Town Council and to spread the good word.Once again, POP needs your help to pay off $20,000 debt to our lawyers.

100 down to 88?

2008-11-20T20:51:00.000-07:00

The request by Five Star Development to reduce the number of high-density condo-like duplex units at the Five Star Development's Ritz-Carlton Residences project from the Town Council and Planning Commission approved number of 100 units down to 88 units only proves the fallibility of the approval process. How much less dense should the project be made? Commissioner Lou Werner reminded the applicant that the commission was told the project had to have 100 patio homes in order to make it work. Both Council and Commission fell for this developer kool-aid. The result will be a project we fear the Town will ultimately regret. First Montelucia at the corner of Lincoln and Tatum and now this. We have it on good source that there were serious objections to fire safety problems posed by the building density during the Planning Commission review. Commission Chairman Dolf Strom said the current project approved unanimously by both the commission and the Paradise Valley Town Council met all of the town's safety requirements but even the applicant had to concede that the changes would result in a safer project. Here again, the approval process is not perfect. Will this change make it safe enough?We regret the decision to allow this project to go forward but POP did not lose the decision on Prop. 411, sadly the high priced lobbyists paid for entirely by Five Star bought it. At $150,000, Five Star outspent POP by about 15 to 1. Remember that 2166 voters opposed the project, more than it has taken to elect a Town Councilman. In 2004 Indian Bend Road west of Scottsdale Road carried 19,600 vehicles per day. The Scottsdale Transportation Department estimates that the traffic volume will increase to approximately 25,000 to 30,000 by 2020. With the coming of the high-rise 250 room "Edition Hotel" on the southwest corner of Indian Bend and Scottsdale Road there is a good probability heavy traffic will be siphoned off into Paradise Valley further compounding problems created by the Five Star project.The Paradise Valley Planning Commission will hold a public hearing Dec. 2 in order to render a judgment on the developer's request. We hope concerned citizens will attend to voice opinions.

Five Star Wants a Change

2008-11-16T18:09:00.001-07:00

Tuesday, November 18, 2008 at 6 P.M.

Town Planning Commission meeting.

Five Star Development/Ritz-Carlton Residences requests reducing the number of patio homes from 100 down to 88.
Find out why

POP remains mobilized in an effort to safeguard the values of the Town of Paradise Valley. We need your help.
Thank you for helping Preserve Our Paradise. Let's not become Paradise Lost.
Find us on the Web at www.pvpop.org

Ritz Developer Sues Town

2008-06-11T11:42:00.005-07:00

Five Star Development to file suit to dismiss a referendum brought by Preserve Our Paradise over the project's residential housing.POP's attorney must defend. POP needs funds for legal fees now.
Please help.
Make check payable to POP.
Mail to:
POP
Suite C4, Box 110
6929 N. Hayden Rd.
Scottsdale, AZ 85250

To comply with State Law we must use best efforts to obtain, maintain and submit the name,mailing address, occupation and name of employer of all contributors.

We are Certified

2008-06-06T13:10:00.001-07:00

Thanks ever so much to all of you. The Paradise Valley Town Clerk certified our petition signatures on June 4th.

Please Donate

2008-05-29T15:06:00.001-07:00

"The time has come," the walrus said, "To talk of many things..."
POP needs funds for legal fees, advertising, operational expenses. Five Star will spare no expense or effort opposing the POP referendum by mounting every legal obstacle they can.
Please help. Make checks payable to POP and mail to:
POP
Suite C4, Box 110
6929 N. Hayden Rd.
Scottsdale, AZ 85250
To comply with State Law we must use best efforts to obtain, maintain and submit the name,
mailing address, occupation and name of employer of all contributors.

Notarize your Petitions

2008-05-03T18:45:00.002-07:00

Monday, May 5 through Thursday, May 8

we will be outside the PV Police Department
from 6 pm to 8 pm

Sign Referendum Petitions

notarize your petitions Monday at 7 pm

2008-04-26T15:30:00.003-07:00

SUPER SATURDAY

REFERENDUM SIGNING

DRIVE IN SIGN UP DRIVE OUT

SATURDAY, MAY 3

10 a.m. TO 3 p.m.

PARADISE VALLEY POLICE STATION PARKING LOT

6433 E. LINCOLN DRIVE

Monday, April 28 through Friday May 3 we will be at the PV PD

from 6 pm to 8 pm

notarize your petitions Monday at 7 pm

REFERENDUM SIGN-UP

2008-04-25T21:09:00.002-07:00

STOP HIGH DENSITY
SUPER SATURDAY REFERENDUM SIGNING
DRIVE IN SIGN UP DRIVE OUT
SATURDAY, APRIL 26
SATURDAY, MAY 3
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
PARADISE VALLEY POLICE STATION PARKING LOT
6433 E. LINCOLN DRIVE

Sign the Referendum

2008-04-21T07:50:00.001-07:00

It is REFERENDUM TIME
Preserve Our Paradise is collecting signatures on Referendum REF 0801 empowering registered voters of the Town of Paradise Valley to decide if they are against the Five Star High-Density housing project. A successful referendum vote will veto the Town Council's decision to permit construction of 100 duplex housing units. Sign now!
SIGN the referendum petition
WHERE: outside the Town of Paradise Valley Police Station lobby, 6433 E. Lincoln in the Town Complex (see http://pvpop.org/meeting_location.htm)
WHEN: all this week from Monday, April 21st - 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. to Friday, April 25th
We are in favor of the 225 unit Ritz-Carlton resort but opposed to 100 dwellings at 8 units per acre, approved by our Town Council on April 10th.

POP Meeting Tuesday, April 8th

2008-04-02T15:11:00.001-07:00

Preserve Our Paradise, a Town of Paradise Valley concerned citizens group, will present and discuss the facts surrounding the Five Star Development project being presented as a Ritz-Carlton Resort Special Use Permit. We will be privileged to hear Nan Nesvig, Scottsdale City Council candidate, and Tom Giller, both key players in the recent successful Hanover referendum in Scottsdale. They will talk about how to conduct a successful referendum. The discussion will start at 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 8th at the Town of Paradise Valley Police Station Auditorium, 6433 East Lincoln Drive in the Town Complex at the southeast corner of Lincoln and Invergordon.The Paradise Valley Town Council is scheduled to hear Citizens input once again at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 10, at the Town Hall, 6400 East Lincoln Drive. It is expected that the Council will vote affirmatively to approve the Five Star project as submitted. The high-density housing component of this project will result in the construction of 100 high-density housing units at 8 units per acre, will generate traffic and noise pollution, strain the water resources of the Arizona American Water Company, detract from mountain views and, overall, have a negative impact on the Town of Paradise Valley. It has yet to be demonstrated how these high-density housing units will benefit the Town in any way. It is important that concerned residents express their views to their Town Council members. Paradise Valley has always prided itself on having a representative government. Let us keep it that way.

Do You Really Care About Your Town?

2008-03-19T21:47:00.001-07:00

This is your town - care enough to do something about what is about to happen. If you don't speak up now, it will be too late to scream when high-density housing shows up on the remaining 75 acres surrounding the Ritz-Carlton resort. If you think it can't happen in your backyard, think again! When a developer buys up 20 houses around you and builds condos, who will be there to care? Who will speak up for you?When traffic snarls, when police protection is stretched thin, when garbage trucks rumble by your door, when the air becomes thick and polluted, when views are blocked, who will be there to care? Who will speak up then? The Paradise Valley Town Council will meet again at 4 PM Thursday at Town Hall to review the Five Star Development. You are all invited to listen. At 7 PM the Council will listen to your voice only if you are there and speak out. If you care about the future of the Town, be there at 7 PM! Speak out, let your voice be heard. Object to 8 units per acre!

URGENT!!!!

2008-03-11T12:05:00.004-07:00

On the brink. High density about to emerge. Protect our Town.

Let your voice be heard. Speak up!

Ritz-Carlton project will bring 100 duplexes at 8 housing units per acre to our Town in addition to the resort.

Thursday, March 13th at 7:00 pm is CRUCIAL!

Write the Council and attend these Council meetings. Tell your friends and neighbors.

The council could vote on the project March 27 following the public hearing.

Ritz-Carlton SUP Meeting Schedule

2008-03-08T23:56:00.002-07:00

The Town Council will discuss the Special Use Permit, the Preliminary Plat, and the corresponding Roadway abandonment of the Five Star development for a 30 acre Ritz-Carlton resort and about 80 acres of high density residential development including 100 patio homes at a density of 8 per acre. Town Council is meeting at 4 PM on Monday, March 10, at a TBA time on Thursday, March 13, at 4 PM on Thursday, March 20 and at a TBA time on Thursday, March 27. The March 13 and March 27 meetings will be public hearings and public input will be solicited. It is important that your voice be heard. Five Star's public relations firm will undoubtedly bring people to the meeting in favor of the project. Townspeople must turn out in large numbers to make their opinions known. Let your voice be heard!

8 Units per Acre?

2008-02-21T14:52:00.001-07:00

How do 8 residences per acre strike you? That is part of the Five Star Development plan for the remaining 2/3 of the land of the Ritz-Carlton Resort property not intended for the resort. The resort will only cover roughly 30 acres while the plan is for 146 residences on 65 of the remaining acres.
How do 12 housing units along Lincoln Drive on about 5 acres sound? That's on the drawing board as well. Montelucia re-visited? Sound like tract housing?
What is the benefit to the town to have such high density? More air pollution, more traffic pollution, more garbage truck pollution, more water consumption, more fire and police protection required. So much for our Town character and open space life-style.
Let our Town Council know how you feel about high density in the residential portion of the Ritz-Carlton proposal.

Council e-mail addresses:VirginiaASimpson@cox.net, mhamway@cox.net , slemarr@palocristi.com , edwinkler@cox.net, dschweiker@cox.net, rc44@cox.net, briancooney@cox.net

Virtual Model of Ritz-Carlton Project

2008-01-29T16:46:00.000-07:00

The next council work study on the Ritz Carlton is tentatively scheduled for 4 p.m. Feb. 21.

The developer of the Ritz Carlton, Paradise Valley resort has commissioned a virtual model of the project so the Paradise Valley Town Council and the public can see what the development would look like from the street.Scottsdale-based Five Star Development also will create a physical model of the project.The 110-acre mixed-use project northwest of Scottsdale Road and Lincoln Drive includes a 225-room resort, 15 1-acre home sites, 46 luxury detached homes, and 100 resort patio homes.

Town Council Discusses Ritz-Carlton

2008-01-26T19:00:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, January 24, 2008, the Paradise Valley Town Council, in work/study session, spent two hours listening to and commenting upon the Five Star Development of the Ritz-Carlton project on 105 acres surrounded by Lincoln Drive, North Mockingbird Lane and Indian Bend Road. The major concern voiced by members of the Council was how this whole thing was going to look from the street. The Council is gun shy over Montelucia and the great public uproar over that abortion at Lincoln and Tatum.

There was talk about lowering the heights of some proposed high density structures but absolutely nothing said about the huge number of dwelling units (duplexes.) The developer dresses up 8 per acre duplexes by calling them "Patio Homes" but they sure look like Scottsdale type condos, and 28 foot high to boot. All nicely surrounded by walls, just like those on McCormick Ranch.

Isn't it great to know that your one acre home is on an "Estate Lot?" Almost as good as the "so-called" "Luxury Homes" they want to build on half-acre lots. More developer PR.

More and more talk is heard about developers putting together 20 acre parcels and calling them Special Use Permit resort developments per Town ordinance. A developer can easily afford to buy 20 acres for $40 million then generate $224 million by selling 112 condos on 14 acres while still having 6 acres left for a Hermosa Inn or Smoketree Inn sized resort. Can it happen in your back yard? You bet! A Town Council candidate has already had developers knocking on her door.

The Town Council must justify why they would permit Five Star Development to trivialize the one home per acre principle our Town Founders so wisely adopted in 1961. The resort itself on 30% of the land looks good but the Town of Paradise Valley does not need condos on the rest of the property. The Town of Paradise Valley does not need duplexes regardless of what they are called. The Town of Paradise Valley does not want high density tract housing.

Write, phone, e-mail the Council. Pack Town Hall. Speak out. Let your opinions be heard. Do not wait until it is too late and another Montelucia or even worse rises at the eastern gateway to our Town.

Water Problem

2008-01-19T17:28:00.000-07:00

Anyone concerned about the impact of high density development on our frail and limited water sources?
How's AAWC's water capacity now?
Have they got the infastructure to deliver water on the scale three new developments will require?
Who will be paying for the necessary upgrades?
How would our community's increased use impact the TCE plume?
Ask your Town Council members!

POP Meeting Tuesday, Jan. 15

2008-01-12T19:29:00.000-07:00

Help stop building two-story duplexes on Lincoln Drive.

Two-story duplexes at Lincoln and Tatum, western gateway to our community, have destroyed our views.

Do not let it happen to our eastern gateway.

Help "Preserve Our Paradise Valley" by working with the Town Council to STOP more Duplexes on Lincoln.

Tell the Town Council duplexes are not your vision for Paradise.

Attend "Preserve Our Paradise" meeting
Tuesday, January 15
7 pm at Paradise Valley Police Station.

Be part of the meeting! Take pride in your town. Let your voice be heard.

Lincoln Drive Condos

2008-01-10T13:06:00.000-07:00

duplexes

Approximation of Ritz-Carlton high density housing from Lincoln Drive. All units directly on Lincoln will be one-story, promised maximum height 18 feet. The four "patio homes" on the east or right side are four per acre. (click image for a better view)

Action Needed Now!

2008-01-09T08:25:00.000-07:00

We are not opposed to resorts. Our immediate concern is the runaway high density travesty proposed by Five Star Development in the guise of building a Ritz-Carlton resort on the property bounded by Lincoln, Mockingbird and Indian Bend. Town residents are not permitted to build four duplex units, each containing two dwellings, on their one-acre property. Five Star wants to build one hundred housing units on about 12 acres. Why should they be allowed to do that? At least 200 people living on 12 acres! There will be twelve condo-like units facing Lincoln Drive. Greater on-street density than Montelucia at Lincoln and Tatum. Do not be fooled by the false threat of property tax.

Stop needless development of high density housing in a Town founded on one home per acre. Living in a gated community or having a homeowners association does not prevent high density in your backyard. Only 20 acres are needed to create a Special Use Permit which would provide the opportunity to build high density housing. The Town already has resorts built on 5 and 6 acres, leaving 15 acres for condos for each Special Use Permit. Protect your life-style.

The Planning Commission approved the Five Star Development plan which includes 146 housing units on about 55 acres. The Town Council will consider the plan 7 p.m. on Thursday, January 24th at Town Hall.

Tell your friends, tell your neighbors, spread the word. If you want to preserve your Paradise, show up at Town Hall on Thursday, January 24 at 7 p.m., write or e-mail your Town Council.

Write the Town Council - Stop High Density

2007-12-22T18:03:00.000-07:00

Council e-mail addresses:
VirginiaASimpson@cox.net, mhamway@cox.net , slemarr@palocristi.com , edwinkler@cox.net, dschweiker@cox.net, rc44@cox.net, briancooney@cox.net

Ritz-Carlton Approved by Planning Commission

2007-12-20T20:31:00.000-07:00

The Planning Commission unanimously approved the Ritz-Carlton application for a 161 housing unit subdivision on about 70 acres surrounding about a 30 acre resort. The tract housing project includes 50 duplexes, mostly two stories high, containing two housing units per duplex with four duplexes per acre. How's that for high density. The developer is calling them Patio Homes, does that make them OK? Write, phone, e-mail your Town Councilmen to voice your objections to this ruination of our Paradise. The Town Council will hear the application at 7 PM on January 24th. The Ritz-Carlton traffic study says no problem. Would you expect otherwise? How about air polution, garbage truck pollution, light pollution, Town service pollution, quality of life pollution?

2007-12-12T13:46:00.000-07:00

High Density

Ritz-Carlton Project is bringing

tract-housing to our Town

Less than 30% of the land will be devoted to the resort. This is not a resort with some houses. It is a high density housing project surrounding a small resort.

You cannot build four two-story duplex dwellings on your acre. Why should Ritz-Carlton be allowed to build them?

Our quality of life will be compromised by the Ritz-Carlton housing development project. A project which includes duplexes bordering Lincoln Drive, side-by-side dwellings on half-acre or less, and a condominium-looking project along Indian Bend. Increased traffic, pollution, and Town services. Why? Will this still be Paradise?

Paradise Valley attracts people from across the country, drawn to its beauty, open spaces and unparalleled reputation for providing the highest quality of life for its residents. This was built on the Town's commitment to one home per acre, no retail, height restrictions on dwellings, and most importantly and significantly, opposition to development of high density neighborhoods.

It may not be in your backyard today but it could be tomorrow.

Write our Mayor, our Town Councilmen, our Planning Commission.

Tell them you don't want this to happen.

Attend the Tuesday, December 18th Planning Commission hearing to voice your objection.

click here to get e-mail addresses

2007-12-12T09:49:00.000-07:00

Ritz-Carlton Layout

-Six foot high perimeter wall will be built first.

-Traffic light on Lincoln Drive at the entrance.

-R-18 lots of half-acre or less will have town house looking residences.

-Patio Homes mostly two story duplex condominium looking structures.

-The project will bring huge amounts of additional traffic to the area, especially during the construction phase which will last several years.

-Five Star won't build homes on one-acre because it reduces their profit.

click here for more detail

POP shares the views of Scottsdale Councilman

2007-12-10T10:43:00.000-07:00

From the Scottsdale Activist this week by Scottsdale City Councilman Bob Littlefield:

"Another letter writer repeated the line from the developer playbook that "if we are to preserve our open space, some height and density is necessary." This is a false choice. Where is it written that the citizens of Scottsdale are obligated to accommodate unlimited population growth? The truth is that we have a right to decide how (and how much) our community is going to grow and to elect leaders who will implement the type and amount of growth that the citizens want. We do not have to choose between sprawl and overcrowding, we can (and should) reject both, in all parts of our community.
High density, highly subsidized projects that overtax our infrastructure, clog our roads, deplete our treasury, and diminish the quality of life for the current residents are not the answer for any part of Scottsdale, north, central or south."
Councilman Bob Littlefield
bob@boblittlefield.com

remarks from a concerned citizen who seeks to preserve our paradise

2007-12-10T09:52:00.001-07:00

Planning Commission Public Hearing on SUP for Ritz-Carlton Resort - Tuesday, November 6, 2007, 7:00 PM

Chairman Strom, members of the Planning Commission, fellow residents:

It is our one-home-per-acre zoning and restrictions on development that resulted in the increased value in Town property.

It is the Commission's responsibility to protect the zoning that has gotten us where we are today and why many of us moved here.

Property values have escalated and continue to soar even in down markets as a result of restrictions placed on development. People want to move here and developers want to develop here because of our high standards.

It is the responsibility of the Planning Commission and our Town Council to uphold and maintain these standards. It is not the Town's responsibility to ensure that developers maximize profit.

It is argued that a resort cannot be funded without revenue generated from high density housing. This is a developer's argument. There is no necessity for the Town to give in to a developer's desire to maximize his profit. If they want to build a resort, that's fine. We favor resorts. But there is no need to lower our standard of one-home-per-acre in order to accommodate developers. High-density is high-density. Combining it with a resort does not change that.

Increased housing density means increased demand for Town services, increasing Town costs and decreasing our quality of life. Greater density of housing units means more traffic, more pollution, more problems.

It has been argued that if we don't encourage resort development by giving up our unique standard of one home per acre, resorts will not be built and property taxes will become a necessity.
Based upon the fact that the Town currently receives and has more money than it is permitted to spend, that statement can be challenged.

If property tax ever becomes necessary, many of us are willing to pay a fair amount to maintain our lifestyle and living conditions.

2007-12-10T09:33:00.000-07:00

Planning Commission will Approve Ritz-Carlton

by Diana Balazs The Arizona Republic Dec. 3, 2007

"It could be a Merry Christmas for developers of the Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley Resort with the Paradise Valley Planning Commission poised for a possible vote Dec. 18. But first, the commission will review 39 stipulations required of the developers, plus residential guidelines governing height, setback and other issues tonight at a 6 p.m. work study at Paradise Valley Town Hall, 6401 E. Lincoln Drive. Scottsdale-based Five Star Development wants to build a 225-room Ritz-Carlton resort hotel, 15 1-acre home sites, 46 luxury detached homes, and 100 resort patio homes on about 110 acres northwest of Lincoln Drive and Scottsdale Road. On Dec. 18, there will be a 6 p.m. study session to review a new plan booklet detailing the project, followed by a 7 p.m. public hearing. The commission could end up voting that night to forward a recommendation to the Town Council."

POP bets that the Planning Commission will vote to recommend Council approval as Ritz-Carlton has requested unless something dramatic happens between now and 18 Dec.