PIMA COUNTY - RIVER ROAD/ALVERNON WAY 
Citizen Advisory Commitee Meeting 
January 10, 2000  

The second meeting of the River Road/Alvernon Way CAC was held on Monday January 10, 2000 at 6:00 p.m. at the Blue Sahuaro Steak House. Joanne Homer, Project Manager for Pima County, and Carmen Christy, Co-Chairperson, presided at the meeting.

ATTENDING:

Staff:

Joanne Homer
Mary Lou Johnson
Dave Zaleski
Mojtaba Mosallai
Jack Travers
Bill Schlesinger
Carol Oaks
 

 

Pima County Department of Transportation
Pima County Department of Transportation
Pima County Department of Transportation
Pima County Department of Transportation
Pima County Department of Transportation
Catalina Engineering
Kaneen Advertising and Public Relations
 

CAC Members:

Carmen Christy
Kristin Coleman
Manuel Gadea
Katherine Galgiani
Evan Kligman, MD
Ken Light
George Lord
Janice O'Brien
Wayne Oxtoby
Tom Rompel
Dean Saxton
Peggie Wagoner
Mike Sarikas
Bill Selby
Ken Sternstein
 

 

Homeowner
Binghampton Rural Historic Landscape
Bellas Catalinas Estates
Homeowner
Homeowner
Tucson Jewish Community Center
Homeowner
Arizona Designs
Agro Land and Cattle / El Corral Restaurant
Factory Paint and Body
Catalina Foothills Church
Horsefeathers Farm
Catalina Foothills Estates
Tucson Racquet Club
Homeowner
 

Others:

Bob Morken
Bob Gugino
Lane Larson
 

 

 
Rio Cancion Office
 
 

OPENING COMMENTS

Carmen Christy, co-chairperson welcomed everyone to the Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting for the River Road/Alvernon Way project. Ms. Christy thanked everyone for their commitment to the surrounding area, especially the Luepke family. Ms. Christy explained that the committee's job is to help in deciding where the road is going to go, not if the project is right or wrong.

COMMITTEE INTRODUCTIONS

Committee members introduced themselves, stated whom they represented, and why they wanted to be on the committee.

· Carmen Christy said she is a resident and represents herself.

· Tom Rompel represents the Factory Paint and Body and the local businesses. His main concern was that the Dodge Bridge not be closed because it would be detrimental to local businesses.

· Mike Sarikas represents Catalina Foothills Estates and has an office at the corner of River and Campbell. He is the developer of Catalina Foothills Estates #10, along River Road.

· Peggie Wagoner has lived in the area since 1973 and is concerned about driveway access and safety.

· Dean Saxton represents the Catalina Foothills Preschool.

· Katherine Galgiani is a resident that is concerned about the area and preserving the unique rural feel of the area.

· George Lord is a resident. He is a native of Tucson and is interested in what is best for the entire community; both short- and long-term.

· Bill Selby wants to look to the future with as little impact as possible and to be able to ride horses on the riverbeds and maintain accessibility.

· Janice O'Brien owns Arizona Design Kitchens and Baths and is interested in whether or not the Dodge Bridge will be closed. She also lives off of 5th and Alvernon and is interested in the increase in traffic on Alvernon.

· Ken Light represents the Jewish Community Center, a community of approximately 6,000 people. He is concerned about access.

· Wayne Oxtoby represents El Corral Restaurant, which has been in operation for over 60 years. He is concerned about maintaining the historical integrity of the restaurant.

· Manuel Gadea is a developer and the president of the Bellas Catalinas Homeowners Association, and he is most concerned about access and safety.

· Kristin Coleman represents the Binghampton Rural Historic Landscape, which encompasses the bend area of River Road. Her organization has funding from the local historic commission to continue on with the process of nominating the area as the first historic landscape in Pima County. She added that she has over 700 signatures petitioning against any huge invasive roadway.

· Ken Sternstein has been a local resident for the past 20 years. He understands that improvements to the roadway are inevitable but wants to be part of doing the best job to improve the roadway.

· Evan Kligman is a homeowner between the river and the roadway. He recognizes the need for the improved roadway but wants to retain the beauty and historic nature of the area.

APPROVAL OF DECEMBER 15, 1999 MINUTES

Ms. Homer asked everyone to take the minutes to the December 15, 1999 meeting, review them, and bring back any comments or corrections. Ken Light said that a substitute attended the last meeting for him and should be corrected in December 15, 1999 meeting minutes.

PROJECT WEB SITE

Ms. Homer said that they are still working the web site which will eventually contain meeting notices, meeting minutes, agendas, the Transportation Action Plan (TAP), and the Pima County Community Participation and Mitigation Ordinance.

ALIGNMENT OF RIVER ROAD

At the December 15, 1999 meeting the committee members were asked to draw the alignment for the new roadway that they would like to see. These alignments were handed in and the design engineer, Bill Schlesinger, from Catalina Engineering, drew a rough sketch of the alignments on an aerial photo of the area.

A wide range of alignments were developed. The northern-most alignment approximately follows Limberlost Road and then follows the Alvernon Way alignment. The southern-most alignment hugs the Rillito River. There were several alignments which travel through the "bend" area. Most alignments go to the west and south of the Jewish Community Center. One alignment goes to the north and east of the Jewish Community Center.

The following comments were received during the discussion of alignments:

· Speed limits need to be considered and not be too high.

· The bank building constrains building too far south (e/o Campbell Ave.)

· Consider making the road as part of the river park, drainage can be provided better along roadways.

· Provide access to horse riders.

· Follow the river alignment rather than bisecting the area.

· Noise and access for walkers, bikers, and horse riders will be an issue.

· Consider safety issues.

· Consider flooding issues.

· What property does the County currently own? Consider costs of right-of-way.

· Provide access to the park for the preschool.

· Preserve historic significance to the north, in particular, the El Corral Restaurant.

· Protect commercial interests. There is a complex of small business condominiums to the south of River Road.

· Rugged terrain to the north of River Road will be restrictive.

· Right-of-way from the cemetery to the north may not be able to be acquired.

· Mitigate noise for the nearby residents.

The project team took the alignment drawings from the committee members and said they would look at the submittals, consider all the comments, and report back to the committee in one month. At that meeting possible alignments will be discussed in more detail.

NEXT MEETING

The next meeting was scheduled for Monday February 7, 2000 at 6:00 p.m.

CLOSING

With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:10 p.m.