Preserve Vistoso

10/29/2024

Ww lived this

01/29/2022

VCA Unanimously Approves Variance, Clearing the Way for Closing
Jan. 28, 2022 - Congratulations!!! The final hurdle for the sale of the Vistoso property was completed last night as the Vistoso Community Association (VCA) Board unanimously approved a variance that was required for the sale of the 6.3 acres near the clubhouse to local Tucson developer Ross Rulney. As most of you know, the sale of the 202 acres of the Vistoso property as a nature preserve required that the entire 208 acres be sold at the same time.
Thanks to Mike Ford from The Conservation Fund (TCF) and the Oro Valley Town Council, Town Manager and Town Lawyer for facilitating the Vistoso property agreement on our behalf. And a special thanks to the VCA Board for its quick response to approve this last-minute requirement for the sale to be completed.
What’s next? Once the agreement is signed by all parties in the next few weeks, TCF will place a conservation easement on the 202-acre nature preserve to protect it in perpetuity. Mike Ford will update us once the agreement is signed. TCF is expected to eventually donate the property to the Town of Oro Valley.
Ross Rulney will own the property near the clubhouse that always has been zoned high-density residential. As with any planned development, the Town of Oro Valley will review the plans in open sessions with the surrounding communities having a voice in the proposed plans.
“It’s been a very long 3-1/2 years but the end is really in sight,” said Gayle Mateer, President of Preserve Vistoso. “ We expect the closing to happen in the next couple of weeks. We are so grateful for the unwavering support from you, our members, to get us to this point.”
We’ll let you know when closing is complete. We’re almost there!

11/26/2021

THANK YOU PRESERVE VISTOSO MEMBERS!
DONATIONS TOP $1.8 MILLION!

Nov. 24, 2021 – Thank you!

This could never have been accomplished in so short a time without the involvement and generosity of so many people. You donated and you encouraged others to donate.

A heartfelt thank-you goes out to Mike Ford and The Conservation Fund, who never gave up and worked tirelessly to create a deal that was agreeable for all the parties involved. We are also grateful to Mayor Winfield, Vice Mayor Barrett, the Town Council members, and the Town staff (particularly Town Manager Mary Jacobs and Town Attorney Jonathan Rothschild) who listened to the voices of our community and made this deal happen.

It's critical now that everyone who so generously pledged funds convert their pledges to donations. The final numbers include those pledges and we will fall short of the goal if they aren’t fulfilled.

We are almost at the finish line, and we’ll have much to celebrate after The Conservation Fund completes the property purchase on December 30. So, once again – THANK YOU!

Mike Ford issued this statement today:

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November 24, 2021

*UPDATE*

Purchase of the Former Vistoso Golf Course

It is my pleasure to announce we have reached our fundraising goal! This monumental milestone will now allow us to acquire and protect the former Vistoso Golf Course property. The key to the fundraising success was attributable to the financial support and generosity from the entire community. In approximately 5 weeks, over 400 individuals contributed towards our goal and the overwhelming support is testimony to the importance of this effort.

Thank you, residents, and friends of Oro Valley!

So, what happens now?

Over the next 30-days we will complete our remaining due diligence in furtherance of closing on or before December 30th. We do not anticipate any issues of substantive challenge and we will make a formal announcement when we officially close and record.

We will also be processing all current donations and pledges, including converting gifts of stock and other securities to cash, directing the collective proceeds to an escrow account. Those that have donated will receive formal acknowledgement from The Conservation Fund for tax purposes associated with your specific contribution.

Upon closing, the property will be protected in perpetuity. The Conservation Fund will become the interim owner and we will continue working with the Town of Oro Valley towards the eventual donation and transfer for long-term management and ownership -- subject to a conservation easement.

Please accept our sincere thanks for your collective trust and confidence. Your financial generosity, and the valuable input we have received throughout the process, will enable us to create a legacy for everyone.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Mike Ford
Nevada and Southwest Director
The Conservation Fund

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A Sonoran Desert Preserve Where Nature and People Thrive

Email us at: [email protected]
Visit us at: PreserveVistoso.org
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11/17/2021

BOBCATS or BULLDOZERS?
The 202 acre former Vistoso golf course will either be preserved or developed. Help us protect it. We need $1.8M by December 15th. We have raised $1,537,671.03 to date. Help us close the gap. For more information go to www.preservevistoso.org or DONATE NOW at https://www.conservationfund.org/vistoso

10/24/2021

THE VISTOSO PROPERTY ACQUISITION NEEDS TOTAL COMMUNITY SUPPORT TO SUCCEED

Oct. 19, 2021 -- After more than three years of intensive effort and support from you and the other members of Preserve Vistoso, The Conservation Fund (TCF) signed the contract to purchase 202 acres of the Vistoso property. We now need to raise $1.8 million by December 15, 2021 for TCF to complete the purchase of the property.

If we are successful in raising funds, TCF will place the property in a conservation easement that will keep it protected in perpetuity, and we expect that TCF will donate the property to the Town of Oro Valley.

TCF, with the full support of the Town, made a bold move to negotiate on our behalf. Our previous 2020 pledge drive showed tremendous community financial support and commitment. However, we need more than last year’s pledges. If we do not raise the $1.8 million, there is a contingency that TCF will not purchase the property and Romspen will still own it. If we don’t reach our goal, this property will likely be developed. The uncertainty and deterioration of the property will continue.

Since our community directly benefits from having a 202-acre nature preserve, we need the entire community to contribute to reach the $1.8 million goal. Your generous contribution will have a lasting effect on current and future generations of families that live in Oro Valley.
You will save 202 acres of the Sonoran Desert as a permanent recreational area with:
Spectacular mountain scenery
More than six miles of paved trails
Three sets of restrooms
Trail underpasses for major roads
Ancient petroglyphs
Walking access for thousands of residents.
The property is desert habitat and a sanctuary for wildlife with:
13 different mammals
33 species of birds
At least eight types of reptiles
An abundance of desert plants
It will create a safe recreational area for families, children and seniors away from traffic and pollution
Studies find that property values can increase:
With few exceptions, studies find that homes adjacent to naturalistic parks and open spaces are typically valued at about 8% to 20% higher than comparable properties.1/
Residences next to a larger and longer “greenbelt” area, which is great for hiking and biking, saw a 32% increase in home value on average.” 2/
Open space provides amenities such as scenery, recreation, and an absence of traffic congestion and pollution. 3/
This can benefit all homeowners whether you live next to the preserve or in the nearby neighborhoods.
We would like to bring you up-to-date and inform you about the agreement to purchase the property. You will be able to ask questions in a quick ten-minute summary via Zoom or a phone call. We will show you various ways you can be a part of this achievement.

To arrange a ten-minute informal Zoom presentation or phone call, please contact Preserve Vistoso volunteers:

Gerald Bren at 612-209-7347 or [email protected]
Karen Bren at 612-834-8891

Contributions are made directly to The Conservation Fund
100% of the funds raised will support this project.
Contributions to TCF, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit can be tax deductible but should be discussed with your tax advisor.

Thank You
This nature preserve is not possible without your generous financial support! Email us at: [email protected]
Visit us at: PreserveVistoso.org

The Volunteer Preserve Vistoso
Fund Raising Team

Roy Hoff Craig MacKay
Nancy Olson Terry Hart
Gerald & Karen Bren


1/ Green Cities: Good Health – University of Washington
2/ Posted by: Robert Caston October 12, 2018 in Parks and Recreation as reported by the University of Washington:
3/ Effect of conservation easements upon the price of adjacent residential properties: A study of Missoula County Montana Jerome M. Grebe The University of Montana

10/17/2021

For more information go to preservevistoso.org

CONGRATULATIONS PRESERVE VISTOSO MEMBERS! WE CAN NOW BEGIN FUNDRAISING.
Oct. 12, 2021 – We did it!! Thanks to our 1,860 Preserve Vistoso members for supporting our community’s dream of protecting 202 acres of the Vistoso property as a nature preserve and community trail. The Conservation Fund (TCF) has signed a contract with Romspen to purchase the property. This is an important first step to preserving the property, but it is just the first step. We need to quickly begin our fundraising campaign to raise $1.8 million if TCF is to complete this agreement by the end of the year.
Last year, we had a successful pledge drive only to have TCF’s purchase offer rejected. We urge those who participated to renew their pledges now to fund TCF’s purchase of the property. We had a tremendous response from our generous members and neighbors, but we’ll need to build even more support now to make sure we reach our $1.8 million goal.
There are so many people to thank! First and foremost we thank you, our members, for your persistence in making your voices heard. Mayor Joe Winfield, Vice Mayor Melanie Barrett, Town Council members and Town Management listened to the community and played a critical role in the negotiations, and we thank them for their leadership.
We also have special thanks for Mike Ford and TCF. Even though Romspen last year rejected the offer of Fair Market Value from TCF, Mike Ford continued to be involved in the negotiations to purchase the property. TCF will protect the property with a conservation easement as a nature preserve and community trail. The Town of Oro Valley is expected to become the eventual owner.

09/05/2021

CALL TO ACTION
Send Comments to Town Council by Tuesday Supporting the Vistoso Property Purchase

Sept. 4, 2021 -- As a member of Preserve Vistoso, you continually have shown your unwavering commitment to preserving the former Vistoso golf property as a nature preserve and community trail. Preserve Vistoso’s goal of preservation is now within reach as the appraisal on the property has been completed and negotiations are in the final stages.

The Vistoso property is on the agenda for the September 8 Town Council meeting and we need to send “on the record” comments to the Town by 5:00 PM Tuesday, September 7. There will not be public comment on this issue during the meeting, so it is critical that we make our voices heard by sending emails to the Council.

Follow this link for complete information on how to make your voice heard:

04/28/2021

UPDATE ON NEGOTIATIONS TO PURCHASE VISTOSO GOLF PROPERTY

April 26, 2021-- Mike Ford, Southwest Director of Conservation Acquisition for The Conservation Fund (TCF), provided Preserve Vistoso board members an update on progress to purchase the Vistoso golf property from Romspen Investments. Ford said that the Town of Oro Valley Attorney Jonathon Rothschild and Town Manager Mary Jacobs invited TCF to reengage in discussions for a purchase agreement with Romspen. Any deal is contingent on an appraisal of the property to establish Fair Market Value (FMV). Romspen attorney Pat Lopez agreed to contract for an updated appraisal.

Ford said the deal being considered is for TCF to purchase the 202 acres zoned recreational at FMV and place a conservation easement on the property to protect it in perpetuity as open space. Terms of the deal including the purchase price and conservation easement language will be released publicly once the deal closes. The purpose of a conservation easement would be to define exactly what would be allowed and what would be prohibited. It would allow hiking trails, trail heads and parking areas, but ball parks and amphitheaters, for example, would not be allowed on the property.

In a separate agreement, the six acres where the former club house and parking lot exist, currently zoned high density residential, would be sold to a private developer. Any development of the property would be subject to all existing zoning constraints including building height limits of 35 feet. Ford said that the developer would be known to our community and the plans would be compatible with the 202 open space acres.

If the FMV offer is accepted by Romspen, TCF would hope to close the deal by year end. While TCF intends to eventually donate the property to the Town, TCF would also select a third party conservation land trust as a steward of the property to protect the natural habitat.

“This is great news for our community,” said Gayle Mateer, President of Preserve Vistoso. “TCF has remained willing to re-engage in the process even after the initial offer to Romspen was rejected last September. Mike Ford’s leadership and the Town of Oro Valley’s support have made an agreement on the property a possibility. We are cautiously optimistic that Romspen will accept the deal and we can end our three-year nightmare of uncertainty about the property.”

Preserve Vistoso Membership Committee Outreach to Community

The Preserve Vistoso membership committee’s outreach programs increased our membership to more than 1,800. Welcome to our new members and thank you for joining. Thanks to all our volunteers who helped sign up new members outside the Oro Valley Public Library and distributed flyers to neighbors who are not members of Preserve Vistoso. We urge all members to speak with neighbors and friends about joining Preserve Vistoso. If you’d like to volunteer to help our membership committee, please send us your information at [email protected].

04/08/2021

Want to know more about Preserve Vistoso and our goal to preserve the Vistoso property as a nature preserve? Our volunteers will be outside the OV Library tomorrow. We now have 1500 members. Join us!

03/16/2021