Document History
Watson Property Development by Doug McDowell - 'Mirasol'
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Overview Development of the 22.83 acre lot located at 3823 Old Santa Fe Trail owned by the Watson Family is being planned by Mr. McDowell. The property is zoned R-1, and the preliminary plans are for a 16 unit subdivision with about 7.5 acres reserved as open space providing continued wildlife and pedestrian access to trailheads North on the Meem property and East up Sun Mountain. The goal of involvement by SeNA is to provide a venue for discussion and formulation of a development plan that will be beneficial to all and the least disruptive to the existing neighborhood. The hope is to balance thoughtful development while preserving some public access to trails and preserving a valued viewscape. The key elements of the proposed development are; less than maximum allowable zoned density. Details on expected lot prices, home prices and how they plan to handle HOP (Affordable Housing Requirements) are not know at this time... When additional information is available, we will revise or add a new article with the available details, so stay tuned! (use the ChangeDetection signup button) Concerns/Suggestions Concerns include both construction traffic and additional residential traffic entering/exiting on Old Santa Fe Trail with limited sight distance in that location. The volume, noise, dust and weight of construction traffic through existing neighborhoods are an issue, and would have an effect on residents along access routes, adjoining lots and especially those near the planned entrances. Of particular concern would be the possible violations with heavy trucks using Zia instead of legal route on OSFT. It would be good to obtain agreement on how to encourage legal routing of heavy trucks, and best design for entrance/exit. Paving versus gravel is always a big topic. Recent experiences show that paving minimum City-standard width streets with curb+gutter and storm drains to ponds and arroyos would be strongly indicated on this lot to comply with current City guidelines, offer reasonable occasional streetside parking for future residents, improve 'useful' aquifer recharge, and help control the runoff as there is significant slope. There may be alternate naturally colored materials such as "sand-seal", natural aggregate, or brown asphalt that would satisfy City requirements. Sidewalks may not have to be concrete, but should be hard level surfaces to comply with ADA guidelines and provide space for pedestrians out of traffic. With wider streets it may be acceptable for the design to drop the standard requirement for concrete sidewalks. Noise during construction is a big concern. A project of this size and scope could easily take several years, during which time local residents are subject to the sound of heavy equipment moving dirt, large delivery trucks, and all the pounding, sawing, and other noises associated with construction. Initiating a large development like this in the middle of an established, mature, and quiet neighborhood, will have a large impact that should be minimized as much as possible. Suggestions to minimize impact include:
Concerns include the fact that there are several arroyos thru the property that carry significant water. Water flow should not be impeded, increased, or course changed such that it affects adjoining or downhill lots in Sun Mountain Estates. Specific areas of concern raised by neighbors are:
A major concern of ANY additional development includes increased water use and capacity for daily use and fire protection. Suggestions include:
Concerns include the fact that there are a number of trails that have been used by local residents for many years to access private trail networks to the North and East. It should be clarified that these easements will be designated public trail access for the future. The southern 'open space' easement in the preliminary plat follows an existing arroyo which is somewhat overgrown, has downed trees, and no established trail for pedestrians... It will be important who can do the initial work to establish a trail,and who can maintain it. Concerns include the visual impact of above-ground poles and distribution boxes for power, phone, and TV cable along the roadside. Conditions of Approval should require buried utility lines, and 'hide' the distribution boxes, meters, etc. behind natural features or decorative fencing/flora. Additionally, there have been questions concerning the peak capacity of electric, gas, and water with the additional demands; residents would like to see capacity estimates and approvals from all utilities PRIOR to final project approval. The largest infrastructure concern may be the sewer line capacity and access plan as the line runs through the Sun Mountain subdivision, and may not have capacity to carry additional waste. Concerns include the visual impact possible designs inconsistant with the neighborhood in size, style or color. In addition to design and construction, people are concerned about guest houses and Casitas raising the effective residence density. Suggestions include requiring the formation of a Homeowners Association and appropriate Covenents to control Architectural design, development and land use. Specific language should be included in the Covenants to control the look, feel, and use of the property. Items that should be specified include:
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Some of the development planning information on this page was provided by the Developers so that residents can review and prepare comments. The "Concerns/Responses" section was prepared by combining a number of concerns and issues brought forward by the public. After public meetings, we will make an effort to obtain official responses from the Developers, or attempt to paraphrase from meeting notes.