The Tucson City Council unanimously approved a land development incentive package for closed TUSD schools on Wednesday, which could streamline the districtβs effort to attract potential developers and revitalize the vacant properties.
The incentives are designed to fast-track development by offering deferred building permit fees and expedited reviews of building plans. Plus, the package would ease the rezoning process for property sales and allow developers to use rainwater harvesting for residential projects.
City Councilwoman Regina Romero, who supports the incentive plan, said the affected neighborhoods would prefer to see activity at the school sites, and development could potentially deter crime.
Approval of the initiative would help make the redevelopment process quick and easy, Romero said.
βI think itβs important to make use of those spaces, and hopefully include the voices of the community where the schools are,β she said.
Between 2010 and 2013, TUSD closed 20 schools and gained voter approval to develop or lease the empty sites. Since the initial closures, eight schools have remained unused.
Wrightstown Elementary Schoolβs 9-acre lot, at 8950 E. Wrightstown Road, was recently rezoned, and a homebuilder is set to develop the property for private housing.
According to a mayor and City Council memo, the development community is also interested in the sites that housed Townsend Middle, Fort Lowell Elementary and Van Horne Elementary schools.
The City Council unanimously endorsed the incentives on Jan. 21, but waited for the TUSDβs Governing Board to review the plan and its potential benefits before final approval.
Ernie Duarte, the cityβs director at Planning and Development Services, presented the item to TUSDβs Board on April 14, and district leaders were supportive of the policy.
City Council Member Steve Kozachik said the greatest benefit to the incentive program is to responsibly move development measures along as rapidly as possible.
βLetβs streamline the process so it doesnβt take eight months to go from a concept, to actually beginning the project,β Kozachik said.
Furthermore, he wanted to make sure residents could be a part of the discussion of any development projects.
Kozachik mentioned his concerns about TUSDβs push toward the sale of the former grounds for Townsend Middle, Fort Lowell Elementary and Duffy Elementary schools, especially in regard to what projects are most appropriate in size for the respective neighborhoods, he said.
He does not want large building projects to overwhelm the affected communities, he added.
βLetβs make sure before we sell them, and this incentive package goes into play, that weβve done the groundwork with the surrounding area,β Kozachik said.
