Tucson City Council to UA: Dorm plan likely illegal

The Tucson City Council is sending a clear message to the University of Arizona — the school’s proposed dorm must adhere to local zoning laws.

The council unanimously voted this afternoon to send a letter to the Arizona Board of Regents, the UA and its private partner in the dorm project, American Campus Communities, telling them their current proposal is probably illegal.

The proposed six-story dorm would span an entire city block between East Drachman and Mabel streets and North Fremont and Santa Rita avenues, north of East Speedway. The University of Arizona only owns a portion of the proposed development.

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The university has told neighbors that a 1,000-bed dorm and associated buildings do not need to adhere to local zoning rules because it is a state-run entity. The location, however, is outside the UA’s campus boundaries.

It is unclear whether the four-story dorm proposal set to be built in a residential neighborhood would meet local zoning ordinances, officials say.