Manager's Message: Ina Road corridor celebrates re-opening

Most of the work on the Ina Road Interchange Project has been completed.

Every month Marana Town Manager Jamsheed Mehta provides a Manager’s Message to the Marana News. This month the topic is the Ina Road corridor.

This weekend, the Town of Marana will welcome the community to the improved Ina Road corridor at the “Ina Road Celebration Weekend” on May 4 and 5. The public will be treated to a kick-off ceremony May 4 at 9 a.m. with Town council and guests from Arizona Department of Transportation, Regional Transportation Authority and Marana Chamber of Commerce, and will be held at the Lowe’s Home Improvement parking lot near the Ina and Thornydale intersection. 

Ina Road Celebration Weekend begins Saturday, May 4.

Businesses will then celebrate with a weekend-long block party, where everyone is encouraged to shop local and support their neighborhood businesses along the Ina Road corridor. I greatly encourage members of the public to join in the celebration as we look on with pride at what this region has accomplished together. 

ADOT’s Ina Road Interchange project involved rerouting local street access away from the interstate in order to reconstruct an entirely new interchange that stretches over both the interstate and the Union Pacific railroad tracks. This eliminated at-grade crossings and widened both Interstate-10 and Ina Road, effectively making the area safer and more accommodating for continued growth. 

The Town’s Ina Road Beautification project was done in conjunction with the Ina Road Interchange project in an effort to improve portions of Ina Road. The repaving project includes landscaping along both sides of the road and in the center median, and adding street lights and traffic signal improvements. Now, when people drive down this corridor, their first impression of our community and businesses will be a positive one. 

Projects such as these are tedious for everyone during times of construction, but the payoff is clear once the dust has settled. Improved infrastructure serves as the literal foundation for a healthy community.  

Marana has experienced a surge in growth in recent years, projecting consistently as one of the fastest growing communities in southern Arizona. In 2018, over 800 new single-family resident homes were built in our community. By our calculations, this means approximately 2,300 new people moved to Marana, bringing our overall population to exceed 47,000 people. 

Marana is a much larger town than it was a decade ago, and large projects like the Ina Road Interchange and Ina Road Beautification Project serve to help support the community we will become in the future. Now, as we end this 2-year construction period, our focus is on revitalizing our affected business community. 

The “Ina Road Celebration Weekend” kicks this effort off with a bang, and I look forward to joining the businesses as they welcome the community back to the corridor. 

Jamsheed Mehta is the Marana Town Manager.

National Building Safety Month: Week 1 Preparing for disasters: Build strong, build smart

May is National Building Safety Month and all this month the Town of Marana will be focusing on the importance of building safety to the community. The first week’s theme is “Preparing for disasters: Build strong, build smart” and we delve into how being properly prepared for disasters can keep your family and business safe.

Week 1: Preparing for disasters: Build strong, build smart

Natural disasters are increasing in severity and frequency. Even though Marana does not get things like hurricanes and earthquakes, it is still important to plan in advance for devastating events like floods, microbursts, and even wildfires. Planning ahead helps individuals and communities increase the health and safety of their population during a disaster, protects the local tax base, ensures continuity of essential services, and supports a faster recovery in the aftermath of a disaster. Here’s how you can help your family and community:

• Build to the latest codes

• Prepare your family

• Protect your home

• Benchmark your community’s resilience

The Town of Marana does many things to help protect homes and businesses, as well as Town infrastructure, from natural disasters. The Town has formally adopted the latest (2018) code editions to make sure everything is built to the latest standards and most of our projects take potential natural disasters into account. Our Public Works team hands out sandbags during Monsoon Season and are on call for storm clean-up during the wet months. We also have great community partners like the Northwest Fire District who are at the top of their game during these difficult times.

Learn More about Preparing for Disasters at the International Code Council’s website

Below are some resources the Code Council has to help you prepare your family and protect your home from natural disasters.

May is Building Safety Month in Marana

On Tuesday , April 16 the Marana Town Council officially recognized May as Building Safety Month with a formal proclamation.

The Town of Marana’s recognizes that the Town’s growth depends on the safety and economic value of the homes, buildings, and infrastructure, both in everyday life and in times of natural disaster. Building safety ensures that the structures are safe and retain their value.

Building Safety Month is a public awareness campaign celebrated by jurisdictions during the month of May. The campaign is presented by the International Code Council and its 64,000 members worldwide as well as a diverse partnership of professionals from building, construction, design and the safety community that all work together on promoting these concepts.  

This year’s Building Safety Month theme is “No Code, No Confidence.” The goal of Building Safety Month  is to raise awareness of the importance of safe and resilient construction, fire prevention, disaster mitigation, and new technologies in the construction industry.

Building Safety Month 2019 hopes to encourage everyone to take appropriate steps to ensure the safety of our built environment. The goal is also to shine a light on the importance of safety codes implemented by local and state agencies in keeping homes, businesses, and individuals safe.

The Town of Marana will be highlighting Building Safety Month  with a public information and outreach campaign. They will be putting up educational materials and on their website and social media accounts all throughout the month. They will host educational events Marana Lowe’s and Home Depot locations as well as making presentations in area schools about careers in building safety.

The ICC campaign consist of individual themes for each of the five weeks within the month of May.

Week 1: (April 29-May 5): Preparing for disasters: Build strong, build smart
Week 2 (May 6-12): Ensuring a safer future through training and education
Week 3 (May 13-19): Securing clean, abundant water for all communities
Week 4 (May 20-26): Construction professionals and homeowners: Partners in safety
Week 5 (May 27-30): Innovations in public safety.

Marana named Tree City USA for the fourth time

Marana planted Saguaros and other cactuses as part of their Arbor Day Celebration.

For the fourth straight year the Town of Marana has been named a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation.

Jim Conroy and Dave Herman re-plant a Saguaro on Arbor Day.

Tree City USA is a national recognition program that began in 1976, and is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and National Association of State Foresters. Marana joins over 3,400 other cities and towns across America, and 29 cities and towns in Arizona as Tree Cities.  Towns and cities that have received their Tree City USA recognition take pride in this distinction, and the people who live there enjoy the valuable benefits of having a greener, healthier community.

One of the requirements of being a Tree City USA is celebrating Arbor Day and the Town of Marana did that in several ways, including an official proclamation by the Marna Town Council at their April 16 meeting.  

“Arbor Day is so important for the community, for the Town, and for the country. Trees bring so much to everybody, it is a beautiful thing to be under a nice shade tree,” said Marana Parks Superintendent Dave Herman.

Herman is the Chairman of the local Tree City Board, who is behind the Tree City Designation, and also a member of the Southern Arizona Arborist Group (SAAG).

Hedgehog Cactus in Bloom

On Wednesday Herman attended the State of Arizona Arbor Day Celebration. In addition to accepting this year’s award he and other representatives planted a Pistachio tree on the back lawn of the state capital museum.   

The Town of Marana put its own Southern Arizona spin on this year’s Arbor Day celebration. Recently, Herman was able to relocate 20 saguaros from the construction site of the Dove Mountain Senior Living facility. While the building project is keeping many of the Saguaros, some had to be relocated and Herman and his crew took up the task.

This is the best time to harvest Saguaros because they are full of water after winter rains. It also makes it tricky to actually move them because the water makes them quite heavy. However, with all of this stored water they won’t be drought stricken before the summer monsoon hits.   

In addition to the Saguaros, Herman also rescued five Fishhook barrel cactus, 50 Pincushion cactus and 30 Hedgehog cactus which will be in full bloom this month along the Town's new 2.5 miles of the Shared Use Path on the Santa Cruz between Gladden Farms to CalPortland. The new cacti were planted at the five rest stops along the path where they’ll get moisture from the tree irrigation.
 
The Town of Marana will be using these Saguaro plantings as part of their annual Tree City USA Arbor Day” celebration.

“We felt that this was unique to Southern Arizona as not too many Tree City USA member cities could do this kind of planting anywhere else in the United States,” said Marana Parks and Recreation Director Jim Conroy. 

The Town of Marana has officially celebrated Arbor Day annually since 2006 with tree plantings involving volunteers, scouts, school groups, or special event attendees.  Most of those years have included an Arbor Day Proclamation signed by the Mayor.

Marana one of the most popular mid-size Arizona cities to relocate to

The Town of Marana has been named as one of the top-10 most popular mid-size Arizona cities to relocate to in 2019 by MoveBuddha.com. Marana comes in fourth on the list, tops among cities in Southern Arizona.

MoveBuddha.com is a moving information website and analyzed their Arizona move data from the past year to determine the 10 most popular mid-size cities with populations between 10,000 to 50,000.

“If more people want to move to a certain city, you have to assume something special is happening there,” said MoveBuddha.com’s Tyler Wood in a release.

Show Low was the top mid-sized city to relocate to according to the website’s data.

Full List

Paving complete on Ina Road

Paving is complete on Ina Road.

The paving portion of the Ina Beautification Project has been completed. The final mainline pave was the final step of the project that included a complete milling and repaving of the Ina Road and several side streets in the area.

Traffic control markers will remain in place through next week, though all lane restrictions and road closures have ceased.

Town of Marana crews will stripe and paint the roadways next week, but there will be no road closures or expected delays. Next month new light poles will be installed, but traffic restrictions are expected to be minimal. 

The Ina Beautification Project was a comprehensive beautification/improvement project is designed to make the area even more appealing for customers now that the Ina Interchange is accessible again.

Town of Marana did a complete mill and fill of the asphalt on both Ina Road and Aerie Road. All Town streets north of Ina Road, except Camino de Oeste, will have a surface treatment added.

Landscaping was added to bring additional color and plant life along the corridor. New street lights, sidewalks, and accessibility ramps will improve safety and visibility.

Recommended operating budgets presented to Town Council

On Tuesday, April 23, Town Manager Jamsheed Mehta and Finance Director Yiannis Kalaitzidis presented the recommended operating budgets for the General Fund, Bed Tax Fund, Highway User Revenue Fund, Water Operating Fund, Wastewater Operating Fund, and the Airport Operating Fund for fiscal year 2019-2020 to Town Council. Information and direction received from Town Council will then be incorporated into the Town’s tentative budget, which will be presented to Town Council for consideration on May 21.

Town staff worked to compile a summary of the recommended budget, and includes a section on operating capital and projects with descriptions of significant one-time items. The summary also formally lists the items requested to be carried forward into the 2019-2020 recommended budget. Staff anticipates that there will be adequate resources to support these requests.

The budgets presented on April 23 are the operating budgets for the General Fund and other selected operating funds. Special Revenue, Capital Project, and Dept Service Funds were not formally presented, but will be included in the overall tentative budget presented on May 21.  

Click here to view the full presentation file.

Click here to view the Town Council meeting video.

Click here to view the 2020 Manager’s Recommended Operating Budget.

Cortaro Road, eastbound Interstate 10 frontage road to close for paving April 26-27

Cortaro Road at Interstate 10 and the eastbound I-10 frontage road between Cortaro and Gillette roads are scheduled to close starting at 8 p.m. Friday, April 26, for paving.

The following restrictions will be in place from 8 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Saturday, April 27:

• Cortaro Road will close to all traffic at I-10. Vehicles will not be able to travel from the east side of I-10 to the west side, or from the west side to the east side. 

• The ramps between westbound I-10 and Cortaro Road will remain open, but vehicles will not have access to Cortaro Road west of I-10. 

• The exit ramp from eastbound I-10 to Cortaro Road will remain open, but all vehicles must turn right onto Cortaro Road. 

• The entrance ramp from Cortaro Road to eastbound I-10 will be closed. 

• During these hours, motorists needing to cross I-10 should use Twin Peaks or Ina roads.

The following restrictions will be in place from 8 p.m. Friday to 8 p.m. Saturday, April 27:

• The eastbound I-10 frontage road will be closed between Cortaro and Gillette roads. 

• Motorists who need access to businesses along the frontage road should take Arizona Pavilions to Gillette Road or Hartman Lane and wait for a flagger and pilot car to direct them through the work zone.  

Drivers should proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down and watch for construction personnel and equipment.

Schedules are subject to change based on weather and other unforeseen factors. For more information, please call the ADOT Bilingual Project Information Line at 855.712.8530 or go to azdot.gov/contact and select Projects from the drop-down menu. For real-time highway conditions statewide, visit ADOT's Traveler Information Site at www.az511.gov, follow ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511, except while driving.

Marana rejoins Sun Corridor

The Town of Marana has rejoined Sun Corridor after a seven-year absence from membership to the program. The Marana Town Council unanimously approved the move at their April 16 meeting.

“As a partner with Sun Corridor, the Town will receive access to top elected and business officials through exclusive meetings and updates; be presented with opportunities to weigh-in on development issues and attraction strategies; receive invitations to site selector road shows, media tours and business leadership trips; receive recognition at sponsored events; marketing services and inclusion in ‘confidential attraction projects,’” said Marana Director of Economic Development Curt Woody. “This will give us the opportunity to participate as a regional partner. It would give us the opportunity to help drive the discussions and strategies to help shape the economic development for not just the town of Marana, but for the region as well.”

“We’re thrilled to welcome the Town of Marana as a member of the board of directors,” said Sun Corridor Senior Vice President Laura Shaw in a release. “The Town of Marana will add its voice and expertise along with 71 other Board members (including the Towns of Oro Valley and Sahuarita, as well as the cities of Tucson and Sierra Vista) to aggressively  attract and expand  primary companies in Southern Arizona.”

Sun Corridor is a nonprofit organization focused on coordinating economic development within the Southern Arizona region. Covering Pima, Pinal, Cochise and Santa Cruz counties, the organization specializes in promoting STEM industries: aerospace and defense, automotive, bioscience, healthcare, renewable and mining technology and transportation and logistics. 

“Sun Corridor’s focus is on the business client and placing them in the best possible location in the region,” Woody explained. “This new model is good for the entire region. Regional momentum builds local momentum and Sun Corridor has put Southern Arizona on the national radar.”

Although Marana was not a formal member of Sun Corridor, the Town’s economic development team had a good working relationship with the organization. Joining Sun Corridor strengthens the Town’s relationship with the group, and gives the Town a formal voice on the board of directors and a larger presence in the business recruitment process.

Ed Stolmaker and Marana Auto Body receive the 2019 Branding Iron Awards

As part of the 2019 Marana State of the Town Luncheon, the Town handed out their Branding Iron Awards. The Marana Branding Irons are awarded to on individual and one organization who have made a "mark" on the community.

Some of the past recipients of the awards  include former U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, former Mayor Ora Mae Harn, Wheeler & Charlene Abbett, and Sargent Aerospace & Defense. 

This year the nominees were evaluated by a panel made up of Town staff and members of the Marana Citizens Forum.

INDIVIDUAL: Ed Stolmaker

Ed Stolmaker receives the Branding Iron Award from Mayor Honea on the 2019 State of the Town stage.

Previously having served as President/CEO of the Chamber of Commerce for 15 years, Ed Stolmaker has left a mark on the Marana Community. His partnerships with the town, businesses, and Marana Unified School District have played a major role in making it the fastest growing community in Southern Arizona.

Ed led the effort to align the Chamber to address six key efforts: business development, economic development, public policy, workforce development, improving quality of life, and regional growth; all in an effort of building business and community relationships.

During his tenure, the Marana Chamber of Commerce was named Tucson’s best chamber for three years in a row.

He gave Marana a greater platform and stronger voice through his service on the board of Arizona Chamber Executives from 2005-2009 and again beginning in 2017. He also spent 10 years on the Marana Health Center Board of Directors and served as President of Sanctuary Cove's Board of Directors.

Ed recently retired from his position as President/CEO of the Marana Chamber of Commerce, but he is still an active member of this community. Please join me in congratulating Ed Stolmaker for his impacts on the community.

GROUP: Norma and Victor Castaneda of Marana Auto Body

Norma and Victor Castaneda accept the Branding Iron Award from Mayor Honea on behalf of Marana Auto Body on the 2019 State of the Town stage.

For the organization award, we would like to recognize Norma and Victor Castaneda of Marana Auto Body. They have brought many smiles to many faces, and they always work hard to make sure anyone and everyone in Marana is taken care of.  They have been seen on multiple occasions at Circle K, McDonalds, on frontage roads and even in the desert helping others on their own time, free of charge. From helping with tows, jumping a car that is dead and even giving people on the streets food, these people are extraordinary with the largest of hearts.

It's not all business for this small-town body shop. It's about helping the community and the people that live here. They truly make a difference.  

Tangerine Corridor Project wins multiple awards

The Tangerine Road Corridor Project has been selected one of Public Works Projects of the Year  by the American Public Works Association’s for 2019 in the category of Transportation - $25 million to $75 million. 

Tangerine Corridor Project won several awards.

The APWA Public Works Project of the Year Award was established to promote excellence in the management, administration and implementation of public works projects by recognizing the alliance between the managing agency, the consultant/architect/engineer, and the contractor who working together to complete public works projects.

Projects eligible in the Transportation category include roads, bridges, mass transit that serve any or all modes of travel, including bicycles and foot traffic.

The Town of Marana partnered with the Town of Oro Valley, Pima County, the Psomas Design Team and contractor Tangerine Corridor Constructors (TCC) - a Granite Construction/Borderland Construction on the project, to improve a  five-mile segment of Tangerine Road from Dove Mountain Boulevard/Twin Peaks Road to La Cañada Drive.

The newly constructed roadway delivered to the public:

• A four-lane roadway with landscaped medians 

• The elimination of dip crossings and upgraded culverts to provide 100-year flood access

• Pedestrian and bicycle facilities

• The installation of additional turn lanes and signalization at key intersections

• Wildlife linkages for wildlife corridors along this stretch of roadway

Tom Houle served as the Project Manager for the Town of Marana.

To be eligible for the national award, the project first had to be honored at the state level. The Southern Arizona Branch of the American Public Works Association also named it Project of the Year, Transportation, $25M-$75M category.

The Deer Sculptures on Tangerine Road.

Those were not the only awards for the project. The project also won a 2019 IPI Partnered Project of the Year Award from the International Partnering Institute. The Partnered Project of the Year Award recognizes teams who distinguish themselves by implementing IPI’s best practices and by fostering high-trust and collaborative relationships on their projects. Those involved in the project “demonstrated a commitment to the partnering process, achieved excellent results and delivered an outstanding project.”

The award level for the Tangerine Road, Dove Mountain Blvd./Twin Peaks Road to La Canada Drive Project will be revealed at the IPI Awards Ceremony luncheon on Friday, May 17.

“All of these awards are true honors,” said Houle. “This one means a lot because we were judged by international competition.”

The project also received the 2018 Arizona Transportation Partnering Excellence Award.

The award, established in 2005, recognizes partnership teams who “demonstrate a high degree of achievement through the practice of partnering principles” as well as “display the application of the partnering processes related to the transportation industry.”

According to Perry Powell, the Chair of the AZ Transportation Partnering Excellence Award Committee, the project impressed the judges because the “partnering approach gave great evidence for how important it was to the success of your project.”

Jacob Cox receives 2019 Youth Legacy Award

Jacob Cox accepts the Youth Legacy Award from Mayor Honea on the 2019 State of the Town stage.

As part of the 2019 Marana State of the Town Luncheon last week, the Town handed out their third annual Youth Legacy Award.

AWARD HISTORY

The Marana Town Council created the Youth Legacy Award in order to acknowledge youth in the community who make Marana a better place for everyone. Recipients of this award benefit others in the community through acts supporting:

Heart: promoting a healthy and supportive environment for youth;

Body: Fulfilling essential needs such as food, shelter, and safety; or

Mind: Creating educational opportunities enriching young minds. 

This year the nominees were evaluated by a panel made up of Town staff and members of the Marana Citizens Forum.

Jacob Cox

 For the last three years, Jacob Cox has run the school supplies drive at Rattlesnake Ridge Elementary. He began in 2015 as a third grader, and the intent was to take school supplies with him on his summer trip to Peru and deliver to a small school in the mountains where many students didn't even have shoes to wear, much less have supplies to use for learning.

Jacob expected to have a few handfuls of crayons, pencils and some notebooks to take with him, but when he went to pick up the supplies from the drive, the boxes were overflowing. The response from the students, teachers and parents were overwhelming.  

When he went back to school after his summer break in Peru, he made another presentation to his school with photos of some of the students who received the supplies. The joy on the faces of the students who were getting their very first backpack, or their own box of crayons for the first time, is indescribable.

Jacob was limited on what he could take with him to Peru, so to ensure all supplies went to a new home, he worked with another school in the district to get the supplies to the teachers and students who needed a little help. Jacob went on to run the supply drive for the next 3 years, up until his last summer in elementary school in 2018.

Eastbound Interstate 10 frontage road near Ina Road returns to one-way configuration April 21

The eastbound Interstate 10 frontage road between Cortaro and Ina roads will revert to to a one-way road starting the night of Sunday, April 21.

The frontage road will be narrowed to a single lane so crews can work on the slopes between eastbound I-10 and the eastbound frontage road.

In addition, crews plan to pave the eastbound frontage road between Cortaro Road and Starcommerce Way starting the night of Friday, April 26. That will affect traffic on both Cortaro Road and the frontage road. Additional details will be released next week about this work.

Drivers should proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down and watch for construction personnel and equipment.

Schedules are subject to change based on weather and other unforeseen factors. For more information, please call the ADOT Bilingual Project Information Line at 855.712.8530 or go to azdot.gov/contact and select Projects from the drop-down menu. For real-time highway conditions statewide, visit ADOT's Traveler Information Site at www.az511.gov, follow ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511, except while driving.

The eastbound frontage road on I-10 will revert to one-way configuration beginning April 21.

Traffic Alert: Coachline Boulevard Reconstruction Project

Coachline Boulevard Reconstruction Project – Twin Peaks Road south to Silverbell Road and from Twin Peaks Road north to Silverbell Road

The Town of Marana is currently working on the Coachline Blvd. Reconstruction and Pedestrian Crossing Improvements.  The work is being completed by Sunland Asphalt & Construction.

-On Friday, April 19th, the contractor will begin the reconstruction of Colony Park Drive, from Coachline Blvd. to Weather Hill Drive.  During this work, Colony Park Drive will be open to local traffic only and construction will last approximately 2 weeks, weather permitting. 

-On Friday, April 19th, the contractor will begin the reconstruction of Coachline Blvd., from the Pump Station (north of Oak Stream Road and El Rio Neighborhood) to the low-water crossing on Coachline Blvd. north of Twin Peaks Road, between Idle Wild Drive and Armor Crest Road.  (See map – Phase 1)

Once this northern portion of Coachline is complete, the contractor will begin the reconstruction of Coachline Blvd., from the low-water crossing on Coachline Boulevard, between Idle Wild Drive and Armor Crest Road, to Twin Peaks Road.  (See map – Phase 2). 

Due to the existing roadway width, these phases of work will require restricting traffic in a one-way (southbound) only configuration.  Northbound Coachline Blvd. will be completely closed.  Work on both phases of Coachline Blvd. is expected to be completed in early June. 

Scheduled dates are weather dependent.

Work during these phases will include:

• Milling and removing the old asphalt

• Cement treatment of the subgrade soils

• New asphalt paving and striping

• Americans with Disabilities (ADA) ramp removal and replacement on streets and sidewalks.

Construction-related issues to be aware of:

• Heavy equipment and large trucks during the milling and paving

• Temporary driveway access restrictions while crews are in front of homes and/or businesses.

• Travel lane restrictions and short-term sidewalk closures while ramps and crossing signals are upgraded.

• Please DO NOT park vehicles in the area of construction as they will be towed at owner’s expense.

• Bicycle traffic will not be permitted through the work area.

Pedestrians will be permitted along Coachline Blvd., but be aware of equipment and workers in the construction area.

Residents and the traveling public should watch for heavy equipment in and near the construction area. For the safety of you and the workers, please comply with traffic control devices, flagging personnel, and detour signs.

Updates will be provided periodically.  For additional project information, call Tom Houle, Town of Marana Project Manager at 520-382-2684 or Kathy at 520-885-9009.             

Traffic Alert: Ina Road

The Town of Marana is nearing the completion of the paving portion of the Ina Beautification Project. The week of April 15 all of the paving on side streets north of Ina Road was completed and mainline final paving for Ina Road will begin the week of April 22. Expect heavy delays of up to an hour near work areas and avoid work areas if possible.

The paving will begin Monday, April 22 and be completed by Friday April 26, 2019 Ina road from Ulene Place to the Canada del Oro Bridge. Construction will begin at 6:00 A.M and continue through 6:00 P.M.

Striping and painting will begin Monday, April 29, but is not expected to cause any delays.

For your safety and that of the contractor’s personnel, please comply with traffic control devices, flagging personnel, and/or detour signs.

Travel time through the project area may increase during construction so please adjust your schedule accordingly. Construction may restrict traffic lanes and create congestion. Taking alternate routes is suggested.

 If inclement weather or other events cause delays, the work may be rescheduled without further notice.

 Stay up-to-date on Town of Marana news, projects, and events. Visit MaranaAZ.gov, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.

Marana State of the Town 2019 presentation summary

Mayor Ed Honea speaks at the 2019 Marana State of the Town held at the Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain.

MARANA - Mayor Ed Honea along with members of Town staff gave a presentation at the annual Marana State of the Town luncheon held at the Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain on Thursday, April 18. Topics discussed included latest developments, parks and recreation programming, and strategic planning for the future.  

NOTABLE TAKEAWAYS

• Marana is one of the fastest growing communities in Southern Arizona. This past year, over 800 new single-family resident homes were built, yielding approximately 2,300 new people moving to the Town of Marana and making our population surpass 48,000 people.

• Increased development has led to the creation of a new Marana Unified School District School in Dove Mountain, and a new Northwest Fire District station in both Dove Mountain and Gladden Farms.

• Marana welcomes the film industry to the region with the opening of Modern Studios. Located near the AZ Pavilions Shopping Center, this 12,000 square foot facility features 7,000 square feet of production studio space, more than any other facility in the entire state. It also features the most advanced high-speed camera in the film industry, the BOLT Highspeed Cinebot.

• Two new Parks and Recreation facilities were opened to the public, including Tangerine Sky Community Park in northeast Marana and the Crossroads at Silverbell District Park Splash Pad.

• A brand new Parks and Recreation mobile app takes program accessibility to a new level, where users can now stay up-to-date with park closures, programming events, and trail conditions. Users can check the status of their favorite park amenities in real time, and sign up for activities.

• In North Marana, the Town completed the new water reclamation facility and aquifer recharge facility. These plants can now handle up to 10,000 new homes or businesses coming into the area. The recharge facility will receive credits for 100 percent of the water stored from the Arizona Department of Water Resources. These credits allow the town to provide safe, reliable, and sustainable resources for our customers, and it secures Marana’s water needs for future generations.

  In December, the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona approved a $15 million-dollar loan to the Town of Marana to address the issue of unregulated compounds affecting two Marana Water systems. Staff is now working on the design and construction of two unique advanced water treatment plants to reduce or remove those unregulated compounds. 

• After nearly two years, one of the region’s largest projects has come to completion. The reopening of the Ina Road Interchange has revitalized our major commercial hub making it a destination once again.

• 2018 also saw the grand opening of the new Police facility located at the Marana Municipal Complex. This building was the result of months of public education and outreach, years of planning and development, and paid for with a community-supported half-cent sales tax.

•  The Town of Marana is designing the blueprints for the future. Important documents in the works include the 2040 General Plan Update, Land Development Code, Marana Parks and Recreation 10-year Master Plan, North Marana Drainage Study, Sewer Conveyance Master Plan, and Potable Water Plan.

PRESENTATION TRANSCRIPT

EXCITING THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN MARANA

Economic Development Specialist Heath Vescovi-Chiordi speaks on the development in Marana.

Marana is one of the fastest growing communities in Southern Arizona. This past year, over 800 new single-family resident homes were built in our community. By our calculations, this yielded approximately 2,300 new people moving to the Town of Marana, making our population surpass 48,000 people. Because of this rapid and sustainable growth, developers have plans to expand those numbers and challenge the 824 single-family home permits we issued in 2018. 

Right now, we have ten new subdivisions with 1,500 new lots planned throughout the community, including the Gladden Farms area, Dove Mountain area, and Saguaro Bloom.

This year, Encantada at Continental Reserve began construction. The addition of this 304-unit multifamily residential product gives rise to new living opportunities for both young families and young professionals alike. With this addition of multifamily housing to Marana, we position ourselves to better attract and retain a newer skilled workforce. In addition, this housing product will help increase the critical mass of people in this area that is necessary for further development of quality retail, restaurant, and other valuable commercial activities. 

2018 saw many new businesses and restaurants come to Town, which not only enriches the local economy and quality of life in our community, but serves as great destinations for people passing through or visiting our beautiful region.  

Last year, the new Hampton Inn & Suites at Marana Center opened next to the Tucson Premium Outlet Mall, creating an amazing retail opportunity for our region. With the pairing of the hotel and the luxury shopping experience at the Outlet Mall, Marana is now able to attract a significant number of travelers from Mexico who come solely for the purpose of shopping and staying overnight in our community. This retail-tourism helps contribute significantly to our sales tax and bed tax, allowing the Town to continue its strategic efforts related to Tourism-based Economic Development. Not only has Marana Center attracted multiple types of new developments, but it has become an area of note in our region, helping to solidify the identity of Marana in Southern AZ.

In 2019 we will welcome Dutch Bros., located at Cortaro Road and Interstate 10. Dutch Bros. will be just one small part of a larger master development on this corner. Also, in this new retail and service center, we will see a new 32,000 sq./ft micro hospital featuring a 14-bed emergency department and two operating rooms. ATI Physical Therapy will also join the mix, as well as a Tucson area favorite- Serial Grillers.

Top Golf celebrated their first full year here in Marana, and continues to be a destination for people all over our region.

Playing sports is a vital past time in this community, and we are so excited to welcome the Hitting Factory for ball players both young and old.

Modern Studios in Marana, Arizona.

In the spirit of Tourism, The Town of Marana has also bid welcome to a new type of entertainment industry sector with the opening of Modern Studios. Located near the AZ Pavilions Shopping Center, this amazing 12,000 square foot facility features 7,000 square feet of production studio space, more than any other facility in the entire state. Including two studios, dressing and makeup, a post-production editing suite, and the most advanced high-speed camera in the film industry, the BOLT Highspeed Cinebot, Modern Studios truly has revolutionized the film production game in Marana and the entire region.

Medical and healthcare is an industry that is finding a home in the Town. Last year we welcomed the Northwest Emergency Center at Twin Peaks, and the Watermark at Continental Ranch Senior Living. 2019 will see a continuation of that, as the Carondelet Health Network Micro-Hospital and Dove Mountain Senior Living facilities will open. With the healthcare industry rapidly expanding, and Marana seeing much benefit from this expansion, we will continue to facilitate appropriate healthcare sector development to add quality jobs to our community, and quality services for our residents. To that point, we are currently working on six expansions of current businesses within the Town, and two brand new locates.

Due to the Town’s growth, Northwest Fire District is relocating one of their stations, and building a brand new one to better serve the Marana community. Station 37 in Dove Mountain is moving to its new location near the Gallery Sports Club. Upon its completion later this year, Station 37 will better serve the northern portions of Dove Mountain, while Station 39, located at Thornydale and Tangerine, is optimally located to serve the southern portions of Dove Mountain. 

The resurgence of development in the Gladden Farms community has also spurred the construction of Station 41, located on Tangerine Road near the Gladden Farms II development. This station will improve response time and increase overall safety in north Marana.

Dove Mountain CSTEM K-8 School.

Growth also means more schools. The new Dove Mountain CSTEM K-8 School opens this fall, providing even more opportunities for our children to get a good education. Students will experience rigorous computer science, technology, engineering, and math academics with direct relevancy to real-world challenges.

At the Town of Marana, we pride ourselves on being business friendly, but to do that we have to continue to evolve and innovate. This year, we will begin using a new business license software package that will aid in making the process easier than ever. By streamlining several processes and procedures, and making the overall process easier to understand, this will allow future business development in the Town with even more ease than we currently offer. When you come do business in Marana, you’ll quickly find out that Marana means business.

QUALITY OF LIFE IN MARANA

Technology Services Director Isaac Abbs speaks on quality of life in Marana.

 It is important to invest in the qualities that make living in Marana meaningful. And for our residents, we understand how important the everyday experiences are for you and your family. Whether it’s participating in your very first race, teaching your child the fundamentals of a new skill, or enjoying a walk outside in nature, we understand how impactful those moments are and why having a strong quality of life means having a strong Parks and Recreation department. 

I am excited to share with you the following accomplishments from the past year.

Tangerine Sky Community Park

Marana Council cut the ribbon on two new attractions. Tangerine Sky Community Park is the first major public park serving our northeast Marana residents— nestled in the natural desert environment against a stunning Tortolita Mountain backdrop. It features ramadas, playgrounds, trails, dog parks, ziplines, and a basketball court. The field is even powered to accommodate small concert events, including our free Movies & Music in Marana series.

Located in the heart of Continental Ranch, the new Crossroads at Silverbell District Park splash pad enhances an already robust district park where families can now splash in the water by day, and enjoy a stunning light show by night. The splash pad is located close to the existing playground area and several ramadas, making it the perfect destination for parties. And when the July 4th Star Spangled Spectacular comes around this year, the music, fireworks, and water will top off a perfect evening with your family and friends.  

Both amenities bring new recreational opportunities to key areas around the community. Vibrant and dynamic communities are where residents can walk to, and from, a park in just minutes. Now, both north, south, and east Marana have access to park amenities and programs.

The Town also grew its recreational offerings this year by 30 percent, including horseback riding, art expos, job training, painting in the park, and musical theatre.  

We also created two inclusion programs for our residents with special needs. Last year, Marana Parks and Recreation began offering Sensory Splash classes at the Marana Pool where people can meet up in a safe, positive and inclusive aquatic environment.  

Cape Chase Adaptive Fun Run.

This year, the Cape Chase Adaptive Fun Run debuted with over 120 participants. Young athletes with special needs traveled through a sensory obstacle course, including a cone maze, bubble pit, and mirror tunnel—all while dressed as their favorite super heroes.  

Experiences like this matter for our residents, where opportunities are accessible by anyone in the community.  

Now, we take that accessibility a step further with the release of the new Parks and Recreation mobile app. This app provides residents and visitors with everything they need to stay up-to-date with park closures, programming events, and trail conditions. Users can check the status of their favorite park amenities in real time, and sign up for activities.

Our success isn’t just measured by the new programs and events we roll out each year, it’s also measured by the continued maintenance of all our facilities, and by our strategic planning as we anticipate the future.  

This year, we extended our Tortolita Mountain trail system and the Santa Cruz shared use path. We completed facility improvements throughout all our parks, including installing the new solar structure over the Crossroads at Silverbell District Park basketball court. This very simple upgrade opened up new opportunities for events, and in celebration, this facility became home to the new Hoops for Heroes Challenge between Marana Police Department and Northwest Fire District. We won this year, but who knows what the future may bring for Northwest Fire?

We continue to find recreational opportunities in surprising places. Even in the heart of the desert, residents can enjoy the waterfront at El Rio Preserve. We plan to bring back disc golf with the addition of a recreation area nearby, and we are accommodating our nature lovers and bird watchers with an observation deck. This surprising oasis is one of Marana’s best kept secrets, but now we plan to maintain and enrich this preserve so anyone can come and enjoy the beautiful outdoors that is unique to our community.

We understand that people come to Marana for our quality of life, and we are dedicated to keeping this momentum going as we grow into a larger community. Marana is truly a place where you can live, work, and play.

 PUBLIC SERVICES IN MARANA

Deputy Town Clerk Hilary Hiser speaks on public services in Marana.

 Right now, the Town of Marana is working hard to secure continued growth for our community by making essential investments in our built public infrastructure. A strong foundation for growth means a strong investment in infrastructure.

From water improvements to major roadways, 2018 had several fantastic projects that directly benefit our citizens’ quality of life and ensure businesses can thrive. 

North Marana water reclamation facility.

In North Marana, we completed the new water reclamation facility and aquifer recharge facility. These plants can now handle up to 10,000 new homes or businesses coming into the area. More importantly, the recharge facility will receive credits for 100 percent of the water stored from the Arizona Department of Water Resources. These credits allow the town to provide safe, reliable, and sustainable resources for our customers, and it secures Marana’s water needs for future generations.

In December, the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona approved a $15 million-dollar loan to the Town of Marana to address the issue of unregulated compounds affecting two Marana Water systems. We are now working on the design and construction of two unique advanced water treatment plants to reduce or remove those unregulated compounds. 

Investments in new water resources are essential to attracting new residents; however, the Town of Marana is just as committed to ensuring our current residents have the most up-to-date infrastructure necessary for an enhanced quality of life. The Adonis wastewater system project is just such an example of the Town’s continued commitment.  This project replaces one of our historic neighborhoods’ outdated over-capacity lagoon system by connecting residents to our new wastewater reclamation facility.

Tangerine Road.

This past year we had two major road projects that will address the future traffic needs of Marana. The Tangerine Road expansion involved the combined efforts of the Town of Marana, the Town of Oro Valley, the Regional Transportation Authority, and Pima County.  All of us worked together to build this major transportation corridor between our communities while maintaining wildlife linkages. This project literally paves the way for future development, and it establishes Marana as a regional destination. We anticipate that this road will serve as a center for commercial activity creating economic development opportunities for our local community for years to come.

After nearly two years, one of the region’s largest projects has come to completion. The reopening of the Ina Road Interchange has revitalized our major commercial hub making it a destination once again. This project was an incredible feat by the Arizona Department of Transportation. It eliminated at-grade crossings for the Union Pacific Railroad, it reconstructed the frontage roads, and it installed fiber optic communication cables. The Town of Marana and the Pima Association of Governments designed and funded two bridges over the Santa Cruz as part of the Ina Road Interchange project.

Yes, losing access to 1-10 during construction was challenging for both residents and businesses. But all good things are worth the time and the effort to do it right. With this new overpass, we now have improved accessibility to Ina Road. Thank you to the Department of Transportation for pulling off this amazing project.

The Town also made significant investments in the functionality of the Ina commercial area. The Ina Road Beautification project makes the area even more appealing to our customers and residents.  It includes new asphalt pavement, fresh landscaping in the right of way, new street lights, sidewalks, accessibility ramps and fiber optic cables. By early summer this project will be entirely completed, and Ina Road will be unrecognizable from what it was over two years ago. The Town is excited for Ina Road’s re-opening and we invite the community to join us on May 4th for the kickoff of the Ina Road Celebration Weekend.

Ina Road has been a team effort, and I would like to thank the Regional Transportation Authority for the role they played helping to get information out to our businesses. I would also like to thank the Marana Chamber of Commerce for their continued advocacy of the business community.

Marana Police Facility grand opening.

Let’s not forget that 2018 also saw the grand opening of our new Police facility located at the Marana Municipal Complex. This building was the result of months of public education and outreach, years of planning and development, and paid for with a community-supported half-cent sales tax. The new Police Facility is state of the art with amenities to accommodate our department’s various services and our officers’ continued focus on “unparalleled service, unwavering protection”. This new building has the capacity to meet the safety needs of Marana’s growing population for the next twenty years.

All of these amazing projects took years of strategic planning, and they were not designed or built in a day. Providing citizens good public service, means foreseeing the future needs of the community, and making strategic decisions now, in the present, to ensure Marana is a better place for future generations.

 At this very moment, the Town of Marana is designing the blueprints for the future.

The General Plan is the Town’s roadmap for tomorrow. Town staff is working hard with members of the public to draft the 2040 General Plan Update. This visionary document along with the updated Land Development Code will help guide all aspects of the town, from growth and development, to health and safety, to town services, and the environment.  

Other strategic documents in the works include the Marana Parks and Recreation 10-year master plan, the North Marana Drainage Study, the Sewer Conveyance Master Plan, and the Potable Water Plan.

These strategic plans and our many public infrastructure projects lay the foundation upon which the Town of Marana can support a strong quality of life for our residents and businesses. However, it is just as important that we continue to provide a high-quality level of service to maintain our assets. Our Public Works Department works hard every day in our community, and the Town is proud of the work they’ve done to keep Marana clean and beautiful.

Thank you for this opportunity to share the amazing things we’re doing here in Marana. We’ve accomplished so much, and we have plans to accomplish so much more. Thank you. 

Make Marana 2040 Open House Overview, with future dates

The first set of open houses for the Make Marana 2040 General Plan were held on April 10 and 11, 2019 at 6:00 PM.  The April 10th open houses was held at the Marana Municipal Complex and the open house on the 11th was held at the Wheeler Taft Abbett Sr. Library. The objectives for this set of open houses were to:

• Provide an update on the General Plan process and themes; and

• Present the Workshop 1-3 results.

What Happened?

A total of 14 people attended the two open houses. Upon arriving, each attendee was asked to identify on a map, generally, where they live or work in Marana. This was done to see what areas of the town were represented in the open house. Attendees at the April 10th open house were widespread, with a majority residing in Gladden Farms.  Attendees at the April 11th open house were mostly from communities along Silverbell Road, such as Continental Ranch.

The open house began with a short presentation informing attendees of the status of the General Plan Update, including the Map Atlas, the organization of the General Plan, and the results from the first three workshops, which will inform the development of the General Plan Update.

After the presentation, the meeting concluded with an open house format in which attendees could view boards and banners related to the General Plan themes, Map Atlas maps, and the draft Future Circulation map. Comment cards were made available for any comments that attendees had throughout the open house.

There’s still time to participate!

Interested in attending the next workshop? Mark your calendars!

Interstate 10/Ina Road ramps open to traffic

Lane restrictions set to continue for several weeks

Ina Road exits are now open.

The Arizona Department of Transportation has opened all four ramps between Interstate 10 and Ina Road in Marana. The opening marks a significant milestone for the interchange reconstruction project that began in 2017.

Although the ramps are open, crews must complete final elements of the project. Lane restrictions are scheduled to continue for the next several weeks.

Ina Road is open with a single lane in each direction between Silverbell Road and Camino de las Capas.

The westbound frontage road between Orange Grove and Cortaro roads will remain closed for the time being.

Drivers should proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down and watch for construction personnel and equipment.

Schedules are subject to change based on weather and other unforeseen factors. For more information, please call the ADOT Bilingual Project Information Line at 855.712.8530 or go to azdot.gov/contact and select Projects from the drop-down menu. For real-time highway conditions statewide, visit ADOT's Traveler Information Site at www.az511.gov, follow ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511, except while driving.

Overnight lane closures set for Interstate 10 near Ina Road April 15

Motorists who use Interstate 10 near Ina Road should expect the following lane closures starting at 8 p.m. Monday, April 15:

• Expect intermittent lane closures on both eastbound and westbound I-10 between Twin Peaks and Sunset roads for sign work.

• Eastbound I-10 will be reduced to a single lane between Cortaro and Ina roads. 

• Flaggers will control traffic on Ina Road near I-10. 

Work is scheduled to be complete by 5 a.m. Tuesday, April 16.

Drivers should proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down and watch for construction personnel and equipment.

Schedules are subject to change based on weather and other unforeseen factors. For more information, please call the ADOT Bilingual Project Information Line at 855.712.8530 or go to azdot.gov/contact and select Projects from the drop-down menu. For real-time highway conditions statewide, visit ADOT's Traveler Information Site at www.az511.gov, follow ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511, except while driving.

Expect single lane closures on I-10 between Orange Grove and Cortaro on the night of April 15.

Town of Marana receives the GFOA's Distinguished Budget Presentation Award

The Government Finance Officers Association is pleased to announce that the Town of Marana, Arizona, has received GFOA's Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its 2018-2019 budget.

“Receiving this award demonstrates the Town of Marana’s dedication to financial transparency,” said Starla Anderson, the Town’s Interim Finance Director during the award submission process. “We are committed to providing the public with detailed information on how their resources are allocated to vital Town services and infrastructure investments.”

The award represents a significant achievement by the Town. It reflects the commitment of the Marana Town Council and Town Staff to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting. In order to receive the budget award, the entity had to satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation. These guidelines are designed to assess how well an entity's budget serves as:

• A policy document

• A financial plan

• An operations  guide

• A communications  device

Budget documents must be rated "proficient" in all four categories, and in the fourteen mandatory criteria within those categories, to receive the award.

When a Distinguished Budget Presentation Award is granted to an entity, a Certificate of Recognition for Budget Presentation is also presented to the individual(s) or department designated as being primarily responsible for having achieved the award. This has been presented to Starla Anderson, Interim Finance Director.

There are over 1,600 participants in the Budget Awards Program. The most recent Budget Award recipients, along with their corresponding budget documents, are posted quarterly on GFOA's website. Award recipients have pioneered efforts to improve the quality of budgeting and provide an excellent example for other governments throughout North America.

Government Finance Officers Association is a major professional association servicing the needs of more than 19,000 appointed and elected local, state, and provincial-level government officials and other finance practitioners. It provides top quality publications, training programs, services, and products designed to enhance the skills and performance of those responsible for government finance policy and management. The association is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with offices in Washington D.C.