Tucson's 31st Historic District - Homesteaded February 8, 1898

September 20, 2024

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Holiday adjustments to JPNA meetings:

Wednesday, Nov. 20: in person and Zoom. (Note, meeting is one week earlier due to Thanksgiving).

Wednesday, December 18: in person and Zoom. (Note, meeting is one week earlier due to Christmas holidays).

The Jefferson Park Safety Committee meets before every JPNA meeting at 5pm (except October Meeting-Ward III construction). TPD attends. All interested folks are invited. If you have questions, contact Rosemary Bolza rbolza@me.com

The Traffic Advisory Committee meets monthly. Contact Cindy Doklan, chairperson, for time and place. cindy.doklan@gmail.com

Greetings, Neighborhoods: 

We are inviting you to Connecting Neighborhoods with City Services, a special event being held on Saturday, October 5th, 9 am – 11 am, at the Howenstine Learning Center, 555 S. Tucson Blvd. We are excited about this hands-on event at which Mayor Romero will provide the opening remarks. The event will offer an introduction for some and a refresher for others on services and programs that are geared to Neighborhood Associations (NA). You will have an opportunity to talk in person with City staff from across City departments and leave with information to share with your NA members.

WHO CAN ATTEND?  We have been contacted by some of you asking whether you may invite other neighbors involved in NA projects and activities. The answer is “yes.” If for instance, you have committees that address particular topics (e.g., a park or traffic calming), please feel free to invite representatives from those committees. Similarly, if you know someone in your neighborhood who has expressed interest in initiating a project or activity to address an issue or enhance an area, please consider inviting them.  This event might be the perfect opportunity to help that neighbor take the next step. 

ADDITIONAL NEIGHBORS TO RSVP:  Others from your neighborhood should RSVP to Neighborhood@tucsonaz.gov to help ensure we have sufficient materials and refreshments.  

QUESTIONS? Contact Chris Blue at Christopher.Blue@tucsonaz.gov or (520) 837-6931 or me at Rebecca.Ruopp@tucsonaz.gov or (520) 401-1185.

Have you thought about volunteering? Have you thought about joining the board? Got an idea that should be considererd? There is an on-line form to let JP Neighborhood Assn know that you are interested. Go to http://www.jeffersonpark.info/interest-formdonatedues.html to find a printable form. There are phone numbers and e-mails also for you to ask questions.

Let our committee chair know that you will be volunteering! Use the button on the left to send an e-mail.

On the 3rd Saturday of the month, 8:00 am., at the northeast end of Edison at Campbell Ave, neighbors clean up the little parklet.

Thank you all for August clean up - It needed it! Next clean up Sept 21.

All garbage bags and tools are supplied and the company is great! We report hours to Tucson Clean & Beautiful as part of the Adopt-a-Park Program.

2024 Jim Click Raffle - Jeep Wrangler

Each ticket is $25 and the 5 for $100 option is back!

The 2024 drawing will be held in December 2024

Tickets available at JPNA meetings. Or you may purchase tickets by contacting Joan Daniels at jdchama@msn.com.

FIVE MAJOR CONCERNS FOR JEFF PARK

FROM TRRG- Tucson Residents for Responsible Government

TRRG monitors city changes that may affect residential neighborhoods. Here are 5 that are particularly concerning for Jefferson Park Historic District

..."There are several actions being taken by the City that may have great impacts in our neighborhoods and on our streets.  Please pass the word along to your representative groups and friends. The more of us who take notice and get involved, the better the outcome for all of us.

1-Redistricting (are we still in Ward III?) This week, the City Council approved an item on the Consent Agenda (Item 7j) that details the members of the 2024 Redistricting Advisory Committee (RAC) and, most importantly, “clarifies the review criteria” to be used by the RAC when making recommendations to redistricting. 

Redistricting occurs when areas of the City (precincts) are moved from one ward to another to balance out populations for electoral purposes. Since our City Charter requires us to redraw ward boundaries every four years, any changes made this year will be in place until 2028.

Redistricting can affect minority voting strength, but it can also be used to split up neighborhoods between wards or move them from one ward into another ward. The meetings of the RAC are open to the public and they are mandated to report back to Mayor and Council by Nov 20, 2024. To view the ordinance and the base map of current districts go to this link. See item #7j.

https://tucsonaz.hylandcloud.com/221agendaonline/Meetings/ViewMeeting?id=1800&doctype=1

We will send you the dates for the Redistricting Committee meeting when they become available.  

2-Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs).  ADUs are in the news again. After the governor signed a bill that allows the state legislature to dictate ADU conditions in Arizona cities and towns, even communities like Tucson, that spent a year and a half developing policies, are now forced to change their land use codes to accommodate the wishes of the state legislators. Of concern is the fact that the legislation defined an ADU as a “dwelling unit that may include a kitchen.” Since we currently have ‘sleeping quarters’ as allowable structures, and this now falls under the definition of an ADU, when the City changes our code, we would like “sleeping quarters” to removed from the code, since this could lead to additional units being built on a single property.

The Planning Commission is set to have a public hearing about this item at their September 24, 2024 meeting. It will be held in Mayor and Council chambers, starting at 6PM, with doors opening at 5:30PM. The public hearing on the proposed changes has not yet been scheduled. For more information about the study session and to download the agenda, go to

https://www.tucsonaz.gov/Departments/Planning-Development-Services/Public-Meetings-Boards-Committees-Commissions/Planning-Commission

We will send out word when the public hearing is scheduled for the Planning Commission to make their recommendations to Mayor and Council.

3-Corridor Redevelopment (high rise apartments).  In August, the Planning and Development Services Department (PDSD) held two meetings about potential changes to the Unified Development Code, to make it easier to promote high density, mid to high-rise development along Tucson’s “corridors”. 

The city is defining “corridors” as ALL arterials and collectors, so all major streets like Grant and Speedway and all smaller streets, like Pima and Columbus (Mountain and Park Avenue) may be subject to these changes. The city is representing this as a way to increase affordable housing, but NO affordable requirements will be part of this proposal. Instead, it is part of a “trickle-down” concept, hoping that more luxury units will flood the market and drive down the value of surrounding properties.

The Corridor Redevelopment Project is in response to a request by Mayor and Council for PDSD to explore options for “removing barriers to affordable housing”. One meeting was virtual and can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9PP9U5FLic. 

You can get more information about the project at https://corridors.tucsonaz.gov/.

The online survey was turned off after a very short time, so the only way to comment currently is to contact the lead planner, Dan Bursuck (daniel.bursuck@tucsonaz.gov).

See Mr. Bursuck's response to letter written by Jefferson Park at http://www.jeffersonpark.info/pdsd.html

4-Neighborhood Plans (sunset on neighborhood plans?)  Word has been spreading that the City plans to sunset Neighborhood and Area Plans, such that they will no longer be a guide for development within established neighborhoods. Whether the intention is to declare the plans outdated, or whether changes to the Unified Development Code will make them obsolete, or whether PlanTucson 2025 will eviscerate resident input via the Future Growth Scenario Map is not clear. 

We will update you on the future of our Neighborhood and Area Plans when we receive more information. Residents asking staff directly at various planning meetings is one way to bring the issue to the forefront.

 5-Plan Tucson Plan Tucson is now officially in Phase 3. Planning and Development Services Department (PDSD) staff are in the process of writing the draft of the 2025 Plan. Despite numerous meetings and surveys, it appears that many of our concerns have not been incorporated into the new plan. Our concern is that neighborhoods and neighborhood issues are almost entirely lacking in any of the Goals and Policies that we have reviewed to date. To read about the update, you can go to the City’s website at https://www.plantucson.org/.

In the latest PDSD Newsletter it was announced that Phase 3 Working Sessions are scheduled for late September into November and are accepting applicants to attend. If you are interested in participating in a working session you can register by going to the PDSD website at https://forms.office.com/g/0ARN9n8k2r. Sessions 1 and 5 deal with Neighborhoods and sessions 3 and 7 deal with the Future Growth Scenario Map.

Phase 3 will be critical to determine if the new plan meets with community approval.   We encourage you to participate in these working sessions. PDSD staff needs to hear from residents and neighborhoods about what needs to be in the next general plan.

The Plan must be voted on and accepted by the voters to be implemented. At the moment, some of us are considering asking the Mayor and Council to simply let us reaffirm the current PlanTucson 2013 in order to give staff the appropriate time and tools to create a better vision for Tucson that acknowledges and respects our unique neighborhoods and cultures.

Thank you all for spreading the word about these community-altering initiatives and projects that are in the works.  We need many, many residents involved if we are to have any impact on the outcome of these plans.

Bonnie Poulos (poulosbt@gmail.com) and 

Colette Altaffer (colette.altaffer@gmail.com) 

on behalf of the TRRG Core Team

WHAT COMES NEXT?

1-ACC said yes to overheading on Sept 5.

2-TEP says it hopes to complete the work by summer 2027,

3- BUT, the utility will first have to obtain a "special exceptions permit" to build the Vine Substation, and apply for exceptions to city ordinances where undergrounding is required.

3- Any special exception for TEP to go overhead on Campbell Ave, a gateway corridor, will have to be granted by the City.

4- Our area is part of an Area Plan, the UA Area Plan, that prohibits overhead lines when possible. Will the city honor that Area Plan?

"TEP’s position is that if the exception isn’t granted within six months and there’s no agreement for an alternate funding source, it can proceed with the above ground construction, a news release said. The city said Thursday after the vote that it would work to ensure that TEP is afforded the best opportunity to increase its capacity for the midtown area and broader community, while still adhering to the requirements of Tucson code."

5- TEP must hold an open meeting with residences within 400 yards and with the area's neighborhood associations. Then will be the time to raise neighborhood concerns.

Those dates have not been set. We will keep you apprised of dates.

Prop 411 Safe Streets has approved funding for a project to install vertical "delineators" on Mountain Ave, upgrading the street to a fully protected bike lane between Helen and Ft. Lowell. Not only will this upgrade protect cyclists, but it should slow traffic on Mountain. 

There is no concept or schedule yet for the project, but the Department of Transportation and Mobility (DTM) will share info, timeline, design, etc., over the coming months on this project. 

Did you know? Jefferson Park gets a portion of the parking permit revenue when residents purchase a parking permit! If you have restricted parking on your street, please consider getting parking permits for you and guests.  If you believe that your street does not need restricted parking, email cindy.doklan@gmail.com.  If you’re being annoyed by un-neighborly parking habits, such as parking too close to stop signs, the wrong way, too close to your driveway, call Park Tucson at 520-791-5071 or email: parktucson@tucsonaz.gov . 

P.S. Don’t get a ticket in the restricted permit area or generally anywhere in Jefferson Park! They are expensive! The Park Tucson enforcers come around on a regular basis - about 200 parking violation citations were meted out last year in our neighborhood! Remember, no parking near stop signs, parking the wrong way on the street, parking within 5' of the curb cut of a driveway, or parking in the right-of-way.

International School PTA (ISPTA) Fundraiser

This school year, the ISPTA is collecting gently worn, used, and new shoes. You may drop them off at the school office, 1701 E. Seneca St., Tucson, 85719.

If you have any questions, please email: parents@istucson.org

Drop off your donations at the Ward 6 office (3202 East 1st Street), between the hours of 9-1pm, Monday through Friday. They are not accepting clothing at this time. See the list of items being collected below: 

• Women’s new underpants (any style) size S, M, and L 
• New or gently used socks for men, women, and kids 
• Toiletries and female hygiene products  
• New or gently used men’s t-shirt size S and M, men’s pants size 26 to 32 
• New or gently used children’s tops and pants size 2 to 6 

How to recycle just about anything. Tucson Clean and Beautiful website gives sites and information on everything from batteries to bulbs

U OF A ALERT SYSTEM U of A Alerts, the University’s emergency alert system, sign up at: https://cirt.arizona.edu/sign-ualert

UArizona Neighborhood Hotline

If at any point your peace is disturbed, report neighborhood loud party/unruly gathering complaints to 911. You may also call the UArizona Neighborhood Hotline at 520-282-3649. A team from the University’s Community Relations office and TPD’s Red Tag unit can visit problematic properties to educate students about the City’s Unruly Gathering Ordinance and U of A’s consequences for violation of the Student Code of Conduct.

(Karen L Sanson, Office of Government & Community Relations)

The Environmental and General Services Team wants to support residents following the recent storm damage. Residents can request for a Special Brush & Bulky collection. https://bit.ly/OneCallHaulsItAll You'll place your materials where you normally set out for brush & bulky pickup and our team will pick up and dispose of your debris, and tree trimmings at the landfill. All for $55! Residents can share the cost with a neighbor as long as it's no more than 10 cubic yards

(from Ward III newsletter)

New Rule:

Just take out any remaining pizza and discard box in Blue Bin. "Easy peasy" or is that "Easy Pizza"?

Tucson's Environmental and General Services Department is holding hazardous waste collection events, allowing residents to drop off hazardous waste, electronic waste, and paper documents for shredding at no charge. 

The events will be held every second Saturday, 8 am to noon, throughout the year at various locations.

Acceptable waste: Automotive fluids, engine oil filters, rechargeable batteries, lithium batteries, cleaning products, drain openers, cooking oil, fluorescent lamps and bulbs, wet paint products, solvents, hobby chemicals, pesticides, lawn products, pool chemicals, propane cylinders, computer equipment, printer cartridges, and other items labeled as acid, flammable, caustic, poison, caution, toxic or danger.

The City asks you NOT to bring: Business or commercial waste, commercial gas cylinders, explosives, ammunition, infectious or radioactive waste, dried paint, alkaline batteries, televisions, or medical waste such as syringes or old medications.

Please note: Hi Corbett is no longer an HHW Collection site but the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) union building at 750 S. Tucson is the new alternative.

FREE Water Conservation Kit for residents of Tucson. A simple form needs to be completed on their website at https://www.eeexchange.org/twconserve.

Request a Kit

ByFusion, the company that uses recycled plastics to create construction blocks, will soon be breaking ground for a plant in Tucson. In the meantime, please be patient and work with Environmental Services. The City IS recycling the plastic you save!

As of July 1, residents must use the orange Hefty ReNew bag to drop off materials. Starter kits of Hefty Renew bags are available at Wards 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 during office hours. Residents can also purchase the Hefty ReNew orange bags at their local Walmart or Fry’s. Residents in participating areas can request a free Hefty ReNew starter kit at https://bit.ly/HeftyStarterKit

Each orange bag features a list of hard to recycle items that can be collected in the bag for recycling. Fill the bag with those items and when it’s full, tie it up tightly and bring the bag to a participating orange roll-off location.

https://bit.ly/OrangeBinLocations

https://bit.ly/AcceptedMaterials

Drop Off Locations

• Ward 2 Office, 7820 E. Broadway
• Ward 4 Office, 8123 E. Poinciana Drive
• Ward 5 Office, 4300 S Park Ave
• Ward 6 Office, 3202 E. 1st Street
• Fire Station 15, 1925 S. San Antonio Drive

Blue Bin Plastic bottles, jugs, and food containers labeled # 1, 2, and 5 

Orange Recycling at Ward Offices: What numbers go there? https://www.hefty.com/products/hefty-renew/hefty-renew-accepted-items

Prevent food contamination by wiping out or rinsing plastic ziplocks, utensils, food containers/bags/wrappers, etc so they are clean. Leaving the bagels in the plastic bag when you throw the bag in the recycling is not cool.

Jefferson Park MOU stipulates the "fly friendly" path. No flights over Jefferson Park. Report fly-overs. It is quick and easy.

Call BUMC Security: 520-694-6533, or

Report online: https://forms.office.com/r/ED7gg3Lszu

MONTHLY REPORT

July total flights = 101; 31 non-compliant arrivals, 27 non-compliant departures, 4 neighborhood calls, 30.6% of arrivals were non-compliant

*non-compliant with the "Fly-Friendly" agreement with Jefferson Park

See all reports for 2024 at http://www.jeffersonpark.info/helicopters---banner.html 

Banner meeting with the neighbors to discuss helicopter activity:

Tue 11/12/2024 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

BUMCT Santa Rita - Conference Room Floor 2 Room#2455 

Join on your computer, mobile app or room device  

Click here to join the meeting

Meeting ID: 293 633 864 047  Passcode: Lr5CMY

Jefferson Park: Report any homeless encampments immediately to:

https://reportencampments.tucsonaz.gov/  

To report an encampment by phone, please call the City of Tucson Resource Line: (520) 791-2540

For Services & Resources for the Homeless:

Call: 520-791-2540

911 remains your contact for any police related concerns :

• Suspicious activity/persons
• Any thefts
• Any shots fired
• Car theft/damage
• Domestic violence
• Medical assistance
• Fire
• Loud Parties/underage alcohol/dangerous behavior

What do I report to 311?: Use it to report any variety of housekeeping concerns. These include potholes, broken play equipment in your pocket park, if your trash pick-up didn’t happen as scheduled, water bill questions, damaged bus stops, parks and streets, debris, illegal dumping, litter, overgrown vegetation and trees, and any other city function that is not an emergency.

There’s also a 311 portal on the City of Tucson website. Use this link to find that: Tucson 311 Service Request Portal and download links 

ABOVE: Little Free Library - Vine and Lester

BELOW: Ramada and parklet honoring the UA Polo Team - north end of Warren

RIGHT: Seed Library - Vine and Waverly

BELOW: Park/ Grant Monument Sign declares JP is an Historic District

Hit the blue button to access the paving image and an explanation regarding the timing, etc.

Emergency preparedness is the responsibility of every resident in the City of Tucson,

Make a Plan

Build a Kit

Sign up for Pima County "My Alerts" to receive emergency notifications

Information about preparedness from Ready.gov

Sign Up for Tucson's Climate Action Report!   

You can use this link to subscribe to the Climate Action Report through the City Manager's Office:

https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/AZTUCSON/subscriber/new

TPD RESOURCES for JEFFERSON PARK

Westside Police Service Center, 1310 W Miracle Mile, 520-791-4467

TPD OFFICERS ASSIGNED TO JP​

CRO Karla Rubio-Corral #105100

Work: 520-330-9877

Email:Karla.Rubiocorral@tucsonaz.gov

SGT. Matthew Alexander #43116

Email: Matthew.Alexander@tucsonaz.gov

For sharing photos of concerns or to report suspicious activity that is ongoing, contact: Karla.RubioCorral@TucsonAZ.gov

or

CRO Kirsten Hinthorn #101777

Work:(520) 400-1404

Email: Kirsten.Hinthorn@tucsonaz.gov

Jefferson Park has a committee that works with Tucson Planning and Development to assure that work is appropriately permitted and changes stay within the scope of Jefferson Park's Neighborhood Preservation Zone.

E-mail the address and your questions to jpnalanduse@gmail.com

NEED A PERMIT? PDSD launched a Permit Dashboard in November 2023. The interactive dashboard provides insight into the permitting process. Users will be able to gain an understanding of review times, allowing staff and customers to pinpoint areas of improvement or excellence. Since the launch, PDSD has consistently met target review times more than 90% of the time.

Ward III is accepting furniture, cooking supplies, etc.—anything that might help someone set up a house. Drop items off at the Ward III office, 1510 E Grant (corner of Grant and Vine). Is the item too big? Give Ward III a call for pickup at (520) 791-4711; they will come, pick it up, and take it to the Wildcat House, where it will help folks who are just getting into housing.

Ward III also has "Slow Down" signs - FOR FREE!

Roaches getting too friendly? Report them!

Roach Control Hotline

Automated line, please provide requested information and staff will return the call

(520) 724-3401

Reporting Roach Activity | Pima County, AZ

https://www.pima.gov/1941/Reporting-Roach-Activity

GRAFFITI

• Report by Phone: (520) 792-CITY (2489).
• Graffiti on bus stops report to Sun Tran customer service at (520) 792-9222.

Give information: Address/cross streets of the graffiti. Graffiti removed only within City limits.

For graffiti, potholes,etc:

SeeClickFix Online

View SeeClickFix Tutorial Video

HELP END DANGEROUS ILLEGAL GATHERINGS

REPORT any time of day, any number of people, if unruly.

1) Loud party calls should go to 911.

2) Additionally, if student-related, contact the UA Neighborhood Hotline to report concerns at 520-282-3649.

3) Loud music/noise calls may be reported online: https://www.tucsonaz.gov/apps/crime-reporting/

STATS: 2024 Jan-0 loud party, 0 red tags; February - 0 loud party, 0 red tags; March -1 loud party, 0 red tags; April-3 loud party, 0 red tags; May- 2 loud party, 1 red tag; June- 0 loud party, 0 red tags; July - 0 loud party, 0 red tags.

When to call? Get red tag info sheet - CLICK HERE

STUDENTS DISTURBING THE PEACE

If at any point your peace is disturbed, report neighborhood loud party/unruly gathering complaints to 911. You may also call the UA Neighborhood Hotline at 520-282-3649. A team from the University’s community relations office and TPD’s Red Tag Unit are available to visit problematic properties to educate students about the City’s Unruly Gathering Ordinance and the UA’s consequences for violation of the Student Code of Conduct.

“Neighborhood Watch—A Leader’s Guide To Getting Started” 

• Block Map 
• Neighborhood Watch Sign Application 
• Home Security Booklet 
• “Operation Identification” Information 

Jefferson Park is proud to feature local businesses that support our neighborhood. To place an ad in our E-news, contact jdchama@msn.com. We have 12-15 editions annually, reaching over 350 local residents. Cost of one business card sized image = $120/year

Many thanks to The Prime Leaf for the Grant/Euclid Monument sign

Thanks to North America Powder Coating for the sign stands and DTM traffic for the sign manufacture.

Many thanks to the family of Minette Burges for the Park/Grant monument sign

Thanks to our neighbor Carly Quinn, creator of the current two entrance signs and the coming additions. Watch for the new end panels to be installed soon to the Campbell entrance signs.

Thank you Carly. You have made the neighborhood's east side entrance quite lovely. Like her designs? Email: info@carlyquinndesigns.com Phone: (520) 624-4117

See a new neighbor? Alert the representative in your area to let them know to take by a welcome packet!

Every Area Rep would appreciate help distributing doorhangers or taking Welcome Packets to new residents. Contact them via email.

Need a recommendation for a handy-person or a business? Go to http://www.jeffersonpark.info/recommended-services.html

Would you like to recommend someone to your neighbors? Let Cricket know. cricket16@cox.net, 520-798-3602 - Help us keep the list accurate- report any retired/inactive numbers to Cricket.

Another newsletter chock full of information!

WARD VI, 520 -791-4601

Ward 6 newsletter:

 www.tucsonaz.gov/ward-6/news

District Five Contact Info: Adelita Grijalva

• Email: district5@pima.gov, Phone:724-8126
• Website: www.pima.gov/district5 or https://www.adelitasgrijalva.com/

Chief of Staff: Keith Bagwell, Keith.Bagwell@pima.gov, (520) 724-8723

Board of Supervisors Meetings:

www.facebook.com/pimacountyarizona/ Live meeting broadcast: http://pima.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=3

Participate in the call to the public: Contact the Clerk of the Board’s Office at (520) 724-8449 Send in a written comment: email COBmail@pima.gov

jdchama@msn.com

cnichols17@cox.net

cricket16@cox.net