ORO VALLEY, AZ (May 14, 2026) –The Oro Valley Town Council has approved significant land use changes for the long-discussed Rooney Ranch / Oro Valley Town Centre area near Oracle Road and Pusch View Lane, advancing a plan town officials say better balances future development with desert preservation.
The property totals approximately 141 acres and has long been one of the most visible undeveloped desert parcels along Oracle Road. It has also been the subject of repeated planning discussions and community debate over growth, traffic, viewsheds, commercial development, and the future character of Oro Valley.
The approved framework preserves approximately 88 acres as open space and trail areas, while allowing limited townhome and commercial development on portions of the site closer to Oracle Road. The plan focuses on Areas 2, 3, and 4 of the Oro Valley Town Center Planned Area Development, while Area 1, which includes existing uses such as San Dorado Apartments, CVS, Panera Bread, and Chipotle, is not part of the current proposal.
Under the revised plan, development intensity is reduced relative to prior concepts by shifting future commercial and residential uses closer to Oracle Road and limiting encroachment into the desert landscape. The updated plan also removes previously allowed single-family residential lots near existing neighborhoods and lowers allowable building heights in certain areas, including eliminating the possibility of a five-story hotel…