If the Board would just take the time to work on these bylaws together with interested, knowledgeable members, clarity might ensue. They are as clear as mud now. "Vice President McAdam: Board Policy 24, Section 4 requires that from time to time the Board determine a one-time Access Fee per property that shall be paid by a builder, owner or developer desiring to have access to RCSC facilities for any land, building or structure which is intended for use and occupancy as a dwelling unit. It appears that this Access Fee has not been updated since approximately 2006. Therefore, I move that the Board set the Access Fee at $12,000 per lot and grant the General Manager discretion as to the terms of payment of this fee by a builder, owner or developer. " The stated motion was missing the entire paragraph from BP24. This is how it reads: A one-time Access Fee per Property, as determined by the Board, shall be paid by the builder, owner or developer desiring to have access to RCSC Facilities for any land, building or structure or portion of any building or structure which is, has been or is intended to be, for use and occupancy as a dwelling unit and is real property in Sun City, Arizona located in the area entitled “Sun City General Plan, Maricopa County, Arizona,” as prepared by the Del E. Webb Development Company and dated July 1972, November 1974, August 1975, and September 1978 with subsequent amendments thereto." The bolded section was omitted in her motion. This sounds like an "oops!" Somehow over the years, the Access Fee was not kept enforced, and they just now discovered it. (???) Which leads a member to ask how the $12,000 figure was determined, by whom, in an open session or budget meeting, etc.? This is an interesting question that we should ask the Board at the Exchange session. I did find a document on the website under cardholder information fees that lists many of the Fees, but an Access Fee is not listed. An access fee is NOT listed in the Bylaws.
Hope you don't mind me copying and pasting your reply about BP 24 here, Bill P. "There has long been a buy-in fee for after the fact developments and oddly there's not been much information about them. K-Hov's 142 units was one of them that asked for relief on their first properties. Obviously the value for any developer in Sun City is being able to include the ability to use/be members of the RCSC. Spelling it out is a good thing. Over the next ten years, i suspect we will see any number of investors wanting to take advantage of pieces of property (private golf courses and commercial centers) with either add high rises or condo type units in sizable numbers. We saw the proposal for Union Hills, it's just a matter of time for the dominoes to start falling. More revenue and more members." Bill P
Hello I just would like to interject on this discussion, that I do too support the idea of trying to get more revenue and new development ideas in terms of clearing out some of our blighted shopping centers and trying to get "new" money in here to keep SC viable and a more modern for possible new future residents. I worked for 2 large new home builders the bulk of my career, and I know from personal experience that getting new housing, like adding some condo styled homes at Union Hills CC, could be a great start at building the towns revenue, if done right. I have thought for a long time that any king of new development and money, would help us at this point in time.
Does anybody know who exactly owns the many properties that consist of all those strip mall type business'? I suppose at one point they were owned by Del Webb Corporation but just wondering if that ALL have been sold off? Perhaps Bill Pearson can enlighten me/us on the history of those properties? As I understand it for the Promenade Center at the corner of Bell and 99th, which was the original planned site for the PAC was sold off when Del Webb ran out of money?
It was the early 80's when Webb divested all of his commercial assets Tom. Shortly after DEVCO moved to Sun City West, the company hit a snag (Webb had died in 1974) and in 1981, Meeker and Johnson left the company. A new president named Swanson was hired and the rumor was his contract was driven by incentives to turn a profit. He did so by selling off the shopping centers, baseball field (near 111th and Grand Ave), the Lakes Club and a third of the real estate that was supposed to be Sun City West (which was intended to be a third larger than Sun City). Later the company bought back the land Sun City Grand (The Grand) sits on, but by then it was a portion of Surprise. He made the companies bottom line look good, but the long term health of the company was left in jeopardy. It finally sold to Pulte in 2001. The shopping centers were purchased by a variety of owners. I have no clue how they work because many of those centers don't appear to care if they have vacancy's or not. Retail is struggling across the country and will continue to trend in that direction. At some point the land under it is too valuable to just sit empty. The 3 privately held golf courses will always be on the bubble and at some point the over saturation of churches will be in play as well. At some point the question will be asked how many stories is allowable because the lot sizes will never accommodate the spread/sprawl so taller buildings will be the solution. I think it is inevitable we see this type of growth in our community. I've been writing it for years and at some point it will happen.
