By Ken Sain | San Tan Sun
The controversial Landings On Ocotillo affordable housing project has two new names, but it still faces the same entrenched opposition from residents who live in the neighborhood.
That much was clear after a nearly three-hour public meeting the lead developer, Dominium Apartments, staged at Hamilton High School’s auditorium on Jan. 25. About 150 people attended, including at least five City Council members.
However, the interaction with neighbors might have led to some changes being made to the project proposed for on Ocotillo Road, about a quarter of a mile east of Arizona Avenue.
“I think one of the things I heard, for example, is we need more senior affordable housing, so we’re going to go look and see if we can maybe shift some more into more senior and less workforce housing,” said Owen Metz, a senior vice president and project partner with Dominium’s Mountain West Region.
The developer currently proposes 336 units for families and 182 for seniors.
Dominium rebranded the project after being threatened with a lawsuit for using “Ocotillo,” in its name. Metz said a lawsuit would have no merit, but that they decided to change the name because they already face enough opposition.
The new names are Paseo Crossings for the family side and Sonoran Landings for the senior living component.
No matter what it’s called, the neighbors were clear in their opposition to it.
They contended it doesn’t fit in the city’s general plan, that it would increase traffic in an already congested area, that schools are over capacity and can’t handle 800 more residents with kids, and that there’s not enough water.
