OUR HISTORY
Compiled by Lynn Mattingly, Jill Bachman, and Diana Doyle
1995
3 Canyons Created
Tucson Developer Ernie Graves creates 3 Canyons Ranch Development along with Three Canyons Ranch Master Homeowners Association.
1999
Vista Del Oro Created
3 Canyons Ranch allows the creation of “villages” (sub-developments with their own homeowners association (HOA) and optionally their own CC&Rs) — provided the CC&Rs are not less restrictive than the overarching CC&Rs of 3 Canyons. Any construction or changes to properties must be approved by 3 Canyons, a simple and inexpensive process through 3 Canyons Master Design Committee (MDC), using that village’s Design Guidelines and CC&Rs.
Vista Del Oro (VDO) is established March 12, 1999, with its own CC&Rs, by Tucson’s Marty McGarry in conjunction with Ernie Graves.
VDO is designed as a Nature Conservation Subdivision, unique within 3 Canyons Ranch in that VDO’s Common Area B is held under a Conservation Easement, with special rules and restrictions as part of the original approval process with Cochise County. Although the minimum building lot size in 3 Canyons is four acres, this arrangement allows VDO to have one-acre lots in conjunction with the common area. (Cochise County still uses VDO’s subdivision plat as their example of a Neighborhood Conservation District.)
2007
Common Area C Annexed
3 Canyons HOA exercises a clause in its CC&Rs that requires VDO to deed over 75 feet of frontage along 3 Canyons Blvd for maintenance, expansion, and easements, which includes a sizable section of VDO’s front entry monument, formerly our Common Area C.
2009
West Gate Installed
Developer Castle & Cooke owns the first half-mile of 3 Canyons Blvd, with their property (The Oaks) located north and south of the road. A deal between Castle & Cooke and 3 Canyons HOA gives permission for the 3 Canyons West Gate to be located on Castle & Cooke property, in exchange for 3 Canyons HOA to maintain that first half-mile of 3 Canyons Blvd. (This area has since been subject to flooding since the Monument Fire in 2011.) Shortly thereafter, 3 Canyons HOA votes and pays to install the West Gate.
2009
Roads Repaired
After an affirmative vote by members, VDO allocates $36,000 for road repair and maintenance (seal coating). The work is performed by Eagle Asphalt, a local contractor. VDO also allots $1,650 for re-painting the front entry monument masonry walls.
2010
Road Maintenance Fund Created
A board decision allocates funds yearly for future road maintenance, using the estimate of every nine years. A sum of $36,000 (based on the 2009 cost) plus an estimated 3% inflation requires $45,000 by the end of 2018 to avoid a “Special Assessment.”
2011
Land Swapped with Fairfield Estates
VDO owns the land that provides the only road for legal access to the subdivision to the north (Fairfield Estates). In early 2011 VDO deeds this land to the newly-created Fairfield Estates Road Maintenance & Improvement District so they are able to collect funds from their members with the intent of paving that mile of dirt road. Traffic along that road created clouds of dust for nearby VDO residents. VDO was relieved of some liability for owning a road, and Fairfield Estates committed to paving the road within five years.
2012
Cluster Mailboxes Built
After an affirmative vote by the members, VDO allocates $5,335 for the construction of the cluster mailbox project at the front entry. Work is done by volunteers and mailbox keys are administered by USPS.
2013
East Gate Installed
3 Canyons HOA authorizes and completes construction on the 3 Canyons Blvd East Gate, about a mile west of Palominas Road. There is an “automatic out” for vehicles at each end, with card, clicker, or code access for entering or exiting.
VDO authorizes the construction of a drainage swale in front of Lots 2 and 3 on S. Palisades Dr., and a repair on E. Silverthorne Ct. Both are completed in December.
2017
Cluster Mailbox Area Landscaped
At the April board meeting, landscaping and driveway work at the cluster mailbox area, located at the front entry monument, is approved with an anticipated expenditure of $7,200. VDO member Travis Barfield generously donates $5,000. BNR Paving is contracted to perform the improvements and completes the work mid-May.
2018
Roads Repaired
After approval at the March board meeting, BNR Paving is awarded a contract of $37,284 for miscellaneous road repairs and a two-coat asphalt sealer. Construction is completed in June.
2019
Service Contracting Approved
After an affirmative vote by members, VDO enters into a five-year contract with CenturyLink to provide high-speed Internet to all residences. This increases bandwidth to 40 Mbps download and 5 Mbps upload, roughly 8x faster and half the cost of the previous service. In order to enter into this contract, members also vote to allow the VDO HOA Board to contract for residential services. Internet fees are billed as part of the annual HOA assessment.