ORO VALLEY, Ariz. (KGUN) — A long-running dispute over the expansion plans for Oro Valley Church of the Nazarene may have reached a turning point.
On April 2, following years of debate and public backlash, the Oro Valley Town Council unanimously approved a modified plan allowing the church to move forward with building a new sanctuary—scaled down from an original proposal that was rejected earlier this year.
The latest meeting stretched late into the evening, drawing a packed house. Church supporters filled council chambers, many wearing bright orange shirts and presenting more than 500 petition signatures backing the original 40-foot height request.
Instead, council members approved a revised plan for a 36-foot-tall sanctuary—four feet shorter than originally proposed and previously denied by the Planning and Zoning Commission in January. The council’s decision came despite continued resistance from nearby residents, some of whom submitted letters urging officials to uphold the commission’s denial.
Still, the vote marked a major step forward for the church, which had previously pivoted from a sports ministry proposal to the sanctuary expansion following community opposition.
“We feel like we’ve been praying through this for a long time,” said Executive Pastor Chris Collins. “We’ve been trying to figure out a path forward for a long time and so I think there was a lot of excitement from our perspective. Probably a little bit of a relief feeling as well.”
Councilmember Harry "Mo" Greene, who supported the compromise, said he hopes the two sides can move forward together.
“I would hope they’ll get together and try to see if there’s some things they can do as a neighborhood in the future," he said. "I certainly hope so."
But for some residents, the scaled-down plan isn’t enough. Tim Tarris, speaking over the phone on behalf of the Buena Vista Group—a coalition of over 120 neighbors opposing the project—said they are not ready to back down.
“We’re exploring different options that are available to us,” Tarris said. “We may not succeed at that but we certainly are going to explore that opportunity.”
The approved sanctuary expansion is the latest chapter in a years-long standoff between OVCN and surrounding homeowners, many of whom have voiced concerns about disruptions to the character of their historic neighborhood.
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Kenny Darr is a reporter for KGUN 9. He joined the team in January 2023. Before arriving in Arizona he was an Anchor and Reporter at KADN in Lafayette, LA. Share your story ideas with Kenny by emailing kenny.darr@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
