By Roland Murphy for AZBEX
The Sahuarita Planning and Zoning Commission met earlier this month to hear and discuss development plans and a rezoning request for a 233.4-acre planning area known as Parcel 30.
The site lies east of Interstate 19 and south of Sahuarita Road at the NWC of El Toro and La Villita roads. The property is comprised of three parcels under Town ownership, and the Town of Sahuarita is requesting rezoning from rural homestead to specific plan.
Potential uses include recreation, commercial, office, multiple dwelling residential and other, similar possibilities.
According to the staff report, “A majority of the site is vacant and undisturbed with two exceptions: much of the area north of the railroad line contains the Man in the Maze Park and is the site of the remediation area with an Arizona Department of Environmental Quality Declaration of Environmental Use Restrictions. The remaining portion of the rezoning project area is vacant and undisturbed.”
Twin Buttes Road currently serves as the site’s accessway. El Toro Road, on the southern edge of the property, is being extended, and Twin Buttes will be abandoned once the extension is complete. Primary access will be along El Toro and La Villita roads.
The staff report also says, “As part of a rezoning application, a preliminary development plan is required. The applicant has submitted two concepts, both are very similar with the primary difference being the roadway network. The site will be served by Global Water – Farmers Water Company, Inc. and Sahuarita Water Reclamation Facility. A full Development Plan along with associated documents will be required to be submitted for review and approval by the Town before any development takes place.”
Both development concepts are broken into four development areas and include 1.4 acres of open space at the SEC.
Concept A’s sections are identified as:
- Development Area 1: 87.7 acres;
- Development Area 2: 42.4 acres;
- Development Area 3: 40.9 acres, and
- Development Area 4: 53.5 acres.
Concept B’s sections are divided into:
- Development Area 1: 87.7 acres;
- Development Parcel 2: 39.7 acres;
- Development Parcel 3: 44.7 acres, and
- Development Parcel 4: 52.3 acres.
Uses under both sections are divided into:
- Recreation: 87.7 acres;
- Multiuse: 136.8 acres;
- Open space: 1.4 acres, and
- El Toro Road Right-of-Way: 7.4 acres.
The location is in the Sahuarita Square District Area Plan, which “is a vision of a new town core that will be the community hub and regional attraction in Southern Arizona.”
The properties north of Parcel 30 are already established with high-intensity mixed uses, including the town hall and municipal court, schools, recreational/educational facilities and commercial outlets.
Another specific plan area lies directly east, with planned uses that include “some residential, lodging, office, retail/service, civic, education and some limited light industrial,” according to the plan overview.
ADEQ’s DEUR for the land north of the Union Pacific Railroad spur, which makes up roughly a third of the site, is limited to recreational uses only, plans for which must be reviewed and approved by the Department.
The land to the south is made up primarily of single-family residential on lots of one-acre or larger.
The Commission discussed the plan components and heard input from three members of the public, who questioned how the site, when developed, would be provided with water and public services. They also expressed concerns about lighting, landscaping requirements and traffic impacts.
After adding a condition that the Town explore enhanced landscaping in the southern open space buffer for improved drainage, privacy and screening for residents south of the property, the Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of the rezoning application.
The property could be sold to a single developer or, more likely, to several different developers over time. Individual projects and proposals would have to secure approval before starting development.
The Town of Sahuarita is the property owner. The planner and project representative is The WLB Group, Inc.
