Tubac proposal clears hurdle

By Denise Holley, Wick News Service
Published: Thursday, December 13, 2007 10:06 PM MST
NOGALES — A parade of 90 people gave the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors a one-minute piece of their minds about high-density development Wednesday.

A clear majority urged supervisors to turn down requests by two developers to amend the county comprehensive plan.

In three hours of testimony, speakers described two proposals for the northwest section of the county as “a new suburb for Pima County” and “an ecological disaster.” They predicted a flood of new developments that would create “a sea of roofs” from the Tumacacoris to the Santa Rita Mountains.

The supervisors listened, shared their thoughts, and then voted 2-1 to give a green light to the 6,076-acre Sopori Ranch plan and 1,244-acre Las Mesas development.

Only John Maynard, the supervisor representing the northern District 3, voted to deny the amendments.

After testimony on the Sopori proposal, Maynard explained why he opposed the development. Then Supervisor Robert Damon, District 2, told the opponents, mostly residents of Tubac and vicinity, “You guys will have to start accepting some growth.”

District 1 Supervisor Manuel Ruiz said he woke up at 3 a.m. and reread the county comprehensive plan.

“I didn’t hear a number coming from you. How many homes would you support?” Ruiz asked the opponents.

This gave rise to some murmurs and a loud comment from the audience as Ruiz finished his remarks on the Sopori proposal.

After a break, people rose to oppose or defend the smaller Las Mesas development. A few speakers accused Ruiz and Damon of “going against the public” and “tearing apart the comprehensive plan.”

“I was really on the fence,” Ruiz told the opponents after the public hearing concluded. “Thank you for pushing me over.”

He then cast the swing vote in favor of the amendments.

A few speakers defended the high-density projects.

“We think it (development) would bring a lot of jobs,” said Marco Bustamante, president of the Rio Rico Chamber of Commerce. “I can’t afford to live in Tubac, but these developments are affordable.”

Former Nogales mayor Dan Doyle described the developments as “a golden opportunity for Santa Cruz County.” By approving communities with water treatment plants, “we avoid water problems with hundreds of septic tanks,” he said.

Opponent Pat Phelan of Tumacacori told the supervisors a “yes” vote “will reduce the comprehensive plan to a fire-starter for your stove.”

After the hearing, she called the vote “ a travesty, but it’s an example of how two out of three public officials feel about the supporting the comprehensive plan they adopted three years ago.”

“It (the vote) was sad and shocking,” said Amadon Dell Erba, an agricultural worker in the Tumacacori area. “They’re not supporting the people.”

Marshall Magruder of Tubac, warned that, “The promises from these developers today mean zero because they could sell the property tomorrow.”

In a telephone interview after the hearing, Ruiz said he hoped the developments would offer jobs and housing that might keep young people in the county. He admitted he was surprised and upset by some of the comments from opponents.

“If people would have just kept their cool, I might have voted to put this on hold,” he said.

Ruiz emphasized that the high-density developments were not a done deal.

“All we did is change the color of the map,” he said. Developers must return to the planning and zoning commission, which had recommended against both proposals, for changes in zoning.

Ruiz predicted that it would take at least 20 years before the developments would be built out to their plan. “Hopefully there’s an opportunity to sit down and have a dialogue,” he said.

Denise Holley is a reporter for the Nogales International.


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