**AZacreage.com note - Westpac Development has three more projects in the immediate Hidden Valley / Maricopa area, southwest of Harrah's Ak-Chin Casino.

January 07, 2006

MARICOPA - Banking on the successful design of Verrado, a master-planned community in Buckeye, developer Westpac is bringing a neighborhood with similar qualities to Maricopa.

While Westpac did not develop the project about 25 miles west of Phoenix, the company has taken note of some of the concepts that made it successful and has implemented them in a 487-acre development called Cortona.

"It's a phenomenal project," Jordan Rose, a representative for the project, told the City Council last month. "What Westpac tried to do was emulate Verrado in a very small-scale development."

Located on the southeast corner of Farrell and Hartman roads, Cortona will mirror Verrado's circular design in an attempt to create a sense of community.

"This is a unique design not seen in Maricopa. All of the homes are located around circular parks," Rose said. "No one will be very far from a park or trails. Those trails will interconnect with a trailhead on Farrell (Road)."

With so many parks and trails, Cortona is one of the first to meet Maricopa's recently implemented 20 percent open-space requirement.

"This result is a direct reflection of the open-space ordinance," said Parks, Recreation and Libraries Director Marty McDonald. "As far as park designs, I'm very happy with the project. I think it looks great."

Rose called the parks "multigenerational," with features for both adults and children. The main park even includes a large lake with a dock.

Cortona will feature very large residential lots, up to 20,000 square feet in size, with no lots smaller than 6,000 square feet. The development also has sites set aside for an elementary and high school.

The city's planning director, Amy Haberbosch-Arco, said she worked closely with Westpac for eight months to make sure the project met Maricopa's standards.

"It's been lengthy but very enjoyable," she said. "This is going to be an excellent project."

The council unanimously approved Westpac's rezoning and development requests for Cortona. Development on the project is expected to begin this spring.

©Casa Grande Valley Newspapers Inc. 2006