June 16, 2006

FLORENCE - After a lengthy debate and despite a general agreement between parties, the Pinal County Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously Thursday to delay a trio of cases having to do with the development of a wastewater treatment plant near the southern boundary of the Ak-Chin Indian Community.

The cases consisted of requests by TOUSA Homes Inc. for a zone change, a planned-area overlay district and an industrial-use permit that would allow the company to construct and operate a wastewater treatment plant on a 10-acre section of the 32-acre parcel.

The development of the plant is considered crucial to the ongoing and proposed development of the 4,000 acres located south of the Ak-Chin Community, known as the Red River master plan area, which includes projects such as Sunset Canyon, McLean Ranch, Midway Project, Rancho Sierra, Rancho Sierra Vista and others.

Because of the close proximity of the plant to the washes and wetlands that extend into Ak-Chin territory, the community expressed concerns early on about possible discharges from the plant seeping into the waterways and onto the reservation. After several meetings between the community and TOUSA representatives, including one held in the morning prior to the commission meeting, an agreement was arrived at wherein TOUSA agreed to keeping all of the treatment processes within the facility and that there would be no outdoor ponds, basins, lagoons or storage lakes. However, stormwater retention basins would be allowed.

Any wastewater disposals would take place to the south of the 10-acre treatment plant zone and away from the reservation and would consist of A-plus effluent, which is considered safe for human contact but not potable, and the discharges would be contained and not allowed to enter any of the area's waterways. The agreement is similar to one arranged between the Ak-Chin Community and Global Water. Furthermore, TOUSA agreed to create a 350-foot landscaped buffer zone that would completely encircle the treatment plant.

With a basic agreement package in place, the only thing remaining was to formulate a stipulation that would clearly define the elements of the agreement. Several attempts were made to reword "Stipulation 11," which had some of the elements already in place.

Sean Lake, representing TOUSA, stepped forward and read his version, which his assistants had been working on during the discussion period:

"The treatment facility shall be developed with the best available demonstrated control technology - BADCT, for wastewater treatment to include odor control, noise generation uses that are under cover, no outdoor pumps for treatment or recharge basins within the 350-foot area."

Commissioner Scott Riggins expressed discomfort at creating such an important stipulation "on the fly," and suggested a recess or continuance.

Commissioner Philip "McD" Hartman reminded the panel that even if it could work out a suitably worded stipulation, the entire matter would need to be approved by the Ak-Chin Council before coming before the Pinal County Board of Supervisors. He suggested that the cases be continued to the special meeting scheduled for June 29, and the commissioners voted unanimously in favor of the motion.

What was described as regional transportation issues was the reason given for continuing a request for a zone change and PAD overlay district by The WLB Group to develop the 6,307-lot Thude on a 1,880-acre parcel northeast of Stanfield. This was the fourth continuance for the case, which goes all the way back to December of 2005. It was rescheduled for Aug. 17.

Because of some minor wording problems, a request for a zone change and PAD overlay district by JFP 1336 LLC to develop the 389-lot Casa Grande Trails on a 121-acre parcel southwest of Casa Grande, near Montgomery Road and Selma Highway, was rescheduled for June 29.

A request for a zone change and PAD overlay district by Ham Maricopa LLC to develop the 502-lot Venida on a 160-acre parcel south of Maricopa was continued to July 20 because the commissioners were critical of the presentation made by Jordan Rose, the applicant's representative. They noted that the display boards lacked such basic details as the layout of lots and streets and a failure to connect a series of trails running along the perimeter of the development to the interior parks.

The commissioners forwarded the following requests to the Board of Supervisors with favorable recommendations:

-- An amendment by V&M Homes at Heritage Inc. to withdraw 65 acres from the 1,555-acre Magic Ranch northwest of Florence.

-- A zone change and PAD overlay district by V&M Homes at Heritage Inc. to develop the 255-lot F&K Magic Ranch on a 65-acre parcel northwest of Florence.

-- A zone change and PAD overlay district by Chi Construction Company to develop the 1,835-lot Nevitt Farms on a 532-acre parcel north of Florence.

-- A zone change by Madison Diversified 882 Corp. to develop the 854-lot Shay Estates on a 313-acre parcel in the Arizona City area.

-- A PAD amendment by UTAZ Development to increase the general business zone from 80 acres to 107 acres to develop the Circle Cross Ranch Parcel 10, a combined medical office and retail site southeast of Queen Creek.

-- A comprehensive plan map amendment by Sunset Mountain Development Group, Arizona LLC from industrial to rural transitional on a 48-acre parcel west of Maricopa.

©Casa Grande Valley Newspapers Inc. 2006