Town panel backs annexations, plan changes

The Town Plan Commission has backed all eight proposed General Plan amendments. Among those are two large annexations: the proposed 15,000-unit Mission Peaks project to the west and 16 square miles of State Trust land to the east.

Six of the eight proposals include annexations and if all are approved by the Town Council, they would more than double the size of the town, from about 30 square miles to about 73 square miles, Town Planning Director John Neunuebel told the commission on Sept. 10.

Also, if the proposals are approved, they would allow several thousand acres each of high-density and medium-density housing and mixed-use, which allows for either commercial or residential, plus about another 1,000 acres of commercial usage.

Mine questions plan

The Plan Commission heard officials of Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold voice their first public opposition to Mission Peaks, saying future residents will complain about the blasting, dust from mine tailings and the lack of buffering. When asked, one mine representative said a good buffer distance would be four to five miles and another said the company hopes to mine the area for another 100 years.

“This land is surrounded by an active mining district. Some reports refer to it as former mining activities; it’s not former, it’s active. We are currently mining for over 50 years and hope to mine for the next 100 years,” Lyn Harry White, manager of government relations for Freeport, told the commission.

Krishna Parameswaran, an official of the Asarco Mission mine, said, “Lyn has reiterated our concerns. We are one of two active mines in the area. We try to mitigate the impacts but those are still there: dust issues from the large tailings ponds. Proper disclosure must be made to homeowners. We are not against development but our concern is the density of the project.”

Asked by Commissioner Patrick Devine what distance was adequate for a buffer zone, Parameswaran said “about four to five miles at least.”

A number of residents of McGee Ranch and the west side of Sahuarita said that the presence of 15,000 housing units would disrupt the existing rural lifestyle and several questioned whether the sewer plant planned by the developer, American Nevada Co., would create odors that would float downhill and down wind into the current town limits of Sahuarita.

Attendees included Mayor Lynne Skelton and Town Council member Charles Oldham, who live near the Mission Peaks site, and council member John Sullivan, of Rancho Sahuarita.

Park Corp. said its west side master planned community would be so pedestrian-friendly that residents could live there without a car. At an earlier study session, Commissioner Anne Wurth questioned that assertion, noting that the area is far from any comprehensive public transportation.

pfranchine@sahuaritasun.com | 547-9738