Pima County plans to buy 4,000 acres of Sopori Ranch

Pima County plans to spend $18.5 million to buy 4,135 acres of the historic Sopori Ranch southwest of Green Valley, information from the county administrator’s office showed Monday.

Part of the Sopori ranch (pronounced (SOAP-or-e) is south of the Pima - Santa Cruz County line and developers there hope to develop that part of the property for housing.

The Pima County part of the land won’t be developed, but left as open space where it is home to many animals, birds and desert plants.

In Pima County, the Sopori on its western side abuts another county-owned former ranch, Rancho Seco.

Pima County plans to buy it with voter-approved open-space bond sales.

Pima County has already purchased nine ranches as part of its open-space plan. It has spent about $56 million of the $100 million voters approved in a bond election.

The Sopori land in Pima County is home to about 35 species planned for special protection under the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan.

Some of those species are Abert’s towhee, Bell’s vireo, Western yellow-billed cuckoo, cactus ferruginous pygmy owl, Swainson’s hawk, lesser long-nosed bat and rufous-winged sparrow.

People have photographed jaguars to the southwest of the ranch.

The Pima County portion of the Sopori is owned by First United Realty of Phoenix.

The company will retain about 45 acres where the ranch headquarters is located.

The ranch is famous because it was once owned by Spanish military leader and explorer Juan Bautista de Anza II.

First United is also hoping to develop its Sopori Ranch holdings in Santa Cruz County, amounting to 8,830 acres.

On Tuesday, Santa Cruz County residents will vote on a plan that could ultimately permit development of that part of the ranch.

There are two propositions on the Santa Cruz ballot that could block Sopori development and another parcel in northern Santa Cruz County.

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors at an earlier board meeting approved two changes to the county’s comprehensive plan that could ultimately lead to housing developments.

Opponents succeeded in placing propositions on to ballot to cancel the supervisors’ vote.

jlamb@gvnews.com | 547-9749