SIERRA VISTA HERALD: Weds., Dec. 7, 2005
Cochise supervisors approve rezoning of 80-acre parcel in Babocomari Area Plan
BY BILL HESS
BISBEE — In a continuing effort to control growth and conserve water, the Cochise County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved rezoning half of an 80-acre parcel in the Babocomari Area Plan to TR-36 and the other half to RU-2.
While the old zoning called for one residence per four acres, or 20 homes for the entire parcel, the new designations will allow 58 houses on the 80 acres. The TR-36, or a lot of 36,000 square feet, designation will allow 29 homes on 40 acres. The RU-2 zoning, or one home per two acres, will allow 19 on 40 acres.
Although there will be more homes by eliminating individual wells and using a community water system, less water will be used once the subdivision is built, a county official and spokesman for the property owner said. County Senior Planner Mark Apel said that without the rezoning, the water use budget for the 80 acres was estimated to be about 17.5 acre-feet per year.
By requiring the developer to follow the county's subdivision requirements, which means hooking up to the Whetstone Water Co., about 13 acre-feet of water will be used although more homes will be constructed, Apel said.
An acre-foot consists of nearly 326,000 gallons of water. If people had to install individual wells, more water would be used than having water provided by a utility, he said.
Jim Huff, of Shade Tree Consulting and speaking for the property owner, outlined water conservation measures for the parcel, which include detention basins, landscaping with drought tolerant/low water use plants, turf limitations, hot-water-recirculating systems, low-flow fixtures and no water-consuming evaporative coolers.
The three supervisors voted to rezone the property but noted they intend to keep a close watch on development in the sensitive area which involves the Babocomari River, a major tributary to the San Pedro River.
Supervisor Paul Newman said he will look at every request involving the eastern portion of the old Babocomari Land Grant “and its impact on the (San Pedro) River.”
Supervisor Richard Searle said he is encouraged that developers are now willing to go through the subdivision process instead of creating wildcat construction areas that have no controls on them. Board Chairman Pat Call said the Babocomari Area Plan is an innovative way for the county to address issues of growth and water use.
Noting Fort Huachuca and the civilian communities in the Sierra Vista Subwatershed of the Upper San Pedro River Basin are being monitored by Congress and others to bring the water use and deficit into balance, Call said Fort Huachuca could be in jeopardy during the next Base Realignment and Closure round unless people in Cochise County address the water issue.
Call estimated the next BRAC will take place in five or seven years. Because of that, he said, post officials have expressed concerns about needing more affordable off-post housing for soldiers and their families and additional water savings.
The 80-acre parcel is on the east side of Highway 90, south of Ronald Reagan Parkway and west of Zosimo Drive.
In another action pertaining to the Babocomari Area Plan, 372 acres zoned as TR-36, or one residence per 36,000 square feet, was changed to RU-4, or one home per four acres. The rezoning and abandonment of a subdivision plan for the parcel were unanimously approved by the supervisors.