Nogales council discusses removing secondary water fee for mobile-home parks; second reading set

The City of Nogales mayor and city council on Aug. 13 debated an ordinance (O-2025-08-005) that would amend the city code’s water-rate language to change the user category for trailer parks to “mobile home residential” and remove a secondary water charge applied to some parks. The discussion matters because the change follows a legal settlement with Mariposa Manor and would affect other parks the city deems “similarly situated,” potentially reducing water fee revenue but avoiding further litigation costs. City legal counsel Mr. Estes said the proposed change grew out of a settlement with Mariposa Manor: “It’s my understanding Mariposa Manor has 1 main meter, and that the individual units are not metered.” He said finance will run a report to identify other parks in the same situation and estimated the revenue impact as “thousands of, you know, less than 10 or $15,000 across the board.” Council members asked who would absorb the lost revenue if the secondary fee were removed. Mr. Estes said the city had assessed the secondary fee and that removing it for certain parks was part of resolving the lawsuit: “The other option was that you didn’t settle the case and that we would continue to litigate the case and expend quite a bit more than that in litigation and potential judgment against the city.” Officials clarified that parks differ: some have a single master meter and the owner apportions service, while others have separate meters for individual units. Mr. Estes said there are “4 or 5 other parks that would be similarly situated” and that, overall, about “6 or 7 parks in the city that are serviced by city water.” Because at least one council member voted against final passage at the meeting, the mayor announced the ordinance will return for a second reading at the next council meeting rather than being adopted immediately. The city also discussed a broader review of water lines and metering to better document meter ownership and connections; officials said that effort may inform future rate analyses and reduce reliance on ad hoc secondary fees.