Board holds work session on state land parcels near park, explores phased approach to housing development

The Greenlee County Board of Supervisors held an extended work session on possible housing development on state trust land near the Du Boingo park and the Loma Linda Wash, discussing which 40-acre sections to request from the State Land Department, infrastructure constraints and potential phased approaches.

County planning staff presented a conceptual map of nine 40-acre squares surrounding the park and explained that the county already owns a 10-acre parcel that is an "island" within state land. Staff said the State Land Department prefers fairly even-shaped tracts and has advised counties not to apply for more land than they reasonably expect to develop. The presenter summarized that guidance as: "they encouraged us not to apply for more land than we're reasonably going to develop all the time." The board discussed the trade-offs between asking for larger, square parcels and requesting smaller, more immediately developable portions near the park.

Participants examined five smaller parcels drawn adjacent to the park (one roughly 8.5 acres) and discussed natural features, especially Loma Linda Wash, which creates a drainage constraint on one parcel. Staff noted utilities run nearby: natural gas, power and water service in adjacent areas, and said a local water company had provided a letter of intent to serve the area if developed. Board members and staff discussed sewer options including package treatment plants or clustered septic systems and how developers might structure sewer and water to make housing viable.

The board discussed the State Land application process, timelines to auction and the county's options at auction. Staff noted the process is administratively heavy and can take multiple years before auction, but said the county can apply and, if it is later outbid at auction, the successful bidder typically reimburses the initial application costs. One staff member noted that acquiring larger contiguous chunks could reduce repetitive survey and archaeological costs, but also increase upfront fees.

Board members discussed two practical approaches: (1) request the 40-acre parcels directly adjacent to the park (identified in the session as priority "phase 1") and seek developers' input before finalizing the application; or (2) apply for the larger 40-acre block to clean up the county's existing 10-acre island and reduce odd-shaped remnants. Several supervisors favored focusing initial requests on the flat, developable ground nearest the park to attract developers. The board agreed staff should brief State Land at a scheduled meeting the same day and return with feedback and a recommended parcel configuration for formal board action at a future meeting.

Staff also reported related work: a county hydrologist study of wells and water availability is underway for the general area and staff said they have reached out to Yuma County and other jurisdictions about how housing authorities or county involvement in multifamily ownership has been handled elsewhere. No formal vote or acquisition decision was made; the item was conducted as a work session to gather direction and next steps.

Next steps identified in the session included: staff meeting with State Land to present the county's conceptual plan, contacting developers for input on parcel size and sewer/water approaches, completing hydrology and archaeological surveys as required by State Land, and placing a formal approval request on a future board agenda if staff and board agree on the parcel scope.