Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use Opt Out topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Supervisors preview 'Opt Out Month' proclamation, press for work session on codes, inspections and insurance
Summary
The board discussed a proclamation acknowledging Cochise County 'opt-out' communities and sought clarifying language and a follow-up work session on zoning, inspections, insurance and enforcement for opt-out areas.
Supervisors previewed a proclamation to recognize an "Opt Out Month" for residents using alternative construction methods and opting out of certain municipal services, and they spent substantial time outlining concerns the board wants addressed before or alongside the proclamation.
Staff said the proclamation would acknowledge opt-out communities while also making clear that residents must comply with Cochise County building-safety codes, zoning, floodplain and statewide codes (including applicable International Residential Code standards). Supervisors asked that language be added to emphasize compliance and that the opt-out packet given to applicants explain what zoning or land purchases may not guarantee future rezoning.
Supervisors raised repeated concerns about illegal or unauthorized camping, wastewater/gray-water discharges, insurance coverage for properties outside fire districts, and the strain on county code-compliance resources. They directed staff to schedule a dedicated work session to cover the opt-out program’s scope, inspection frequency and related insurance and land-acquisition issues. Staff said portions of the materials will note that purchasers of tax-lien properties may not be able to combine lots or obtain different zoning automatically.
No formal action or vote on the proclamation occurred at the work session; staff said the proclamation language would be revised to include attestation to applicable codes and that the county would reach out to opt-out community representatives to invite them to the meeting.
