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Commission approves outdoor equine arena near Sierra Vista with daylight-only limit
Summary
The Planning and Zoning Commission approved a modification to a previously issued special use authorization to allow an open outdoor equine arena and related daytime events on a 21-acre property southeast of Sierra Vista, subject to conditions including daylight-only events and access permits.
The Cochise County Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to modify an earlier special use authorization and permit an outdoor equine arena and related daytime events at 8191 Barataria Boulevard, about 3 miles southeast of Sierra Vista.
Staff summary and recommendation: county planner Matt Taylor presented docket SU25-07 as a modification of SU23-14 to change an indoor arena approval to an outdoor arena. Taylor reminded the commission that the original approval included a two-phase plan (hay barn and indoor arena in separate phases) and that the applicant has already pulled a right-of-way permit for the hay barn access. "Based on the factors in favor, staff recommends approval of docket SU25-07," Taylor said, subject to conditions.
Applicant statement and community response: applicant Al Armenta said events would be daytime only, with no light poles for nighttime use, and described family- and youth-oriented programming such as Gymkhana. Public commenters included nearby property owners and users who supported the proposal; speakers said local riders and children benefit from the arena.
Conditions and access issues: commissioners approved staff conditions that limit arena events to daylight hours; require a right-of-way permit for the secondary access along Barataria Boulevard; require either recording an ingress easement or combining/adjusting parcels where primary access crosses multiple tax parcels; and require a traffic analysis at build-out and other standard site-development permits (septic, restrooms, parking and stabilization of disturbed areas).
Commission discussion focused on noise and operations: commissioners asked about amplified sound (applicant said small portable speakers only, not pole-mounted systems), spectator seating (chairs, pop-up canopies and shade trees are currently used), and whether activities such as roping or nighttime events were planned (applicant said no to roping and no nighttime events currently planned). Several commissioners emphasized that future changes in event format would trigger additional review.
What’s next: the modification passed unanimously. The applicant was reminded that future structural additions or new uses would require additional permits or a modification to the special use authorization.
