Sahuarita council approves rezoning of 233-acre Parcel 30; park area to remain

The Town of Sahuarita Town Council on April 30 adopted Ordinance 2025-182 approving the rezoning of roughly 233 acres known as Parcel 30 to a specific plan zoning intended to enable commercial-recreational and mixed-use development while preserving the capped park area known as Man in the Maze.

The rezoning vote came after a public hearing in which residents urged the council to protect the Man in the Maze Trails Park and nearby habitat. Mayor Tom Murphy opened the hearing and called for public comment; residents said the park and nearby pollinator plantings should remain intact.

The specific plan establishes zones and development rules for the property north and south of the railroad spur, including an 87-acre portion north of the spur that was previously used as a mill and tailings deposition area and is subject to a declaration of environmental use restrictions. Liz Madsen of the WLB Group, the town’s consultant for the parcel, told the council that the remediated northern area is capped and that the declaration of environmental use restriction limits development there. "Due to prior use of the site as a mill and tailings deposition area, a declaration of environmental use restriction...regulates this 87 acre portion," Madsen said.

The specific plan identifies five development areas. It designates 15 acres in the northern portion for municipal and complementary uses and reserves much of the area north of the tracks for recreational or municipal purposes. Areas south of the railroad spur are intended to be eligible for a broader range of commercial and mixed uses but explicitly disallow single-family residential in certain areas.

Neighbors raised concerns at the hearing about buffering, drainage and building heights. The specific plan requires buffering along El Toro Road and a 40-foot buffer on the western boundary; council materials state the El Toro Road buffer is 60 feet. Madsen said the 60-foot buffer along El Toro Road was negotiated because the construction of that road removed a strip of natural desert north of adjacent residential lots and residents requested a wider separation.

Anna (last name not given in the record), a town staff member who answered questions during the hearing, said the park itself will remain unchanged by the rezoning. "The park will remain intact. The rezoning does cover the park, but it is not changing the park use," Anna said. She added that the site’s deed restrictions and the capped remediation limit what can be built on the northern 87 acres: "It is really not developable because we can't dig beyond a certain number of inches in there. You wouldn't be able to install the required foundations."

The specific plan departs from some standard town mixed-use rules: it allows greater per-tenant gross floor area (50,000 square feet versus the 30,000-square-foot limit in code) and a larger total complex size (80,000 square feet versus 60,000 in code), with options to increase by Conditional Use Permit. Maximum building height is listed as 45 feet by right and up to 56 feet with a Type 2 Conditional Use Permit.

Town officials emphasized the rezoning is an entitlement that creates flexibility for future development; it does not approve any specific project. Shane Dilley, the town manager, said the town owns the property and can be selective about future users. "We're the property owner and we don't have an end user in mind or in sight at this point," Dilley said, adding that future development would come back through secondary planning, development plans and, as appropriate, conditional use permits and development agreements that would include additional public review.

During public comment, Madison Fougere (spelled Fougere in the record) urged the council to preserve the park and its pollinator and cultural plantings. Fougere said, "This park is more than just land. It is a sanctuary of peace...It is a living tribute to the rich biodiversity of the Sonoran Desert ecosystem that Sahuarita should be proud of." Another resident, Rory Meyer, asked council members to consider the effect of construction on neighborhoods and wildlife; he noted saguaros and other native plants on the southern portions of the parcel.

After discussion, a council member moved to adopt Ordinance 2025-182; the motion was seconded and the council voted in favor. The motion carried by voice vote: all seven members present voted yes.

What this means going forward: the rezoning gives the town a zoning framework intended to attract potential users and to allow for commercial recreation uses, with future development requiring site-specific plans, any required traffic or drainage studies, and further approvals. Town staff and council said they expect additional public input at the conditional-use or development-agreement stage if and when particular projects are proposed.

Votes at a glance: Ordinance 2025-182 — Rezoning Parcel 30 to Specific Plan: adopted (voice vote; all seven council members present voted yes). Consent agenda (Item 10): adopted (voice vote; recorded as unanimous earlier in the meeting).