Planning Commission Forwards Cochise County Comprehensive Plan 2045 to Board After Public Hearing

The Cochise County Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing on the Cochise County Comprehensive Plan 2045 (CP 2045) and voted to recommend the plan, as amended to incorporate clarifications and technical corrections, to the Board of Supervisors.

Planning Director Christine McLaughlin described CP 2045 as the county’s long‑range policy framework through 2045, covering land use, circulation, water, energy, housing, public services, economic development and coordination with Fort Huachuca. McLaughlin said the plan satisfies statutory requirements (citing state law) and summarized public outreach: roughly 3,200 website visits, 1,100 plan reviews and 331 direct public inputs; she attached a large administrative record of public comments to the docket.

Public commenters raised recurring concerns about water and the potential impacts of large energy projects, including data centers and utility‑scale solar. Christine Atcheson (Environmental Testing USA) and Dan Baker urged baseline environmental testing for large projects and questioned whether developers are required to provide soil and contaminant data. Several commenters and commissioners said water is the county’s most pressing long‑term challenge and urged the county to consider mandatory testing protocols and better data resources. Karen Fatsenpower requested creation of a full‑time staff position focused on water policy and data‑driven analysis.

Commissioners discussed options for requiring testing for solar projects — either mandating testing for all applications or making testing a site‑specific condition — and noted the zoning regulations permit either approach. Vice Chair Montgomery moved to recommend approval of CP 2045 "as amended, to incorporate clarifications and technical corrections" (removing the word "minor"); the motion passed by voice vote and the plan will be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors, which is scheduled to hold a public hearing on March 10, 2026.

McLaughlin said the plan is foundational policy, not zoning, and will inform future ordinance and permitting decisions; any substantive zoning or regulatory changes would require separate actions and hearings.