Board approves military‑compatibility permit for 160‑acre Bacara site over residents’ objections

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors approved a military compatibility permit on May 6 for MCP250007, known in county materials as Project Bacara, a proposed industrial development on about 160 acres north of Olive Avenue intended to include data center buildings, a substation and a natural‑gas power generation facility.

The permit — required because the site sits inside the Luke Air Force Base high‑noise contour — passed on a 4–1 roll call after hours of testimony and technical presentations. Vice Chair Jacky Lesko moved approval subject to conditions negotiated with Luke Air Force Base and incorporated into staff’s recommended findings; Supervisor Gary Gallardo cast the lone dissent.

Why this matters: the project touches multiple local priorities at once — national‑defense compatibility, regional air‑quality limits, and water use in a drought‑stressed region — and pits supporters who cite jobs and economic investment against hundreds of residents who urged denial or continuance.

What the board heard: county planning staff and the applicant said the permit authorizes only land uses and development standards, not final site plans or construction. Planning Director Tom Ellsworth told the board that Luke Air Force Base provided a March 13…