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Public raises water-supply concerns as committee advances subdivision checklist
Summary
At the Feb. 10 Patagonia Planning & Development meeting, public commenters urged the committee to bar subdivision approvals without a 100‑year certified adequate water supply and flagged a new state law shifting subdivision review to administrative staff; the committee moved water‑supply requirements to the top of its draft checklist and will send the revisions to the town attorney for review.
Lonnie Goff, a member of the public, told the Town of Patagonia Planning & Development Committee on Feb. 10 that the committee’s subdivision ordinance checklist should explicitly state the town does not have a 100‑year certified adequate water supply and argued that, without such certification, subdivisions cannot be approved. He also asked the Town Manager to halt current subdivision construction by Coronado Homes until an assured water‑supply certificate is approved and asked that the Town Attorney review proposed Chapter 15 revisions.
Robert Proctor, another attendee, said a new state law—House Bill 2447, effective Jan. 1, 2026—now requires administrative staff rather than public hearings to review and approve site plans, plats and design reviews for subdivisions, and that responsibility for subdivision review now lies with the Town Manager. Proctor presented the law as removing public hearings from the subdivision review process; the committee did not resolve the legal question at the meeting and agreed to refer the matter to the Town Attorney for clarification.
Committee member Victor Romo reviewed proposed revisions to Chapter 15 (Subdivisions), noting a number of minor edits and the committee’s decision to move the “Adequate Water Supply - Subdivision Requirements” from the end of the checklist to the beginning so it is considered earlier in the review process. Romo said the final draft will be emailed to committee members, then sent to the Town Attorney for review; any attorney changes will be shared with the Planning & Development Committee and the document later presented to the Town Council for approval.
Chairperson Laurie Monti said she plans to invite a representative from the Arizona Department of Water Resources to a future meeting to discuss and clarify local water issues. The committee also deferred the Senior Living Assessment to a future agenda.
Next steps: the committee will circulate the revised Chapter 15 checklist to members, submit it to the Town Attorney for legal review (including questions raised about HB 2447), and present the attorney‑reviewed document to the Town Council for consideration.
