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SMITH RANCH ZONING: Residents oppose Diamond Ventures request
THELMA GRIMES
News-Sun
As Diamond Ventures Inc. prepares to go before the Cochise County Planning and Zoning Commission seeking zoning approval for a 6,910-unit development west of Benson, area residents continue speaking out against the measure.
The Tucson developer has submitted an application requesting a 1,983-acre parcel, known as Smith Ranch, be rezoned from RU-4 (minimum lot size four acres) to PD (planned development) for nearly 7,000-homes. It also includes 81 acres for mixed use, 651 acres of open space along with property to be set aside for an on-site water treatment plant, a school, fire station and a police sub-station.
The site is located about four miles west of Benson near the Skyline exit.
During a public meeting in Benson last Tuesday, area residents expressed concerns about the Smith Ranch Master Development Plan, submitted to county officials last month.
Diamond Ventures hosted the meeting, which was not required.
Residents expressed concerns about the impact the development will have on the water supply, increased density, increased traffic and where the traffic will be routed.
To accommodate increased traffic, the developer's representatives said they are looking at a variety of options. But to start, a one-way access would be used at Titan Road and Village Loop. Currently, the only access to the property is a Frontage Road connecting at south State Route 90, near Interstate 10.
During the meeting, Sylvia Simard, a nine-year Titan Road resident, said she is concerned, especially if her road is the only one being considered at this time.
"You want to open Titan Road as an entrance and an exit," Simard said. "I don't care to have your 10,000-plus autos passing my driveway every day. I built on Stallion Ranch for peace and quiet. You know what you can do with your plan? We don't want it."
Simard was not the only one concerned about traffic. Many of the questions throughout the two-hour meeting centered around traffic and water issues.
Water has been one of the primary complaints about the proposed development, until recently, when the traffic issues have come to the forefront.
Nearly 60 people attended the meeting held at the Benson Public Library.
Robert Iannarino, project manager for Diamond Ventures, said the transportation study, submitted as part of the master development plan to county officials, covers 25 square miles and the Smith Ranch property is "only three miles."
Besides traffic, residents also expressed concerns about density.
Simard, along with several other residents, asked why the housing developers couldn't stick with the property's current zoning regulations and put one house every four acres.
Diamond Ventures representatives Priscilla Storm and Iannarino said that is not an option. According to the master development plan, houses will be constructed as little as one acre and as much as four acres apart.
Laura Wiegand, a resident who lives near the Skyline exit, made an emotional plea to the housing developer not to go through with their plans.
"Right now we have a nice view of the mountains outside our window," Wiegand said. "If this happens we are going to see nothing but houses and lights. This is going to affect our quality of life. Why don't you get the hint? We don't want your development here."
Wiegand also told the developers that her well has dropped nearly 40 feet, noting water is not in plentiful supply.
In response to many comments, Storm, the Diamond Ventures director of special projects, said the firm was not required to hold last week's meeting, but wanted to get as much public input as possible.
"We are looking for suggestions, but what we mostly get are comments and quite frankly, insults," Storm said.
Not all feedback for the prospective development has been negative.
David DiPeso, president of the Benson/San Pedro Valley Chamber of Commerce, said the agency would write a letter of support.
"(The housing development) is good for business," DiPeso said. "And that's what we represent, the businesses. This is a planned development. We'd rather see a planned development instead of unplanned wildcat developments."
In viewing the plans, DiPeso said he especially likes Diamond's water-conservation proposal.
The Benson School District officials also wrote a letter in support of the development.
Diamond Ventures promised to help the school district adjust to the increased population the development will bring by providing land and financial assistance.
Nonetheless, the process must go on.
Diamond Ventures is scheduled to go before the Cochise County Planning and Zoning Commission today (Wednesday, Sept. 8). The nine-member board will rule on whether or not to recommend approval of the zoning request to the Cochise County Board of Supervisors.
However, the approval isn't definite. In an Aug. 30 memorandum, Mark Apel, Cochise County senior planner, recommended the commission table the measure until its meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 13.
Apel said the staff and Diamond Ventures need more time to "address outstanding issues."
He said the county has received "hundreds" of emails and letters opposing the proposed development.
Apel said, "The Smith Ranch MDP (master development plan) strives to offer amenities and infrastructure improvements like the potential impact of development on this scale. The MDP also strives to ensure high quality development through design guidelines.
"Because of its location near an Interstate with marginal access and in an area with highly-publicized concerns regarding water adequacy, the MDP falls short of ensuring that impacts to these two important elements are adequately addressed, unless certain conditions are imposed by the county to safeguard its residents, both future and present from those impacts."
Apel is recommending tabling the measure because more time is needed to review the plan, he said.
"We expect to have a recommendation for the Oct. 13 meeting," Apel said. "This is a large complex issue, one of the largest this commission has ever had to deal with. We just need more time."
No matter what the planning and zoning commission rules, the zoning request will have to go before the board of supervisors for final approval, which will require another public hearing.
News-Sun
As Diamond Ventures Inc. prepares to go before the Cochise County Planning and Zoning Commission seeking zoning approval for a 6,910-unit development west of Benson, area residents continue speaking out against the measure.
The Tucson developer has submitted an application requesting a 1,983-acre parcel, known as Smith Ranch, be rezoned from RU-4 (minimum lot size four acres) to PD (planned development) for nearly 7,000-homes. It also includes 81 acres for mixed use, 651 acres of open space along with property to be set aside for an on-site water treatment plant, a school, fire station and a police sub-station.
The site is located about four miles west of Benson near the Skyline exit.
During a public meeting in Benson last Tuesday, area residents expressed concerns about the Smith Ranch Master Development Plan, submitted to county officials last month.
Diamond Ventures hosted the meeting, which was not required.
Residents expressed concerns about the impact the development will have on the water supply, increased density, increased traffic and where the traffic will be routed.
To accommodate increased traffic, the developer's representatives said they are looking at a variety of options. But to start, a one-way access would be used at Titan Road and Village Loop. Currently, the only access to the property is a Frontage Road connecting at south State Route 90, near Interstate 10.
During the meeting, Sylvia Simard, a nine-year Titan Road resident, said she is concerned, especially if her road is the only one being considered at this time.
"You want to open Titan Road as an entrance and an exit," Simard said. "I don't care to have your 10,000-plus autos passing my driveway every day. I built on Stallion Ranch for peace and quiet. You know what you can do with your plan? We don't want it."
Simard was not the only one concerned about traffic. Many of the questions throughout the two-hour meeting centered around traffic and water issues.
Water has been one of the primary complaints about the proposed development, until recently, when the traffic issues have come to the forefront.
Nearly 60 people attended the meeting held at the Benson Public Library.
Robert Iannarino, project manager for Diamond Ventures, said the transportation study, submitted as part of the master development plan to county officials, covers 25 square miles and the Smith Ranch property is "only three miles."
Besides traffic, residents also expressed concerns about density.
Simard, along with several other residents, asked why the housing developers couldn't stick with the property's current zoning regulations and put one house every four acres.
Diamond Ventures representatives Priscilla Storm and Iannarino said that is not an option. According to the master development plan, houses will be constructed as little as one acre and as much as four acres apart.
Laura Wiegand, a resident who lives near the Skyline exit, made an emotional plea to the housing developer not to go through with their plans.
"Right now we have a nice view of the mountains outside our window," Wiegand said. "If this happens we are going to see nothing but houses and lights. This is going to affect our quality of life. Why don't you get the hint? We don't want your development here."
Wiegand also told the developers that her well has dropped nearly 40 feet, noting water is not in plentiful supply.
In response to many comments, Storm, the Diamond Ventures director of special projects, said the firm was not required to hold last week's meeting, but wanted to get as much public input as possible.
"We are looking for suggestions, but what we mostly get are comments and quite frankly, insults," Storm said.
Not all feedback for the prospective development has been negative.
David DiPeso, president of the Benson/San Pedro Valley Chamber of Commerce, said the agency would write a letter of support.
"(The housing development) is good for business," DiPeso said. "And that's what we represent, the businesses. This is a planned development. We'd rather see a planned development instead of unplanned wildcat developments."
In viewing the plans, DiPeso said he especially likes Diamond's water-conservation proposal.
The Benson School District officials also wrote a letter in support of the development.
Diamond Ventures promised to help the school district adjust to the increased population the development will bring by providing land and financial assistance.
Nonetheless, the process must go on.
Diamond Ventures is scheduled to go before the Cochise County Planning and Zoning Commission today (Wednesday, Sept. 8). The nine-member board will rule on whether or not to recommend approval of the zoning request to the Cochise County Board of Supervisors.
However, the approval isn't definite. In an Aug. 30 memorandum, Mark Apel, Cochise County senior planner, recommended the commission table the measure until its meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 13.
Apel said the staff and Diamond Ventures need more time to "address outstanding issues."
He said the county has received "hundreds" of emails and letters opposing the proposed development.
Apel said, "The Smith Ranch MDP (master development plan) strives to offer amenities and infrastructure improvements like the potential impact of development on this scale. The MDP also strives to ensure high quality development through design guidelines.
"Because of its location near an Interstate with marginal access and in an area with highly-publicized concerns regarding water adequacy, the MDP falls short of ensuring that impacts to these two important elements are adequately addressed, unless certain conditions are imposed by the county to safeguard its residents, both future and present from those impacts."
Apel is recommending tabling the measure because more time is needed to review the plan, he said.
"We expect to have a recommendation for the Oct. 13 meeting," Apel said. "This is a large complex issue, one of the largest this commission has ever had to deal with. We just need more time."
No matter what the planning and zoning commission rules, the zoning request will have to go before the board of supervisors for final approval, which will require another public hearing.
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