The committee that backs the latest effort to incorporate Santa Valley was met by crowds of residents undecided on making a decision when it took the first pitch at a community rally on Tuesday night.
Not one of the 55 people who met to discuss the idea said they were outright against incorporation. But many had questions and concerns about the potential boundaries of the proposed city, how services in the area could be improved, tax bases and economic projections.
Several residents told the Arizona Republic that they exited over the fence just as they had come to the rally.
As an unincorporated area, Santan Valley is currently dependent on Pinal County Government and Services. The community is booming in the wake of soaring housing prices in the Phoenix metropolitan area, and residents and county officials have long suspected the community is growing beyond roads, services and unincorporated status. I have expressed my concern that
But previous efforts to incorporate it fell through before it even got on the ballot due to opposition from neighboring cities, local homeowners associations and some residents.
Since then, some of the provisions of state law that have been barriers to incorporation have been amended or removed. Still, the initiative will need local support to get on the ballot in November 2024.
“When this finally goes to the vote, we’ll know if this is what the community really wants,” said Wayne Ranch resident Tyler Hudgins, 32, one of the supporters of the initiative. “The community will decide that.”
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Where are the proposed boundaries?
of Current map of the proposed municipality It covers approximately 50 miles of land.
Its general boundaries are Pima Road to the north, the Central Arizona Project Canal to the east, Arizona Farms Road to the south, and the planned area of Queen Creek to the west. Planned areas include land that is not yet within city limits but that may be annexed to that municipality in the future. The Queen Creek planning area includes several neighborhoods along the edge of the Sun Tan Mountain Regional Park.
Commission members said they plan to produce a final map of the boundary by October after meeting with local residents and hearing their feedback. Under its current boundaries, Santan Valley has a population of approximately 91,000, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.
It will then become the largest city in Pinal County. Today, the city of Maricopa, with a population of about 60,000, holds that title.
Does incorporation have community support?
Recent findings The survey, commissioned by Pinal County Superintendent Mike Goodman, who represents the Santan Valley area, shows that residents are divided on how their communities should be governed.
The survey was circulated to residents through mail, social media and email from October to January and received about 2,000 responses. Of those who responded to the survey questions, 46% supported incorporating Santan Valley into the city, and about 17% wanted the community to remain governed.
However, the remaining 37% of residents proposed another solution. About 11% said they wanted a tax district that could offer more services to the area without being fully incorporated, and 18% said they wanted it to be merged into an existing municipality. 8% were unsure of what governance structure they would like.
Hudgins said the survey allowed him and other organizers to “get a handle on” residents’ feelings about incorporation and showed that the majority of residents were ready for change.
“According to the survey, 75 percent of Santan Valley say they want something,” he says. “The status quo is not enough.”
Still, he said the committee did not blindly trust the results. He said talking to members of the community remains a priority.
Which comes first, local government or economic development?
Mr. Hudgins and other Incorporation Board members touted the benefits of local government governance, including stronger control over zoning and development in a rapidly growing community and increased opportunities to bring jobs and businesses to the area. bottom.
Johnson Ranch resident Deb Goulet, 55, compared Santan Valley to “quilts” and “hodgepodges” of different land uses.
“I wonder if we can come up with a better plan,” she said.
However, not all were sold. While committee members noted that the city government could encourage economic development, some residents expressed concern that Santan Valley does not currently have a corporate tax base to support incorporation.
Karen Mooney, 59, who lives in Santan Heights, said she has seen previous attempts at incorporation fail as they lead to a surge in resident taxes.
“You keep talking about putting this on the ballot, but if you don’t have a business plan, no sane person should vote for this,” she said.
Other residents urged the Incorporation Commission to be more proactive about boundaries. Currently, the proposed city boundaries largely respect other municipalities’ planned areas. This includes the planned area of Queen Creek, which covers several potential hotbeds of the economy.
“Right now, we’re literally an island. When you talk about creating industry, jobs and commerce, it needs land,” said George Lascon, 23, who lives just outside the current perimeter. rice field.
Hudgins and other committee members said they plan to develop revenue and cost estimates once the proposed city boundaries are finalized. Early projections from the Arizona City Cities League put the city at current tax rates at about $52 million in revenue, he said.
“Do we have all the ingredients to make it perfect? No. But we have economies of scale,” Hudgins said, referring to the proposed municipality’s population.
more meetings scheduled
The committee plans to meet several more times to gather feedback from residents on the plans and proposed boundaries.
next turn on Thursday, July 20th, in the Pinal County Complex on Schnepf Street.The meeting will start at 6pm
The committee said those wishing to attend the conference must register online.
Sasha Hapka covers regional issues in Maricopa County, Pinal County, and the Republic of Arizona.Any tips for county government or county services? Contact her sasha.hupka@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter: @SashaHupka.
