WHAT IS THE PROJECT ALL ABOUT?

As the owner of nearly one-third of the land in the Town of Sahuarita, Farmers Investment Co. (FICO) recognizes its responsibility to follow the Town’s vision in planning for the future of its land. In order to fulfill that vision, FICO is preparing a long-term, comprehensive plan to enhance the river that runs through 12 miles of its property and to enable a sustainable, mixed-use community where people of all ages live, work and play. Transitioning the land from agriculture to residential and mixed-use will happen over 40 to 50 yrs. In order to ensure that growth takes place in a strategic, thoughtful manner, FICO has partnered with the Town of Sahuarita and Pima County in regional planning efforts for the last 30 years.

The Sahuarita Farms Land/River Master Plan was submitted to the Town of Sahuarita in April 2011 and is awaiting Town approval.  The Continental Farms Land/River Master Plan (for the FICO properties in unincorporated Pima County) was submitted in June 2013 and approved by Pima County in March 2014.

WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC PLAN AND THE CONCEPT RIVER MASTER PLAN?

Together, these documents comprise FICO’s long-range plans that will guide future uses of its land consistent with the community’s vision.

The Sahuarita Farms Specific Plan is a comprehensive planning and regulatory document for a mixed-use master planned community on FICO’s property. The Specific Plan arises from the 2000 annexation agreement between FICO and the Town of Sahuarita that specifically called for this long-range planning to be undertaken.

The Santa Cruz River Master Plan document serves as a framework for the long-term management of over 12 miles of the Santa Cruz River and will be considered by both the Town of Sahuarita and Pima County. The general purpose of this RMP is to provide flood control to protect public facilities and adjacent land and so that it can be used for housing and commercial uses as well as creating opportunities for recreation facilities, trails, open space and wildlife habitat.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE PECAN GROVES?

The FICO pecan orchards are a productive food crop that require intensive cultivation. As the land transitions to other uses over 40-50+ years, many of the trees will be slowly replaced with homes, neighborhoods, schools and other uses.

FICO recognizes that the trees are a symbol of Sahuarita’s agricultural heritage, and the Sahuarita Farms Specific Plan retains elements of this history through community landscaping, preserved agricultural areas and community gardens.

DOES THE PLAN INCLUDE NEW SCHOOLS?

Yes. The Waldens, who own FICO, and their children, attended local public schools. Many of their employees and their children also attended local schools, including Pima Community College and the University of Arizona. FICO has a history of supporting public education from primary to university level, and considers it not only a cornerstone of the community, but of the nation.

FICO staff has met with local superintendents to discuss immediate and future needs. The superintendents have identified land as their first priority. Before any regulatory requirements, FICO already donated the high school site on the east side of its property, and has reserved  another school site there as well. These schools will serve the entire school district well in advance of any impact from the FICO properties.  FICO is committed to continue to work with the district throughout its long-term planning, and its plan will designate appropriate campus sites for schools.

WHAT ABOUT WATER FOR SAHUARITA FARMS?

FICO is committed to good stewardship of water resources – at both a local and regional level. Locally, FICO efficiently irrigates its orchards using the best conservation technology available. Regionally, FICO is actively participating in area-wide groundwater conservation and sustainability efforts, including permitting the farm as a groundwater savings facilities and an extension of the Central Arizona Project (CAP) pipeline – which would provide another renewable source of water as an alternative to groundwater.

And even though FICO presently has a sufficient water supply and will reduce the use of water by over 50% as farming transitions to uses contemplated in Sahuarita Farms, FICO is committed to ensuring the on-going sustainable use of water through its long term planning efforts. Weaved throughout the planning of Sahuarita Farms are water conservation strategies that will be implemented, such as native landscaping, water reuse and recapture and low-flow, efficient plumbing fixtures.

HOW WILL TRAFFIC BE AFFECTED AND WHO WILL PAY FOR IMPROVEMENTS?

FICO will pay its fair share of future roadway improvements. A traffic study for the overall community has been prepared to address the efficient flow of traffic throughout the project area and adjacent properties. In the future, more detailed traffic studies will be conducted as development plans are evaluated for specific areas of the development. FICO is committed to reserving major corridors that will enable good connectivity throughout the Town and region. FICO also supports the goal of the Sahuarita Town Vision Plan for a community that is friendly to pedestrians, bicyclists, hikers and equestrians, where appropriate.

HOW DOES THIS PROJECT INTEGRATE WITH OTHER COMMUNITY / REGIONAL / STATE PLANNING EFFORTS?

When the majority of FICO’s land was annexed from Pima County into Sahuarita in 2000, the Town put the land into a special planning area, and FICO was encouraged to submit a Specific Plan to address its long term transition and the needs of the Town and region. FICO’s long-term Sahuarita Farms Land/River Master Plan builds on the Town’s General Plan approved by the voters in 2003, the Sahuarita Town “Vision Plan” approved by the Town Planning and Zoning Commission and Town Council in 2008, and the Town Parks, Recreation, Trails and Open Space Master Plan. It is also consistent with the Pima Association of Governments’ Regional Transportation Plan, the State Growing Smarter Plan of 1998 and all applicable rules of the Arizona Department of Water Resources.

HOW MUCH WILL SAHUARITA FARMS RMP COST AND WHO WILL PAY FOR IT?

Preliminary cost estimates for the RMP range from $60 to $80 million over 40-50+ years. The RMP is anticipated to be funded through combinations of private and public sources, such as private developers, homebuilders, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation and Regional Flood Control District, to make it a reality.

The RMP will create both public and private value. The public value will arise from the development of recreation, open space, wildlife habitat and flood control.  Additionally, economic activity generated through the implementation of the Sahuarita Farms Specific Plan and RMP will result in increased tax revenues and employment opportunities. FICO knows that it will realize value from this project and it is committed to paying its fair share of infrastructure and public facility costs as the community’s vision is realized.

WHO WILL PAY FOR THE WASTEWATER SERVICE?

Wastewater service will be provided by the Town of Sahuarita and Pima County.  A new wastewater treatment plant must be built to serve FICO properties and all other lands within the Town’s designated wastewater management area that are outside of the Town’s existing treatment plant service area (basically any property outside of Rancho Sahuarita).  In order to fund the new plant, developers will pay connection fees to access it and future residents will pay user fees.

HOW WILL UTILITIES BE ADDRESSED?

FICO will use existing power-line corridors currently within its property to address regional energy infrastructure requirements. Any future developer will work closely with Tucson Electric Power to explore potential locations for substations and additional power corridors. FICO will work with all parties, where possible, to minimize the visual impacts of the power lines. The plan will encourage green building techniques in residential and commercial areas, and the use of green technologies such as solar and cogeneration.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE FICO LAND IN THE FLOOD PLAIN?

The 12-mile reach of the Santa Cruz River that runs through FICO’s properties will be enhanced to allow for recreational opportunities, improved flood protection, public access and safety consistent with federal, state and local laws and regulations.

FICO envisions the river as not only a linear park that knits the Town’s diverse neighborhoods together, but  a weaving thread of open space  along which users can access public amenities such as pocket parks, sports fields, hiking, biking and walking trails, and equestrian paths.

Additional public benefits include:

• safer access to the river

• increased flood protection

• restoration of natural and riparian wildlife habits

• locations for water recharge

FICO shares the Town’s vision for the river:

Sahuarita’s Town Center/Santa Cruz River area will be the civic and cultural heart of the community; a vibrant, safe gathering place where residents and visitors congregate to shop, stroll, dine, conduct their daily business; a place where people of all ages live, work, and recreate. Sahuarita Vision Plan, p. 7

The Sahuarita Farms Land/River Master Plan will adhere to the guidelines of the Town Vision Plan.

WILL THE ANZA TRAIL BE EXTENDED?

Yes. The Anza Trail will be extended to run through all 12 linear miles of FICO’s property and connect with existing segments in Canoa Ranch and Green Valley.  FICO is cooperatively working with Pima County and the Town to reserve a corridor for the Anza Trail through its property.

WHEN WILL THE SAHUARITA FARMS PROJECT START?

It is expected that the property will develop over a 40 to 50+ year time frame. Initial phases may begin to develop within the next few years in locations that minimize the impacts to the existing farm.

An early component of the project, however, is the establishment of 3.5 miles of the Anza Trail through FICO’s properties along the west side of the Santa Cruz River in the Town.  This will precede construction of the RMP but will occur in conjunction with a trailhead provided through a partnership with Pima County.  The Anza Trail and trailhead facilities will be constructed in the near term after approval of the Sahuarita Farms Specific Plan by the Town. As Sahuarita Farms is phased in over time, the  comprehensive planning now underway is critical to ensure that the future development is reflective of community values.

WILL THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE RIVER HAVE ANY AFFECT DOWNSTREAM?

No. Pima County and the Town of Sahuarita must approve the River Master Plan to ensure that it does not impact any adjacent properties or the river downstream from Sahuarita Farms.  And the plans for Sahuarita Farms will comply with all federal, state and local environmental regulations and requirements.

HOW MANY NEW HOMES WILL BE BUILT?

Over a 40-50+ year time frame, the plan will allow up to 19,000 residences, including traditional single family homes, condominiums, apartments, patio homes, and age-restricted and assisted living units. This is substantially lower than the almost 23,000 homes recommended in the Town’s General Plan adopted by the voters in 2003.