Sonoita Crossroads Community Forum

Comprehensive Plan Vision for the NE County & Planner's Toolbox

Comprehensive Plan - 2004

presented by Mary Dahl

The Comprehensive Plan adopted in June of 2004 includes a vision statement that recognizes the distinctive character of each of our communities and aims to protect our environment and cultural heritage.

"Through careful management Santa Cruz County will be a place where:

Growth is accommodated in a manner that preserves our sense of community and protects and enhances our quality of life;
Natural resources, energy and water are sustained;
Cultural heritage is an integral part of the environment; and
Differing lifestyles, development patterns, economic activities, and mobility options mesh together, providing benefits for people living, working or visiting the County."

The Vision for Santa Cruz County will be realized when:

River systems are conserved and managed as healthy, living, working river ecosystems;
Open space networks are preserved to support wildlife, wildlife movement, and a variety of native ecosystems;
Natural resources are in balance with our population and environment;
Economic activities provide adequate employment for our citizens and are compatible with our resource base;
Historic, cultural, and archaeological sites are protected and preserved; and
Air and water are clean and dark night skies are preserved.

Northeast Character Area

Goal 1: The historic, cultural, ranch and agricultural heritage of Santa Cruz County is preserved through land use patterns and development styles.

Goal 2: Open space and natural terrain remain dominant features of the landscape and viewsheds are protected.

Goal 7: Wildlife habitat and wildlife movement corridors are recognized and preserved through the use of established and innovative land management tools.

Goal 19: Water supplies are protected and conserved.

Goal 20: Dark night skies are protected.

What We Have in Ordinance Now

County Zoning and Development Code - The Basics

Minimum lot sizes
Minimum set-back requirements
Building height restrictions
Land use limitations

Subdivision Regulations - Entitlement for existing zoning

6 or more lots = a subdivision
Minimum infrastructure requirements (water, power etc.)
Standards for road construction

Planned Area Development - Flexibility in lot sizes etc.

Usually residential
Minimum 25% open space required
Up to 20% density credit allowed
Reduced cost for infrastructure with clustered home-sites
Provision for other public facilities and affordable housing

What Else Is There?

Conservation easement - A conservation easement is a restriction placed on a piece of property to protect the resources (natural or man-made) associated with the parcel. The easement is either voluntarily sold or donated by the landowner, and constitutes a legally binding agreement that prohibits certain types of development (residential or commercial) from taking place on the land.

Purchase of Development Rights - Purchase of development rights programs provide a way to financially compensate willing landowners for not developing their land. Funded through bond initiatives (ballot measures).

Transfer of Development Rights - The process by which development rights from one or more sending properties are affixed to one or more receiving properties. Only became part of the County's toolbox last year with the passage of A.R.S. §11-821.03.

What Are "We" Doing?

Growing Smarter Grant to revise our Planned Area Development Regulations: Issues: Density Credits
Non-buildable Areas
Model Transfer of Development Rights Ordinance being developed: Issues: Calculating Development Rights Tracking
New Outdoor Lighting Ordinance being developed: Issues: Enforcement
Practical Implementation

What Else Do We Need (in no particular order)?

Enhanced protection for cultural resources
Stronger local control over water resources
Design flexibility and incentives to encourage creative development
Level of certainty for developers
. . . and ? ?