© 1999 Kirby Knoy
The Northeast County Character Area extends from the southern town limits of Patagonia on the south to the County line on the north and from the Santa Rita Mountains on the west to the County line on the east. These high desert grasslands range in elevation between 3800 and 5200 feet. This area includes the Whetstone and Mustang Mountains, the old mining and railroad town of Patagonia, and smaller population clusters in and around the ranching centers of Sonoita, Elgin and Canelo.
In the Northeast County Area, the economy has been driven historically by ranching and mining. Ranching is still an active part of today's economy. In recent years vineyards, wineries and tourist accommodations have been established. Businesses serving residents and visitors remain local and small-scale. The Rodeo and Fairgrounds of Sonoita is the site of the annual County Fair, horse races, and rodeo. Rich and varied wildlife roam freely in open spaces - many species of birds and wildflowers, pronghorn, deer, bobcats, javelina, reptiles, and the occasional bear. Open space, beautiful landscapes, abundant wildlife, rural, quiet, and star-filled night skies are among the richest of the area's resources. The area is enhanced by the adjacent Las Cienegas National Conservation Area, Coronado National Forest, Audubon Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch, The Nature Conservancy's Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve, Lake Patagonia State Park and Parker Canyon Lake located just across the County line in Cochise County. Hiking and birding trails and camping areas are plentiful in the surrounding mountains. Limited off-road travel is permitted.
The Northeast remains the least densely populated part of the County. Population growth is moderate but steady. Drawn by its natural wonders, people settle in the area to retire from work or to work outside the pressures of Tucson and Phoenix. As in all "last great places", those who live in the Northeast County area live within a paradox of their own making; they are attracted to the natural riches of the area but their very presence threatens to exhaust those same riches. The balance between the natural blessings of the area and human settlement is extremely delicate. Already some strains of growth are evident: wells have had to be drilled deeper to reach reliable water sources; wild animals find their habitats reduced and compete for territory or diminish in numbers; unplanned residential building clutters open spaces and intrudes on landscape views; our scenic highways are filling with increased traffic, especially large trucks of international commerce; our pristine night skies have been degraded by unnecessary and intrusive lighting.
Forms of development compatible with the area's ecology are supported and encouraged by residents and visitors alike. It is a civic responsibility to protect as much as possible, to tread lightly, and to leave the Northeast County to the next generations in as good or better condition than it was found.
Since 1996 local residents have developed a vision for the Northeast County area, which is detailed in A Comprehensive Plan for Northeast Santa Cruz County (CPNSCC). Five of the goals of the County Comprehensive Plan are essential to fulfill that vision. While all 20 goals listed in Appendix I are compatible with CPNSCC, these five are paramount to guide growth in our part of the County.
Ranching is still the most extensive use of private lands in our area, but the Northeast County area is becoming a residential community at a rate of about 30 new homes per year. More land is vacant, awaiting development, than is occupied by residential and commercial uses combined, but County regulations are needed to protect the rural character of this area and to make local land use better fit that character. Residential development appropriate to this character should install adequate on-site facilities, make a fair and proportionate contribution to improvement of off-site infrastructure, and be compatible with neighboring uses. (CPNSCC II, 2:5&6)
Preserving the landscape as the area grows is a major challenge for ranchers, businesses, and current and future residents. Opinion surveys conducted 1996-1998 confirm how important an unspoiled environment and the opportunity to see wildlife are to both residents and visitors. CPNSCC II,2:2 states: "Our Community's Goal is to maintain the natural attractions of NE Santa Cruz County by keeping public open space resources intact and by encouraging voluntary conservation of private lands via gift or purchase of development rights. Cooperative efforts to these ends are being made by the Sonoita Crossroads Community Forum, South East Arizona Land Trust, Sonoita Valley Planning Partnership, Scenic Highway Corridor Management Plan, and other local organizations and individuals."
CPNSCC identifies important open space resources of the Northeast County area including large blocks of federal land in the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area and Coronado National Forest and protected private lands like the Research Ranch and the Conservancy Preserves on Sonoita Creek and in O'Donnell Canyon.
A map following CPNSCC II,2:1 shows a framework of open space necessary to maintain biological connectivity between large blocks of public or protected lands. Any development in these corridors must provide for free movement of wildlife.
The Northeast County area depends entirely on groundwater for domestic and commercial use. The availability of potable water will be the ultimate limiting factor on development in our community. Shallow and deeper aquifers are subject to depletion by overdrafting as the population grows. Development should leave open space buffers in which native vegetation can be retained or restored along all watercourses and alluvial aquifers, protecting them from contamination. Buffers will also protect development from flooding or stream channel changes. Density of development in alluvial valleys should be consistent with the potential for groundwater pollution in the coarse, permeable soils of these valleys. Hydrological studies of this County area suggest that it will be prudent to limit development here to about 2,485 residential units or their equivalent in residential, commercial, and other uses. This is about 26% of the build out anticipated with the current zoning. (CPNSCC II,2:8&9 an d Appendix F, page 25)
One of this area's most valuable natural resources is its dark night sky. The current County light pollution ordinance does not provide adequate protection. Proper outdoor lighting practices protect property rights by reducing light trespass. CPNSCC states this goal as: "Outdoor lighting standards established to support astronomical research and appropriate to our area's rural character should be applied in all new development. Current residents of our earn how the standards apply to them." (CPNSCC II,2:4)
To achieve these goals a clearly stated development code is needed; CPNSCC, Part III, sets out a prototype for such a code. A development code modeled after that in CPNSCC should be approved for the Northeast County area. In this way the County can evaluate how growth may be guided by clearly defined requirements and responsibilities, established procedures and permitted uses, and stated performance standards for development review. (CPNSCC III)
(from Santa Cruz County Comprehensive Plan 2004)
© 1999 - Sonoita Crossroads Community Forum