Marana Approves Plans for Guest Ranch
By Aaron Mackey, The Arizona Daily Star, Tucson
Feb. 7–Plans for a guest ranch at a luxury development in Marana were approved Tuesday, but it will stable fewer horses and cattle than the developer wanted.
The Town Council voted 5-1 to approve a special permit for the 23-acre ranch that would feature two arenas, riding trails and stables for dozens of horses and cattle.
Saguaro Ranch, a development in the Tortolita Mountains that features $1.5-million-dollar lots, sought the permit to give residents and guests a place to ride and stable their horses.
The development plans to open a resort, spa and at least one restaurant.
The council’s decision ends a disagreement between the developer and neighbors, who have complained for more than two years that the ranch will bring unwanted flies, smells and floodwater to the area.
Many residents living near the ranch own horses, but neighbors have said Saguaro Ranch’s proposal packs too many horses into a small area and threatens to lower their property values.
The permit was initially approved by the Marana Planning Commission in December, but residents appealed the decision to the council.
The council approved the ranch with a dozen conditions, including provisions that call for horse manure to be stored in sealed containers and taken out of the development every two days.
The council also restricted the number of horses and cattle to 85 — far fewer than the 125 the developer had planned.
The restriction was viewed by one neighbor as a small concession that fails to address the larger problem.
“It’s unconscionable that they’re putting this in a riparian area,” said Dawn Arnold, who lives near the site.
A representative for the developer gave a lukewarm response to the restriction.
“It’s less than we would’ve liked, but hopefully it’s a gesture that satisfies the neighbors,” said Michael Racy, a lobbyist for Saguaro Ranch.
Racy also works for the town as a legislative lobbyist.
Neighbors such as Arnold have demanded that the guest ranch be moved to another location within the development.
The developer has maintained that moving the ranch isn’t possible because of the area’s mountainous terrain.
Tim Blowers, who has led the fight against the guest ranch along with neighbor Tom Schramski, said he was somewhat pleased with the council’s action.
“I’m happy they didn’t approve it as it was, but I still don’t think it will be without smells or flies,” he said.
Reducing the number of horses and cattle does ease some of the worry about lost property values, Blowers said.
Blowers said he’ll talk to other neighbors to figure out what they’ll do next.
After the council meeting, Racy said he hopes the compromise can put to rest a disagreement between the two parties that began in September 2004.
Since then, neighbors and the developer have argued over nearly everything about the proposed ranch — from which way the wind blows on the property to the growth rate of flies.
Neighbors have attacked a report conducted on behalf of the developer that said neighboring property values wouldn’t go down because of the horse ranch, calling the study outdated. They later hired an assessor who found the ranch would cause the value of nearby homes to depreciate.
At the meeting, Racy presented an update to the developer’s original study — completed last month — that confirmed the initial finding.
Larry Wheeler, who filed the complaint along with his wife, Ellyn, told the council that his ability to sell his home is harmed by the proposed ranch.
Blowers agreed. “No prudent land buyer would take these houses,” he said.
Vice Mayor Herb Kai cast the only dissenting vote. Councilwoman Carol McGorray was absent.
Contact reporter Aaron Mackey at amackey@azstarnet.com or 520-618-1924.
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Copyright (c) 2007, The Arizona Daily Star, Tucson
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
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