Green Valley Fire to provide Emergency Services in Northern Sahuarita as Rural/Metro Exists

SAHUARITA, AZ (January 5, 2024) – Green Valley Fire District purchased the Rural/Metro Station #79 at 765 W Sahuarita Road for $3.226 million ($364 PSF) from an affiliate of Sharpe & Associates, Inc., La Rosa Jean, LLC.

Station #79 is in the Sahuarita Town Center, where Rural/Metro has provided fire and emergency services since 1974. When the Town of Sahuarita was incorporated in 1994, Rural/Metro was the main provider to area residents.

Sahuarita has been served by two fire agencies: Green Valley Fire District and Rural/Metro Fire, a private company, on a voluntary subscription basis. Everybody has fire coverage, but a homeowner or business without a subscription is billed if there is a fire or other event where Rural/Metro shows up.

When Rural/Metro indicated their intention to stop services in northern Sahuarita, including Rancho Sahuarita, it was a call to action for the Town of Sahuarita, Green Valley Fire District, and Rural/Metro to collaborate on annexing the area for continued appropriate emergency services and ensure a seamless transition plan. Rural/Metro closed its second station, at 677 S Rancho Sahuarita Blvd. May 1, 2023.

For the annexation to go through, the fire district needed to turn in a petition signed by more than one-half of the property owners and persons owning collectively more than one-half of the assessed valuation of the property within the boundaries of the proposed annexation. This effort failed in 2010-2011 but was successful this time and approved by Pima County Board of Supervisors in September 2023.

Rural/Metro remains a tenant at Station #79 until July 1^st, when Green Valley Fire takes over service and will occupy the fire station.

Sharpe & Associates, Rancho Sahuarita’s developer and seller, was represented by Jeremy Sharpe and Diana Dessy, who negotiated the station sale and supported the annexation. The station sale was completed on December 12, 2023.

By annexing into the Green Valley Fire District, lower property insurance premiums are likely for residents.  The ability to deduct Fire District taxes from their income tax is also made possible. Finally, there is an increased ability to sell homes or land with dedicated fire protection services, as some buyers cannot secure a mortgage or homeowner’s insurance without dedicated fire service protection.

For more information, contact Green Valley Fire District Headquarters at 520.625.9400 or Rural/Metro at 877.672.1028.

To learn more, see RED Comp #11020.

Area in green shows the area annexed by Green Valley Fire District.