TUCSON, ARIZON -- The Tucson Mayor and Council approved zoning changes of 2,590-acres of State Land for a Planned Community Development (PCD) called Atterbury Trails. The site is located between the Harrison Road alignment and Houghton Road, extending from Irvington Road, south to Valencia Road; and east of Houghton Road, north of Valencia Road and south of Valencia Road, to approximately Esmond Station Road.
The preliminary planned community development plan proposes a master-planned community with a wide range of activities, mix of land uses, housing types, and price ranges, with a systematic and financially responsible provision of services and facilities through the phased, integrated and timely construction of infrastructure.
Keri Silvyn, of Lazarus, Silvyn & Bangs, P.C. on behalf of the property owners, Arizona State Land Trust, told us the project has been in the works since 2005 when Ward 4 Councilwoman, Shirley Scott first brought the site for adoption to target Tucson growth to the Mayor and Council for approval.
Silvyn, a Tucson land attorney, explained the difference between a PCD and a Master Planned Community as being one of flexibility allowed in zoning for growth over 20-years. The 2,590-acre PCD is a portion of the 7,800-acre Houghton Road Corridor Planned Community Development, also owned by the State.
“The zoning tool is geared to large holdings such as this and is more of a conceptual model for the 2,500-acres that allows flexibility for change in the growth model over 20 -years,” said Silvyn. “For instance, we were able to secure the Fantasy Island Bike Trail that has been trespassing on State Land previously and bring it contiguous to the Mattamy Home Saguaro Trails Development.” The City sold 173-acres to Mattamy Homes in March 2016 for the development of Saguaro Trails.
The Atterbury Trails project was approved by Mayor and Council at the same meeting as Escalera, a 344-acre project. The decisions bring both projects closer to a state land auction, but not before an Intergovernmental Infrastructure Plan can be worked out.
Atterbury Trails and Escalera combined will be nearly 3,000-acres of new Tucson planned community growth in east of Davis Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson.
The next step will be the Infrastructure Plan that will take into account urban design, transitions, mobility, housing, dry utilities, water and sewer lines and more. First meetings with the City are scheduled for February.
