By Mark Cowling
Florence Reminder Blade-Tribune
Housing developer George Johnson is requesting the town’s agreement ASAP to relinquish its right to provide residential water south of the CAP canal and convey that right to him.
Johnson said he will then be able to develop Florence Ranch — a community of 6,000 homes, a “dude ranch” and destination boutique spa — on some 1,112 acres.
But “we can’t do anything until we know we have water and sewer,” Johnson told the Town Council.
“I need to know by your next council meeting,” Johnson told council members at a special council work session Jan. 9. “Because I can’t be talking to people and putting my name and reputation on the line when I don’t know if I have a project. It’s pretty simple. … We can either go away or we can start a good project.”
Mayor Tom Rankin told his fellow council members that he liked the idea. “I’m willing to take a shot on it and get it going and do something for Florence.”
Deputy Town Manager Jess Knudson told the council that once they hand over the water rights, they’ve also given up their power to negotiate how the land is developed. “If there are any terms to the DA (development agreement) you want to see, now is the time for that to take place.”
Johnson sounded frustrated on a couple of occasions.
