By Nick Labadie | Rose Law Group Senior Planner/Project Manager
Negotiations began a few years ago for the sale of the 11,447-acre Mesa Water Farm property in Pinal County, which was ultimately purchased by Pinal Land Holdings (Jackob Anderson, principal) in 2012, indicating it desired to be a part of Coolidge.
A major milestone was crossed Monday night with the approval of a preannexation development agreement annexation, and planned area development rezoning. The Coolidge City Council voted 5-1 for the annexation and rezoning.
Known as Mesa I and Mesa II because a large portion of the land previously owned by Mesa, the annexations were first brought before the city council back in March. The Mesa land is now owned by Pinal Land Holdings,
There are only four residential units on each of the Mesa I and Mesa II areas, with no non-residential structures on either.
The property, made up almost all the nearly13 square miles, might be the largest annexation in the history of Coolidge and is one of the largest in the state.
The annexation is important in many ways for the city. It helps define where the lines will ultimately be drawn among Coolidge, Casa Grande and Eloy. It also brings the city limits to within five miles of Interstate 10, which, as Planning Director Rick Miller told the city council, will put the city in the running for many more economic development opportunities.
The southern portion of the property lies along rail lines, and the planned north-
south freeway, which will connect the I-10 to the U.S. 60, is being planned for an inland port, which is sure to jump start that economic development.
The planned area development rezoning is for the Ensendero community covering roughly 1,300 acres along Eleven Mile Corner Road just north of Florence Boulevard. This community is anticipated to be the first master planned community to be developed in the area as a part of the larger plan and certainly the first in a number of years since the Great Recession.
Ensendero would contain very low, low and medium density residential areas, as well as multi-family and both large and small commercial centers.
A project of this size under single ownership is being planned as one large master plan in coordination with the city’s goals and objectives is ideal.
Jordan Rose, founder and president of Rose Law Group, served as the zoning attorney. Rose Law Group partner and Director of the Transactional Department Cameron Carter drafted and negotiated the development agreement, and Senior Planner Nick Labadie drafted the PAD narrative. Greey Picket served as the architect, and the design theme is modern agrarian.
