NEWS RELEASE — Town of Florence
(Editor’s note: Rose Law Group represents Communities Southwest in this annexation.)
On Monday, August 17, 2015, the Florence Town Council voted 7-0 to rescind the annexation Ordinances for the Magic Ranch and Arizona Farms areas. This action effectively stops the Town of Florence’s proceedings to bring these areas into the municipal boundaries of Florence at this time.
It has been a year since the Town of Florence originally adopted the Ordinances and filed the annexation petitions with the Pinal County’s Recorder’s Office, with the signatures that represented the majority of the property owners and the majority of the assessed valuation of property in these proposed annexed areas.
It has also been nearly a year since the two annexations were challenged in court, effectively staying the annexation process. The Town of Florence anticipated and hoped for a quick resolution of the legal challenges to the annexation petitions, but there has been no resolution yet, and whatever decision might be reached is subject to further delay by appeal.
Citing legal issues outside of the Town’s control, growing legal costs, the possibility of an appeal costing the Town more money and more time, and the difficulty of planning operations and budgets for annexations that may or may not occur, the Florence Town Council has rescinded the two annexation Ordinances and notified the Pinal County Superior Court and the Pinal County Recorder’s Office of its actions.
The two annexation Ordinances included the Magic Ranch, Crestfield Manor, Wild Horse Estates developments and surrounding areas. The annexations would have extended the Town’s boundaries to include an additional six square miles and would have increased the Town’s population by approximately 4,300. This Florence Town Council and future Florence Town Councils may consider phased annexations in these areas at a future time.
For questions about the rescission of the annexation Ordinances or other related questions, please contact Jess Knudson, Public Information Officer, at (520)868-7541.
