By Ron Eland | Wickenburg Sun
The City of Surprise’s General Plan 2035 could have a major impact on Wickenburg’s future.
While it may be a bit of a stretch, if everything in the plan comes to fruition, Surprise city limits could extend almost to Wickenburg.
According to the Plan, Surprise’s incorporated land area is approximately 108 square miles. In contrast, its Municipal Planning Area (MPA) – the unincorporated land area outside of the city’s boundary that it may consider annexing at some point in the future – encompasses over 302 square miles. With such a large planning area in relation to Surprise’s current municipal limits, Surprise is a community that is poised for continued growth in the future. Defining where and how this growth will occur is “imperative to maintaining a community character that is distinct to Surprise,” according to the Plan.
In layman’s terms, think of the incorporated area as the doughnut hole with the MPA being the rest of the doughnut. By comparison, the Town of Wickenburg’s incorporated area is approximately 26 square miles with an MPA of 333 square miles.
Surprise’s planning is reportedly a result of its population projected to reach approximately 750,000 residents upon build-out of the MPA.
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