(Disclosure: Rose Law Group represents Arizona Sonoran Copper Company.)
By Pinal Post
The Casa Grande City Council on Monday voted 5-0 to approve the Cactus Mine general plan amendment, reclassifying about 1,833 acres of city land around the historic Sacaton Mine site for industrial use. The change updates the city’s long-range plan and is a required step before Arizona Sonoran Copper Company can move forward with plans to reopen and modernize the mine. The acreage wraps around the existing mine pit, with Val Vista Boulevard to the north and the Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway to the southwest.
Monday’s vote does not rezone the property or authorize mining. City Attorney Brett Wallace told the Council the amendment is only a prerequisite to a future rezoning, which will require additional public hearings. In effect, the decision updates what the city considers an appropriate use for the land, but the company still needs further approvals before the land can be rezoned for the proposed mining-related uses.
