By Mark Cowling | Florence Reminder Blade-Tribune
Magic Ranch residents said becoming part of the town of Florence would be a natural next step for their community, and would end their feeling of limbo between Anthem and San Tan Valley.
“It’s a positive move in the right direction, I believe,” Isabelle Hornbeck, a resident since 2004, said. “We anticipated this when we moved here, and understand the reason the town of Florence didn’t do it the first time. Now they’re ready and we’re ready as well.”
She and other residents spoke to the Florence Reminder last week at the community’s Oasis Golf Club community room, about 14 miles from downtown Florence.
The town announced last month it was thinking of annexing Magic Ranch and other nearby developments, which would increase the town’s civilian population by more than half.
“I am all for it,” added Janet Schaeffer, a resident since 2010. “I did the research before I bought here and noticed that in 2009 and 2008 [annexation] didn’t go through but I was all for annexation at that point. One because it was part of the General Plan for the area and two, it would save the homeowners on their Rural Metro [fire protection] and provide the area with services it doesn’t have now.”
