The Pinal County Board of Supervisors addressed 2 possible changes to the Subdivision Regulations during a regular meeting in Florence. The Pinal County Subdivision Regulations, which were adopted in December 2006, address the conditions developers must meet to get a final plat by the Board of Supervisors. During Wednesday’s work session, the Supervisors were informed of a proposed amendment to the regulations regarding the allowance of 3rd party trust agreements in lieu of bond money as an assurance that infrastructure improvements will be completed in the development.
Planning & Zoning attorney Nicole Weber said that other counties & cities in Arizona have utilized the same type of agreements with developers.
“We have accepted cash, letters of credit and bonds,” Weber said of how developers pay the assurance bond. “Under this type of 3rd party agreement the property being developed is placed in escrow with a title agency & is held until the improvements are made. We do not take ownership of the land. We just sign the agreement with the trustee.”
The agreement would be made when the final plat is awarded, Weber said.
Once the development is completed, county staff will inspect the property & submit a report on the improvements made to the project. If all the agreed upon improvements are made, the land is released back to the developer for sale to the public. If the developer is unable to make the required improvements, the county can abandon the land or replat it, if desired.
Chairman David Snider asked if the county could release some of the lots to the developer once improvements are made to a portion of the development.
“There is a maximum of 3 partial releases which may be allowed for each recorded plat,” Public Works Director Greg Stanley said of the proposed change to the regulation. “Our thought is that 25% of the lots total in a single plat could be released.”
“I find your logic to be persuasive,” Chairman Snider responded. “We ought to use that as a reasonable precedent.”
District Two Supervisor Sandie Smith asked the staff to examine a change to language in the agreement in the event that the development would be annexed by an incorporated city or town.
“Would the developer follow our agreement or be subject to the annexing body?” Supervisor Smith asked. “I think the developer should follow the city’s codes once the land is annexed.”
Weber said that staff would look into the matter & bring the Board an answer.
The other change to the Subdivision Regulations would encompass modifications in a recorded project. Minor changes, such as technical errors would be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors rather than having to go back to the Planning & Zoning Commission for approval.
Any major changes to the public infrastructure such as open space, school sites & public lands would be subject to a replatting. These would have to go back the Planning & Zoning Commission for approval before going to the Board of Supervisors. The Subdivision Regulation changes will be brought forward to the Supervisors at a later date for a public hearing.
Road name changes in the County:
* The Supervisors approved a name change to South Blewitt Road located north of Gold Canyon. The new name of the 990 foot roadway will be South Tonto View.
* The name change was initiated by citizens’ petitions with 55 percent of the residents signing in favor of South Tonto View.
* The Supervisors approved an initiative to begin proceedings on the renaming a portion of East Aravaipa Road to East Old Camp Grant Place.
* The location of the road is north of Mammoth on Highway 77.
* The name change is hoped to reduce the confusion some people have encountered with the road & the trouble some have experienced with receiving packages.
* The name change will also honor the former Camp Grant Army post which was located near the road.