Council approves development plans for Buffalo Soldier Ranch subdivision

At its regular meeting on Thursday, the Sierra Vista City Council approved the final plat and improvement plans for the development of Buffalo Soldier Ranch subdivision.

The Buffalo Soldier Ranch plot is located to the southeast of the intersection of Buffalo Soldier Trail and State Route 92, directly east of the Holiday Retreat subdivision and north of Golden Acres Drive. It includes 349 lots for single-family detached homes. Originally, the developer submitted the final plat for review in March of 2007, but postponed due to unfavorable market conditions. The land has remained undeveloped since.

Last night, City Council approved revised plans from Canyon Vista Land, LLC, which is interested in purchasing and developing the property. Council passed three separate resolutions concerning the development: acceptance of the final plat, a five-phase development plan, and revised developer obligations consistent with the VISTA 2030 General Plan and applicable Development Code requirements. Once development begins, each phase is expected to take two years, with full build-out anticipated in 10 years.

In other business:

• The City Council approved rezoning the property located at 405 South Garden Avenue from a manufactured home residence to manufactured home residence/recreational vehicle park overlay district to facilitate redevelopment, revitalization, and the repositioning of a once largely abandoned mobile home park. The property currently contains 231 spaces, and redevelopment plans include a clubhouse, pool, playground, and dog park.
• The City Council approved four resolutions to accept pre-annexation agreements for properties in Fry Townsite. Pre-annexation agreements may be utilized by the City in future annexation attempts but carry no inherent financial impact in and of themselves.
• The City Council authorized the renewal of an existing intergovernmental agreement between the Sierra Vista Police Department and Phoenix Police Department/Arizona Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Lead Agency for future grant funding.
• The City Council voted to accept the resignation of Patrick Murphy and to appoint Joelle Buffa to the Sierra Vista Environmental Stewardship Commission.
• The City Council voted to appoint Ann Lund as a temporary, interim hearing officer, until such time as a formal search for a hearing officer takes place and a person is selected and subsequently approved by Council.

More information from Thursday’s City Council meeting is available in the supporting documents for the Thursday, Nov. 9, City Council meeting. They can be accessed via the City’s website at www.sierravistaaz.gov/government/city-council/council-documents.

City Council meetings can be streamed live and past meetings can be viewed on YouTube. The meetings are also aired on Cox Channel 12. Learn more at  www.sierravistaaz.gov/government/city-council/council-meetings or on this page.