Despite protests from most of the neighbors, the Graham County Planning and Zoning Commission voted on Wednesday to recommend approval of the preliminary plat for Silver Prina's master-planned community in Artesia.

Land and homeowners within 300 feet of Ted Prina's property line were given notice of the development's presentation to the Planning and Zoning Commission. The developer went to the board to change the land's zoning from “A” (general land use) to “S-D” (special development).

“The proper zoning for a community like this one is ‘special development' because it will be mostly residential, but the developers have planned for some commercial areas, as well,” Graham County Planning and Zoning Director Greg Petz said. Local developer Prina joined forces with engineers from Silver Summit, a company out of Utah, to create Silver Prina LLC, the company that plans to bring this community to the Gila Valley.

Silver Prina will have to create a development agreement, and Petz assured the commission and the neighbors that the county planned to be very stringent with this agreement.

Water was one of the largest, if not the largest, concerns of Petz, the commission and the neighbors.

“Our staff will require a potable water study if the city will not help the development with their water supply,” Petz said.

The Arizona Department of Economic Quality (ADEQ) also requires a 100-year water supply study to be done when developments of this size are proposed.

The subdivision is about 8 miles south of Safford on Highway 191 and Artesia Road. The 1,700 acres will hold an average of three units per acre but will vary in size. The conceptual plan shows areas varying between three and five units per acre. There will also be several apartments or condos at a rate of 15 units per acre.

The idea behind the design from Silver Prina is to have single-family homes, duplexes and triplexes and apartments. Prices of the homes will range from $140,000 to $400,000.

Valry Coltharp, one of the neighboring residents, said she moved to Safford from Phoenix to get away from the type of development proposed by Silver Prina LLC. She said she was also concerned about the amount of water the development would use.

“We have two wells just to satisfy our own needs,” Coltharp said. “We have neighbors whose wells have gone dry. They are going to deplete our groundwater by watering the golf courses and homes.”

Coltharp's list of concerns also included sewer service, traffic and noise on Hwy. 191 and pollution.

“All of these problems exist now, so what is going to happen when this big development comes in?” she said.

Rick Smith, an engineer for the development project, said the land already has wells dug that have the capability of pumping up to 1,500 gallons per minute.

“We will be pulling out of a deeper aquifer than most wells, and the state requires us to do a 100-year water study,” Smith said.

“We are working with Safford to use its water treatment plant. We plan to pump the sewage to Safford's plant at night. The plant has the capacity to process that much sewage.”

Hwy. 191 is in the beginning stages of becoming a four-lane split highway. The change has already occurred at the south end of the highway near Willcox and will eventually reach to the edges of Safford's city limits.

“If we give a favorable recommendation to this request, we would only be approving the concept,” Graham County Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Gene Robert Larson said. “There are so many other steps to be taken before this becomes a reality. They aren't even close to a final plat.”

Nearby resident Janice Goodman voiced concern about the county's ability to handle such a large influx of people.

“Safford doesn't have the infrastructure to support this type of development,” she said.

“Where are we going to get the policemen? We are in a doctor shortage already; what will these people do when they get sick? I don't think our hospital can handle them.”

Other citizens voiced concerns over rising property taxes, but Graham County Assessor Jackie Attaway said just because these homes will have a higher value doesn't necessarily mean everyone else's taxes will rise.

“The market sets the price, and in Graham County, we have markets for Safford, Thatcher, Pima and south of Safford,” she said. “The homes in this development will not be part of the south of Safford market. We will create a market for just this development.”

Petz encouraged those in opposition to the zoning change and development to submit letters or petitions to the Graham County Planning and Zoning office.

Those letters will be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for review prior to making its decision.

If there is 20-percent opposition or more, the board will have to vote unanimously on the item.

Contact Lindsey Stockton at 428-2560 (ext. 240) or e-mail her at lindsey@eacourier.com.