Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Sahuarita public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
5 issues in environment with high priority
Copper World water and environmental concerns
Multiple residents told the council Hudbay can't honor its 2013 promise to recharge 105% of the groundwater it pumps for Copper World, and urged a formal public hearing — or cancellation of the agreement. The council took no action but the pressure is building.
Regional Water Supply and Global Water Designation
Global Water told the council the local aquifer is healthy enough to support a 100-year assured water supply designation of 50,306 acre-feet per year, but couldn't confirm whether Hudbay's permitted 6,000 acre-feet of pumping was in the groundwater model — and promised to research it. CAGRD replenishment costs will also shift from property tax bills to water bills.
Riparian map inconsistencies and HOA wash maintenance
The Los Colonias HOA says the town's riparian maps treat the same wash differently on either side of a street, sticking the HOA with costly maintenance rules that drained its reserves. They want a council-appointed committee to sort it out.
Sonoran Corridor opposition language debated
Residents and some commissioners worry the proposed Sonoran Corridor highway and nearby large developments could strain water, air quality, and the town's small-town character. The plan acknowledges the corridor but doesn't endorse or oppose it, since the town can't control state and federal projects.
Conservation guidelines for future annexations
The Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection wants the town to apply Pima County's Conservation Lands System guidelines to land annexed in the future, to protect wildlife corridors between the Santa Rita Mountains and the Santa Cruz River.