Dear Chairman Grijalva and Members of the Board:

I am writing in regards to the Sabino Springs item on your agenda today.  Representatives of the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection have met on numerous occasions with Mr. Michael Grassinger and Mr. John Cote, representing the developers of this property, during the last week and a half.  This includes 3 separate meetings and a site visit that were held in an attempt to reach agreement on the specifics of developing Sabino Estates.

Sabino Estates is the last subdivision to be developed under the Sabino Springs Specific Plan.  The property is approximately 80 acres immediately adjacent to the boundary of the Coronado National Forest.  More importantly, desert springs exist on the Sabino Estates property, one of only a handful of such properties in Pima County.  In addition to the scarce and invaluable resource of active springs, this site is important to the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan.  The biological assessment and impact statement for this property lists a number of �Priority Vulnerable Species� that this site provides �suitable habitat and potential of occurrence.�  This includes six out of the seven species of bats, Western yellow-backed cuckoo, Southwestern willow flycatcher, Abert�s towhee, Lowland leopard frog, Giant whiptail lizard, Mexican garter snake, and the Cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl.  In addition, the Mexican long-tongued bat was observed there in 1997, and a pygmy-owl has been documented within two and a half miles of the property.

The Coalition and the developer have come to agreement on many issues in regards to the development of this property. Among these:

• Reduction of home sites from 44 to 41.  This includes combining 2 lots adjacent to the westernmost spring into one, allowing one home site.
• Review of every lot by a special review committee, including Harris Environmental staff, adjacent homeowners, and Coalition members.
• Compliance with all current development regulations.
• Additional setbacks and protection for riparian areas.
• Forty feet of natural area between building areas.
• Driveways to be terrain-sensitive and non-asphalt.
• Restrictions on building color and materials.
• Significant reduction of roadway and utility grading / disturbance.
• Contribution and revegetation of Gibbon Springs Reservoir site to open space (40,000 suare feet).
• Abandonment of Houghton Road north of Sabino Greens Drive, with public access to Coronado National Forest.
• Revegetation of all previously disturbed areas.
• Design Guidelines modifications regulating landscape plant species, house pets, watershed protection, maintenance of open space, and conservation easement management.

We are pleased with the numerous issues that the Coalition and the developer agreed upon.  However, we are also disappointed that Perini and other landowners could not agree to other significant conditions.  Specifically, the average grading per lot should be limited to 12,000 square feet.  This is a considerable addition to the currently-allowed 9200 square feet per lot, which the developer consented to when the Sabino Springs Specific Plan was originally adopted.  The developers would also like that the driveways NOT be included in the allowable square footage grading.  The Coalition disagrees with this calculation condition.  The developers would also like to be exempted from the Hillside Development Zone Ordinance, which is unacceptable to the Coalition.  All of these restrictions would best protect the valuable natural resource on the property, and we feel that the development could very easily accommodate these limits.

The following summarizes the remaining issues on which the Coalition and the developer are not in agreement:

• The Coalition supports that slopes of 20% or greater shall be designated as natural open space.  Development envelopes shall not be permitted within this open space.
  
  The developer feels that the following should be added to this condition: �except that the Sabino Estates portion of Sabino Springs shall be excluded from this requirement.  Chapter 18.61 (Hillside Development Overlay Zone) shall be applied on a lot-by-lot basis.�  The Coalition disagrees with the developer.
  
  
• The Coalition supports that the proposed �Maximum Building Envelopes� shall include each lot�s driveway.
  
  The developer would like this to sate, �The proposed Maximum Building Envelopes shall be exclusive of the grading for each lot�s driveway.�  The Coalition disagrees with the developer.
  
  
• The Coalition supports that there shall not be more than an average of 12,000 square feet of grading per home site within the Sabino Estates subdivision.
  
  The developer would like this to state, �There shall not be more than an average of 14,200 square feet of grading per home site within the Sabino Estates subdivision.  No home site shall exceed 16,000 square feet of grading in accordance with Attachment A.�  The Coalition disagrees with the developer.

In an attempt to provide the best protection possible for the springs on the property, the developer has agreed to combine 6 lots adjacent to the springs into 3, providing more natural open space and buffers to the springs.  However, the Coalition believes that the only way to truly protect the most significant spring, on the western end of the property would to be provide a minimal buffer of 100 feet around this spring.  This may preclude the possibility of a home site on either Lots 1 or 2.

The Coalition also discussed at length with representatives of the developer the possibility of reintroduction of and protective measures for a number of �priority vulnerable species� under the SDCP, including but not limited to the Huachuca water umbel, the lowland leopard frog, and a variety of native fishes.  Reintroduction is a very real and exciting possibility and should be pursued.  The westernmost spring, which has its headwaters on Lots 1 and 2, holds the most promise for successful reintroduction.

The Coalition respectfully requests that the Board not grant the developer the substantial changes that they have requested, based on the Conditions set out before you today.

Thank you for your consideration on this issue.  I hope that the Board can come to a conclusion that satisfies the needs of the significant riparian habitat and associated natural resources on this site.

Sincerely,
Carolyn Campbell, Executive Director