Sierra Vista Herald: Weds., Jan. 4, 2006
Supervisors OK rezoning in area plan; paves way for hundreds of homes near Whetstone
By Michael Sullivan
BISBEE — Following the recommendation of the Cochise County Planning and Zoning Commission, the county Board of Supervisors Tuesday morning approved the rezoning of 568 acres within the Babocomari Area Plan zone to allow increased density for the construction of up to 416 homes.
The Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously endorsed the proposal at its Dec. 14 meeting.
The latest rezoning clears the way for up to 1,285 homes on 1,769 acres of the former Babocomari Land Grant area east of state Highway 90 and south of state Highway 82. The Brophy family of Elgin sold more than 5,000 acres of their ranch last year to developer Jim Douglass, who, in turn, sold off large parcels to several buyers who began unregulated splitting of their parcels for residential development. The county Planning Department stepped in and pressured the property owners to go through the county's subdivision process to ensure orderly development.
There are now 18 developers involved with transforming the former ranch land into residential subdivisions.