The Pinal County Board of Supervisors is considering rezoning for construction of La Osa Ranch, a new residential and commercial development directly bordering Ironwood Forest National Monument and the Santa Cruz River. The developers’ original proposal includes 19,000+ acres of development, with approximately 67,000+ housing units and five commercial centers bordering the Monument.

New houses would destroy native vegetation and rare wildlife habitat, and threaten the last viable bighorn sheep population in the Tucson Basin. Medium to high density housing would be less than one mile from a national archaeological district in the Monument, which includes important and fragile rock art sites.

A vote on the development is scheduled for December 3rd. Please write the Pinal County Board of Supervisors by December 1st and ask them to oppose rezoning case PZ-039-03, the La Osa Ranch Planned Development. Please tell the Pinal County Board of Supervisors that this proposed rezoning will:

• Destroy the viewshed of Ironwood Forest National Monument, and increase air pollution;
• Destroy native plants, wildlife habitat, and wildlife movement corridors, and displace native wildlife, including the desert tortoise;
• Threaten the Tucson Basin's last viable population of bighorn sheep by cutting off their movement in Ironwood Monument among the Sawtooth, Silverbell, and West Silverbell Mountains;
• Threaten petroglyphs and other important cultural sites in Monument's National Register Historic District less than one mile from proposed medium and high density housing;
• Deplete water table and available surface water for wildlife;
• Threaten Monument's valuable scientific, natural and historic resources by allowing unrestricted new access onto Monument lands; Bureau of Land Management does not have the money or staff to monitor or enforce protection of Monument's resources in face of massively increased human use.

How you can help

Write the Pinal County Board of Supervisors at:
Pinal County Board of Supervisors, P.O. Box 827
Florence, AZ 85232

Email the Supervisors:
Lionel D. Ruiz, Chairman
Sandie Smith
Jimmie B. Kerr

Use the following as a sample letter, or clip, sign and send to the above address. If you live in Pinal County, please include this information in your letter. Also, please let the Supervisors know why/how you value Ironwood Monument.

Dear Pinal County Supervisors:

I am writing to ask you to oppose rezoning case PZ-039-03, the La Osa Ranch Development. This rezoning is inappropriate for this area. The proposed new houses and commercial centers would destroy the viewshed of Ironwood Forest National Monument, a national treasure with rich natural and cultural values. La Osa Ranch would also destroy native vegetation and rare wildlife habitat, and threaten the last viable bighorn sheep population in the Tucson Basin. It would threaten important cultural sites in Monument's National Register Historic District less than one mile from proposed medium and high density housing.

Please preserve Pinal County’s natural open space and protect the important scientific and historic values of Ironwood Forest National Monument by opposing rezoning case PZ-039-03. Thank you for your consideration of this important issue.

Sincerely,