The city of Maricopa objects to a Pinal County proposal that would clear the way to rezone land for a proposed solar farm in Hidden Valley. 

The city filed its objections with Pinal County Community Development in August, stating it would prevent future development of residential and commercial land, plus open spaces earmarked for parks and a recreational trail. 

While outside city limits, the proposal is inside the city’s planning area. 

The city does not have a zoning designation for green energy, city planning officials wrote to county Planning Manager Gilbert Olgin. 

A Pinal County Planning and Zoning Commission public hearing was conducted today in Florence on the proposed major amendment that would set the stage for the solar farm. 

Copia Power, the company that would operate the solar farm on nearly 1,100 acres, anticipates going online in mid- to late 2029, a representative said. 

Jordan A. Rose, an attorney with Rose Law Group in Scottsdale who represents Copia Power, said the project in the vicinity of Hidden Valley and Val Vista Roads works for the location. 

“We believe the project fits well in the area in that it has a very low impact on the surroundings — virtually no traffic or water use,” Rose told InMaricopa in August. 

The facility would generate enough clean energy to power 95,000 homes, he said, and could result in an investment upwards of $500 million. 

The solar farm project proposed by Phoenix developer Sawtooth Development Co. on behalf of Hidden Valley Ranch Partners seeks the amendment to change the land use allowed on the acreage from low-density residential to green energy production. County planners and leaders only consider such amendments once a year. 

City of Maricopa planners said Pinal County supervisors approved the Hidden Valley Planned Area Development in 2008, proposing the land for development of 3,874 single-family homes on 821 acres, two elementary school sites, 34 acres of commercial and office space, 75 acres of roadways and 210 acres for open space and recreation. 

The planners do not want to see this plan change course. They said the proposed changes were “not in conformance with the City of Maricopa’s current designations” for master-planned community and commercial land use. 

The city said: “The change in land use would not result in an increase in housing stock in the Maricopa planning area and would not advance any significant infrastructure needs in the immediate surrounding area. Furthermore, the proposed land use change will not bring an abundance of long-term jobs to the area.” 

The city said the proposed solar farm development “would cannibalize what minimal commercial and employment land use opportunities that are proposed in the area.”