Poll: Readers mostly split on support for Palo Verde park

The 23,000-acre Palo Verde Regional Park proposed by Pinal County for west of Maricopa enjoyed less-than-overwhelming support in this week’s informal poll.

We asked: “Do you support the plan for the 23,000-acre Palo Verde Regional Park even if it means paying for some amenities and potentially higher county taxes?”

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Nearly half of the total 298 respondents answered the question in the affirmative, while 126 respondents, or 42.3%, said they do not support the recreation initiative. About 8% of the respondents were not sure where they stood on the park.

At full buildout, which could take decades, the park will span an area from State Route 238 in the north to Interstate 8 in the south. By comparison, the city of Maricopa today numbers about 27,000 acres. Phase 1 of construction – amenities would be developed on about 500 acres of 6,000 acres just south of SR 238 – could be completed in about 3-4 years, the county said.

The park will offer miles of interconnected trails and places for camping and hiking, riding horses and off-highway vehicles, and, perhaps, disc golf, BMX biking and ziplining.

The effect of park development costs on county tax bills is unknown at this early stage. Supervisors would have the option to raise taxes to help pay for the park. It is also likely that some amenities or services would carry a use fee, the county has said.