CASA GRANDE — The interplay between water regulations and residential growth emerged as a central theme at the latest Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, where officials approved a preliminary plat for the Marabella development while exploring broader questions about sustainable growth.
The commission unanimously approved the preliminary plat for 251 single-family homes, though the development holds 281 certificates of assured water supply (CAWS). In Casa Grande these certificates are crucial because they demonstrate 100-year water availability for subdivided lots intended for sale, a requirement established by Arizona’s groundwater management laws.
[Source: Casa Grande Planning and Zoning]
“The way to build a strong community is through home ownership,” Chairman Brett Benedict said, expressing concern about preserving these valuable certificates.
Commissioner Garrett Aldrete offered a perspective that bridged economic realities with development quality. He challenged the assumption that requiring more single-family homes automatically increases home ownership, explaining that “if we just force somebody to buy or create those homes doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s going to create more home ownership unless there are things in place in our community that can incentivize that home ownership.” His comments highlighted how broader economic factors and community incentives, rather than just housing supply, influence home ownership rates.
While not part of the current approval, the preliminary plat includes a 25-acre parcel designated for future medium-density development. This portion, currently envisioned as a build-to-rent community, would follow a different water regulatory path. Though exempt from CAWS requirements, it would still need to demonstrate legal and physical water availability through Arizona Water Company, albeit under less stringent standards than those required for subdivided lots.
City Planner James Gagliardi noted that the 30 unused CAWS could potentially be reallocated if the medium-density area were developed as for-sale units instead of rentals. “If we were to have that conversation currently, everyone internally has that mindset of recommending and encouraging a developer to provide a type of multi-family product that is not in existence here or in abundance, and that would be the for-sale town home product or condo,” Gagliardi explained. Such a change would require approval from the Arizona Department of Water Resources to ensure consistency with groundwater management goals.
The Marabella development has evolved significantly since its initial planning in 2008, when it included a commercial area and different road configurations. The preliminary plat must proceed to final plat approval within one year for City Council consideration, and the medium-density portion will require additional approval of a major site plan.
The discussion underscored a key difference in Arizona’s water supply requirements that affects how housing gets built. When developers want to create subdivided lots for individual home sales, they must first obtain Certificates of Assured Water Supply (CAWS). These certificates involve a rigorous approval process where developers must prove they have sufficient water for 100 years, demonstrate the water meets quality standards, show financial capability to build necessary infrastructure, and prove their plans align with the area’s water management goals. However, rental developments follow a different path – since they keep the land as one parcel rather than subdividing it for individual sales, they can obtain water service directly through providers like Arizona Water Company without needing CAWS. While these rental developments still need to demonstrate they have a legal right to water and that water is physically available, they aren’t subject to the same comprehensive 100-year sustainability requirements that apply to subdivisions for sale.
The future development of the medium-density portion will require its own separate approval process, including demonstrating adequate water service arrangements regardless of whether it proceeds as rental or for-sale units. The commission’s discussion reflected their commitment to balancing home ownership opportunities with practical development considerations in Casa Grande’s regulated water environment.
