PIMA — At its most recent meeting, the Pima Town Council got its first look at proposed changes to how the town is zoned, and the council wants more details.
The council directed town staff and the Planning and Zoning Commission to look at possible changes to the town’s zoning code, specifically how it relates to multi-family housing. Currently, there are no limitations on where multi-family housing — such as apartment complexes and duplexes — can be developed.
The Planning and Zoning Commission concentrated the zoning in areas where there already is a concentration of multi-family structure, manufactured homes and RV lots, with the largest section on the south of the community.
The commission also looked at commercial and industrial zoning, deciding to concentrate commercial zoning in the properties in town fronting U.S. Highway 70, and industrial on the northwest section of the highway heading to the Glenbar cotton gin.
“I talked to the cotton gin about the possibility of making that industrial,” said Town Manager Vernon Batty. “They like the idea (but) they don’t really want to do it before there’s actual industrial interest there, because they don’t want to pay the extra taxes for it being industrial. But they are on board with the idea of that.”
The council asked for a map showing how each parcel in the town would be zoned under the proposal. If the council agrees with the proposal, the public hearing process would begin. Both the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Town Council must hold public hearings before the code can be updated.
