To facilitate development of the Environmental Impact Statement which must accompany the Section 10 multi-species conservation proposal, a series of issue papers were prepared. In Pima County, ranching is uniquely able to preserve the integrity of vast tracts of connected and unfragmented open space and wildlife habitat. This study reviews the effect of five alternative permit strategies on the County's ability to preserve unfragmented landscapes through conserving ranch lands.

One of the most pressing growth related problems is the proliferation of wildcat subdividing, or lot splitting. It is generally defined as the proliferation of new residential parcels without the benefit of subdivision regulation. Often these areas are devoid of any basic infrastructure, standard environmental regulation, subdivision standards, or infrastructure requirements. This report addresses seven areas of concern.