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- All Subjects: Riparian ecology
- All Subjects: Finance, Public
- Creators: Pima County (Ariz.). County Administrator's Office
Provides a rational basis for (1) a cost of growth element to require development to pay a fair share of public facility costs, and (2) to plan for and regulate infrastructure service area boundaries beyond which the County may limit or prescribe conditions on the publicly financed extension of improvements.
Arizona's fish story begins in 1904 with the publication of Morton Chambrlain's "Survey of Arizona Fishes", the first detailed study by an aquatic biologist of the area. He was able to count sixteen native species in Arizona. Today more than half are either extinct or listed as threatened or endangered, and most of the rest are considered to be imperiled. In Pima County, we count more extirpated native fish than remaining residents. The story, absent a fairly dramatic change in circumstances, will end with the extirpation or extinction of all native fish in the region. This report provides an opportunity to change the circumstances of aquatic and riparian systems in eastern Pima County.
This memorandum describes (1) the potential applicability to Pima County of a national initiative to institute reforms in floodplain management; and (2) an assessment of the effectiveness of Pima County's Riparian Habitat Mitigation Ordinance (attachment). An inter-departmental team was formed to formulate specific proposals for consideration as part of the Riparian Protection Element of the SDCP and the major plan amendment to the County's comprehensive plan.
Ten watercourses in eastern Pima County were selected because, except for one, each has a 100-year discharge in excess of 10,000 cfs, and each is located within an urbanized or urbanizing area, or in an area where an increasing number of permits are being sought to develop in the floodplain.
Stream flow disappearance due to groundwater pumping, floodplain development, and habitat loss due to erosion have significantly altered the biologically rich and diverse riparian corridors of eastern Pima County. Today, there are new opportunities to recreate our watercourses as a gathering place for people and wildlife.
During the planning process for the SDCP, concerns were raised regarding loss of property tax revenue as well as adverse tax base impacts of Pima County purchasing parcels for open space. This report assesses impacts in two ways. First, the net assessed values of the open space parcels before purchase are compared to the sum of the net assessed values of all parcels in Pima County and in each applicable school district. Second, the property taxes assessed by Pima County and applicable school districts on each open space parcel before purchase is compared to the sum of the property taxes assessed on all parcels within Pima County and applicable school districts.