Town of Sahuarita 

30 Years of Progress

By Christy Krueger

The Town of Sahuarita, set in the scenic desert vistas of Southern Arizona, has come a long way in the 30 short years since incorporating in 1994, in large part due to the insightful planning by its early leaders.

They laid out a vision that prioritized community, family and culture–all factors that have helped this bedroom community blossom into what it is today– a well-governed, inclusive town with top education, a quality lifestyle and a solid base for corporate and business growth.

Anchored by the masterfully planned, family-centric Rancho Sahuarita housing community, a thriving marketplace, a beautiful man-made lake, and a growing Town Center, Sahuarita is a place its thousands of residents are proud to call home. 

Armed with a new, comprehensive master plan and numerous amenity ambitions laid out in an upcoming bond election, the Town of Sahuarita is poised for the next level.

A Legacy of Local Leadership

“We went from 1,800 residents to 38,000 today,” said Sahuarita Mayor Tom Murphy, who credits several factors for the town’s exponential growth, including that “the founding fathers had the wish to incorporate to have the local government be the decision-makers.”

It began with the vision of Bob Sharpe, who developed Rancho Sahuarita, its largest housing community that now encompasses more than 18,000 residents and 6,000 homes. The community includes access to a variety of parks, trails and is near schools and commercial development. Rancho Sahuarita’s ninth residential phase has started and will include approximately 2,000 homes. 

“Part of Bob Sharpe’s vision was for a community with retail and commercial,” said Murphy. Sharpe donated over 100 acres of property for schools, and he donated the land where the town hall was built.

Sahuarita’s rapid increase has indeed been driven by this robust residential sector, along with plentiful recreation, good schools, parks and safety programs. The town is also known for its cultural and signature events. 

“We have signature events like Fiesta Sahuarita, July 4th, Spooktacular at Halloween and Winterfest,” Murphy said. “There’s also Music at the Lake and sporting events. There are 15,000-20,000 people attending the big events.”

Added Town Manager Shane Dille, “when the goal is to create a well-balanced community, these opportunities need to be available for the residents, for their quality of life and health.”

An Eye for More Business, 

Annexation

A.C. Marriotti, the town’s director of finance and technology, said the non-residential sector of Sahuarita’s economy is starting to catch up, with approximately 40% of the town’s total revenues now coming from businesses. Medical facilities have also flourished, with Northwest Medical Center, a Banner clinic and United Community Health Centers in and near Sahuarita.

Marriotti characterizes Sahuarita as business-friendly. “We don’t have impact fees or a business license charge,” he said. “We create an environment where a business can get started as quickly as possible. It’s easier, faster and cheaper.”

And residents are eager for even more. “Residents want Trader Joe’s, every sit-down restaurant, goods and services close to them,” Murphy added.

Marriotti sees more commercial growth ahead as the town is able to add infrastructure and annexations. “We just got a $3 million federal road grant and we worked with a Pima County supervisor,” he said. “We hope to develop vacant land. The town doesn’t own a lot of land, but we help facilitate growth by working with developers.” 

The town’s current goal is to annex land east of town with the help of the State Land Department. “Our growth opportunity is to the east with state land parcels. We’d like to annex it into our town and bring infrastructure.” Murphy said.

Another annexation in the works is for the Phoenix Zoo, which plans to build a research facility and safari park here. “We’re getting prepared for it on the northeast side of town,” Marriotti said. “Some land is not in town boundaries, so we’ll annex some land. It’s a small annexation, but it’s important.”

Looking Ahead

Now that Sahuarita has reached a milestone anniversary, its leaders are planning for the next phase. 

In November, residents will vote on Proposition 403, a $66 million bond program that, if passed, will fund infrastructure and recreational projects such as a recreation center, trails and town hall remodeling. 

The town plans to contribute $10 million for a total of $76 million to be spread out over the various projects during an eight-year period.

While the Town of Sahuarita has a number of factors that make it an attractive place to live and work, it really comes down to the devoted residents. “There’s good participation, the community is very involved, and they’re engaged because they care,” said Marriotti.

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