Between July 13 and July 21, Tricon Construction will be installing a fire hydrant into new building development on Travel Center Drive between just north of Sydney Teresa Way. Tricon will have to cut into road to tap into water main and install water line to new fire hydrant.
During construction travel will be shut down to a single lane and a flagger between 6 am - 6 pm.
Know a Town resident who wants to get more involved? The Town of Marana is seeking a qualified citizen for an open position on the Planning Commission. The term expires June 20, 2019.
The Marana Planning Commission is a Council-appointed seven-member advisory body which makes recommendations to the Marana Town Council on matters relating to zoning and land development, including the Marana General Plan (Marana's future vision for development) and applications for approval of rezoning cases, subdivision plats, development plans, and conditional uses. Applicants must be Marana residents.
The Planning Commission meets at the Marana Municipal Complex at 6:30 p.m. on the last Wednesday of each month. Agendas are available at the Marana Development Services office on the Monday before the meeting.
Deadline to submit an application is August 1, 2017. All applications will remain active for one year from the date of receipt.
Applications are available at http://marana.seamlessdocs.com/f/boards and can be submitted online. Call 382-1960 or 382-2655 for more information.
As part of our water quality program, we maintain a database of backflow assemblies and ensure that they are in proper working order to prevent any cross-contamination of our water system. Now, what does this really mean? Well, for commercial or industrial buildings, buildings more than three stories tall, multi-family residences, and homes where there is more than one source of water can be found have to install a backflow assembly device, which prevents water from coming back into our distribution system. The rules the govern these devices and how we must maintain our records come from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. We even have rules listed in our Town Code Section 14. These devices stop water from flowing backwards into the system bringing with it potential contaminants and pollutants. A sample of the side of a home with a backflow assembly device is below.
Any of the homes that are connected to the separate purple-pipe irrigation system, or a well on their property, and are connected to our water system will have a backflow assembly installed. This second source of water needs to be prevented from entering our water distribution system, which is where the backflow device comes into play. Marana Water requires a reduced pressure assembly (RPA) because it provides the most protection. It works by maintaining a reduced pressure between two check valves that is lower than our system water pressure. If either of the valves are leaking, then the backflow is not working properly and needs to be repaired or replaced. The goal of these devices is to prevent back-pressure and back-siphonage into our water system. Back-pressure means there is more pressure in one system than is in the main distribution system. Back-siphonage happens when there is negative pressure in the distribution system like a main break of fire flow somewhere. You can think of it like how water drops back down into the glass when drinking through a straw. Both of these occurrences can pull polluted or contaminated water back into the potable drinking water system.
Just like other things in our lives, these devices require maintenance. Each assembly must show a passing test each year. It is our responsibility to track the passing tests and disconnect those that are not in compliance. It is the responsibility of the home owner/resident and the business owner to get the backflow assembly tested when it is due. Beginning August 1, a new round of testing will begin for our backflow customers. The chart to the right shows the schedule for those residential customers in the Gladden Farms and Rancho Marana neighborhoods that have testing requirements. While other residential customers might not be in these areas, they will still have a backflow assembly device that has a test requirement if it meets the above requirements. Those with assemblies will be getting reminder letters in the mail in the next few weeks and months stating when the test needs to be completed. The letter will also include a list of certified testers that are registered with the department who can complete the test on your behalf. Should the test not be done or not repaired after a failed test, the drinking water will be disconnected to the home or business.
Our backflow website has much more information on what a backflow assembly does, where it is located on the home, and more information on how to get it tested. You can find that page by clicking here. It is pretty incredible that something small can be so vital to the public safety of our water system.
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Did you know that the Parks and Recreation Department spent $2.59 on paper clips in September 2016? Would you be interested to know that the cost of the chlorine that purifies the Town’s drinking water totaled $23,838.28 last year? Regardless of whether you are interested in the financial nitty-gritty, the Town strives to provide the public with as much information as possible. The finance department operates a Financial Transparency Dashboard which allows the curious constituent to explore the Town’s expenditures, revenues and vendor payments down to the smallest purchase.
In addition to financial transparency, the town is dedicated to being easily accessible to the public.
A Town Council Meeting is a fundamental function of a local government. These meetings provide citizens the opportunity to voice their opinions on policy items or simply to get the inside scoop on what’s happening around the community. Marana’s Town Council Meetings are open to the public and typically held twice a month. These meetings are subject to strict Open Meeting Laws which dictate actions such as, the proper way to notify the public about a council meeting, the requirements pertaining to the distribution of agendas, and the required information which must be present within the minutes of a public meeting.
If you are physically unable to attend a council meeting, the Town live-streams every meeting and study session, these are then archived and can be watched online. This is another example of the Town encouraging civic participation while happily sharing the exciting things happening around Marana.
The Town openly welcomes citizen engagement through participation in boards and commissions. The responsibilities of these boards range from providing recommendations to the Council on matters relating to zoning and land development, to reviewing the operation budget for the Town’s Water Department. If you have an interest in broad, town-wide issues; the Marana Citizens’ Forum may be a perfect opportunity to become involved. The Forum is comprised of up to 32 delegates from around the community whom share a common goal of bettering Marana. The Forum creates recommendations of ways to improve the town and presents those suggestions to council. If you are interested in applying for any of the Town’s Boards and Commissions or the Marana Citizens’ Forum, more information can be found on the Town’s website.
A top priority for Marana is accessibility to the public. A citizen concerned about graffiti in their neighborhood might imagine reporting the problem would be a lengthy process resulting in a great deal of paperwork. However, on the contrary, Marana has created a few innovative ways to streamline the reporting process - efficiently resolving the request. These requests can be easily submitted through the Town’s website or on the My Marana Mobile App and as mentioned in my previous blog, the average time for a request to be submitted and closed is only four days. This “help me, help you” level of service is truly something Marana prides itself in.
After spending about a month with the Town, I have noticed Marana is dedicated to providing excellent service coupled with transparency and accessibility to all citizens. It is refreshing to see an organization that is open and honest with its operations and truly has the best intentions for Marana.
The Marana Town Council approved the partnership between the town and the Marana Chamber of Commerce for another year.
“We have a strong partnership and many, many successes in working with the Marana Chamber of Commerce over the years,” said Marana Town Manager Gilbert Davidson.
As part of the agreement the Chamber will run the town’s visitor center at 13881 N Casa Grande Hwy, as well as to provide other services, most notably business retention.
“The agreement between the town and the chamber makes a lot of sense for both of us,” said Marana Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Ed Stolmaker. “It is a good partnership, we have a great relationship and I look forward to working with them in 2017 and 2018.”
The Marana Chamber of Commerce is celebrating their 30th anniversary this year.
Due to heavy rains on Monday night the originally scheduled work that was set to begin on Wednesday, July 12 will now be starting on Thursday, July 13 beginning at 6 a.m., weather permitting. Further rains could push the project back until Friday, July 14 or Monday, July 17.
When the project begins, the contractor will be repairing utility lines on La Cholla Boulevard just north of Tangerine Road. This work is scheduled to be complete by the end of the day, weather permitting. During this time, traffic will be shifted around the work areas and left turns will not be permitted from north or southbound La Cholla Boulevard. Speeds will also be reduced to 25 MPH, expect delays.
If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact Kristi or Nanette at (520) 623-3073 or by email at info@tangerineroad.info. We look forward to working with you throughout the project, and encourage any feedback to ensure the Project Team can deliver a beneficial project for the whole community.
For more information on this project, please visit www.tangerineroad.info. For more detailed schedule information please click here.
Please be aware of bicyclists and pedestrians in the area and ensure that dogs, horses and other animals are not in the construction zone to ensure the safety of all.
Courtesy Marana News
Six months into the Ina Road Interchange project and the work progresses on schedule. The Ina Road Interchange will open in about a year and a half, on pace with the hopes of the Arizona Department of Transportation.
Construction for the bridge pier columns has begun, and the installation of a storm drain on east side of I-10, another key part of the project, nears completion at an appropriate pace.
“The contractor is moving along on schedule,” said ADOT Senior Community Relations Officer Paki Rico.
Due to high temperatures, some asphalt work has been done at night, which caused an overnight road closure on the frontage road last week and closures may continue in the future. In areas affected by closures, law enforcement will help with confused motorists and those working on-site.
The project will create changes to the roadways, some to take place in early 2019. West Ina Road at I-10, including the east and westbound I-10 on and off-ramps at Ina, will close the longest—until early 2019. Although access remains limited, West Ina Road east and west of I-10 remains open, and ADOT will maintain access to all businesses in the work zone for the duration of the project.
Read the rest of the story at tucsonlocalmedia.com
The Town of Marana has introduced their new Welcome Center on the first floor of the Municipal Complex. The Welcome Center is a one-stop shop for most of the public’s needs; getting answers and making payments.
In addition to being the Town’s main reception area, the new Welcome Center is a place where residents can pay their water bills, business licenses and animal licenses in person. Payments for building permits and all development-related fees will now be accepted at the first-floor counter.
Many of these services were on the second floor but have moved downstairs in an effort to improve the customer experience and help make things smoother and easier for Marana residents and businesses.
Beginning Monday, July 10 through Tuesday, July 11, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day, the contractor will reconstruct the Circle K driveway and the entrance to Tangerine Crossing Drive. Residents and the traveling public can expect the following:
If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact Kristi or Nanette at (520) 623-3073 or by email at info@tangerineroad.info. We look forward to working with you throughout the project, and encourage any feedback to ensure the Project Team can deliver a beneficial project for the whole community.
For more information on this project, please visit www.tangerineroad.info. For more detailed schedule information please click here.
Please be aware of bicyclists and pedestrians in the area and ensure that dogs, horses and other animals are not in the construction zone to ensure the safety of all.
Coming soon to your mailbox
The Environmental Protection Agency oversees the Safe Drinking Water Act. This is one of the primary pieces of legislation that outlines the water quality rules community water systems are required to follow. A portion of this act requires an annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) to be provided to all customers. A CCR is an annual water quality report that includes information on water sources, levels of detected contaminants, and the water system's compliance with the drinking water rules. When these reports are prepared, they are presenting information from the previous year. For example, the versions that were mailed out last week by Marana Water includes the data from 2016. These must be delivered to customers by July 1st each year.
In previous years, Marana Water has published the CCR data in the newspaper, but now each customer is mailed a copy of the CCR for their water system each year. The documents can also be viewed on the water quality webpage for this year, and for many previous years. Click here for the recent online versions and CCRs dating back to 2010.
There is a wide variety of content within the CCRs. Details about the wells used to provide water to the system, any violations of the drinking water rules in the past year, the safety concerns of certain elements that may be found in the water, a terrific glossary of water quality related terms, and sample results are areas covered in the CCR.
Sample of the data table from the Marana system. Each CCR will have their own table showing the testing dates and results.
When reviewing the results chart, be sure to notice if the measurement is in parts per million (ppm) or parts per billion (ppb). Parts per million, also called milligrams per liter (mg/L) can be compared to one minute in two years, or a single penny in $10,000. If you multiply ppm by 1,000 you will get parts per billion. PPB is the equivalent of one minute in 2,000 years or a single penny in $10,000,000! Identifying the difference in these units can help to understand how much of a compound actually was detected in the water sample.
Example of bottles used to collect CCR samples
Some of the inorganic compounds tested for include arsenic, fluoride, and nitrates. Inorganic contaminants can be naturally occurring, or a result of run off from activities nearby like mining, farming, or wastewater processing. Most of the minimal detected levels are likely due to erosion of natural deposits or run off from the sources mentioned above. Nitrate levels may rise quickly for short periods of time due to rainfall or agricultural activity. Fluoride can be naturally occurring and is sometimes added to water to help promote strong teeth. It is monitored because too much fluoride can, in fact, damage teeth. Marana Water does not add any fluoride to our systems. The Airport system is classified as a "non-transient, non-community water system" due to the number and type of customers using water in this system. This is why there is no test for fluoride below. A new rule was put in place in 2002 regarding arsenic. In high levels (50 ppb or more) arsenic is a carcinogen, so this new rule brought the MCL to 10 ppb to address any potential long term effects it may cause. As shown in the excerpt below, none of the systems approached the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for these compounds. The MCL is the highest level allowed in drinking water. There were no violations in 2016 in any of Marana Water's water systems in regard to nitrates, arsenic, or fluoride. This year’s CCR also includes information on the unregulated compounds, 1,4-dioxane and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs). We tested these items as part of a voluntary sampling program in order to keep up to date on all the compounds that might be present in our water systems. There are currently health advisory levels for these compounds, but no required MCL.
The CCR compiles water quality tests done throughout the year including total coliform tests and chlorine residuals, which you can read about here. There are close to 3,000 tests done annually by only four operators. These dedicated water professionals work all year to ensure the quality of the drinking water to our customers is safe.
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I don’t need to tell you it has been a hot week. With temperatures exceeding 110°, my rotations took me outside working alongside the Public Works Department. Public Works consists of about thirty hardworking individuals who are dedicated to maintaining Marana. The majority of tasks this department takes care of are often taken for granted, yet without them, the Town would look more like an anarchic state in contrast to the safe, friendly Town we all love.
The Street Maintenance team is responsible for roads, sidewalks, and most of the landscaping citizens interact with on a daily basis. Located on the Town’s website, the Marana Street Maintenance Map specifies the year the road was built, the year the funding will be available for the next preservation treatment, and the type of treatment required. This is a great tool if you are curious about a specific road within your neighborhood or if you like to see directly where your tax dollars are being spent.
In addition to street maintenance, Public Works operates traffic signals and installs street signs within the Town. These signs and signals are often held to strict specifications which are required due to safety regulations. However, Marana tends to go above and beyond, making sure lights are LED (therefore environmentally friendly), and using high quality signs to increase visibility and safety.
When it comes down to it, the Public Works Department is made up of dedicated civil servants. The majority of citizen requests are filtered to Public Works and consist of anything from potholes and traffic concerns to removal of roadkill. When a request is delivered, the staff prides themselves with replying as soon as possible--in the month of May, the average response time to resolve an issue was only four days. These monthly response times can be found within the Council Executive Report on the Town’s Website.
Last semester I took a few courses about building leadership skills and the Public Works Department is a perfect example of Servant Leadership in action. Servant Leadership stems from an individual who has a genuine passion to serve. These individuals focus on the betterment of others and their community. This form of leadership can be clearly identified within the Public Works department when they are called out in the middle of the night to clean up the debris from a car accident, or when they fill a pothole you may have noticed on your morning commute, but has vanished by the time you are heading home. These individuals are passionate about Marana and dedicate 100% of their effort to maintain our beautiful Town.
Beginning Monday, June 26 through Thursday, June 29 (weather permitting) from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day, Tangerine Corridor Constructors will pave the new westbound lanes of Tangerine Road from Dove Mountain/Twin Peaks to just west of Camino de Oeste. During this work, residents and the traveling public can expect the following:
If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact Kristi or Nanette at (520) 623-3073 or by email at info@tangerineroad.info. We look forward to working with you throughout the project, and encourage any feedback to ensure the Project Team can deliver a beneficial project for the whole community.
For more information on this project, please visit www.tangerineroad.info. For more detailed schedule information please click here.
Please be aware of bicyclists and pedestrians in the area and ensure that dogs, horses and other animals are not in the construction zone to ensure the safety of all.
Article by Brad Allis
The residential housing market is booming on Tucson’s north side, with Marana and Oro Valley leading the way.
The town of Marana sits at the top of new single-family residential permits. The town issued 85 permits in May. Marana Mayor Ed Honea said that was the highest number in at least three years.
“We’re growing, people,” Honea said during the town’s groundbreaking ceremony for their new police facility. The town’s growth was a major reason they pursued the construction of a new police station.
In 2014, the Town implemented an Impact Fee schedule for parks, roads, and water infrastructure. These schedules include two parts, an infrastructure improvement plan (IIP) and land use assumptions (LUA), to generate the fees. This week, we highlight our use of impact fees and all the steps we take to ensure they are prepared in a thoughtful manner.
Impact fee requirements are listed in the Arizona Revised Statutes outlining how they are to be calculated and what types of projects are able to be built using these funds. Under the current impact fee rules, each department wishing to levy a fee is required to develop a plan showing exactly what those funds will be used to build. These Infrastructure Improvement Plans outline the various needs for each department based on the population growth projections in the land use assumptions.
Marana Water has listed many projects in our IIPs for water and sewer that will maintain and improve the level of service our customers have come to expect. These projects include additional storage capacity in reservoirs, larger well sites in order to maintain fire flows, and connecting our systems to ensure reliability and efficiency, just to name a few. Marana Water has divided the service area into several benefit areas, each with their own infrastructure projects and will each have their own fee. The graphic to the left lists our water and sewer benefit areas. The links at the bottom of the article will take you to maps showing the exact locations for these benefit areas. The division into these benefit areas ensures that infrastructure required in that area is funded by development exclusive to that area.
We are currently in the process of updating our 2014 fees. We have updated our IIPs and LUAs for review with a public hearing scheduled for August 1, 2017. During the Town Council meeting tonight, staff will give an overview of the impact fee update. For more information, click here.
Over the next several months, the Town will be working with stakeholder groups to develop the new set of impact fees. We have already spent several months working to identify where we believe growth will occur and what that means for our water and sewer systems. These two documents work together to allow us to prepare an appropriate fee for new development. To see the draft IIPs for water and sewer, click here. To take a look at the land use assumptions and the parks and roads draft IIPs, click here.
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Photo by Doris Evans
Were your hummingbird feeders mysteriously drained during the night last summer? Did you know that the midnight raiders were bats? Most of Arizona’s 28 bat species eat insects, but two species drink nectar and eat pollen and fruits from plants such as the saguaro, agave, and your hummingbird feeders. The Arizona Game and Fish Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with cooperation from the Town of Marana, will be commencing their 2017 nighttime hummingbird feeder and bat monitoring project and they need your help!
Over the past 10 years, citizen scientists have graciously volunteered numerous hours each summer to monitor their hummingbird feeders for signs of visiting bats. They have provided us with valuable information that allows us to better understand the behavior of the federally endangered lesser long-nosed bats (Leptonycteris yerbabuenae) and the Mexican long-tongued bats (Choeronycteris mexicana), an Arizona species of concern. The lesser long-nosed bats migrate north from Mexico and arrive in southern Arizona as the saguaros begin to bloom. They continue to travel throughout southern Arizona feeding on the blooms of saguaros and agaves, as well as at your hummingbird feeders.
If you enjoy watching wildlife and sitting on your porch during summer evenings, please consider volunteering your time for this worthy cause. Your efforts will allow wildlife and resource managers in Arizona to better understand the ecology of these species. The goals of this project are to understand when these species arrive in southern Arizona, to determine foraging habits and movement patterns, and to document when the migratory species depart Arizona. With your help, we hope to continue receiving valuable information and use it to understand their behavior as well as how to better protect these bats.
If you are interested in participating in the hummingbird feeder monitoring project this year, please visit Marana’s bat study webpage. The website allows participants to sign up as volunteers and to download information about this year’s monitoring protocol.
We hope to hear from you this season!
In its most recent report on Arizona, LendEDU has ranked Marana as one of the top cities in Arizona to buy a home. This organization serves as an information portal focusing on student loans and debt. Marana's high ranking on this list reflects the Town's commitment to supporting our thriving local economy, high standard of living, and outstanding public schools
Beginning Monday, June 19, Tangerine Corridor Constructors (TCC) will temporarily close Como Drive at Tangerine Road due to the safety concern of the extreme grade difference between the existing intersection, and the new Tangerine Road alignment. Access will be maintained to Como Drive from Limewood Drive. The closure will continue through the end of August, weather permitting, while the contractor finishes the new westbound lanes in that area.
Beginning Tuesday, June 20 through Thursday, June 22, from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, Tangerine Corridor Constructors will be installing traffic signal loops at the Tangerine Road and Camino de Oeste intersection. Residents and the traveling public can expect the following:
If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact Kristi or Nanette at (520) 623-3073 or by email at info@tangerineroad.info. We look forward to working with you throughout the project, and encourage any feedback to ensure the Project Team can deliver a beneficial project for the whole community.
For more information on this project, please visit www.tangerineroad.info. For more detailed schedule information please click here.
Please be aware of bicyclists and pedestrians in the area and ensure that dogs, horses and other animals are not in the construction zone to ensure the safety of all.
Marana’s Community Development & Neighborhood Services (CDNS) Department is truly diverse in the sense that they do a bit of everything! Their primary goal is to keep Marana’s neighborhoods safe, clean, and friendly. They accomplish this through a mixture of neighborhood revitalization, community outreach, and citizen education.
In the morning, I accompanied Town Staff on a follow-up visit with a resident who was a recipient of the Houses-to-Homes program. The Town was able to provide the resident with a new water heater and A/C unit just in time for the summer heat. The program assists qualifying citizens with repairs and/or replacement of water heaters, roofing, HVAC, and miscellaneous services such as electrical and plumbing.
The Town’s Code Enforcement Officers spend much of their time as educators of the Town Code. While it is their mission to “keep Marana an attractive place to live, work, and play,” the Code Enforcement Officers are adamant about finding the most effective and helpful solutions for both the Town and the citizens.
In addition to Code Enforcement, CDNS oversees the Marana Clean-Up Trailer, Neighborhood Mediation Program, and most recently Animal Services. Beginning July 1, the Town will provide all animal services for residents. CDNS (with the help of almost everyone in Town Hall) has been vigorously planning the logistics of offering this new service. I look forward to this endeavor and I’m happy that Marana’s dedication for providing excellent service will now extend to the Town’s four-legged residents.
Every few months, our story will be a combination of other stories from around the water industry. There are a lot of great people out there doing really amazing things for water and their water customers. This week we highlight seven stories that are doing just that. Hope you enjoy!
While we don’t have any drinking water treatment facilities, this article does a great job highlighting how treatment is done and generally compares water across the country. Click below for the story.
Marana Water is a member of the American Water Works Association, one of the largest water industry professional associations in the world. They monitor regulations, policies, and rules and share any changes with the membership. One of the programs that helps fund infrastructure is the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA). Here are two quick stories on how that program is going to move forward and the opportunities for organizations to participate.
We have mentioned previously some of the water charities work in this article. There are so many organizations helping people get access to clean drinking water and proper sanitation services. Here is a link to many of their stories.
While we usually think of water agencies focusing on distribution systems and any water treatment needs, there are also areas like Land Subsidence that our state agencies monitor. Here is an interesting link to a new geologic feature not too far from Marana.
One of the most talked about topics in the water world is recycled water and water reuse. The idea that we can treat water through technology rather than nature is constantly updating and challenging us to think differently about where our water comes from and what ends up in our storm water and sewer systems. Click below for the newsroom of the WateReuse organization for more.
For something fun, be sure to check out what is buzzing with this water provider on the east coast.
These are a just a few of the topics surrounding the water industry. Resiliency, sustainability, reliability, and safety are all common themes across the industry, and here at Marana Water it is no different.
Want to stay up to date on all things Marana Water? Click the Sign Up button below.
Central Arizona Project Canal as it runs near San Lucas in North Marana
Over the next several months, the Town of Marana and Pima County will work together to plan, design, and construct a trail that parallels the Central Arizona Project (CAP) within the town limits. On May 2, the Marana Town Council passed a resolution accepting an intergovernmental agreement with Pima County that formalizes this partnership. While this project does not yet have a definite timeline, Town and County officials expect it to be opened in 2018.
This segment in Marana is part of a longer trail route that follows the CAP canal along its entire length of 336 miles. In June 2003, this pathway was designated as a National Recreation Trail. Once completed, this trail will become the second National Recreation Trail within Town limits, after the Wild Burro Trail in the Tortolita Mountains.
The CAP canal stands as one of the foremost engineering achievements in Arizona, alongside structures like the Hoover and Glen Canyon Dams. Construction began in 1973 and after 20 years, the project was completed in 1993. As a result of this massive undertaking, Arizona cities along its course, like Marana, can now rely on a steady supply of water from Lake Havasu.
Future route of CAP Trail
The primary access point for the trail will lie just north of Tangerine Road and east of I-10, where the CAP canal briefly dips underground to flow under the freeway. Currently, grazing cattle occupy the land surrounding this location. The Town and the County are currently working to provide access off Tangerine Road to the trailhead. From there, the trail will travel northwest alongside the canal. A substantial earthen berm will provide the primary surface. This terrain feature helps protect the CAP from run-off from the Tortolitas during heavy rains. Now, it will add a new purpose to its repertoire.
“This is the kind of project that really makes sense on several levels,” says Recreation Coordinator Bob Stinson. “Because of the berm, there’s basically already a trail adjacent to the canal, so really we’re just working with all the appropriate jurisdictions and landowners to open that trail to the public.”
When open, the trail will offer a 6.7-mile shared-use path stretching from Tangerine Road to the northern Marana Town limit, at which point Pinal County will open their stretch of the CAP Trail. While motorized vehicles will be prohibited from using this amenity, cyclists, walkers, joggers, and hikers can all enjoy unfettered access. Additionally, due to the location atop the berm, the entire trail will offer sweeping views of the Tortolita alluvial fan. For the safety of users and the security of the canal, a tall fence will continue to stand between the trail and the CAP.
“We have an incredible network of trails throughout the community,” says Parks and Recreation Director Cynthia Nemeth-Briehn. “From the mountainous trails in the Tortolitas to the paved shared-use path that connects to the Loop system, Marana residents have a wealth of outdoor recreation options. We’re very excited to add this new trail to these offerings.”
Crested Saguaro in the Tortolita Mountains
While the trail may not be ready until mid-2018, that should not stop future users from taking advantage of other hiking opportunities in this area. The Tortolita Preserve features some of the largest saguaros in the entire region, and the Wild Burro Trail whisks visitors up into the rugged Tortolita Mountains, featuring an unusual density of crested saguaros. There are already a variety of ways to enjoy Marana’s Sonoran Desert beauty, and in the not-too-distant future, there will be one more.
Main line: 520-382-1999
Emergency: 911
Police: 520-382-2000
Development Services: 520-382-2600
Animal Services: 520-382-8020
Parks & Recreation: 520-382-1950
Court: 520-382-2700
Airport: 520-382-8052
Water: 520-382-2570
Public Works: 520-382-2536
General admin hours of operation:
Mon-Fri 8 A.M. - 5 P.M.
Cashier:
All financial transactions occur at the first floor reception counter of the Administration building.
Main Address:
Marana Municipal Complex
11555 W Civic Center Drive
Marana, AZ 85653
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