Proposed changes to a 1960s Pima County zoning plan could decrease future density in a 21,000-acre area of the Tanque Verde Valley.

Changes recommended by the Planning and Zoning Commission would eventually eliminate the Agua Caliente-Sabino Creek zoning plan. If that happens, zoning of undeveloped land that has not been officially changed to higher density zoning would revert to the area's underlying zoning — one house per 3.3 acres.

In an e-mailed statement, Supervisor Ray Carroll said he supports the changes.

"I do not believe that the existing 1963 zoning plan for Agua Caliente-Sabino Creek reflects the sentiments of the district today," Carroll said. "Recent meetings I have had with my constituents in the area indicate to me that they are very receptive to developing a plan that is more reflective of the rural lifestyle the residents have come to appreciate."

The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to discuss the proposed changes at the Jan. 10 meeting.

The zoning-plan area, generally bordered by the Coronado National Forest to the north and east, Speedway to the south and Sabino Canyon Road to the west, currently allows two density levels: CR-1, which allows one house per acre, and SR, which allows for one house per 3.3 acres.

"The zoning plan, unlike the current comprehensive plan, actually conditionally rezoned properties subject to the conditions of the plan," said Marc Fink, Pima County Development Services senior planner. "The original plan designated about half of the land as CR-1 and the remainder as SR."

Under that plan, owners of property approved for CR-1 zoning could get higher density designation simply by filing a subdivision plat to be approved by the county.

If the recommended changes are approved by the Board of Supervisors, area landowners will have a six-month window to file plats for higher density zoning within the Agua Caliente-Sabino Creek Plan. Landowners would also have 18 months to have those plats recorded and approved.

After the window has expired, a zoning change and possibly an amendment to the county's comprehensive plan would be needed to develop at CR-1 densities — a more difficult process, Fink said.

The changes also require that any development under the plan must also conform to the requirements of the Conservation Lands System, a policy of the county's comprehensive plan has to protect sensitive biological resources.

David Nix has lived within the plan area for 10 years. He said he would like to see the recommended changes approved to prevent problematic wildcat de- velopment in the future.

"It's kind of a rural area now, and only pieces will be affected," Nix said. "It's better for the community to not split up all that property and create unplanned development."

About 4,000 acres, or 90 percent of the plan area, has been developed or is in public ownership, Fink said.

Property owners have had more than 40 years to use the rezoning options of the plan to finalize the higher density zoning, Fink said.

"If a property owner has not finalized their CR-1 zoning, it will revert back to SR," Fink said.