ARIVACA, AZ — A popular Arivaca campground that draws birders, hunters, and seasonal tourists is at risk of permanent closure due to a permitting dispute with Pima County.
The conflict began following an anonymous complaint last month, prompting the county to require Mesquite Ranch to obtain a conditional-use permit. The permit would allow the campground to operate as a business and hold events.
Meeting the permit’s requirements would involve significant infrastructure upgrades, including paving four miles of dirt road, installing streetlights, implementing a gutter system, and funding an environmental study.
Mesquite Ranch owner Dan Haught says the costs are prohibitive, possibly costing millions of dollars to complete.
“The demands they’ve put on us are a little unreasonable,” said Dan Haught. “We want to work through it, but we’re in a heap of trouble.”
The demands came after Mesquite Ranch was found to have RVs on its premises, a violation of the property’s homestead designation, according to Pima County.
Beyond the cost, Haught thinks that a paved road would be undesirable for the ranch’s visitors.
“You ask the people out of Tucson, they want to get away from that stuff,” he said. “They don’t want a paved road. They just came from a paved road.”
On December 19, a group of visitors gathered in the campground’s clubhouse to discuss the issue. Dennis Barts, a seasonal visitor from Minnesota who is spending his third year at Mesquite Ranch, agrees that people come to Arivaca to get away from paved roads and streetlights.
“Nobody here complains about the gravel. We don’t like the blacktop and the curbs and gutters,” he said. “We like the outdoors and the wildlife.”
Barts understands the county’s demands but wishes that the county approached the issue with more of a helpful tone.
“It should have started with, ‘What can we do to help you,” Barts said. “Because we all spend money in Pima County, whether it’s in Arivaca or to the north. We buy groceries, we buy gasoline, almost daily to the hardware store.”
For local businesses, the potential closure could have devastating consequences. Seasonal tourism tied to the campground provides a critical boost to the area’s economy. Steve Rendon, manager of the nearby La Siesta Campground, experienced similar challenges in 2018 but was able to continue operations after receiving a waiver with support from then-Supervisor Sharon Bronson.
Rendon is currently gathering signatures in support of the campground, so far collecting around 1,000 signed petitions. He believes Mesquite Ranch deserves the same consideration as La Siesta.
“Shutting it down would hurt the town,” Rendon said. “Why would the county allow La Siesta to stay open but not Mesquite Ranch when the situations are so similar?”
But Chief Zoning Inspector Tom Drzazgowski says the cases have differences.
“In that example that was approved, there was no flood plain on the property, it was close to a paved road and there were necessary improvements that were required as part of that process.”
Pima County officials have expressed a willingness to find a solution. Drzazgowski emphasized the potential for collaboration.
“Throughout the conditional-use process, there are ways for property owners to get relief,” Drzazgowski said. “We’re hopeful we can address their concerns and work together ahead of any public hearing.”
Dan and Sharon Haught say that they’re willing to work with the county to find a compromise.
“It’s unaffordable for us, but I’m sure we’ll find some common ground,” Dan Haught said. “The county is not our enemy. They’ve got a job to do, we understand that.”
Drzazgowski also sympathizes with the concerns of Mesquite Ranch and hopes to find a resolution. “We understand the rural nature of the area,” he said. “What we want to do is protect the rural character of the neighborhood while allowing opportunities.”
He says the process is still in the beginning stages and the issue awaits a public hearing and recommendations from other county departments.
The Haughts are optimistic that incoming District 3 Supervisor Jen Allen, who takes office on January 1st, can help facilitate a compromise. A public hearing on the matter is expected in the coming months.
