Should the Superstition Vistas project, or other proposed development near FMR come
to fruition in the future, it will be important for Pinal County and ASLD to coordinate with
the AZARNG to develop plans for the Superstition Vistas development that are
compatible with FMR military operations. Without coordinated planning, the potential
for new development to be negatively impacted by noise from weapons training, safety
concerns resulting from range impact areas / explosives storage and overhead helicopter
flight operations, as well as impacts the AZARNG operations such as light as light and
glare, is greatly increased. In addition, the increased traffic from new land development
may also cause impacts such as roadway congestion, for both the community and the
military. Higher intensity development and traffic also have the potential to increase
light pollution in the region (see Section 5.16 for additional details on light and glare
concerns). At the same time, any incompatible future development has the potential to
constrain FMR military training activities resulting in an inability for the AZARNG to
effectively execute its missions. Since the start of the JLUS process, additional
coordination efforts have taken place between the AZARNG, ASLD, and Pinal County to
discuss potential future land developments.
Issue:
LU‐2
AZARNG Site: Current development is encroaching upon
Rittenhouse Training Site.
Rittenhouse
Training Site
There is existing development on the south and
west sides of Rittenhouse Training Site, as well as
plans for new development around the site. The
development has the potential to impact the
military training capabilities at the site.
Compatibility Assessment
Rittenhouse Training Site is a key support facility for different types of helicopter training
for the AZARNG. It is the closest helicopter training facility to Papago Military
Reservation, where the helicopters are located, and is primarily used by pilots from that
location. Its closeness to Papago plays a critical role in reducing aviation fuel costs and
training time when compared to training at other locations that are further away. Types
of training that occur at the site include:
Helicopter touch‐and‐go landings;
Helicopter dust landings;
Helicopter emergency flight procedures;
Multi‐ship helicopter training;
Background Report
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