Chapter 3 of this Background Report for additional details on the AZARNG mission and
Picacho Peak Stagefield operations.
Picacho Peak Stagefield is located approximately two miles east of the City of Eloy in an
unincorporated area of Pinal County. Much of the land surrounding the site is either
managed by ASLD or owned by private parties. The land to the south and east is zoned
for general rural land use by Pinal County. Immediately to the north and west it is also
zoned for general rural uses which generally allows single family homes, commercial
agriculture, public uses, agriculture processing plants, livestock yards and public riding
stables. There is a small area further northwest, on the border of the City of Eloy, that
includes several different types of zoning by the County, including single and
multi‐residential suburban ranch and general business. Land further to the north and
west is within the boundaries of the City of Eloy. The land on the southern end of Eloy
closest to Picacho Peak Stagefield is zoned rural residential. The land on the eastern side
of Eloy closest to the Stagefield is zoned for residential with higher densities. The land to
the south, west and north of the military site is currently used, for the most part, for
agricultural purposes, while to the east is open land and the Picacho Peak State Park.
Figure 5‐13 provides a map of land zoning around Picacho Peak Stagefield.
The City of Eloy’s zoning ordinances includes provisions for dark sky initiatives to reduce
light pollution, but does not specify military compatibility and managing potential impacts
that may affect AZARNG operations.
The 2015 Pinal County Comprehensive Plan shows the future development of an activity
center on the east side of the City of Eloy where I‐10 and SR 87 intersect. As discussed in
Issue LU‐3, activity centers are where higher intensity land uses are planned. The
location of this activity center is approximately five miles due north of Picacho Peak
Stagefield. The County Comprehensive Plan land use plan map shows the Picacho Peak
Stagefield site with low density residential surrounding it; however, the Plan does not
provide any other information regarding the need for compatible planning with military
operations at the site. Low density residential surrounding Picacho Peak Stagefield would
likely be incompatible due to noise and other impacts generated by helicopter
operations.
5-88
Compatibility Assessment