Tortolita Land Use Plan
On November 14, 2025, the Tortolita Alliance (TA), Town of Marana (Marana) and the Arizona State Land Department (ASLD) met at the Municipal Complex to discuss the Tortolita Preserve and surrounding lands. See TA Meets With Arizona State Land Department & Marana for more details.
Since that meeting, Marana and ASLD have been working together to develop a Land Use Plan (aka Tortolita Land Use Plan) for the Tortolita Preserve and surrounding lands. Today, the TA Board met with Marana and ASLD at the Municipal Complex to review the work completed since our last meeting and the proposed Tortolita Land Use Plan:
Attending:
TA
Mark Johnson, President
Dave Barker, Director
Joseph Thomas, Director
ASLD
Karen Dada, Real Estate Director
Marana
Terry Rozema, Town Manager
Jane Fairall, Town Attorney
Erik Montague, Assistant Town Manager
Brett Wittenberg, Development Services Director
The proposed Tortolita Land Use Plan includes the following provisions:
Tortolita Preserve (2,400 acres) is designated as Open Space
ASLD land south and west of the Tortolita Preserve will be rezoned for residential and commercial uses
Critical washes and wildlife corridors (+/- 1,000 acres) on ASLD land south and west of the Tortolita Preserve will be protected
Proposed Moore Road extension from Dove Mountain Boulevard to proposed I-10 Interchange will be aligned south of the Tortolita Preserve (not directly adjacent to the Tortolita Preserve southern boundary)
Dove Mountain Boulevard (same type of scenic road design) will extend westerly from the existing terminus at Dove Mountain Park (West) and connect with the proposed Moore Road mentioned above. This will provide two-way access in and out of Dove Mountain.
Marana and ASLD will bring forth the Tortolita Land Use Plan in the coming months as a Major General Plan Amendment. The public will then have the opportunity to comment on the plan.