The Mesa Water Farm: A Major Milestone The Saints Holding Company + Expansion of The New Zion

Last Wednesday's Mesa City Council Study Session was indeed a revelation, cloaked in the word Defeasance for just one item on the public agenda: Item 6-i.
That was the item of special interest for Mayor John Giles right at the start. It took a couple of minutes for the planned staging to take place after three interactions on two subjects, then Michael Kennington was rehearsed and ready:

First some background: Here's one story in the media from more than four years ago

In one of Arizona’s largest annexations, former Mesa farmland now part of Coolidge

Posted by Staff  /  February 10, 2015  /  1 Comment 

By Nick Labadie | Rose Law Group Senior Planner/Project Manager

Negotiations began a few years ago for the sale of the 11,447-acre Mesa Water Farm property in Pinal County, which was ultimately purchased by Pinal Land Holdings (Jackob Anderson, principal) in 2012, indicating it desired to be a part of Coolidge...
The property, made up almost all the nearly13 square miles, might be the largest annexation in the history of Coolidge and is one of the largest in the state.

The annexation is important in many ways for the city. It helps define where the lines will ultimately be drawn among Coolidge, Casa Grande and Eloy. It also brings the city limits to within five miles of Interstate 10, which, as Planning Director Rick Miller told the city council, will put the city in the running for many more economic development opportunities.
The southern portion of the property lies along rail lines, and the planned north-south freeway, which will connect the I-10 to the U.S. 60, is being planned for an inland port, which is sure to jump start that economic development.
...Jordan Rose, founder and president of Rose Law Group, served as the zoning attorney.
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Another story on April 9, 2018

Q&A with Jackob Andersen, president and CEO of Saint Holdings

By Callan Smith | Rose Law Group Reporter

Rose Law Group Reporter spoke with Jackob Andersen, president of Saint Holdings, via email.

Source: http://pinalpartnership.com/                                       

How did you end up purchasing what had been known for decades as the “mesa water farm” property in Coolidge, how many acres is it and what are you planning there/what do you have entitled?
It is 11.447 acres.
We believe in the path of growth between Phoenix and Tucson. There is an abundance of infrastructure in the area from Power, gas, rail lines, the convergence of the I-10 and I-8 (to major interstates) and several adjoining highways. The will of the leaders of the county, Cities and residents have expressed their desire to see the area prosper and grow.
...A Development agreement is in place that will be advantageous to Investors buying land to hold, residential developers and the end users for the commercial and Industrial areas

You were a leader in getting the Pinal Roads and Freeway proposition approved—why do you feel so strongly about those roads getting built?
Simple—look at the growth corridors in Maricopa County and the mechanisms in place to pay for the roads and freeways to pave the way for that growth… we are not reinventing the wheel, we are doing what is needed to fund much-needed infrastructure that is and will be needed for Pinal County and its current and future residents and workforce. I applaud the County and the hard work of the staff and local Cities in getting this done.
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Item 6-i












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Developer plans inland port for Casa Grande | KJZZ

Groups of cities are scrambling to create transportation hubs in Arizona that would reap the advantages of global commerce