BISBEE — After adding one condition, the Cochise County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a rezoning request to accommodate a new 368-acre multi-use development near Douglas with more than 1,300 units.

Copper Sky, which is being developed by a number of investors, needs to have water and sewage treatment. That water and sewage treatment could come from the city of Douglas, or the developers would have to provide the services for the residents within the complex via an on-site wastewater treatment system and water delivery system.

Right now, that may be a difficult project for Douglas, which is under an Arizona Department of Environmental Quality consent order to upgrade its current wastewater treatment facility that is nearly at capacity of 2 million gallons per day.

“The city does not have the capacity to serve the development.” County Administrator Mike Ortega said.

Mike Turisk, a senior planner with the county, said the Douglas City Council must come up a five-year capacity plan and find financing for the upgrade to the wastewater treatment facility.

Another problem lies in the distance from the city limits to the development of 3 1/2 miles. However, the city’s water delivery system is just one mile away, and water treatment lines are two miles away, as pointed out by Jim Huff of Shade Tree Consulting.

Huff said the development would be the first of its kind in the county using innovative design and various architectural styles to turn range land into a high-density community that will offer affordable housing opportunities as well. Apartments, townhomes, duplexes and various sized lots for single-family dwellings would be built around a core of retail businesses. The plan includes sites for a school and a public safety building. The plans include pocket parks and 4.5 miles of walking and bike trails with 43 acres of open space scattered throughout the development.

Xeriscaping, water harvesting, graywater plumbing and solar energy methods would be used.

Supervisors Pat Call and Richard Searle had concerns with a large density development being built far from the infrastructure needed to serve its population.

“It’s been the consensus that development like this should be close to the infrastructure … This seems to be a stretch for Douglas,” Searle said.

Call added, “In my mind, this density more appropriately belongs in the city … It is a well-thought-out project, and the need for temporary housing does exist.”

Supervisor Paul Newman, who attended via phone, indicated some reluctance to approve the rezoning.

“I don’t feel comfortable at this point, especially since Douglas is not represented,” Newman said.

Water adequacy also could be an issue for Douglas or the developers, Newman added.

There also was discussion on whether Douglas would annex the development. That, however, could take around three years, said Ortega, who formerly served as the Douglas city manager.

In the end, the supervisors gave their approval with an added condition that the matter will come back before the board in three years if no headway is made on sewer system delivery and water delivery in that time.

Developers also would have to amend the preliminary plat to accommodate an on-site wastewater treatment plant to serve the community.

In other business, the Cochise County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday:

• Approved the down-zoning of a 4.58-acre parcel of land owned by Richard Kamp from TR-36 to RU-2.

• Approved a work session to discuss the sheriff’s plan to expand the Sheriff’s Assist Team with an unmanned aerial vehicle.

• Approved an application for the extension of premises/patio permit for a series #06 liquor license submitted by David Bandy Wiseman for the Desert Pony in Elfrida.

• Approved the out-of-state travel and related expenses for county administrator Mike Ortega to attend the annual Arizona counties insurance pool conference in Reno, Nev., in September.

• Adopted a resolution abandoning a portion off Sonni Lane from Carr Canyon Road north to Pilar Place.