Pinal Supers Vote To Trash Mega Rezoning Plan And Start Over; In The Meantime County Officials Have Some Explaining To Do

 -  Another big turnout at the BOS meeting yesterday helped kill the controversial rezoning plan by unanimous 5-0 vote.  Several Oracle residents joined the successful opposition in person while many others, including Kaz and myself, watched the live stream cheering them on.
  The outcome was no surprise. The Board Chairman,
Steven Miller, announced via a video that the zoning proposal was dead a day or two before the scheduled meeting.  At the meeting itself one supervisor after another fell on his sword before the actual vote - each copping to having failed to consult with their constituents in development of the rezoning plan.
  Citizens raised key questions that weren't answered by any of the supervisors.  Among them: What did the county (our taxes) pay for the rezoning plan? Why did the county select a firm - Michael Baker - with no rural life experience to build the plan.  
  Lurking behind the political fray was the obvious: Many citizens believe Big Development is calling the shots (as usual) while kicking us rurals to the side. 
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  Commentary:  This fight over zoning reflects the divide between residents of the county who identify as small town/rural vs urban/suburban.  Oracle has waged fights with urban-infused policy makers before ... in fact beginning in 1979 when Kaz and I first moved here we've been involved with battling against citified policy imperialism.  And we sure weren't the first around here to take on these battles by any means.  Alice Carpenter, the Protectors of the Santa Catalinas, decades of mobilizations by a mix of local leaders have challenged powerful forces undercutting Oracle's rural/small town identity.  "Sometimes David Wins!"