Public hearings set for proposal to annex nearly 14,000 acres of land to Superior

SuperiorBy James Hodl | Superior Sun

Public hearings on a proposal that would increase the size of Superior by nearly 13,700 acres of land west and north of town will be held on April 30 by the Superior Town Council at Superior Town Hall beginning at 7 p.m. The territory targeted for annexation is several times larger than the land within the current Superior town limits.

Several reasons were given for the proposed annexation, which would include land owned by the US Forest Service inside of Tonto National Forest. By controlling the land, Superior could reap construction sales tax for US 60 highway improvements. The town limits would be closer to the Boyce Thompson Arboretum by skimming its northern boundary and augment local efforts to encourage tourists visiting this attraction to also shop and dine in Superior during their trip. And according to Superior Attorney Stephen Cooper, annexation would give the town local control over land use in territory brought within the new city limits.

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