The Cochise County Board of Supervisors adopted the Cochise County Comprehensive Plan 2045 on Mar. 16, outlining a long-term strategy for growth, infrastructure, and resource management in the county.
The plan is intended to guide decisions about land use, transportation, water resources, economic development, and public services over the next decade and beyond. Arizona law requires counties to maintain such plans with periodic reviews. The document does not change zoning or approve specific projects but provides a framework for future planning decisions.
During the adoption hearing, supervisors approved targeted edits to strengthen guidance on responsible energy development. These changes clarify policies supporting renewable and low-carbon energy projects, encourage using previously developed sites before considering undeveloped land, and emphasize coordination with existing infrastructure as well as local workforce opportunities. Emergency response planning for large energy facilities was also addressed.
District 2 Supervisor Kathleen Gomez said during the meeting: “There is going to be growth and there are going to be changes. When I first came onto the board the draft plan was a lot shorter; we were going to vote on it a year and a half ago, and you held it so that we could learn more about it and get community feedback. I thank you for that.”
Board Chair and District 2 Supervisor added: “Nothing is etched in stone for 30 years. You adapt or die when it comes to Economic Development, and we have to have the ability to constantly adapt. Data centers are a winner and loser, if you manage them properly and you plan for them properly you can benefit from them significantly.”
Education remains an area of concern in Cochise County. In recent years, student performance has been low: 70% of students in grades 3 through 8 failed the mathematics section of the 2022-23 AASA according to state education data. Similarly, 76% of high schoolers did not pass the mathematics section of the ACT during that same period according to state education data. English scores were also low; 62.4% of students in grades 3 through 8 failed English on the AASA according to state education data, while 65% of high schoolers did not pass English on the ACT according to state education data.
Recent results show some improvement: In the 2023-24 school year, 27% of high schoolers passed mathematics on the ACT according to state education data, while among students in grades three through eight, nearly 28.5% passed mathematics on the AASA according to state education data.
The full text of Comprehensive Plan 2045 is available for public review on the county website.
