CASA GRANDE, AZ -- A 67-square-mile area northwest of Florence that was once farmland and now is home to 80,000 residents is on the verge of getting an official name.
The U.S. Postal Service has agreed to a tentative plan to name the area "Bella Vista" when it rejiggers zip codes next month, Pinal County Supervisor Bryan Martyn said. The deal isn't yet set in stone, pending a public meeting set for Monday evening at Circle Cross School. A decision must be reached by Tuesday.
The sprawling area between Florence and Queen Creek has boomed over the last 12 years with little more than their schools, churches and a YMCA to give new residents a sense of belonging, Martyn said.
"They have affordable housing, but not a lot of amenities. The majority drive to Maricopa County to work," he said. "It's important for this community to have something to rally around."
The area could have political and economic clout, but residents who describe where they live have nothing certain to say, he said. Some respond with "Queen Creek," others "Johnson Ranch" or just the name of their subdivision.
Martyn said his goal is to help Bella Vista find its identity and reap all the benefits of being a true community, whether or not it ultimately decides to formally incorporate as a city or town.
Martyn and Sheriff Paul Babeu recently visited homeowners associations in the area to promote the community and asked what they would like to be called. Some still liked the name San Tan.
But Martyn pointed out there is already a Santan in the Gila River Indian Community. Simply calling the whole area "Johnson Ranch," an early development there, didn't generate much enthusiasm.
