That didn’t sit well with Tricia Gerrodette, president of the Huachuca Audubon Society, who attended the meeting and planned to voice her concerns over the agreement, including its lengthy 40-year contract period. She attended last weekend’s work session and said the mayor mischaracterized it.

“It was open to the public to sit in and listen, but we were not invited to speak or submit comments,” she said. She submitted her concerns by letter and none were addressed in the final agreement, she said.

PREVIOUS AGREEMENTS DISSOLVED

The development agreement replaces a series of agreements established by an earlier developer, Whetstone Partners, which had planned a 20,000-home development on what is now El Dorado’s property. After the economic recession, Whetstone sold the property and transferred its development agreements to El Dorado.

The new agreement improves the terms for the city, Mike Reinbold, spokesman for El Dorado, said after the meeting. It saves the city between $30 million and $40 million in costs, compared to the earlier agreement, he said.