Not in our backyard: City of Yuma to annex land next to San Luis

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Plans by the City of Yuma to annex about 12 square miles next to the San Luis city limit could set up a legal battle.

The City of Yuma plans to use this land as a safety barrier around the new spaceport project, located just east of San Luis on a plot of land it owns, which is near the border, and right next to the Arizona State Prison complex.

The barrier land area intended to be annexed extends from Avenue A East to Avenue 4E and from the border north to County 24th Street and is owned by the United States.

The spaceport itself would be a concrete slab, with aerospace companies bringing their own launching equipment.

San Luis Mayor Nieves Riedel says the former San Luis mayor and city council should not have given up trying to annex the land, arguing that she wants to protect the future growth of San Luis.

However an intergovernmental agreement signed in 2020 by both cities, allows Yuma to annex all or any land east of Avenue A and a half-mile north of international boundary, and allows San Luis to annex any land west of Avenue A and a half-mile north of the border.

Our Samantha Byrd will have more tonight.