A 760-acre tract of state land in northeast Mesa, the last large undeveloped parcel in the city, was originally planned in the mid-1980s to have a resort hotel, golf course and 1,400 homes. But the Spook Hill Homeowners Association opposed the hotel and golf course, so now homes only will be built there.

The grassroots community group knew that the parcel would be developed, but they just wanted to preserve as much of the natural desert as they possible, says association President Bill Puffer. The parcel is just southwest of the Usery Mountain Recreation Area.

The 760-acre parcel, which is at the intersection of the Ellsworth and McKellips roads, will get about 1,050 homes, and those will be clustered together. About one-third of the open space can be preserved by clustering homes, according to Puffer.

The community group worked with officials from Mesa and the Arizona Land Department to draft a compromise development plan. Last week the Mesa's City Council unanimously approved the plan.

Although the state Land Department is required to the trust land at the highest possible price, they recognized that resorts aren't in demand like they once were and that keeping some of the acreage on the parcel open would make the land more valuable, says Gordon Taylor, a planner in the state Land Department.

The parcel could put up for auction within the next six months, he says.