Cochise County allows monks’ hillside church

A deal is reached to build 70 feet below the peak and to use tones that would blend in.

A religious group planning a Greek Orthodox monastery near Cochise Stronghold in the Dragoon Mountains and residents concerned about its location have reached a compromise, prompting Cochise County officials to approve the project.

More than a dozen southern Arizona residents had opposed the monastery’s original plan to build its church atop a prominent hill on its 481-acre property, contending its prominent profile would detract from the scenic view of the Stronghold, where Chiricahua Apaches sought refuge a century and a half ago.

In a meeting with county planners Tuesday, representatives of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Monastery agreed to build the church 70 feet below the hilltop. They also agreed to use earth tones or stone in the buildings.

Daniel Coxworth, senior planner with the Cochise County Planning Department, said, ”They’re still permitted to build a structure up there (atop the hill), but it can’t be anything over 30 feet tall. I think everybody’s real happy with the agreement. The planning department fully supports the agreement, and the county board unanimously approved it.”

Karen Weilacker, who led the opposition to the hilltop site, could not be reached for comment.

The zoning agreement is good for seven years, during which individual building permits may be obtained by the Greek Orthodox group, Coxworth said.

One residence already is under construction on the property, he added, and construction on others is set to begin soon.

Under conditions of the agreement, the monastery will be home to no more than 70 monks, and overnight guests will be limited to 150 per night.

The Stronghold is about 70 miles southeast of Tucson.

The Theotokos organization has several other monasteries around the country, including one near Florence.