Lazy K Bar Ranch has faced some hurdles in its quest to become a housing community. The latest one includes homebuilder Meritage, who has backed out of the community due to an inability to reach agreeable terms with the owners, according to the Arizona Daily Star.

The 138-acre property and once-thriving guest ranch nestled in the Tucson Mountains foothills in Marana was closed in 2007 by owner Peter Evans. Over the next several years the town denied rezoning at the behest of residents opposing a 178-home project, citing environmental concerns and potentially isolating the wildlife in nearby Saguaro National Park West.

When Marana denied rezoning a second time in 2015, original builder Mattamy Homes dropped out of the would-be luxury residence project where prices were expected to start at $500,000. In the spring of 2017, Meritage began negotiations for the property, which ultimately ended in September because, as Evans told the Star, “the only problem may be that we as owners think the property is a little more valuable than maybe the buyers do.”

Another possible factor for builders not taking a chance on the property is the legal requirement of footing 40 percent of the mile-long upgrade of Scenic Drive at the site. Still, Evans and co-owner Jim Shiner remain positive the deal with eventually be lucrative and the development will exist. Says Shiner of the property, “It’s got beautiful views. It’s a great site. Something will get done.”