By admin 
TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – A nearly year-long archaeological excavation at the proposed Casita Village development site on Tucson’s northeast side has drawn scrutiny from neighbors and raised unanswered questions about what was found underground — including whether human remains were encountered.
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The excavation took place along the Agua Caliente Wash. Drone video captured excavation pits and survey flags spread across the property over the course of the dig. Neither the City of Tucson nor WestLand Resources, the archaeological consulting firm overseeing the work, agreed to speak on camera. Responses came only through email.
Neighbors say they were kept in the dark
Neighbor Tom Adang said the scope of the work grew over time.
“What we were able to see, the neighbors and residents nearby could see, is that it started small and it got bigger,” Adang said. “We just see the archaeological work expanding substantially over the course of that time.”
Neighbor Jane Rojas said the city had promised to keep residents informed as the development moved forward, but those updates never came.
“We have no progress reports,” Rojas said. “We have no progress reports about anything that’s going on.”
Archaeology among 23 required conditions
City records show archaeology is one of 23 conditions the Casita Village developer must address before construction can begin.
“One of those conditions was to evaluate the area for Native American remains,” Adang said.
Sharon Urban, a retired archaeologist who spent decades working on sites across Arizona, said discoveries in this part of Tucson are not unusual.
“You can’t move without getting archaeological site material,” Urban said. “It’s something that has to be reckoned with no matter what happens.”
Historical records document ancient settlement
Two archaeological studies found in historical records document ancient settlement in the Houghton Road corridor. Those studies describe prehistoric homes, burials, cremations and other cultural features dating back thousands of years.
Neighbor Rollie Hoch said county officials were aware of the area’s significance decades ago.
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“They knew of the archaeological village down there,” Hoch said. “They didn’t know the extent of it, but they knew of it.”
City officials said archaeological studies were not required at the time of rezoning, but acknowledged the area’s historic significance was important enough to require archaeology conditions.
Human remains question goes unanswered
Urban said the discovery of human remains changes the nature of the work.
“Things are pretty standard, but then you get into burial recovery mode, things are different because the Native Americans are involved in recovering bodies,” Urban said. “It takes a whole day to remove one burial — and it’s intensive work to do it right.”
An expert in flood control said large archaeological excavations can cost millions of dollars in some cases. City records show WestLand Resources spent nearly a year excavating the property — well beyond the original timeline.
The city confirmed the project involved a Burial Discovery Agreement, work with the Tohono O’odham Nation, and references to mortuary features. When asked directly whether human remains were encountered, neither the city nor WestLand responded.
The city said it reviewed WestLand’s final report and approved it. A request for the report — and even a summary of its findings — was declined, with the city citing state law protecting sensitive archaeological resources.
The city said archaeological monitoring will continue during future construction and that the project remains under review. No permits can be issued until all conditions are met.
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