The town of Marana will become the sixth Arizona municipality to span a county dividing line.

Marana plans to annex roughly 440 acres into southern Pinal County to accommodate a planned 1,800-acre development dubbed the Villages at Tortolita. The town council last week gave Developer Mike Zipprich and town planning staff the go-ahead for the annexation process.

The Villages of Tortolita eventually will add 6,500 houses, townhomes, apartments and condominiums to Marana. The development will stretch along the east side of Interstate 10 from Marana Road into southern Pinal.

The five distinct villages planned, seven miles to the north of Saquaro National Park, will span north from Grier Road into Pinal County. Plans include a 20 acre community park and recreational facilities, a shopping complex, and a proposed 60 acre industrial park.

After several formal and informal discussions, Pinal officials have given the town an unofficial OK to the annexation. Marana officials now must draw up a petition and eventually hold a public hearing on the matter. The process takes about 60 days, officials said.