Reaching out to residents of Pinal County has been the goal behind a number of planning workshops that were held around the county in recent weeks. The workshops are part of a comprehensive plan to determine the future of the county.
The comprehensive plan first reviews the past development patterns of an area which have led directly to present conditions. Secondly, the plan offers a long range, futuristic view (normally 10 to 25 years) of how the study area should develop or redevelop.
In this respect, the plan studies past trends in the county and utilizes various analytical planning techniques to determine desired future scenarios for Pinal County. In other terms, the comprehensive plan depicts where Pinal County has been, where it is presently, where it wants to go, and how it plans to reach that destination.
The Design Charrettes (workshops) give residents an opportunity to apply the concepts of the draft vision to land use planning. Becoming “planners for a day”, participants are able to discuss where they wanted open space, economic development, residential and other services throughout the county.
In a meeting last week at the Pima Butte Elementary School, some 30 individuals participated, according to Audra Koester Thomas of Partners for Strategic Action Inc.
“Participants at the Maricopa event helped validate the draft vision,” Koester Thomas said. “Their concerns and priorities for the county were those outlined in the vision, including open space preservation, economic vitality and maintaining a unique community.”
Koester Thomas said that Pinal County officials have been pleased with the participation levels for the recent workshops.
“Maricopa’s event fell on the first Diamondbacks playoff game, so we were pleased that so many residents came out and contributed to the ongoing comprehensive plan effort,” Koester Thomas said. “While the Design Charrettes were the last major public involvement events for the year, we will again be offering events at the beginning of 2008. In the meantime, work on policy and alternatives will continue as well as additional activities in our schools.”
The plan began earlier this summer with nine road shows in July and subsequently in Augsut, seven visioning workshops. More than 600 people have reportedly participated in these events to help determine the county’s future.
During the road shows, residents said they wanted to see as part of the Pinal County Vision Statement: Education opportunities, protection of water resources; maintenance of open space; alternative energy usage, environmental preservation and conservation, and the protection of natural beauty.
Prior to the meeting in Maricopa last week, workshops were also held in Apache Junction, Coolidge, Mammoth, Queen Creek, and Eloy.
For further information, visit the project Web site at www.pinalcountyplan.com.
Editor’s note: The Pinal County Comprehensive Plan Compendium of Existing Conditions is now available on the project Web site. The 71-page document provides a comprehensive review of conditions in Pinal County. The compendium is listed under “Project Documents” on the Web site.
