It’s not every day Maricopa residents get a say in planning the city’s future, but it was the case at the Maricopa Library and Cultural Center last night.

Senita resident Christian Glover, the legal document preparer married to the Western Pinal Justice of the Peace, didn’t have a chance to participate in the last round of updates to the city’s general plan in 2015. He was among two dozen local residents who attended the second of three community workshops Monday.

“I wanted to know what’s the city’s future for the small business owners and the community,” Glover said in an interview. “We keep getting bigger and more big box stores, but it seems like there’s not enough commercial space for small businesses … As a small business owner, you want to have the ability to stay local and shop local.”

Predictably, community members said they wanted slower growth, better transportation infrastructure and more opportunities for small businesses.

Much of the workshop focused on the results of stakeholder surveys and comments obtained at the first of the three community workshops in March, at which growth and public faith were themes.

The themes had not changed by the second meeting. Attendees spoke with city staff about the general plan and gave feedback about land use, roads, economy and infrastructure.

What is the general plan?

The general plan is a collaborative blueprint between residents and city leaders that helps guide the city’s growth and development over the next decade. Some topics addressed in the plan include land use, open space and recreation, neighborhood preservation and water conservation.

Think of it as an all-encompassing vision board for the city’s future that just happens to be a requirement under state law. Or ghostwritten, as city leaders put it, because “everybody can’t get in a room and just knock out a 200-page document.” 

This year, the city is revisiting its vision statement and designated growth areas, while also adding new elements to the updated plan. Those additions include neighborhood preservation, air quality and open space planning.

It’s not too late to give feedback on the general plan.

The city will host the final community workshop in late fall before the plan moves before the Maricopa City Council for approval, followed by ratification via a community vote next year.

Residents can share input and subscribe for updates on the city website. Project-related questions can be emailed to [email protected] or call 520-316-6921.

InMaricopa will publish the first large batch of public comments later today.