Let the County Know What’s Important to YOU
The first public survey for gathering citizen input on land use decision-making just went LIVE! The survey itself was a collaborative effort by Yavapai County Development Services staff, KSB, interested citizens, and your BPRCC community plan committee. This survey covers high level topics that counties are required to address in the state-mandated Comprehensive Plan.
You’ll find a link to the survey on our website HOME page. It is the first Quick Link on the upper right column. It’s a quick 10-15 minutes start to finish, and you can respond to all the questions or just those of importance to you. All adult members of your household may submit a survey.
BPRCC community plan committee is developing a localized survey that will touch on our “hometown” issues and guide the creation of our Vision Statement and Plan. Committee section leaders are working on the foundational research and reports, and we are aiming for April to launch that survey. Additional surveys may also be forthcoming from the County.
McGuireville-VOC 64kV Powerline Proposal
Our subcommittee researching the APS powerline project is reporting its progress at the P&Z Committee and the Council meetings. We encourage you to listen in on their findings, and share your thoughts with your Council representative. The subcommittee’s recommendation will be up for a Council vote in March or April. Stay tuned! (subscribe to BPRCC email at BigParkCouncil.org)
I am buoyed by the record attendance at our Council meetings and the rich talent on our various committees. The flow of inbound email with citizen questions and ideas reflects that we are a community interested in understanding and choosing. Thank you for the communication and participation.
Highlights from the February Meeting
New Treasurer Assumes Office: Patty Reski was elected by unanimous acclamation and welcomed to the Executive Board.
Secretary’s Report: Mary Pope reported that information on officers and statutory agent have been updated with the Arizona Corporation Commission, and welcomed Brad Baker as the new Representative for La Barranca I.
Bylaws: The noticed Bylaw Articles VIII Payment of Fees & Assessments and IX Indemnification were passed, effective immediately. In light of losing a number of representatives and Co-Chair Nancy Maple due to internet interruption, discussion on the selection of Member Organization Representatives was delayed until March.
APS Powerline Subcommittee: Chair Duane Thompson provided an overview of the community survey, noting excellent response and high community interest. A press release summarizing the results is forthcoming. The committee intends to answer the US Forest Service Request for Comments with a primary and a backup recommendation. The committee will meet on 2/17/21 with the USFS, APS and representatives from the Clean Coalition.
Dark Sky Committee: Lew Turano from Canyon Mesa Townhomes joined the standing meeting on Feb. 4th to share his HOA’s successful 2-year program to update lighting in their neighborhood. They were the winner of the 2021 Keep Sedona Beautiful Dark Sky award. The Dark Sky committee has drafted a publicity plan to keep the public informed on Dark Sky issues, and will be collaborating with the Sedona committee over the course of the year. Committee member Alex Wirts volunteered to perform our twice-yearly night sky readings. Two committee members, Phil Feiner and Jennifer Stephanow, attended an inaugural regional meeting to explore areas of collaboration. The next standing meeting is scheduled for Thursday March 4th at 3pm via Zoom. Interested members of the community are welcome.
Community Plan Committee: Chair Camille Cox reported that with the addition of eight new members, the committee is now comprised of18 core members. Each member has leadership responsibility for a select topic area or task: Land Use – Tom Binnings, Transportation – Jeff Swan, Environmental – David Gill, Water Resources – Marianne Langridge, Open Space – David Hanke and Sandi Heysinger, Energy – Joe Skidmore, Cost of Development – Mark Moorhead, Growth Areas – Robert Czajkowski, Parks/Recs/Schools – Jan Groves, Business and Economics – Omar Kenney, Vision Statement – Judy Poe, Survey Squad – Kirk Smith and Monique Kristofors, Report Consolidation/Distribution – Toni Polakoff, Media & Promotion – Mary Morris. There are a number of “review and comment” roles that involve small increments of time and no live meeting attendance. Members of the community are encouraged to volunteer – send an email to info@bigparkcouncil.org.
Ad hoc Bylaws Committee Review: Co-Chair Mary Pope presented the committee’s recommendations on Article III Roles & Responsibilities, which bridge three different Articles. No voting will take place until all have been reviewed. Bylaws review information including timeline, background and completed actions can be found on the website.
The next meeting of the Council will be March 11th, 9am via Zoom. For committee meetings, check website calendar (bigparkcouncil.org). If you’d like to attend, send an email with your full name and email address to info@bigparkcouncil.org.