Rapid growth throughout the Verde Valley and the Red Rocks area has prompted a group of community leaders to plan an intense one-day Town Hall with the purpose of developing workable strategies for managing land use issues.
The full-day event is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 9, at the Beaver Creek School in Rimrock, just off I-17.
One of the town hall’s organizers, Sedona resident Donna Michaels, said land use matters and their implications are discussed daily in the Verde Valley. “The agriculture industry, resource managers for water, the various Chambers of Commerce, community leaders, transportation enterprises and many more have an earnest interest in future land use and growth.”
She explained a cross-section of invited participants will include community leaders, business owners, elected officials, developers, educators, residents and local government staff members.
In advance of the forum, participants will receive a background report that contains specific details about current land use, growth and expansion in the Verde Valley. “The report will give them a common base of knowledge for meaningful discussions,” said Michaels.
During open discussions, participants are expected to formulate specific goals and action plans, which then will be consolidated into a written report to be published and distributed throughout the region.
The forum is patterned after the format used by the Arizona Town Hall (ATH), a non-partisan, non-political organization that focuses on issues facing the state. Retired Arizona Court of Appeals Judge Patricia Norris will facilitate discussions. Norris is the current ATH chair.
Event coordinator Camille Cox said that following the Town Hall, outreach sessions will be conducted throughout the Verde Valley to share the results. Among locations for future sessions are Camp Verde, Cottonwood, Clarkdale-Jerome, Sedona and several unincorporated areas. Those include Village of Oak Creek, Cornville-Page Springs-Verde Santa Fe, Verde Villages, Lake Montezuma-Rimrock and the Yavapai Apache Nation.
Supporters for the event include the Verde Valley Land Preservation Institute, Sedona Village Partnership, Keep Sedona Beautiful and the Sedona Chamber of Commerce. QCBN
By Ray Newton, QCBN
For more information, contact camille@onrampcomm.com.
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