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Happy
New Year!
Here is an update on what’s new in the
Pinal Comprehensive Plan!
Alternatives
Developed, Workshops Announced |
| Because
Arizona, and specifically Pinal County, will face
tremendous growth in the next few decades, the Board
of Supervisors approved a comprehensive citizen-driven
process to update the Comprehensive Plan. It is
important that the updated Comprehensive Plan: |
- Create
consensus on land use
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Address environmental sustainability
- Preserve
open space
- Link
development with transportation
- Identify
employment areas
- Create
population centers
- Improve
overall quality of life
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Central
Arizona College Visioning Workshop. |
Much of 2007 was spent collecting feedback from
Pinal residents as to the vision they have for Pinal
County and how they see transportation and development
occur in the County.
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Oracle
Visioning Workshop. |
The Comprehensive Plan team took the goals above
and the feedback generated from over 1000 Pinal
residents and spent the winter polishing three land
use and transportation Alternatives for Pinal County. |
The intent moving forward has been to provide residents
different approaches when considering
Pinal’s future. The Alternatives (or approaches)
are not mutually exclusive, nor are they intended
to compete with each other. Instead, the Alternatives
will start a dialogue on various choices Pinal will
make when considering future growth and development.
To achieve this, we will solicit feedback in a collaborative
environment where residents will help build a preferred
future for Pinal by selecting various features depicted
in the Alternatives offered.
Each of the three alternatives assumes a similar
population. The differences in the alternatives
are how each addresses elements
such as economic and residential development, open
space preservation and transportation. The three
alternatives are:
Trends, a land use alternative
assuming the continuation of current residential
and commercial development into the future. |
- Assumes
major population centers within Superstition
Vistas in northern Pinal County as well as higher-intensity
economic activity centers
- Assumes
lower density, suburban growth across the county
- Assumes
irregular commercial development along some
transportation corridors
- Does
not consider additional open space preservation
- Does
not employ the Pinal County Vision
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| Dispersed
Growth,
a land use alternative that distributes economic/residential
development activities throughout the county, connects
these population centers through varying transportation
alternatives, and applies the recently adopted Pinal
County Open Space and Trails Master Plan. |
- Provides
for a series of mid- and high-intensity economic
activity centers across Pinal County, creating
‘nodal’ residential development and intensifying
historic downtowns
- Promotes
tourism and hospitality in East County, including
a potential “Copper Country” tourist train
- Provides
bus rapid transit route connecting north-central
Pinal to/from Phoenix and central Pinal to/from
Tucson and addresses connectivity across the
County with a higher-capacity east-west transportation
corridor
- Employs
the Pinal County Vision
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| Corridor
Focused,
a land use alternative that concentrates larger,
mixed-use economic and residential development activities,
and encourages multimodal transportation alternatives
along major transportation routes, principally along
the proposed North/South freeway corridor. Corridor
Focused also applies the recently adopted Pinal
County Open Space and Trails Master Plan. |
- Concentrates
high-intensity residential and economic development
patterns that create jobs along the proposed
North/South freeway corridor, allowing for low-intensity
development elsewhere
- Identifies
additional economic centers connected with efficient
transportation options
- Establishes
“Gateways” welcoming residents and visitors
into Pinal County
- Provides
a commuter rail route through central-Pinal,
connecting Phoenix and Tucson
- Employs
the Pinal County Vision
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At
the six Alternatives Workshops scheduled in February,
residents will hear a comprehensive presentation
of each alternative, have the chance to review the
alternatives in detail, and to provide feedback.
Register
now to participate!
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To
register, click
here.
(Registration now ensures your receipt of a pre-event
information packet and speeds check-in at the event.) |
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Gold
Canyon,
Wednesday, February 20
6-8 pm
Best Western Gold Canyon Inn, Kachina Room
8333 E Sunrise Sky Dr (US 60 and Kings Ranch
Road)
Casa
Grande, Thursday, February 21
6-8 pm
Casa Grande Parks & Recreation Complex,
Armadillo, and Coyote Rooms
404 E Florence Blvd.
San
Tan/Queen Creek, Saturday, February
23
9-11 am
JO Combs Middle School (New Facility), Multipurpose
Room
37611 N Pecan Creek, Queen Creek
Maricopa,
Tuesday, February 26
6-8 pm
Pima Butte Elementary School, Multipurpose
Room
42202 W Rancho El Dorado
SaddleBrooke,
Wednesday, February 27
6-8 pm
Desert View Performing Arts Theater
38990 Clubhouse Dr, Tucson
Kearny,
Thursday, February 28
6-8 pm
Church of the Good Shepherd, Ray Hall
508 Senator Chastain St
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| Youth
Design Charrette Report |
Participants
at a Youth Design Charrette. |
In
December 2007, eight youth Design Charrettes were
held in classrooms across Pinal County. Because
the Comprehensive Plan talks to the future, it was
imperative that the County’s future, its youth,
get an opportunity to help plan Pinal. |
Over 200 of Pinal’s youth participated in Design
Charrettes conducted at their schools where students
were asked to participate in a land use and transportation
gaming exercise.
Together with a facilitator(s), each class was asked
to apply the ideas found in the draft Pinal Vision
when considering and/or identifying the following
elements in their land use and transportation plan: |
- Open
space (permanent, recreational, etc.)
- Historic
downtowns and new communities
- Residential
development (high-, medium-, and low-density)
- Regional
activity centers (such as malls, mixed use centers)
- Employment
centers (office and industrial)
- Farming
and agriculture
- Regional
airport
- Transportation
(commuter rail, bus rapid transit, area-wide
shuttle transit, etc.)
- Other
public services (education, health, etc.)
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The
Comprehensive Plan team is especially pleased to
present the Youth Design Charrette Summary Report
that combines the results of the youth land use
and transportation plans, as well as the participants
hopes and dreams for Pinal County.
To review this impressive document, click
here or visit the Library
page on the project website.
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What's
Next: More Events in 2008
The
project team will be working hard on draft land
use alternatives and policy development. Public
involvement opportunities and project events will
return in Spring 2008. Look to the project website
(www.PinalCountyPlan.com)
for the latest project information and event announcements.
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