Navajo County officials are progressing with the ongoing update to the county’s comprehensive plan, a key document that will guide development in the region for the next 20 to 30 years. This update has been in the works for the past eight to nine months, with the process continuing for the next three to four months. At a recent meeting, County Planning Manager Cody Cooper emphasized the importance of public input in shaping the future of the county.
“The comprehensive plan is going to guide our development in the county for the next 20 to 30 years,” Cooper told the board. This plan is required to have input every 10 years. The plan, which focuses on land use and transportation, will also include topics like water, wastewater, renewable energy, and housing. Cooper explained, “Once this comprehensive plan update is complete, it helps to go through and guide amendments to our zoning ordinance to be in compliance with the goals and policies that we come up with.”
The county is actively engaging the community through various channels to ensure the plan reflects the needs and desires of its residents. Public events and questionnaires have already attracted input from over 900 people, and more engagement is expected as the plan approaches the public hearing stage. “This document is the community’s document, so it’s their input that is going to guide where this is adopted,” Cooper said.
Several events have been held to collect public feedback, including appearances at the White Mountain Balloon Festival and community resource networking days. Open houses are planned to further encourage community involvement. The first will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 3, at the Navajo County Government Complex.
“We want to get as much involvement as we can during these events,” Cooper said, noting that the county plans to promote the open houses through its website, social media and press briefings. “The hope with these open houses is to engage the public on hot topic items, like renewable energy or housing, but also to expand the conversation to the rest of the plan.”
During the update process, the county has gathered valuable insights from residents, though some responses have been conflicting. “Some of these items are conflicting in nature. That’s not just from different members of the public, it can even be from the same members of the public,” Cooper noted. He emphasized the importance of balancing these differing opinions to create a plan that works for everyone. Talking with residents and educating them on what needs to be done to achieve certain goals should also serve to help balance the plan to be the most beneficial to all residents. Cooper furthered this saying, “There has to be some give and take with the conflicting items that exist. This is why it’s so very important for us to continue encouraging public input in the process so that we can refine that balance and figure out where the scales need to end up.”
Cooper also addressed the role of the county in overseeing certain developments, such as cell towers and renewable energy projects, acknowledging that many residents are concerned about health and safety issues. “When it comes to cell towers, we’re really limited in the scope of what we can review,” he explained. “The FCC is allowed to take us through the court system on an expedited basis if we can’t justify our decisions with compelling reasons related to zoning ordinances.” He advised residents with concerns to contact their federal representatives, as the county has limited authority in this area.
The comprehensive plan update is expected to move into its final stages with a public hearing before the Navajo County Planning and Zoning Commission on Dec. 12, and a potential adoption by the Board of Supervisors on Jan. 14, 2025. Cooper concluded by emphasizing the importance of the Comprehensive Plan as a guiding document for the county’s future. He encouraged the public to continue providing feedback throughout the process.
In other business, the board:
* Canceled the Nov. 5 Northland Pioneer College District election due to a lack of candidates.
* Approved two intergovernmental agreements with Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCS, which is in charge of Arizona’s Medicaid). One suspends people on Medicaid who become incarcerated and the second helps the county and AHCCCS work together to get inmate health care coverage.
*Authorized appropriating $23,000 to the University of Arizona’s cooperative extension program, funds for which have already been allocated in this year’s budget.
* Approved applications for removal and abatement of tax.
* Approved a license agreement with Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway to allow for the county’s fiber infrastructure project to go across BNSF property.
* Approved an extension of contract with Pinal County for online Economic/Workforce Modeling Tool Subscription Services to share the cost of access to the Lightcast Labor Market Information database. The annual cost to Navajo County is $28,000.
* Accepted a $78,750 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to help the county conduct energy efficiency retrofits in county-owned buildings.
* Approved an amendment to a grant agreement with Child Care Health Consultation Program, reducing the cost on the county to better reflect the scope of work.
* Approved a contract for professional services from John Osgood to provide coordination between the county, City of Winslow and the Army Corps of Engineers regarding the Winslow Levee Project. Osgood’s compensation will be capped at $2,000 a month.
* Approved an application for a permanent extension of the premises for the AZTEX Coffee and Taproom, located at 2357 Bison Ranch Trail No. 113, Overgaard.
* Approved a proclamation declaring September 11 through September 14, 2024, as “Navajo County Fair Days”.
The next meeting of the Navajo County Board of Supervisors will be held at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 24, in the board chambers located at 100 E. Code Talkers Drive.
