This month, the American Planning Association’s National Planning Conference takes place in Atlanta, Georgia. Ten years ago, the Conference was held in Washington, DC, where the APA Small Town & Rural (STaR) Division recognized Coconino County, AZ, for excellence in rural planning. That plan has worn well. Hopefully, a decade from now we’ll be able to say the same thing about this year’s winners.
Where Are They Now? Coconino County Comprehensive Plan, STaR Awards for Excellence 2004
Coconino County, Arizona, is the 2nd largest county geographically in the United States. That makes for a lot of rural outside of the Flagstaff urban area, both public and private lands. The County completed their comprehensive plan in-house ten years ago, and recently embarked on an in-house update—to meet Arizona’s statutory requirements, and to flesh out the “good bones” of their conservation-based plan.
What have they learned in getting started on their update? John Aber, Assistant Director of Community Development, emphasizes the importance of committing to deadlines, and recruiting a good citizen committee representing a broad cross-section of the community. They will become your plan’s greatest advocates.
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