Draft Vista 2040 General Plan Input

I would like to see more safe bicycle/walking route that are easier to access Sierra Vista from Hereford; possibly down Moson Rd.. Also, to transform the old railroad bed to a rails to trails which would also increase tourist use.
As pickleball is taking off; it would be nice to have an area for this activity closer to the SE end.

Since I am most interested in environmental issues, I focused on that section of the plan. Except for water use and conservation, which is always addressed in our long-term plans; and EV charging stations, and the usual nostrums about recycling, energy saving, and the like, climate change is not addressed in any realistic way. Since this is the plan starting in 2040, I am dismayed. We should be considering the possibilities that climate change may cause in our future and plan for local resilience. Agriculture is already being affected by climate change. We could be addressing this by planning for food forests and cooperative gardens on undeveloped land in the city as well as in the surrounding area in the county. We also are aware (or should be) that plastics are a huge problem. They are clogging the oceans. They only biodegrade to very small pellets which are ingested by marine life which are in turn eaten by human beings causing who knows what sort of physical damage. Yet we are still using disposable plastic bags at shopping outlets. As for recycling: many countries are no longer taking recycled materials because there is so much of it that it is not all reusable in some way. Chemicals from plastic also offgas into the contents of plastic bottles and other containers which we in turn ingest. We should be thinking about how to mitigate the chaos that climate change is going to cause.

Vista 2040 is a great plan with wonderful vision. Nicely organized with lots of photos and interesting data charts. It would be helpful if it included more specifics on current and near-term projects.

The Library is fantastic. The many diverse programs and activities, along with the usual traditional library services show the creativity and energy of the library staff.

The condition of Veterans Memorial park is a disgrace since the grass all died. Now we have dirt and ugly weeds that make for uneven ground not conducive for much of anything you might like to do in the park.

Please continue to fund Roadrunner Park development. A nice park in that area, with grass, trees and various facilities is very long overdue.

In regard to all the City parks: To get residents interested and involved, I would suggest a high-visibility program where residents could donate money to pay for trees and benches, with some minimal recognition for the donors in return. Put to work some of the creative and energetic minds among City staff to come up with a fun program.

When planning indoor recreation facilities, please keep pickleball in mind, as the local pickleball community continues to rapidly snowball, with more young adults and families joining the seniors.

Please avoid charging fees for use of indoor facilities, or at least ensure they are applied fairly and equitably across the various activities.

Use of conference/meeting space in OYCC should not require a fee. While there are many, many local clubs and organizations that don’t have a budget for reserving meeting space, the OYCC rooms seem to be very much underutilized.

Housing & Neighborhoods: As a large part of the SV population is at or near retirement age, when many people consider downsizing, I think the City should more strongly encourage development of separate retirement communities, with not only detached single-family homes, but also and especially upscale townhouses, patio homes, etc. with recreational facilities.

I attended the 11 June public hearing where one individual objected to the MOU between various governmental agencies being included as an appendix because no public input was allowed in the development of this MOU while all of the other appendices had some level of public input during their development. As I understand it, one of the main purposes of including the appendices is to be as transparent as possible by including any secondary Sierra Vista plan or policy guidance that currently supports Vista 2040. I think this goal is more important than the individual's concern with the origins of the MOU. Citizens, the city staff, and elected & appointed city representatives need to know what the current vision for the city is (VISTA 2040) along with any supporting plan and policy guidance to include relevant MOUs ion order to properly understand were the city is headed and do thier jobs in support of this vision.

I'm excited to see 2024 holiday decor from the Buffalo Soldier gate to Canyon Vista Hospital. Let's promote the decorated route through local media, social media, and community events, encouraging residents and visitors to experience the festive atmosphere.

The Southwest Association of the Buffalo Soldiers (SWABS) is planning an upcoming Buffalo Soldier Weekend celebration on July 26-27, 2024. Additionally, we hope the City and Sierra Vista Unified School District will officially recognize and observe an annual "Buffalo Soldier Day."

Our annual Buffalo Soldier Weekend aims to honor their legacy through cultural activities, reenactments, music, food and more. With the City's partnership, we believe this can become a marquee event attracting visitors from across the state and beyond. Moreover, establishing an official "Buffalo Soldier Day" in Sierra Vista would cement this important piece of history into our community's tradition and educational curriculum.

Specifically, we would like to request the following from the City:

Permission to use [venue] for Buffalo Soldier Weekend activities
Promotional support through the City's communications channels
Street closures on [2025 and beyond] to accommodate a parade/march
Financial or in-kind contributions for event logistics/costs
Official proclamation designating [2025 and beyond] as annual "Buffalo Soldier Day"

Additionally, we request Sierra Vista Unified School District:

Recognize "Buffalo Soldier Day" by including activities/curriculum
Potentially consider a [half-day or full-day] holiday for students/staff

Just as Tucson celebrates "Rodeo Day," having an official "Buffalo Soldier Day" would be a source of community pride.

Hummingbird Statue

Wouldn't it be wonderful if Sierra Vista could find an artist who could create a Hummingbird sculpture in line with sculptor Paul Coze's iconic Phoenix? Even better if this individual was an Indigenous Arizona artist?
Will the city be inviting artist submissions as part of a "Call to Artists" contest?

In the environmental section I don’t see any mention of the possibilities of radical climate change.including the effect of disruption of agriculture on the availability of food. It’s as if, except for EVs, and the usual water issues, nothing has been given much attention. Since I have familiarized myself with the challenges coming, I find our lack of planning for the probability of disruption to our normal way of life alarming. If we keep our heads in the sand, will the issue just go away or perhaps resolve itself ? The most basic thing we can do is plan for the disruption to agriculture since drought is spreading in California and flooding and other unusual weather patterns are affecting the Midwest (both major agricultural areas.). In my meanderings around the city, I have seen open spaces where food forests and cooperative gardens could be developed. I have nothing against amusements such as a miniature golf park or diversions for children and teenagers, but food seems a bigger priority to me. And what better thing for interesting our children than participating in growing their own food, something actually useful. We have a university extension here which could be encouraged to engage with citizens on projects. Perhaps grants are available to help establish these kinds of projects. It’s my understanding that Gary Nabhan, a well-known environmentalist, lives not far from here. There are plenty of possibilities for professional assistance so that we are not barging ahead blindly.

The south end of Sierra Vista needs a full service grocery store and better street lighting in neighborhoods to deter crime

Having read through the plan, my biggest concern is about ground water availability and alternate resources for generating water if needed

Removed by moderator.

Fees for Public facilities
The city needs to reevaluate all fees for park usage, sports fields, and The Cove. Fees for county residents should be minimal (e.g., $10.00 a season.)
$686.00 for a family with 2 kids is exorbitant, It prevents many of our community members from using any of the city's facilities, especially if they have more than two children or are low-income.
There are many solutions for this issue, and the city needs to consider the community it serves, especially those who cannot afford a pool at home.

Shared roadways with the County
It is time for the city and the county to fix the shared roads. The perfect example is Theater Drive. I have been in the city for over 30 years and that road has not been repaired in that time. The city needs to take the lead and support the community with good roads. I travel that road at least 4 times a week and it is terrible. Please fix those shared roads.

Would be nice in Veterans Park if they had a 9 hole mini golf course made with astro turf and had some overhead sun protection. You could have people bring their own putters and balls and have a donation box to keep it up and enhance it. I would definitely be willing to throw 5 or 10 bucks in each time. If there's an area with allot of trees, you could weave it in and out of the trees for shade, but would need someone to blow the course off occasionally to keep it clean.

City Commissions
It is apparent the city council only gives lip service to your ten commissions. If you listened to their recommendations on neighborhoods, economic development, planning and zoning, youth, and transportation, many of the issues mentioned by the community would have been resolved. If you have a commission, the city council must evaluate their proposals and vote “yay or nay” on each, not just listen to the commission. Please provide feedback to your commissions so they know they are moving in the right direction and their input is valuable to your decision-making.

Removed by moderator.

Vocational Education and Apprenticeships
Our community should be encouraged to take on young people who can be trained in various enterprises in town, such as plumbing, electrical, construction, automotive, etc. The city could establish a program to provide tax relief for businesses that provide technical training for apprentices. Our community needs to be more supportive of young people looking for employment and training programs must be encouraged.

Community Involvement
I know we people do not always respond to surveys and other requests for input. I recommend the city planners go into the community or talk to groups (e.g., church, community service organizations, etc.) and ask for their input. Reaching out goes a long way to making the bond between the city government and the community better.

Community Cleanup
Code enforcement is a challenge and I do not believe the city has very strong codes. I suggest the city look at other cities in other states and adopt stronger measures. Squatters should not be allowed to occupy homes. If the homeowner is not occupying the property and cannot be located to be fined for violations, the city needs the authority to turn off the utilities and repossess the “abandoned property.” A home should not be vacant for three years or be a blight on the community without the city taking action. The code enforcement rules need a major overhaul.

City Planning
When the city considers construction in town, they should provide two or three alternatives to the community. For example, on the West End, I understand the city plans to pave over an empty space on S Fab Ave for a parking lot. Instead, the city might propose to the community 1) a parking lot, 2) a botanical conservatory or 3) an art museum to enhance the West End and draw more people to the area. Get the community’s opinions before “telling us what we need.” By the way, facing the benches in instead of out makes them unusable for street activities such as the West End Fair. The city must be more considerate of the community and get opinions and ideas from others, especially when changing the dynamics of an area.