Yuma, Arizona - In honor of National Community Planning Month, the City of Yuma is introducing residents to several issues planners face. And you will have a chance to help us imagine some new uses for old, familiar properties in our city.
October has been designated as National Community Planning Month by the American Planning Association (APA) as a way to highlight the role of planners and planning in each community. This year’s theme is “civic engagement,” which acknowledges that thoughtful local planning cannot happen without meaningful community engagement.
At the Oct. 4 Yuma City Council worksession, Mayor Doug Nicholls proclaimed National Community Planning Month and recognized City staff members.
Throughout October, the City invites you to engage and learn about the job our planners do in a variety of ways.
On the City’s website, residents are invited to offer comments below pictures of two area landmarks and two familiar areas as to what their “wish” is for using those lands. Examples could be residential housing, commercial businesses, services, public space, or other uses. Direct link is http://www.yumaaz.gov/community-development/community-planning/infill-yuma.html.
Similarly, residents and Yuma visitors alike can offer their comments on the City’s official Facebook and Twitter feeds.
A large poster at City Hall next to the main entrance provides space for visitors to write their “wish” for use of those areas.
The City has teamed up with the Yuma Sun to provide a series of articles on topics related to community planning, highlighting several ways community planning impacts life and quality of life in Yuma, and related issues. These articles will cover:
- Introduction to zoning.
- Complete Streets, a concept for refashioning streets to include various forms of transportation and support variety of users regardless of physical ability, mode of travel or age.
- Infill, the process of developing vacant or under-used parcels or buildings in the core of the city.
- Historic preservation with a description of the city’s three historic districts.
Video interviews with City staff members in the City’s Department of Community Development will appear online and during episodes of City Outlook on the City of Yuma government cable channel, which is channel 73 for Time Warner/Spectrum customers.
Radio interviews with City staff members will air on the City’s weekly radio program, City News Thursday, which airs 6 to 9 a.m. Thursdays on KCYK, AM 1400 (Outlaw Country).
The poster and web page will be open for residents’ comments through Oct. 31.