Pima Prospers Plan Update Aspirations

The 2025 Pima Prospers plan update aspires to accomplish the following:

Recognize the interrelated nature of land use planning and provision of public services by other departments and jurisdictions, and identify opportunities for connections and mutual collaboration

Update current and projected county demographics and development, comprehensive plan land use designations and maps, regional, special area and rezoning policies, and Major Streets and Scenic Routes maps

Streamline and refocus the comprehensive plan policies and action items towards land use implications of key goals and policies with measurable outcomes

Address and consider significant issues that have arisen since the 2015 plan adoption:

• Water supply: the on-going southwestern US drought is impacting regional water supplies creating an urgent need to assess demand and supply strategies
• Housing supply: a post-recession housing shortage has created scarcity in the market forcing increased prices (sales and rental) in general, with greatest impact on workforce and affordable housing
• Covid-19: the pandemic created impacts on the healthcare industry, changed the workplace and commuting patterns, stressed small business and moved much of the market to online retail, and created supply-chain issues
• Energy: shifting to sustainable sources, restructuring the energy grid, and increasing electrification of vehicles, buildings and facilities
• Climate change: adaptation and preparation for weather/temperature uncertainty and extremes, the effect on water supplies, increasing wildland fires and invasive species
• Transportation: examine the financial burden of maintaining/expanding existing road infrastructure, and provide for the use of newer transportation technology and alternative modes to solve logistical issues

Incorporate other county long-term planning and strategy efforts to help inform plan policy to address our most challenging current issues:

• Growing Water Smart (Pima County/Sonoran Institute/Lincoln Institute of Land Policy)
• Regional Affordable Housing Commission and task force recommendations
• Regional Prosperity Task Force (Pima County/City of Tucson)
• Economic Development Strategic Plan (Economic Development Dept.)
• Local jurisdictions’ general plan updates (Tucson, Marana, Sahuarita, Oro Valley)

Focus the 2025 comprehensive plan update around the three main tenets of community sustainability, below (sections required by AZ statute are identified by asterisk*):

Community Environment
• Land use*
» Housing and affordable housing
» Military airport - Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
(DMAFB)*
» Aggregate mining*
• Growth (Focused Development Investment)
Areas*
» Infill incentive districts, redevelopment,
corridors, designated growth areas
• Circulation/Transportation*
• Cultural Resources
• Energy*
• Public Buildings and Facilities
» Sustainability for County Operations
• Community, Neighborhood, Home Improvement
• Health Services
• Animal Care Facilities
• Local Food Production Systems
• Cost of Development/Concurrency*

Natural Environment
• Open Space*
» Natural open space
» Parks, recreation and trails
• Environmental Planning*
» Maeveen Marie Behan Conservation Lands
System
» Environmental quality
• Water Resources*
» Wastewater Reclamation
» RFCD
» Rainwater/Stormwater Harvesting
• Flood control/drainage
• Climate change

Economic Environment
• Economic Development
• Arts, Entertainment and Tourism
• Workforce Training & Education
• Library District
• Public Safety, Emergency Services,
Communications