County administrator: comprehensive-plan draft due in March; supervisor says groundwater legislation introduced

County Administrator Holly McDowell told the La Paz County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 3 that the county had completed a series of comprehensive-plan public meetings and that a draft plan should be available in March for further public review. She said the plan will guide future growth and resource management and that staff remain focused on key priorities including solar energy development and groundwater and surface water management.

Supervisor Holly (identified in the meeting as a supervisor who attended a press conference) reported that a rural Groundwater Management Act bill had been introduced in the Arizona Legislature, citing House Bill 2714 on the House side and Senate Bill 1425 in the Senate. She said she would attend a stakeholder meeting at the Governor's Office and expected a draft local bill creating a water authority for La Paz County to be available imminently.

McDowell said several legislative bills are in the pipeline that could affect county funding and regulation and that the county is engaging the County Supervisors Association to advocate for local interests. She also noted the county has posted a physical services manager position following board direction.

Why it matters: the comprehensive plan helps set development priorities and regulatory direction; groundwater-management legislation and a potential local water authority could materially affect how groundwater is governed and managed in La Paz County.

Next steps: staff will publish the comprehensive-plan draft in March for public review; Supervisor Holly said she would share draft water-authority legislation when available and would attend stakeholder meetings at the state level.