Public urges alternative survey access and protection for burrowing owls in parks master plan comment
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Summary
Speakers at the Parks Board meeting urged staff to provide non-digital ways to submit input to the parks master plan survey and asked that North Mountain Visitor Center concerns be included. Residents from Rogers Ranch asked that future park plans preserve burrowing owl habitat.
Members of the public used the meeting’s agenda-item comment period to press the parks board for additional outreach options for the parks master plan and to raise wildlife-protection concerns for proposed park work.
Julia Taggart, who spoke virtually, praised the online survey and interactive map but said some locations do not appear correctly unless an exact address is entered. “One thing I did notice is the Northbound Visitor Center. You can't put in Northbound Visitor Center. You have to put in the exact address, 12950 North Seventh Street, Phoenix, Arizona 85022,” Taggart said. She asked whether the department can accept input from residents who do not use digital tools, citing Amish and Mennonite neighbors and older Sunnyslope residents who lack computer access.
Deputy Director (parks) responded that the parks master plan effort is concentrating on urban parks and that North Mountain and preserve-focused work is addressed through a separate North Mountain master planning process. He said the department will hold a series of town meetings through the fall and additional stakeholder meetings so people without digital access can provide feedback.
Michael Norton, speaking on behalf of members of the Rogers Ranch community in South Phoenix (District 7), said the community has long sought protections for burrowing owls that use a dirt lot near the Levine area conveyance channel. Norton said early informal polling in his neighborhood showed residents wanted to preserve owl habitat when park property is redeveloped: “We've heard repeatedly that our community members wanted to be sure that whatever we did with that park property, we kept the owls,” Norton said. He added that his working-class community may have difficulty attending meetings and that neighbors will circulate a petition to bring to staff.
Board members and staff said they will hold in-person town meetings, stakeholder sessions and regional meetings through the fall and noted the department is conducting a separate North Mountain planning process where preserve-specific concerns may be addressed.
No board vote or direction restricting park design was taken at this meeting; public comments were recorded for staff consideration in master-plan outreach and future design work.