Draft community-character chapter expanded to reflect diverse cultures; committee narrows how to include an Indigenous statement

Coconino County planners presented an expanded Diverse Cultures, Community and Character chapter that increases the chapter's treatment of Indigenous peoples, Hispanic/Latino history, historic preservation mechanisms and community amenities such as dark-sky resources and community hubs.

Staff said the draft draws on contributions from subject-matter reviewers: Margaret Higgins provided material on African American history in the county, Frank Moraga provided text on Hispanic and Latino communities, and county staff used University of Arizona's Native Peoples of Arizona resources to map Indigenous reservations and cultural areas. The draft also incorporates comments from the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and explains the possible benefits of pursuing a Certified Local Government (CLG) designation to provide in-house historic-review capacity.

Committee members discussed an emailed statement from an archaeologist associated with Navajo Nation that staff had proposed inserting near the start of the chapter. Several participants said the wording was valuable but that a single-person narrative could be perceived as the chapter's sole voice. The group agreed to include a shortened opening paragraph that reflects Indigenous perspectives and to avoid inserting a long personal narrative or favoring a single named commentator in the main text; staff will confirm wording with the sender.

The chapter strengthens language on dark-sky values beyond observatory needs to include tourism, wildlife and resident quality of life, and it expands community-building language around community hubs and gathering places. Staff also reported that SHPO urged clarity about how human-remains or cultural-resource finds would be handled under existing rules, and staff said the chapter now references SHPO guidance and the county's options for historic-preservation staffing if the county pursues CLG status.

Members debated whether to list specific cultural groups in the vision statement. Several participants advised against an exhaustive list and recommended a succinct formulation that names Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities and recognizes ongoing demographic change.

Staff said they will circulate the revised chapter to the county manager's office and the Board of Supervisors for early review before the scheduled public-review period and that they will hold workshops in each district during the 60-day public comment phase.