Camp Verde council directs staff to advance General Plan, comprehensive zoning update and water resiliency study

Mayor Dee Jenkins and the Camp Verde Mayor and Council directed staff on Sept. 25 to proceed with Planning & Zoning Commission priorities, prioritizing a General Plan update, a comprehensive zoning rewrite and a Rural Water Management assessment. Town Manager Miranda Fisher told the Council staff sought direction because current resources cannot address every planned code change simultaneously.

Manager Fisher said the Planning & Zoning Commission prioritized the General Plan Update, the Livestock Ordinance (public hearing continued to Oct. 3), a comprehensive Planning and Zoning update and a Rural Water Management Plan that would include an Assured Water Management Study. Fisher said staff would align zoning chapter updates with the General Plan process rather than adopting piecemeal changes that could conflict with the Town’s long‑range policy.

The Council discussed whether to complete the zoning rewrite internally or hire consultants. Vice Mayor Marie Moore argued for a faster timeline and suggested hiring outside help if the process would stretch to three years. Fisher and several Councilors said internal staff have the institutional knowledge needed to ensure consistency between the General Plan and the zoning code; Planner II Cory Mulcaire will lead the effort with existing staff support and occasional contracted assistance if necessary.

Councilor Cris McPhail asked for clear documentation of the Rural Water Management work to reduce public uncertainty about water availability; Manager Fisher described the study as an Assured Water Management Study focused on whether current and projected water resources support planned growth. Utilities staff and the Planning & Zoning Commission recommended forming a committee and coordinating the water assessment with the General Plan rather than treating it as a purely utilities‑only task.

Mayor Jenkins and Councilors emphasized avoiding isolated code changes (for example, signs or RV regulations) that might conflict with the community vision the General Plan is intended to capture. The Council formally agreed with the Planning & Zoning Commission’s prioritized list and directed staff to move forward with scheduling and outreach.

Next steps: Planning staff will continue chapter‑by‑chapter review with the Planning & Zoning Commission, provide a legal review of draft code language, and return to Council with timelines and options for consultant support if staff capacity becomes constrained. The Town expects the General Plan process to take about a year to complete if managed internally, with targeted public hearings and Technical Advisory Group review sessions during the process.