City planner previews Flagstaff Regional Plan 2045 and ballot Question 492

Lauren Clementino, the city of Flagstaff’s senior planner for comprehensive and neighborhood planning, told the Beautification and Public Art Commission on April 13 that the Flagstaff Regional Plan 2045 would serve as the community’s long-range policy guide for land use and growth and that city voters will decide whether to ratify it on a city-only ballot as Question 492. "The regional plan is the community's long range policy guide for land use and growth," Clementino said, listing topics the plan addresses, including housing, transportation, economic development, climate action, natural resources and public safety.

Clementino said a yes vote would make the 2045 plan effective immediately and replace the current 2030 plan; a no vote would leave the existing plan in effect while staff gather feedback for a revised plan to be proposed later. She emphasized two deadlines for city voters: the voter-registration cutoff on April 20 and the ballot return deadline of May 19. "It’s important to follow these timelines to ensure your vote is counted," she told commissioners.

Clementino said the plan resulted from a multi-year public process that the city and county adopted before sending the document to the ballot as required by law. She described the published plan as an online, interactive resource with maps and topic pages, and said the city is hosting regional-plan “chats” and public events to help residents navigate the document and ask questions. For more information she directed listeners to the city’s regional-plan web page and to contact Sarah Ducker, the city’s comprehensive and neighborhood planning manager, who staff identified as the city’s primary contact on the plan.

The presentation to the commission was informational; commissioners did not take formal action on the plan at the April 13 meeting. The city’s informational materials and the schedule for public events are available on the city website.