Council reviews final Wildlife Connectivity Guide; staff propose general‑plan amendment and funding steps

The Prescott Valley Town Council received the final Wildlife Connectivity Guide on June 25, marking the conclusion of a two‑year planning effort led by Logan Simpson with local staff coordination.

John Jacobson, principal planner, introduced the item and turned the presentation over to Christina Ker Webb of Logan Simpson, who summarized engagement efforts and the guide’s contents: data‑driven habitat sensitivity mapping, national and Arizona case studies, and a toolbox of implementable strategies for land use, development standards, conservation partnerships and transportation design to improve wildlife passage while protecting public safety.

Ker Webb said the community expressed support for wildlife‑friendly design and regional collaboration, and the guide recommends implementation actions including adding a wildlife overlay map through a general‑plan amendment. Staff noted that initial implementation steps appear in the proposed draft budget and that a major general‑plan update would be part of future fiscal years. Councilmembers discussed phasing the general‑plan amendment, with at least one member recommending the “middle choice” (a major amendment that updates the land‑use chapter and incorporates a wildlife overlay).

The plan’s recommended tools include land‑use standards, conservation partnerships (land trusts), regional coordination with Arizona Game and Fish and transportation entities, and a potential conservation fiscal analysis to help identify funding partners such as Trust for Public Land. Staff said the next formal step would be to move forward with a general‑plan amendment and align budget authority for initial implementation.

The council did not take a separate binding vote on the guide itself at the meeting; staff framed the guide as an implementation roadmap that will inform future amendments and projects.