A vision for the Village of Oak Creek

SEDONA, AZ - March 5, 2009 - Greetings Neighbors! This is the first in a series of articles from the Big Park Regional Coordinating Council (Council) to the Greater Sedona area.

My name is Dorothy O�Brien and I have the privilege and pleasure, as President of the Council, of serving the Big Park Community, an unincorporated area south of the City of Sedona. Our Community, with approximately 7500 people, fans out along both sides of the Red Rock Scenic Byway (SR 179) which has received the highest national designation �All-American Road� and is the first in the State of Arizona to receive that prestigious award.

What is "The Council"?

The Council, incorporated in 1996, is comprised of representatives from neighborhoods, business associations and property owner associations. It is tasked to hear and study community issues and seek their resolution. The Council also makes recommendations to the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors and the Yavapai County Planning & Zoning Commission as well as state, federal and regional agencies on a wide range of topics. The Council involves many people in its work through its standing and ad hoc committees - Planning and Zoning, Transportation and Recreation/Youth Activities are its standing committees. Ad hoc committees are now working very diligently on the review and update of the 1998 Big Park Community Plan and the Community vision for the future. Both ad hoc committees are working together to examine demographic changes, population, economic drivers, shifts in attitudes and desires for our overall outlook as a Community. It�s very exciting work and all these volunteers are to be commended for their commitment to creating a vibrant, sustainable outcome for our residents, businesses and visitors.

MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM BIG PARK REGIONAL COORDINATING COUNCIL

The Community Plan Review Subcommittees have set the following public meetings for businesses, community organizations and residents alike:

1. The Land Use, Utilities, Energy and Environmental Subcommittees invite all interested businesses, community organizations and residents to meet with them on March 11, 2009 @4:00 PM at Fire Station #3 in Big Park (behind Webers).

2. The Parks, Recreation and Schools Subcommittee invites all interested businesses, community organizations and residents to meet with them on March 19, 2009 @ 4:00 PM at Fire Station #3 in Big Park (behind Webers)..

3. The Public Health & Safety and Transportation Subcommittees invite all interested businesses, community organizations and residents to meet with them on March 23, 4:00 PM at Fire Station #3 in Big Park (behind Webers).

4. The Community Identification and Promotion Subcommittee invites all interested businesses, community organizations and residents to meet with them on March 25, 2009 @ 4:00 PM in the Hilton Tequa Ballroom.

Some of the big issues coming up for our Community include agreement on a name. So many important factors hinge on how we see ourselves and how we are perceived in the world. What do we envision for our All-American Road? Communities around the nation have defined themselves by a certain style of architecture, a theme. The question for us will be how will we define ourselves?

Communities have both internal and external aspects. The internal derive from the way neighbors relate to each other, value each other, keep each other informed, safe, connected to services and create for each other that wonderful important sense of home.

The external aspect of a community is different from a sense of home. It�s more a sense of place. A visitor or business relates to that sense of place through the way we project ourselves to the world based upon our vision, or theme or identity. How we look to visitors and businesses is an important factor in whom we attract to our Community. The spectacular scenic beauty that surrounds us is an incredible palate from which to create that sense of place.

Regional issues are the key to our future

The other very practical part of our Community�s exterior life relates to regional issues like water, roads, and trails, neighboring communities, and moving toward 5 County Supervisors after the 2010 national census. These issues need our attention now. The Council is engaged in providing opportunities for public education on these issues so that we are ready to make informed decisions and recommendations when the time is right.

Working with sister communities

Another aspect of being an unincorporated community is communicating with our sister communities like Cornville, Beaver Creek, Bridgeport and Verde Villages which total almost 35,000 people in the Verde Valley. These communities also have community organizations, like our Council, and representatives from each of these community organizations, including our Council, meet regularly to discuss ways to cooperate and collaborate.

Pooling our resources is vital

The beautiful new United States Forest Service Red Rock Visitor Contact Center, at the south end of our Community, is also a focal point for volunteer energy and imagination from our Community. There is great strength in pooling resources and information.

The Council is also engaged in dialogue with residents from the City of Sedona to find ways to work together on issues that are important to both communities. After all, neighbors helping neighbors is how our country was built! I commend the spirit of these informal discussions and will keep you posted on the progress of those conversations.

Play a part in your future, get involved

The most important fact I want to leave with readers who live in our Community is that these decisions about identity, theme and vision will be made together with robust discussion and public forums. The Community Plan Review Committee is ready to move forward with public input and this article informs you of a variety of meetings, surveys, forums, panels and small groups to accomplish the best possible collection of ideas and opinion. We will use as many types of media as we can utilize to get word out to the Community.

The best way to learn about these important decisions and discussions is by becoming a member of the Council. Please visit our website, www.bigparkcouncil.org, and see the wealth of information available there. If your neighborhood is not yet a member, please see the �get involved� tab on the website or email info@bigparkcouncil.org to find out more information.

If you�ve read all the way to the bottom, you have my thanks and I hope to see you soon at a Council meeting. This month, Carolyn Fisher will give an overview of our Library tax dollars paid to the County, where they go and how many tax dollars come back to the Village. Last month, Sheriff Waugh explained that for each tax dollar the Village pays to Yavapai County, we receive approximately .33 cents back in service because of the three Districts in our County. Important information as we try to learn as a community, where our tax dollars are going and what value we receive in return for dollars paid.

Council meetings are held the second Thursday of each month at 9am in Sedona Fire District Station #3 on Slide Rock Rd. next to Webers.

Thank you neighbors and please get involved in your Community!