Pinal County Planning and Development Services Department has been working with County residents, motorized and non-motorized trail users, developers and public land management agencies, to create a County-wide Trails Plan. The draft plan and corresponding map will be presented at three public open house meetings for public comment and input on the final product. This is an important time for the County. We are excited about the future here and want to make sure that existing and new places for outdoor recreation remain an important component for all our residents and visitors as we grow said Randy Stinson, the Pinal County Planner who is overseeing the planning process. These public open house meetings are an opportunity for the planning team to meet in different communities to hear, one more time, from the County residents so we can incorporate their ideas into the final plan, Stinson said. Three public meetings are scheduled. In Oracle on Tuesday May 24, 2005 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Oracle State Park, take Hwy 77 north of Oracle Junction to W. American Avenue, go right and continue through Oracle, follow signs to Oracle State Park (Mt. Lemmon Hwy). In Apache Junction on Tuesday June 7 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Community Room at Central Arizona Community College, 273 Old West Highway. In Casa Grande on Wednesday June 8 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the City’s Parks and Recreation Armadillo and bobcat rooms at 404 E. Florence Boulevard. County residents are encouraged to attend. This is a good plan , said Stinson, we want to make sure we get as much public input as possible. Please contact Randy Stinson at 520-866-6045, for more information about these meetings.
The draft Trails Plan is based on two key foundation principles.
To develop existing long-distance trail opportunities in the County, in partnership with the managing organization or agency. Those include the Arizona Trails (56 miles, managed by the Arizona Trails Association, the CAP corridor (53 miles, managed by the Bureau of Reclamation and Central Arizona Water Conservation District, and the De Anza Trail (about 70 miles, administered by the National Park Service).
To work with new development to accommodate and create close-to-home linkage trails to the existing regional corridors.
The Plan principles will be implemented through three key goals of the plan.
Create the framework for an interconnected public non-motorized and motorized trail system in Pinal County.
Encourage coordination and cooperation between adjacent counties, neighboring Indian communities, agencies, municipalities, and the public in trail planning and development.
Identify proposed corridors and/or segments needed to link communities within Pinal County and connect urban areas to recreational, cultural, historical, and natural resource areas, places of employment, and transit stops.
Many strong partnerships have been developed to reach this point with the plan, said Stinson. The County has been working with the Pinal County Trails Association, the Arizona Trail Association, Superstition Horseman’s Association, off-highway vehicle groups, Arizona State Parks, the National Park Service- Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the Central Arizona Project. These partners have provided important information to assure that key places in the County are included in the Plan.
The Trails Plan focuses on existing trails and protected lands, mountain areas, washes and rivers, as well as exiting corridors, new roadway projects, and abandoned rail lines. It will serve as the foundation to incorporate trails and other recreation opportunity as growth occurs over the next several decades. It will celebrate the unique natural features of the region, highlight historic areas, and link communities to these wonderful places. To promote tourism development potential, it will also link to regional trails in Maricopa County and Pima County to provide long-distance trail use in southern Arizona.
Contact: Randy Stinson 520-866-6045 Pinal County Planning & Development Services
