Coconino County Sustainable Economic Development Initiative

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Coconino CountySustainable Economic Development
Initiative

• Resource BasedWorking Team

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Coconino County Comprehensive Plan Land
Ethic Assuming responsibility for the future
of our lands is the first step in encouraging the
kinds of quality development that will ensure the
Countys long-term value as a place of
unsurpassed natural beauty and unique cultural
resources.(Coconino County Comprehensive Plan
2003)
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Coconino County Land Ownership/Management

• Coconino County -- 18,600 Square Miles
• Private Property 13.3
• Native American Reservations 38.1
• Forest Service 28.3
• State Land Department 9.4
• National Park Service 6.8
• BLM 5

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Resource Based Sustainable Development

• Rangelands
• Agriculture
• Land Based Products
• Land Based Energy
• Water

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Rangelands

• Preservation of Ranching, Unfragmented
  Landscapes, and the Countys Natural Character

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Rangelands--Success Stories

• Cataract Ranch Conservation Easement
• Diablo Canyon Rural Planning Area

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RangelandsAssets and Opportunities

• Outreach/Education to inform public of successes
  already in place
• Conservation Easements
• Purchase of Development Rights
• Transfer of Development Rights
• Little Colorado River Valley National Heritage
  Area
• County Comprehensive Plan supporting ranching and
  open space

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Rangelands--Barriers

• No financial incentives to put land in
  conservation or in support of stewardship
  activities
• Federal and State land exchange programs

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Rangelands--Next Steps

• Develop and adopt County Transfer of Development
  Rights Ordinance (TDR)
• Explore opportunities for other mechanisms for
  purchasing conservation easements
• Explore tax incentives for preserving land in
  conservation
• Explore financial opportunities in support of
  stewardship activities

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Rangelands--Next Steps

• Pursue opportunities to change laws regarding
  federal and state land exchanges
• Pursue Participation in Little Colorado River
  Valley National Heritage Area

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Agriculture

• Local Beef
• Vegetables
• Heritage Crops
• Native Seeds

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Ag--Success Stories

• Beef
• Hatfields
• Oregon Country Natural Beef
• Vegetables
• Flagstaff Farmers Market
• Canyon Country Fresh
• Flagstaff Community Sustained Agriculture
• Snowflake Tomatoes
• Native Seeds
• Arboretum
• Flagstaff Native Plant and Seeds

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Ag--Assets and Opportunities

• Ranching Community
• Diablo Trust
• Northern Arizona University Center for
  Sustainable Environments
• Arboretum
• Canyon Country Fresh

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Ag--Barriers

• Lack of Processing Facilities/Feedlots
• Financial Backing
• Transportation
• Seasonality of Product
• No Established Local Market
• Scale of Operations

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Ag--Next Steps

• Pursue partnering/collaborating with existing
  operators
• Pursue viability of processing facilities
• Support efforts already underway-
• e.g. Canyon Country Fresh
• Educate the public on value of local food

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Land Based Products

• Wood
• Stone and Aggregate

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Products--Success Stories

• Wood
• Greater Flagstaff Forest Partnership
• Southwest Sustainable Forests Partnership
• White Mountain Stewardship Contract
• New Mexico Collaborative Forest Partnership
• Stone/Aggregate
• Grey Mountain Hard Rock

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Products--Assets and Opportunities

• Wood
• Camp Navajo Wood Products Campus-80 acres
• NEPA Approved Acres Ready
• Stewardship Contracts
• Community Wildfire Protection Plans
• Opportunities per Mater Report (2002, GFFP)
• Use of byproducts
• Biomass
• Stone/Aggregate
• Active Building Industry (Residential and
  Commercial)
• Road/Freeway Projects
• Reclamation of Old Mine Sites
• Landscaping (decorative stone and rock)

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Products--Barriers

• Wood
• No Coordinated or Guaranteed Supply
• No Local Mill
• Transportation Costs
• Infrastructure
• Financing
• Labor
• Stone/Aggregate
• Limited Accessible Resource
• Limited Leases on Public Lands
• Federal Regulations

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Products--Next Steps

• Wood
• Approval and development of Camp Navajo Campus
• Pursue opportunities outlined through GFFP Plans
• Stone/Aggregate
• ??

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Land-Based Energy

• Wind
• Biomass
• Solar

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Energy--Success Stories

• Southwest Wind Power
• New Mexico/Colorado Wind Farms

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Energy--Assets and Opportunities

• Sunshine Wind Farm
• Abundant Resources
• Wind
• Sun
• Biomass

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Energy--Barriers

• Transmission Capacity
• Transmission Location
• Infrastructure
• R-O-W acquisition process including NEPA
• No Biomass Facility
• Transportation and Labor
• Regulatory framework

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Energy--Next Steps

• Further identification of industry providers
• Partnerships for Productions
• Funding
• Infrastructure
• Market Identification
• Encourage regulatory incentives supportive of
  local renewable energy

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Water

• Regulatory Authority
• Reuse
• Conservation
• Water/Energy Nexus
• Healthy Watersheds

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Water--Success Stories

• Reuse/Conservation
• Tusayan
• Grand Canyon National Park Airport
• KVID Wetlands
• City of Flagstaff
• Ranching

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Water--Assets and Opportunities

• Reuse
• Conservation
• Increasing Public Awareness of Water Supply
  Issues
• Maintaining Lands in Open Space
• Watershed Health -- Rangelands and Forest Lands

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Water--Barriers

• Limited County authority to address water issues
  with new developments
• State control of water issues vs. local or
  regional approach
• Costs for developing water reuse systems
• Regulatory and quality issues for gray water
  systems and reclaimed effluent use
• Limited access to timber resources for
  sustainable forest health

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Water--Next Steps

• Promote and encourage non-consumptive water users
• Encourage green building and development
  techniques that rely on reuse and conservation
  elements
• Develop Incentives for Water Conservation and
  Reuse
• Continue Water Resource Inventory
• Continue Participation in Coconino Plateau
  Partnership

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Water--Next Steps

• Develop Public Education and Outreach Program to
  develop water values
• Pursue opportunities for Transfer of Development
  Rights related to water resource protection
• Pursue watershed restoration in heavily timbered
  areas

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Social Equity

• Living wage
• Benefits
• Affordable housing

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Summary

• Natural Resources have economic value
• Emphasize Community Resources
• -Culture, Talent, Intellectual Property, Natural
  Resources
• Reinforce Vision of County Comprehensive Plan
  with this Initiative
• Land Ethic
• Community Values
• Community Partnerships

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Summary

• Develop public outreach program to educate the
  public on successes and promote sustainable
  efforts already underway
• Review regulations and laws affecting financial
  viability for maintaining agricultural use of
  lands
• Incorporate Local Preference Criteria into Final
  Plan
• Utilize current and innovative science and
  technology