SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Ariz. (KGUN) — Santa Cruz County residents and local leaders are looking ahead, working together on a plan that addresses tourism, infrastructure and the county's future water supply.
The plan includes eight main focus points centered on what Santa Cruz County is known for, including its nature and natural resources.
County Planner Colin Bishop said water reuse is a key concern.
"We're missing a lot of opportunities to reuse water," Bishop said.
Bishop said he is looking at ways to reuse water multiple times before it leaves the area, but obstacles remain at the state level.
"One of the hold backs on that is on the state level and we don't have the regulations in place that are really forward-thinking enough to help us solve that issue," Bishop said.
He said change needs to happen locally by developing regulations and ordinances that support water reuse.
Residents had a chance to share ideas during the public meeting. Some focused on the Santa Cruz River's dry conditions, while others wanted more resources for local businesses.
"We live in the oldest neighborhood in Tubac with views of the river and the river is dry," Claire McJunkin said.
Joan Vandenbos and McJunkin said they want street safety and the county's natural beauty to be a priority.
"I want to preserve the values that we have and one of my favorite things is being able to walk and bicycle," Vandenbos said.
"I am interested in some signage in some ways to slow the velocity of the motorists down," Vandenbos said.
This is the first of five public meetings. No plan is final as the county continues to gather suggestions. The county plans to finalize the strategy by the end of the year.
More information is available here.
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Marc Monroy joined KGUN 9 as a multimedia journalist after moving from KGUN 9’s sister station, KXXV, in Waco, Texas. He graduated from California State University, Northridge, in 2024 with a degree in journalism. A native of Southern California and a bilingual reporter, Marc is excited to serve Southern Arizona and looks forward to connecting with neighbors in the community. Share your story ideas and important issues with Marc by emailing marc.monroy@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.
