Oro Valley Residents Urged To Sign Up Process For A 2015 General Plan Committee

The 2015 Oro Valley General Plan update continues to move forward.

"The Town of Oro Valley is accepting applications through Wednesday, April 30, 2014 for positions on three topic-specific Your Voice Committees (YVC) as part of the Your Voice, Our Future project." (Source: Your Voice Email)

The three committees are:

• Development: land use, community design, cost of development, infrastructure, and transportation/circulation 
• Environment: open space and natural resources conservation, water resources, archaeological and historic resources, and environmental planning 
• Community: economic development, public facilities, services and safety, arts and culture, parks and recreation, and housing" (Source: Your Voice Email)

You can click this link to sign up. 

However, before getting to the application the individual is asked to review and comment on the town's draft vision and guiding principles.

We took a look at the application.  We understand that it is being changed.  The one we looked at was a bit tedious. According to Oro Valley's communications director, Misti Nowak: "The questions on the application are designed to ensure our committees represent diversity in interest, expertise, communication styles and background."

The survey asked the  following questions.  Preparing your answer in advance to completing the online application will save time.

• "Please describe your reasons for wanting to serve on a Your Voice Committee for the Your Voice, Our Future project." 
• "Please list any memberships or affiliations with organizations, groups or committees that relate to these topic areas."
• "Please describe how you will help broaden the diversity of perspectives on the committee."
• "Please explain how you would help support successful collaboration between committee members with differing perspectives."

Th sign-up is not for a specific committee. Rather, it is an application for all committees.  The applicant is required to choose 3 from 21 possible areas of interest.  Some of the areas of interest are a bit vague, like: "Pedestrians" or "Bicyclists". 

We hope that the town will interview each applicant to identify a role for them. That does not necessarily mean a role on a committee.  There are certainly other useful roles.

The more inclusionary this effort the more likely that a true consensus driven general plan update will result.
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