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by Robert Kimball
Bulletin Staff
from the Weekly Bulletin, 8/4/99
After an on going series of informative meetings over the last two years, Sonoita Crossroads Forum planner Lee Nellis told members it's time to focus on making the tough decisionsÑwhat will and will not be included in the land use plan that the Crossroads Forum plans to develop.
The county is required to revise its comprehensive plan by Dec. 2001. The Crossroads Forum hopes that its land use plan for the Sonoita area will be adopted by the county rather than the county adopting a plan that may not address all the concerns of Sonoita area residents.
Both Crossroads Forum President Shel Clark and Nellis consider participation from the business community to be essential in the planning process.
An all-out attempt to involve the Crossroads business community in the planning process is being sponsored by the Crossroads Forum and the Sonoita-Elgin Chamber of Commerce.
A special continental breakfast meeting on Monday, August 16 will be held at the Sonoita Elgin Emergency Services Inc. (SEESI)Fire Station, starting at 8 am. All Chamber members, all Sonoita area business people, all Sonoita area business real estate owners and all interested parties are invited to attend.
The business community has not been well represented at previous Forum meetings. Some have said it's because they think the land use plan will be a no growth plan - an anti-business plan. Others have said they just don't have time to attend night and Saturday meetings. Nellis said at the May 19 Crossroads Forum meeting, that growth in the Sonoita area was inevitable. The major reason for developing a land use plan is to manage the growth in ways that will protect the values that make Sonoita such a great place to live.
"The Sonoita Crossroads commercial area is now close to the threshold of needing a sewer and water district to support additional growth," Neilis said.
Based on Nellis's experience it would take three to five years from the day the local decision was made to seek approval for a sewer and water district until construction could begin. He estimates that the total cost would be $4 million.
Future Crossroads Forum meetings will be planning meetings where specific decisions will be made on just what will be included in the land use plan. The decisions will be made by the group, not Clark or Nellis. Clark and Nellis view themselves as facilitators.
The next regular Crossroads Forum meeting is Wednesday, Aug. 18 at SEESI, at 7 p.m. An all out effort to invite key players to the Aug. 18 meeting is being made - political leaders, business leaders, school representatives, representatives from local government agencies, developers, ranchers. The idea is to involve as many as possible who should have imput to the plan. There will be a rotating chairperson at future meetings. Lance Hoopes will chair the Aug. 18 meeting.
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