VIVA Doña Ana is taking the next big step in the Regional Comprehensive Planning process in a series of two-day workshops in three locations convenient to most residents and business people.
Where and when are the Workshops?
We’re working to nail down specific venues and times and will update you soon. But plan for these workshop dates in the following communities:
- September 22-23 – Anthony
- September 24-25 – Las Cruces
- September 26-27 – Hatch
Traditional food and refreshments will be provided. Also, childcare and transportation assistance will be available for those who need it.
What’s the Purpose of the Workshops?
The outcomes from the workshops will be used to shape a first draft of the Regional Comprehensive Plan. That draft will be refined with the help of community members until there’s a final Plan offered for adoption by the County Commission in the spring of 2015.
Here’s how we’ll use the September workshops to shape the Plan:
Our tool during the workshops in September is scenario planning. We’ll present alternative approaches, or scenarios, for accomplishing goals identified by the community as important. Those goals are outlined in six Livability Principles.
The Livability Principles, customized from community discussions over the last 2 years, cover related topics including transportation, community affordability, economic opportunity, support of existing communities, alignment of policies with the potential for funding, and the preservation of Doña Ana character and tradition.
Each of the test scenarios will have elements that target the Livability Principles in different ways. As we explore the potential impacts of those issues, we will be able to settle on alternatives that are most likely to satisfy long-range regional goals. And together, those preferred components will constitute a preferred scenario on which to base the first Comprehensive Plan draft.
Why Attend the Workshops?
It’s crucial that we have broad-based community representation and input into these planning exercises. So we hope to see you in Anthony, Las Cruces and Hatch. And please pass the word.
If you can’t make the workshops in person, follow along here on the website. We’ll be posting regular reports during the week of the workshops.
As usual, we welcome comments and questions below. And to contact the team directly go here.
