Committed to preserving the lifestyle & spirit of Williamson Valley
WVCO Inc. is a community based volunteer organization [see ABOUT US] with the mission to develop a Williamson Valley Community Plan, see that it is adopted as part of the Yavapai County General Plan, and continue to serve as a voice for Williamson Valley residents. Williamson Valley residents, in several surveys, have clearly indicated that they want to preserve their rural residential lifestyle and the scenic values of their valley. During 2005-2006, volunteer residents of the WV Corridor Planning Steering Committee developed a Community Plan based on three surveys and community input at three public meetings. The Community Plan was submitted to several government agencies and interested organizations for comment, and their comments were incorporated in the final draft Community Plan [see COMMUNITY PLAN].
Yavapai County 2009-2010 Expenditures for Williamson Valley Road
Yavapai County plans to spend $7,588,000 next year on design and construction of the five-lane Williamson Valley Road. As the table below shows, the County will spend $6,288,000 on construction of the five-lane road from Shadow Valley Ranch Road to Pioneer Parkway. Another $1,300,000 is budgeted to continue design of the North Project from Pioneer Parkway to Outer Loop Road. The budget was presented last month and is set to be approved by the Board of Supervisors on August 3, 2009.
The $7,588,000 total to be spent on Williamson Valley Road next year is more than half the Yavapai County Regional Road budget for the 2009-2010 fiscal year. The other major expenditures are for the Side Road and Highway 69/89 interchanges and Highway 260 in the Verde Valley. Nothing is budgeted for Fain Road.
Use of scarce County funds for a road project where the level of service has not met the County criteria for improvement as outlined in its own General Plan, where the community overwhelmingly is opposed to its design, and where the number of traffic accidents is low relative to other locations such as Fain Road is irresponsible. In anticipation of possible Federal stimulus funds, the Central Yavapai Metropolitan Planning Organization prioritized six projects for potential funding. Improvement of Fain Road was the top priority. Williamson Valley Road improvement was at the bottom of the list. We believe available funds should be used for projects that will save lives.
Yavapai County Regional Road Budget, 2009-2010 Fiscal Year
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Williamson Valley Road South
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$6,288,000
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Williamson Valley Road North
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$1,300,000
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Total Williamson Valley Road
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$7,588,000
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SR69/89 Connector
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$1,100,000
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Side Road Interchange
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$1,500,000
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State Route 260
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$1,975,000
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Fain Road
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$0
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Total Yavapai County Regional Roads
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$13,755,000
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Please contact the County Supervisors with your opinions about this unwise allocation of scarce public funds.
Carol Springer - Yavapai County Supervisor, District One
e-mail : web.bos.district1@co.yavapai.az.us
Tom Thurman -Yavapai County Supervisor, District Two
e-mail: web.bos.district2@co.yavapai.az.us
Chip Davis - Yavapai County Supervisor, District Three
e-mail: web.bos.district3@co.yavapai.az.us
WVCO To Appeal Arizona Court of Appeals Decision
The Arizona Court of Appeals ruled on June 19, 2009 against WVCO in our appeal of the trial court decision to dismiss our lawsuit against the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors. The complaint says that the County did not follow its General Plan in preparing to build a five-lane Williamson Valley Road. WVCO will appeal this decision to the Arizona Supreme Court. Click here to read our press release on this issue.
In February 2008, a lower court judge ruled that the General Plan was intended "to guide, not limit, the Board of Supervisors." In April 2008 this judge dismissed the allegation that the Road Ordinance was not followed with the opinion "that the defendants acted upon the recommendation of the County Engineer and Director of Public Works which was supported by reasons for the need to upgrade the subject (Williamson Valley) road."
Updated Williamson Valley Community Plan Submitted to County
The revised Community Plan was sent to Yavapai County on May 14, 2009. The WVCO Board decided earlier this year that it was most appropriate for the Williamson Valley Corridor Plan to be submitted to Yavapai County as a Community Plan amendment to the General Plan. Last year the Plan was, submitted to Yavapai County, at their request, as a minor amendment to the Yavapai County General Plan, but was returned due to procedural problems. The Board chose to take the Community Plan route because submission as a minor amendment involves a long series of steps over an extended period of time plus additional cost and also because we feel strongly that our community has a right to have its Plan treated in the same way as other community plans (Cornville, Big Park, etc.).
The Corridor Plan was updated, streamlined and an executive summary added. The revised Community Plan will be posted on the website shortly.
Renew Your Membership
Please renew your membership now. Annual membership dues are $20.00 per household and entitle each adult household member to voting rights as members of WVCO, Inc. Membership is open to all adult residents and property owners in the Williamson Valley community who support the purposes of WVCO, Inc.
Click here to download a membership form.
WVCO Monthly Meetings
To keep Williamson Valley Community members informed about issues of importance to them, WVCO will hold monthly meetings on the third Thursday of each month at the Central Yavapai fire station on Outer Loop Road. The meetings will begin at 6:30 pm. Tentative programs are scheduled on the following topics:
July 2009 Gardening in Yavapai County
Defensible Space
August 2009 Prescott City Council, Mayoral Candidates Forum
September 2009 Introduction to the Yavapai County League of Unincorporated Communities
October 2009 Big Chino Water Issues
November 2009 Economics of Growth
December 2009 no meeting
We invite suggestions for monthly meeting topics.
Create a Shortcut to the Website
To quickly access this website, create a shortcut. When logged onto the website, follow these steps:
1. From anywhere on the background of the website right click your mouse.
2. From the drop down menu that appears, left click on "create shortcut".
3. The following question appears. "Do you want to put a shortcut to this website on your desktop?"
4. Click on yes.
5. You may then close the website any time you choose.
6. To access the website again double click on the website icon on your desk top and it will launch the web site.
What are the Population Study Numbers Telling Us?
WVCO President Ken Mino and other WVCO members have been digging to find out why the population projections used for the Central Yavapai Metropolitan Planning Organization (CYMPO) study seemed unrealistically high. These are the population estimates behind the CYMPO study that predicted 50,000 cars per day on Williamson Valley Road, providing Yavapai County with the excuse to make the road a 5 to 7-lane freeway. How do these population estimates compare with other studies? For example, population projections used for predicting our future water needs are far more reasonable than the CYMPO projections and in much closer accord with other forecasters. Click here to read about what was discovered. Click here to for the data supporting the tables and graphs in this report.
Corridor Plan History
Interested in learning more about the development of the corridor plan and the problems we face in implementing it? Go to our [corridor history] page. Read the news accounts on our [news articles] page.
WVCO, Inc. will manage the implementation of the Community Plan in concert with Yavapai County. Acceptance of the Community Plan can be as a Community Plan or an Amendment to the County General Plan. WVCO, Inc. will work with the appropriate Yavapai County agencies to obtain approval of the plan, but may pursue litigation, if necessary, to ensure plan adoption.
WVCO, Inc. is committed to pursuing active support of the Community Plan from the County Board of Supervisors and their appointees. Candidates for city and county offices will be encouraged to support the goals of the Williamson Valley residents.
The, WVCO, Inc. will, in parallel, pursue alternative measures that may be needed to ensure implementation of the Community Plan. These measures include the possibilities of annexation to an adjacent city or incorporation of all or part of the Williamson Valley as a separate jurisdiction.
Geographic Scope
The Williamson Valley Corridor planning area includes the following:
Southern boundary: The limits of the City of Prescott on the west side of Williamson Valley Road. County territory on both sides of the road north of this point will be included.
Northern boundary: The northern limits of the Crossroads Ranch development on the east side of Williamson Valley Road; the Camp Wood Road on the west side of Williamson Valley Road.
Eastern boundary: To include residential areas on the east side of Williamson Valley Road with access roads that discharge onto Williamson Valley Road.
Western boundary: The National Forest boundary between the northern and southern limits of the area.
Corridor Map
View Zoomable Map click here
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