An update to the Flagstaff Regional Plan 2030 (FRP30), to bring its Road Network Illustration (Map 25) into compliance with Arizona Revised Statute requirements and to resolve inconsistencies between Map 25 and parts of the Flagstaff City Code. This update does not alter the intent of FRP30; it is only concerned with correcting errors, removing legal vulnerability, and improving the readability of FRP30.

Compiles information on plants and animals that are already recognized by the federal government as imperiled species, species which have been extirpated, and a much larger number of species that are in decline either locally or nationally. Descriptions of status, location, distribution, and habitat needs are presented for each species proposed. The report also considers vegetative communities, their history of decline and modification, and recommends priorities for their protection.

If one species had to be chosen to preserve and restore, perhaps it should be cottonwood. Cottonwood-willow forests, where they exist and are healthy, indicated the presence of a viable riparian area, which is in turn the key to conserving great proportions of our native species. A reflection of the dire status of our riparian systems is that the Sonoran cottonwood-willow and Sonoran mesquite-cottonwood forests.

Chronicles how the intention to conserve a relic population of Gila topminnow under current resource conditions is generally insufficient. We have let the resource base degrade too far to expect project and site specific responses to stem losses, much less lead to recovery. The Gila topminnow was considered to be among the most common of fishes in the Santa Cruz River system in the early 1940s. Three decades later is was considered endangered; and in another three decades time, its recovery is not foreseeable, given the piecemeal approach to protection efforts.

Eye on the Future 2020, the Maricopa County Comprehensive Plan, provides a guide for decisions concerning growth and development, and considers strategies for addressing growth-related impacts. Among the strategies is the creation of scenic corridors for unique roads in Maricopa County. The Carefree Highway area is one of these roads, and thus the Carefree Highway Scenic Corridor Guidelines are established to help enhance this area’s special characteristics.

It is likely that urban growth eventually will occur along Castle Hot Springs Road, which will present residents and stakeholders with important changes to their lifestyles. Mitigating the potential impacts of urban growth will continue to be a high priority for Maricopa County. Because these guidelines reflect the recommendations of residents and other stakeholders, they provide a unique opportunity for these residents and stakeholders to participate in the future growth and development of their area.