Southern Yuma County residents voice concerns on roads, water

Gadsden - More than 70 Yuma County residents attended a community meeting at Gadsden Elementary Wednesday night aimed at improvements in the area.
 
At the meeting, residents shared concerns and voted on which topics should be a priority for the county. County officials said the meeting had a successful turnout and is the beginning of a planning process to work with residents to resolve issues.
 
The county held the meeting to get input for the Yuma Valley Planning Area's 2020 10-year plan, which affects 3,517 residents in the southwestern unincorporated parts of Yuma County. The area is 72 square miles, bounded by Avenues D, E and H on the east, the Colorado River on the west and north, and the city limits of San Luis on the south. The area excludes the Cocopah Reservation, and the cities of Yuma, Somerton and San Luis, Ariz. Residents in the area were notified of the meeting by mail.
 
The majority of the residents had two issues on their minds: quality of roads, including flooding, and quality of water.
 
Fransisco Ortega said he's concerned with the flooding near County Road 12-1/2 and Dreysdale Lane. Ortega said the flooding makes it difficult to drive, and he's complained to the county before.
 
"I've been there for 40 years and they haven't fixed it," Ortega said.
 
Wall Lane area resident Gloria Valenzuela said she worries about the quality of roads. She said some residents dig trenches in an attempt to slow traffic. But Valenzuela, who said she has to cross two trenches to get to her house, said it creates a hazard and damages her car.
 
Another resident of that area, Rosa Quintero, said the water quality is poor and irritates her skin. She said she hopes this meeting will help create change.
 
Tony Reyes, Yuma County Supervisor District 4, said that the meeting is a start.
 
He said the next step is moving toward action.
 
Reyes said that the county isn't responsible for some of the issues residents raised Wednesday night. He said the solution is for the residents to work with the county to create special districts to address issues.
 
"(The county) can't create a district," Reyes said. "We need participation from the community."
 
Residents at the meeting broke into three break-out groups: Land Use, Transportation/Infrastructure and Community Facilities.
 
Each group was led by a county staff member, who wrote down and discussed the concerns.
 
The next step is for the county to tally the results and look at ways to address the issues.
 
Juan Leal-Rubio, a long range planner with Yuma County, said the county will prioritize the issues based on residents' votes. He said the county will present the results, along with a summary at the next meeting in about a month and half.
 
He said that meeting will be the first of three where residents can participate in a Citizen Advisory Group.
 
At the meeting Wednesday night, at least 20 people had already signed up to be a part of the group.
 
Leal-Rubio said residents who live within the boundaries and want to get involved with the advisory group should contact him at Juan.Rubio@co.yuma.az.us.


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Stephanie A. Wilken can be reached at swilken@yumasun.com or 539-6857.