The Times is continuing its series of questions to the candidates running for mayor and town council this week. The question posed this week is: Do you support the town’s requirement to solicit public input on development projects, or similar proposals? Would you do anything to enhance or change this requirement?

Ginny Dickey: After unanimous endorsement by the Planning and Zoning Commission, our Council approved this citizen involvement process for proposed zoning code amendments or special use permits.

I agree with our vote, which was also unanimous. There has been a positive public response, and I expect applicants would feel likewise.

Prior to this ordinance, the process included notifying property owners by mail within 300 feet of the proposed new land use, printing the notification in the paper and also posting a sign on the property.

This would go beyond the requirements that are already in place by providing for a meeting – remote attendance is allowed – to gather input earlier and from a wider range of people.

Town staff does not need to be present, but the public and/or the developer can request their assistance.

The nature of these meetings will not be as official or binding as the public hearing, and in my opinion, will be conducive to good, balanced discussion. They can take place before the application when changes can be reviewed with less expense and disruption.

As this is a fairly new practice, I look forward to hearing about how it is progressing and whether any improvements come forth.

The opportunity for neighbors, Commissioners, Council and the developer to come together in agreement and bring forward an acceptable final project is greater with this increased communication and participation process.

Joe Arpaio: It’s good business and management to support development projects while keeping in mind financial and quality of life issues. It is also necessary to seek out public and Planning and Zoning recommendations. Unfortunately, the mayor/council tend to override the hard work and ideas that the Planning and Zoning volunteers send forward for various reasons, especially if controversy is involved.

We should also receive input from other sources including from businesses, real estate officials, and of course the general public for their input. We should remove the unnecessary regulations and bureaucracy. We should never make promises that will interfere with the process. Good development projects will enhance our tax base.

Hannah Toth: One of the many reasons I felt that I needed to run for Town Council in Fountain Hills was to improve transparency in local government. Transparency includes listening to residents’ concerns, comments and questions in any decision. In every development, there is an effect on the residents surrounding it. Whether that be traffic, noise, lights or simply views, there is a potential effect on property values that cannot be overlooked.

I absolutely support the citizens of Fountain Hills’ right to provide input on projects that affect them. At the moment, it would seem most of the changes to a development occur at the stage it is passed on to the Town. I believe citizens should have greater input at this stage to ensure that a development does not change in magnitude of impact between the original survey and the council’s vote.

Increasing the resident's opinion’s impact in Council decision, in any capacity, is something I would support. A core reason for my involvement in politics is that I hope to change how politics works in Fountain Hills. No more dictatorial council decisions on projects that have completely changed since citizens were last allowed to provide input. No more decisions that go against the people’s will.

I fully support citizen input on developments and would suggest that we extend the Council’s policy from 300 to 500 feet for community input on developments. Ensuring that all of those affected by a development in our community have their say is essential for staying true to my core belief, that the government needs to remember who they work for.

Cindy Couture: Public input is a key feature of our democracy and I support it unequivocally. Many of our residents have retired from or are still pursuing careers that involve knowledge of the details of building public projects, contracting, state and federal laws. We benefit greatly from their input. Furthermore, any development project can be improved by hearing from those with similar experience who might catch a problem before the project begins, thus saving the contractor and the town from requiring expensive revisions down the road.

Two good recent examples come to mind:

1) When the light bollards were installed in Fountain Park in 2015, it turned out that the lights reflected into the sky rather than lighting the path around the lake and were in violation of our Dark Skies Ordinances. Had the town sought prior public input, the correct lights might have been placed there. It took a group of some 30 citizen volunteers to correct the bollards.

2) The Council recently appointed a Citizens Street Committee to make recommendations to the town, including a plan to address the maintenance and repair needs of our 390 miles of streets. At a recent Town Council Meeting, Committee members presented their credentials. It was striking to learn that they added up to 311 years of experience in their relevant fields. And we get all that background for free!

An obvious but sometimes overlooked example of regular citizen input is the volunteer commitment made by members of our various Boards and Commissions, such as: Planning and Zoning; Board of Adjustment; Sister Cities Advisory Commission; McDowell Mountain Preservation Commission; Community Services Advisory Commission; Strategic Planning Advisory Commission. Membership allows Fountain Hills Citizens to take an active role in Town government.

Where would we be without all this support and input from our citizens?

Brenda Kalivianakis: I wholeheartedly support the Town’s requirement for public input on development and other similar proposals. In the past, bigger was always better and massive growth was always seen as a good, desirable thing. Fortunately, people started questioning that mantra. Whereas bigger and bolder brought certain desirable things with it, it also compromised on other considerations. Currently, quality of life issues, especially in Fountain Hills, is of utmost concern to our residents.

Many people have spent their whole life in Fountain Hills. However, most of the residents came from various parts of Arizona and from all over the country. People came here to get away from crime, congestion, high taxes and regulations. We love living in a friendly community that features abundant natural beauty, a magnificent Fountain, and many options for those that lead an active lifestyle.

Residents should have input on the business development near their homes; that is crucial to quality-of-life issues. Public participation contributes to better outcomes because decision-makers have more complete information – in the form of additional facts, values and perspectives obtained through public input – to bring to bear on the decision process. The citizens active role in the advice and consent process will safeguard our shared values and basic living conditions.

I would be a proponent to enhance the requirement to not only include residents within a specific distance to the development but would seek input from all residents that may be impacted by the proposed project. Geographic considerations are legitimate, but input should be included to all those affected regardless of proximity to the proposal. Every voice counts and should be considered.

Allen Skillicorn: The council works for the people, and it is standard practice to receive public input in Fountain Hills and elsewhere. What is different here in Fountain Hills is the people get a say on projects like Daybreak, which I opposed.

Another unique feature of Fountain Hills is our amazing views of the McDowells, Four Peaks and washes. I, like many others in town, treasure the small-town scenery and feel. For this and other reasons, my family chose to live here, not Scottsdale or Tempe. President Ronald Reagan compared America to “A shining city upon a hill." That shining city is Fountain Hills! That is why I will vehemently protect our mountainous views and natural beauty; I will protect the values and traditions of our small town.

I have been talking to my neighbors, dozens and dozens of them in fact. They agree that we should not slowly slide into Scottsdale or worse, California. That is why I am running for Council and that is what makes me different than the current liberal majority on Council.