The Camp Verde Town Council on Feb. 3 unanimously approved the Verde River Recreation Master Plan.
According to Camp Verde Director of Economic Development Steve Ayers, the approval “sets a course for the future development of recreational opportunities along the 17 miles of river flowing through the Town of Camp Verde.”
Ayers praised the decision, saying that it mitigates current problems along the river corridor, specifically trespassing onto private lands, degradation of the natural resources, fires, discharging firearms, theft of private property, illegal dumping and illegal vehicular traffic.
“The plan is specific in noting that it is unfair to those who live along the corridor, those whose lives are most impacted by river recreation, to further develop recreational opportunities without protecting their private property rights and cleaning up the current problems first,” Ayers added.
“The same can be said for the public lands, as they are being impacted by the same issues.”
The River Recreation Master Plan is the result of more than a year of information gathering and planning on the part of Ayers and Friends of the Verde River Greenway President Chip Norton. On Jan. 13, they presented the completed plan to the council and earned the consensus approval of the public.
“One of the defining elements of Camp Verde, one of the things that sets it aside from other communities in the state, is the fact that we have a free-flowing river running through town,” Ayers said. “It is a widely held belief, and one I hold also, that the health of our local economy is inextricably tied to the health of the Verde River.”
Ayers added that he thinks the plan is “long overdue,” as the community has expressed its desire for years to allow public access along Verde River. Without taking into account the needs of the people who live along the river, however, efforts to make recreation possible have been largely unproductive.
“Going forward, we will be working with riverfront property owners to design barriers, signs and educational programs so the trespass of their properties will cease,” Ayers said. “In return, we will be asking them to work with us in good faith to provide places where the public can access the river and enjoy all it has to offer.”
