Siskiyou County Seeks Public Input on Vision Statement and Guiding Principles

How to Participate

Community members can participate in two ways:

1. Attend the meeting in person to provide comments
2. Submit comments via email to [email protected]

Proposed Vision Statement Options

The county has presented two vision statement options for consideration:

Option 1:

Siskiyou County is a vibrant and close-knit community with scenic landscapes, where future generations have the opportunity to be safe, healthy, and successful. From our thriving agriculture industry to the sustainable use of our natural resources, the economy is powered by abundant natural resources, clean energy, and ample recreational activities. In looking to the future, local neighborhoods will continue to grow while still retaining that small-town feel, with homes that are well-maintained and cared for. The county continues to support and advocate for the private property rights of local residents. Agricultural land is conserved, and the county’s rural heritage remains strong. In coordination with private, state, federal, and tribal partners, the county protects from wildfire and natural hazards by promoting sustainable and holistic stewardship of the natural environment.

Option 2:

To build a sustainable and prosperous future for all, Siskiyou County strives to improve the lives of workers, visitors, and residents alike by focusing on the following priorities:

• Maintaining the County’s rural heritage, including the right to farm, the right to gather traditional foods, and open range.
• Expanding business opportunities based on agriculture, the natural resources economy, and local tourism.
• Emphasizing private property rights while encouraging sound stewardship of renewable resources.
• Working with tribal partners to increase regional biodiversity, by implementing sustainable forest management practices to increase habitat quality, quantity, and connectivity.
• Increasing support for local schools and creating educational opportunities for rural communities.
• Prioritizing local community interests, including wildfire and natural hazard mitigation, while providing efficient cost-effective government services.
• Pursue partnerships with federal, private, and state parties on hazard mitigation projects.
• Proposed County Guiding Principles

Hazards, safety, and wildfire preparedness

• Maintain countywide community health and safety through local disaster preparedness and hazard mitigation.
• Minimize the risk of wildfire and improve resilience against other climate related hazards through forest management best practices, tribal and interagency cooperation, and implementation of practical climate adaptation strategies.

Natural resources and scenery

• Employ sustainable landscape-scale stewardship of natural resources that incorporates Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK).
• Manage natural resources to preserve clean air, soil, and water for future generations that is mindful of individual property rights, by coordinating with private, state, federal, and tribal partners to sustainably utilize natural resources.
• Emphasize and ensure continued public access to open space and nature based recreational opportunities while also protecting the natural environment and the flora and fauna that inhabit it.
• Promote sustainable water resource management practices to encourage agriculturally based economic development and preservation of fish and wildlife habitat.

Economic development

• Support economic development and expand employment opportunities by leveraging the county’s natural beauty and abundant resources.
• Provide educational opportunities for the advancement of valuable trade skills that could benefit the community.
• Encourage and promote local tourism, while maintaining quality of life standards for local residents.
• Work with tribal partners to encourage local entrepreneurship.
• Emphasize sustainable natural resource economies, including farming, ranching, forestry, and other similar industries as a cornerstone of the local economy.
• Encourage and support local businesses as a way to foster community resilience and independence.

Sense of community and unique lifestyle

• Preservation of rural communities by promoting the right to farm, including the right to gather traditional foods and open range.
• Maintaining a sense of community built on the shared love and respect of the land and acknowledging that our community is built on the common desire to maintain and better what we have for future generations.
• Continue to collaborate with tribal partners to foster local independence and resilience by drawing from residents’ self-sufficient character as an asset for creating thriving active communities.

Land use, housing, and infrastructure

• Encourage sensible development to meet current and future demand for housing by streamlining the application and permitting process.
• Emphasize and reaffirm the County’s commitment to the belief that all people are deserving of dignity and respect, including the right to clean and safe housing.
• Promote development that contributes to community stability while avoiding development in rural areas and areas of unreasonable wildfire risk.
• Invest in quality infrastructure and other services that meets the unique needs of rural communities, including transportation networks, water distribution and treatment systems, waste management, communications, and power distribution.
• Continue to invest in local schools and health facilities to ensure an educated, knowledgeable, and healthy community.

Source: Draft Vision Statement & Guiding Principles (1-16-25)