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[Legislative Housing Supply Study Committee on September 26, 2022.]
GOOD AFTERNOON.THE HOUSING SUPPLY STUDY COMMITTEE IS CALLED TO ORDER.
UM, CAN YOU CALL THE ATTENDANCE OF THE COMMITTEE PLEASE? ACTUALLY, INSTEAD OF THE, UH, TENANTS, WE'LL JUST GO DOWN THE LINE AND INTRODUCE REAL FAST.
AND THEN WE'LL DO, I'LL HAVE YOU GUYS, UH, DO THE OVERVIEW AND COMMITTEE PURPOSE.
I'M FROM LD TWO, WHICH IS NORTH PHOENIX.
UH, STATE REPRESENTATIVE SENATOR GOWAN FROM SIERRA VISTA PRETTY FAR.
JUST DROVE UP
IT'S GOOD TO SEE THE MOUNTAINS HERE, THOUGH, YOU KNOW, PRETTY, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
MARTIN CASAA, UH, REPRESENTING LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT 29 IN WEST PHOENIX AND GLENDALE, UH, IN THE STATE SENATE.
CAESAR CHAVEZ, STATE REPRESENTATIVE, ALSO LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT 29.
JAKE INMAN HERE FOR ARIZONA MULTI-HOUSING ASSOCIATION.
SPENCER CAMS, HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION OF CENTRAL ARIZONA.
I'M THE COMMUNITY SERVICES TRUCTURE FOR THE CITY OF GLENDALE.
MATT ELLI, ARIZONA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS, JOAN SERVICE WITH THE ARIZONA HOUSING COALITION.
AND STAFF, DO WE HAVE THE COMMITTEE AND PURPOSE PLEASE FOR THE COMMITTEE? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
UH, JASON THEODORE, UH, RESEARCH ANALYST FOR THE SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE.
THE HOUSING SUPPLY STUDY COMMITTEE IS REQUIRED TO REVIEW DATA ON THE SCOPE OF HOUSING, SUPPLY AND ACCESS, COMPILE AN OVERVIEW OF WAYS TO ADDRESS ARIZONA'S HOUSING SHORTAGE AND TO MITIGATE ITS CAUSES AND SOLICIT IDEAS AND OPINIONS OF INDUSTRY AND SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS AND THE COMMUNITY ON ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND MR. CHAIR, THE PUBLIC, IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK THEIR SPEAKING SLIPS AT THIS FACT TABLE, THEY, THEY CAN FILL OUT.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE FROM, UH, THE PUBLIC THAT'S HERE TODAY TO TESTIFY.
UH, THE SHEETS LOOK LIKE THIS.
WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP A RECORD OF EVERYBODY THAT SPEAKS.
UH, IT'D BE THREE MINUTES AND THEN Q QUESTION AND ANSWER AFTER THAT.
UM, AS CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE, I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF EXPLAIN MY INTENT AND PURPOSE FOR THIS.
UM, I REALLY FEEL LIKE I GREW UP IN PHOENIX SINCE I WAS FIVE AND LIVED AWAY FOR A FEW YEARS IN GEORGIA AND THEN CAME BACK AND I REMEMBER COMING BACK TO PHOENIX.
AND SO I THINK YOU ALL KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON THEN WITH THE HOUSING BACK THEN, AND BEING VERY SENSITIVE TO THE FACT THAT MY WIFE AND I COULDN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN PHOENIX.
WE THOUGHT WE COULDN'T, UM, BECAUSE OF THE RISING HOME PRICES.
NOW, AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, I HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT STRUGGLE TO FIND HOMES FOR THEIR FAMILIES.
UM, AND THEN I'M ALSO TOUCHED BY THE FACT THAT OUR FASTEST GROWING HOMELESS POPULATION IN ARIZONA IS SENIOR CITIZENS.
AND A LOT OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT THEY'RE ON FIXED INCOMES AND THEN THE RENT GOES UP THREE, FOUR, $500 A MONTH WHEN THEY GO TO RENEW THEIR LEASE.
AND FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I BELIEVE THAT'S DUE TO A LACK OF SUPPLY.
AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS TRY TO FIND WAYS TO INCREASE ALL SPECTRUM OF HOUSING SUPPLY IN ARIZONA.
IT'S NOT JUST A METRO PHOENIX PROBLEM, IT'S A STATEWIDE PROBLEM.
AND I WANNA LOOK AT ALL ASPECTS OF HOME BUILDING AND FIND WAYS TO IMPROVE THE HOME BUILDING PROCESS.
UM, THAT'S MY INTENT AND PURPOSE.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE IN SEDONA.
I'M VERY EXCITED THAT WE ALSO HAVE PRESCOTT AND, UH, COTTONWOOD HERE AS WELL.
SO I'M EXCITED TO HEAR WHAT THE UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES ARE FROM EACH CITY AND TOWN, UH, THAT ARE REPRESENTED.
UM, DO ANY OTHER, UH, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE HAVE ANY OPENING COMMENTS THAT HE'D LIKE TO SAY TO GET STARTED? MAYOR WOODS? YEAH.
MAYOR WOODS, IF YOU COULD INTRODUCE YOURSELF REALLY QUICK, PLEASE.
UH, COREY WOODS, MAYOR OF TEMP.
ANY OTHER OPENING REMARKS FROM THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS? EXCELLENT.
SO, UM, FOR THE DIFFERENT CITIES AND TOWNS THAT ARE HERE TODAY, WHAT, WHAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING IS YOUR CURRENT STATUS OF YOUR HOUSING MARKET, UH, WHAT IT TAKES TO BUILD IN YOUR CITY OR TOWN, UM, AND THEN KIND OF WHETHER YOU'RE SHORT HOMES OR YOU HAVE EXCESS HOMES, AND WHAT ARE THE, THE CONSTRAINTS FOR HOME BUILDING IN YOUR AREAS.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
UM, WE'LL START OFF THE PRESENTATIONS WITH JOANNE KEEN, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER FOR CITY OF SEDONA MAYORS, UM, REPRESENTATIVE KAISER.
I THINK WE, UH, WE HAVE OUR THREE MAYORS HERE WHO ARE PREPARED JUST TO MAKE SOME KIND OF INTRO WELCOME COMMENTS, IF THAT'S OKAY.
I'D LIKE TO TURN IT TO OUR MAYOR, MO YARDI FIRST.
GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY, AND WELCOME TO SEDONA.
WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU IN OUR TOWN, AT LEAST FOR THE AFTERNOON.
MAYBE SOME OF YOU WILL SPEND THE NIGHT
THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY, ISN'T IT? BE, UH, SEDONA IS KIND OF, AS YOU, I THINK YOU ALL KNOW, SEDONA IS KIND OF THE POSTER CHILD FOR VACATION RENTALS IN ARIZONA.
WE HAVE, FOR ONE THING, WE HAVE A VERY
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SMALL STOCK OF APARTMENTS.I WAS JUST SAYING TO SOMEBODY, 4% ONLY OF OUR HOUSING STOCK IS, IS APARTMENTS.
15% OF OUR HOUSING STOCK IS VACATION RENTALS, THE EQUIVALENT OF 2,500 ROOMS. YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR THIS MORE THAN ONCE TODAY.
AND SINCE IT TAKES, I THINK, SEVEN TIMES FOR US TO REMEMBER SOMETHING WHEN WE HEAR IT, LET ME BE THE FIRST TO TELL YOU THOSE STATISTICS.
SO THAT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF 2,500 HOTEL ROOMS, MORE HOTEL ROOMS THAN ARE IN ACTUAL HOTELS IN SEDONA.
AND, AND SO WE NEED, YES, WE NEED ALL KINDS OF HOUSING IN SEDONA, BUT SEDONA HAS ALSO BEEN ON THE VERY TOP END OF THE AFFORDABILITY GAP IN THE STATE FOR MANY YEARS.
I USED TO BE ON THE HOUSING COMMISSION, UH, BEFORE I BECAME THE MAYOR.
I'M A 50 YEAR RESIDENT OF SEDONA.
SO I'VE WATCHED THE TOWN GROW AND WE ACTUALLY DECREASED IN THE LAST 10 YEARS IN POPULATION, LARGELY DO TO THE PROLIFERATION OF VACATION RENTALS.
SO WE WERE, I EXPECT BY THE END OF THE YEAR, AT LEAST, IF NOT BEFORE, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT 984 PROPERTIES AS OF THE END OF AUGUST, THAT OUR VACATION RENTAL PROPERTIES THE EQUIVALENT OF OVER 2,500 ROOMS, MORE HOTEL, MORE THAN THE HOTEL ROOMS THAT EXIST IN THE CITY LIMITS.
AND, AND AS IN OTHER RURAL TOWNS, SOME PLACES, OR EVEN IN URBAN AREAS, BUILDING APARTMENTS IS NOT NECESSARILY POPULAR WITH RESIDENTS, BIG APARTMENT BUILDINGS.
THEY DON'T WANT THAT IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO, SO WE HAVE ESSENTIALLY, SEDONA IS ONE BIG DISPERSED HOTEL DISTRICT, FRANKLY, THE WAY THINGS ARE.
SO IT'S NOT A QUESTION OF NUISANCES FOR US, IT'S THE LACK OF RENTAL AND RESIDENTIAL INVENTORY THAT IS OUR MAJOR PROBLEM.
WE HAVE, WE CAN DEAL WITH THE NUISANCES, AND I DON'T THINK WE HAVE AS IT AS BAD AS YOU DO DOWN IN THE VALLEY OF THE SUN, BUT WE HAVE SOME OF COURSE.
BUT OUR MAJOR ISSUE IS HOUSING, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ALWAYS HAS BEEN, ALWAYS WILL BE.
THANK YOU CHAIRMAN KAISER, AND, UH, CHAIRMAN GOWAN, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU GUYS AGAIN.
I SPENT, UH, TWO YEARS ON THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, AND THEN SPENT FOUR YEARS AS A CITY COUNCILMAN AND NOW, UM, UH, FINISHING UP MY FIRST YEAR AS MAYOR.
SO I DO HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE DIRECTLY WITH, UH, HOUSING DEMAND AND GROWTH, PARTICULARLY IN PRESCOTT.
AND ALSO, UH, THE INTERCONNECTION BETWEEN GROWTH AND, UM, BEING ABLE TO UTILIZE OUR, UH, WATER PORTFOLIO AS THE ONLY ASSURED, UH, WATER SUPPLIER, UM, IN NORTHERN ARIZONA.
UM, THE IMPACT ON THE PRESCOTT AMA IS CERTAINLY, UH, UH, INTERCONNECTION THERE.
SO WE CAN'T, UH, DISREGARD, UH, GROWTH AND, UM, HOUSING DEVELOPMENT WITHOUT CONSIDERING ITS IMPACT ON OUR, UM, PRESCOTT, UH, ACTIVE MANAGEMENT, UH, AREA.
SO, UM, I'VE BEEN WORKING TRYING TO, UM, COORDINATE WITH, UM, OTHER STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COMMUNITY TO TRY TO DEVELOP A WORKFORCE HOUSING THAT'S A PARTICULAR, UM, A CHALLENGE FOR US RIGHT NOW BECAUSE, UM, HOURLY WORKERS ARE HAVING A, UH, ESCALATING TOUGH TIME TRYING TO FIND HOUSING, WHETHER IT'S, UH, RENTAL UNITS, UH, LEASING, UM, AND OF COURSE WE ARE GROWING PRETTY DRAMATICALLY IN SOME OF THE, UH, LARGER DEVELOPMENT AROUND OUR AIRPORT IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THIS, THIS CITY WHERE WE HAVE MUCH MORE, UH, FLAT TOPOGRAPHY THAT A LOT OF, UH, YOU ARE, UM, PROBABLY AWARE OF IN THE, UM, IN THE MARICOPA AREAS AND THE OTHER, UM, MAJOR AREAS DOWN THERE BY THE, UH, CAPITAL.
SO THE REST OF OUR COMMUNITY IS CHALLENGED BY A LOT OF, UH, TOPOGRAPHY.
WE HAVE, UM, HILLS AND VALLEYS AND DALES AND, UM, AREAS WHERE IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO BE ABLE TO DEVELOP, UH, JUST BECAUSE OF THE TOPOGRAPHY IN THOSE AREAS.
WE'RE ALSO LIMITED ON OUR ABILITY TO EXPAND ROADWAYS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A SAFE, EFFECTIVE, UH, TRANSPORTATION.
BUT I'M A BIG, UM, ADVOCATE FOR INFILL DEVELOPMENT.
I'D MUCH RATHER SEE DEVELOPMENTS OF MAYBE HAVE 50, UH, 60, 70 APARTMENTS THAN, UH, REALLY LARGE, UH, MULTI-STORY, HIGH DENSITY, UH, DEVELOPMENTS THAT, UM, HAS SUCH A IMPACT ON TRAFFIC AND QUITE FRANKLY, OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE PUBLIC SAFETY RESPONSE AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW NORTHWARD, UM, OUR ABILITY TO RESPOND TO POLICE AND FIRE CALLS, EMERGENCY, UH, MEDICAL SERVICE
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CALLS, ET CETERA, BECOMES MORE AND MORE OF A CHALLENGE.AND EVERY NEW RESIDENT SHOULD HAVE THE SAME EXPECTATION OF, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY RESPONSE WHEN THEY NEED, UM, FIRE OR POLICE OR EMERGENCY PROTECTION.
SO WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO BALANCE THE PACE OF GROWTH WITH THE ABILITY TO DELIVER PUBLIC SAFETY AT THE SAME, SAME TIME.
SO RIGHT NOW, UM, I'VE FORMED, UM, AN AD HOC COMMITTEE WHERE WE'RE INVESTIGATING PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND INITIATIVES THAT THE CITY CAN PARTICIPATE IN, SUCH AS, UH, SUPPORTING PRIVATE WORKFORCE HOUSING PROJECTS THROUGH A WAVING OF, UH, PERMIT FEES AND, UH, PRIORITY PROCESS HANDLING ASSISTING PROJECTS WITH SOME LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION IN EXTENDING UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE USE OF, UM, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK RAN FUNDS FOR SPECIFIC HOUSING PROJECTS, UH, RESEARCHING EXISTING IN FUTURE TOWN HOME AND CONDOMINIUM PROJECTS SO THAT THERE'S A MIDPOINT IN THE, UH, COST RELATED HOME HOUSING REQUIREMENT THAT PEOPLE, UH, WANT TO BE ABLE TO FIND HOUSING THAT'S, UH, LOCATED NEAR WORK, UM, REQUIRING DEVELOPMENTS REQUESTING ANNEXATION INTO THE CITY TO INCLUDE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS WITHIN THEIR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.
AND INCENTIVIZING THE USE OF ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS SUCH AS GUEST HOUSES AND CEDS ON, UH, CURRENT, UH, DEVELOPED LOTS.
SO THIS BEING A REGIONAL ISSUE, THE INTENT IS ALSO TO FACILITATE FURTHER PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS, OTHER JURISDICTION DEVELOPERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY MANAGE WORKFORCE COMMUNITIES, CREATE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, FIRST TIME HOME BUYER EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND RESEARCH FUNDING OP OPTIONS SUCH AS THE HELPER ACT THAT'S CURRENTLY, UM, UM, A BIPARTISAN PROGRAM IN THE, UH, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT'S TRYING TO EXTEND SOME OF THE, UM, BENEFITS OF, UH, VA LOAN PROGRAMS FOR VETERANS TRYING TO ACQUIRE, ACQUIRE HOUSING, BUT EXTENDING THAT TO, UH, FIRST RESPONDERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIREFIGHTERS, EMS, AND EVEN K THROUGH 12 EDUCATORS, SO THAT THEY CAN, UH, OVERCOME THAT HURDLE OF, UM, FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS AND THEN BE ABLE TO BUILD EQUITY AS THEY MOVE FORWARD.
SO SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE INCLUDE IN THE CITY OF PRESCOTT, UM, THE COST OFFI DEVELOPMENT, UH, LACK OF CONTROL ON RE RESALE LISTING PRICES.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF WE WERE ABLE TO DEVELOP SOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING STRUCTURES, UM, OH, I GUESS YOU'RE NOT POINTING AT ME
UM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THOSE RETAIN SOME AFFORDABILITY FOR FUTURE, UH, FIRST RESPONDERS OR EDUCATIONAL MEMBERS, UH, RATHER THAN, UH, HAVING THOSE, UH, HOMES ESCALATE IN PRICE AND THEN, UH, BE UNAFFORDABLE FOR, UH, FUTURE NEEDS, UH, QUITE FRANKLY, UM, TRYING TO KEEP PACE WITH THESE, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES.
AND EVEN THIS PROPOSAL, I NOTICED THAT THERE WASN'T ANY REAL CONNECTION WITH PROPOSITION 2 0 7.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE PRIVATE PROPERTY, UM, PROTECTION ACT THAT REALLY RESTRICTS OUR ABILITY TO, UH, DOWN ZONE PROPERTY, OTHERWISE IT TRIGGERS THE COMPENSATION FOR PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS IF THEIR, UM, PROPERTY IS, UH, REDUCED IN WHAT THEY CONSIDER VALUE.
SO IF WE HAVE A BUSINESS GENERAL OR, UM, OTHER BUSINESS AREAS THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO, UH, UH, ZONE FOR RESIDENTIAL OR MULTI-FAMILY, THEN POTENTIALLY WE WOULD TRIGGER A COMPENSATION TO THE PROPERTY OWNER.
AND THAT WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT ON SOME OF THESE PROPOSALS FOR HOUSING BY RIGHT.
UM, REALLY ZONING IS NOT REALLY THE CAUSE OF LACK OF AVAILABILITY IN, IN PRESCOTT.
UM, SO WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT TRIGGERING THOSE FINANCIAL COMPENSATIONS.
AND THE CITY IS COGNIZANT OF ENACTING LAND USE RESTRICTIONS THAT COULD DIMINISH A RESTRICT, UH, EXISTING PROPERTY RIGHTS.
SO, UM, THERE'S MANY ASPECTS TO DEVELOPMENT, ESPECIALLY IN NORTHERN ARIZONA, WHERE WE DON'T HAVE THESE BROAD TRACKS OF FLAT LAND TO BE ABLE TO, UH, PROVIDE, UH, ADDITIONAL HOUSING STOCK.
WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THE, UH, UNIQUE, UH, TOPOGRAPHY THAT EACH OF OUR, UH, SMALLER COMMUNITIES IN NORTHERN ARIZONA HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
AND I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF WHY LOCAL
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CONTROL IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES IN A WAY THAT, UH, IS BENEFICIAL TO THE, UH, HISTORICAL NATURE OF OUR COMMUNITIES WITHOUT, UH, HAVING REALLY MASSIVE, UH, HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE REALLY OUT OF SCALE OR OUTTA SCOPE WITH OUR COMMUNITIES IN GENERAL.SO, UH, THAT'S THE NATURE OF MY COMMENTS, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE TIME AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU ALL.
AND IF WE COULD, UM, EACH MAYOR, IF YOU, IF YOU KNOW, UH, THIS INFORMATION, PLEASE PROVIDE IT, BUT I'M CURIOUS IF EACH OF YOUR COMMUNITIES IS, HAS A SURPLUS OF HOUSING OR A DEFICIT OF HOUSING, AND IF YOU KNOW THE NUMBER, UM, FLAGSTAFF WAS ABLE TO TELL US THEY WERE SHORT 8,000 HOMES.
UH, TUCSON DIDN'T HAVE THE NUMBER IN FRONT OF THEM, BUT THEY WERE GONNA GET THAT TO US.
SO IF YOU HAVE THAT KIND OF INFORMATION, WE'D LOVE TO KNOW THAT TOO.
UM, WE, I'LL TRY TO GET YOU SOME NUMBERS.
UM, CHAIRMAN KAISER, UM, WE'RE GROWING AT A VERY RAPID PACE.
SO RIGHT NOW THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS BEING ABLE TO FIND RENTAL HOUSING FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO WORK.
UM, AND WHETHER THEY'RE HOURLY WAGE WORKERS OR EVEN A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE TAKING UP THE RENTAL UNITS BECAUSE THEY'RE WAITING FOR HOUSING TO BE BUILT IN SOME OF THESE NEW DEVELOPMENTS.
SO IT'S HARD TO REALLY SAY WHETHER WE HAVE AN EXCESS OR A DEFICIT.
IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE KIND OF HOUSING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I'M SURE YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM OUR HOUSING DIRECTOR THE NUMBERS, BUT AS OF OUR LAST HOUSING STUDY, I THINK IT WAS 2018, WE WERE SHORT 1500 UNITS.
UH, AND, AND 85% OF THE UNITS AVAILABLE FOR HOUSING OR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
SO WE REALLY DO HAVE A SHORTAGE OF TYPE DIFFERENT TYPES, VARIED TYPES OF HOUSING.
UH, KAISER AND GOWAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, FOR HAVING ME, COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
MY NAME'S TIM LINSKY, I'M THE MAYOR OF COTTONWOOD, THANKS TO SEDONA FOR HOSTING THIS AS WELL.
UM, I'LL GIVE YOU JUST A BRIEF RUNDOWN ON THE HOUSING SITUATION IN COTTONWOOD.
UM, AND BEFORE I DO, I'LL SAY TOO THAT I ALSO SERVED ON PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AS WELL, AND HAVE BEEN SERVING COTTONWOOD FOR 17 YEARS NOW.
SO I'VE SEEN, SEEN US, YOU KNOW, EBB AND FLOW AND, AND OUR HOUSING SUPPLY, YOU KNOW, FOLLOW SUIT.
BUT THE WAY THINGS CURRENTLY STAND NOW, IN TERMS OF UNITS SHY, WE'RE UH, I THINK SITTING RIGHT AROUND WHERE SEDONA IS AROUND 12 TO 1400.
WE'VE GOT EXPERTS IN THE ROOM THAT HAVE ALL THE, THE FACTS FOR YOU, BUT THAT'S HOW MANY UNITS SHY.
WE ARE CURRENTLY, NOT CURRENTLY WHEN THIS STUDY CAME OUT, WHICH WAS ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO.
SO I, I THINK THE SITUATION'S EVEN MORE GRIM RIGHT NOW.
UH, THE GOOD NEWS IS WE HAVE ABOUT, WELL, WE HAVE SEVERAL HUNDRED UNITS THAT ARE PERMITTED AND READY TO COME OUT OF THE GROUND.
THE BAD NEWS IS THERE'S LIKE THREE DUDES DOING ALL THE WORK
SO, UH, WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG WE'RE GONNA NO, IN ALL, IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, WE HAVE A SERIOUS LACK OF, OF LABOR.
UH, COTTONWOOD STILL STANDS AS THE YOUNGEST COMMUNITY IN YAVAPAI COUNTY, WHICH IS NOT TO SAY IT'S A YOUNG COMMUNITY, BUT IT'S THE YOUNGEST.
WE HAVE THE LARGEST STOCK OF APARTMENT STYLE, UH, HOUSING UNITS.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH HOUSING UNITS TO, TO SUPPORT THE WORKFORCE THAT WE NEED.
AND WITH, UM, THE AIRBNB CRISIS, UM, WE FIND THAT A LOT OF THE FOLKS THAT WE'RE IN THE WORKFORCE ARE, ARE GETTING DISPLACED NOW, AND THEY CANNOT FIND HOUSING.
SO AS OUR WORKFORCE LEAVES AND THE DEMAND GROWS FOR HOUSING, WE'RE IN A REAL QUANDARY.
WE JUST SIMPLY CAN'T GET 'EM OUTTA THE GROUND FAST ENOUGH.
WE ARE POISED FOR A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF GROWTH IN COTTONWOOD.
WE HAVE SOME INFILL PROJECTS THAT ARE, THAT ARE RIPE FOR DEVELOPMENT.
WE HAVE STATE TRUST LAND THAT WE'VE ANNEXED.
WE HAVE 10 MORE SECTIONS OF STATE TRUST LAND THAT WE COULD ANNEX, WHICH IS ADJACENT TO THE CITY.
SO WE HAVE PLENTY OF ROOM FOR GROWTH.
INFRASTRUCTURE IS, IS A MAJOR ISSUE FOR US.
SO IT'S REALLY INFRASTRUCTURE AND LACK OF, OF WORKFORCE.
THE DEMAND IS THERE AND WE ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS AND COTTONWOOD.
SO WE WORK CLOSELY WITH DEVELOPERS, PARTICULARLY, PARTICULARLY ON THE FRONT END, TO MAKE SURE WE BRING A, A PROPOSAL TOGETHER TO COUNT PLANNING AND ZONING AND COUNCIL THAT'S GONNA, YOU KNOW, GET APPROVED.
UM, WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, BUT, UM, AGAIN, WE JUST, WE CAN'T GET THE UNITS OUT QUICK ENOUGH.
WE, WE NEED, NEED LABOR, NEED MORE LABOR, AND I WOULD REALLY JUST STRESS, AGAIN, LOCAL CONTROL ON THE AIRBNB SITUATION.
IT'S NOT AS BAD IN COTTONWOOD AS IT IS IN SEDONA OR OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE PAGE, SBE.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, SEDONA AND COTTONWOOD ARE, ARE REALLY CLOSELY LINKED AND WE'VE RECOGNIZED THAT WE'VE COHID A HOUSING MANAGER TO COME UP WITH A LOT OF GREAT SOLUTIONS, UM, TO, TO THE HOUSING CRISIS.
IT'S GOING TO BE A DROP IN THE BUCKET, REALLY.
BUT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WHAT WE CAN, UH, AS MUNICIPALITIES TO, TO SOLVE THE, THE CRISIS.
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CO COTTONWOOD, HISTORICALLY WAS SEDONAS WORKFORCE.UH, WE, WE PROVIDED ALL THE HOUSING FOR THEIR WORKFORCE FOR THE RESORTS AND, AND EVERYTHING HERE IN SEDONA.
AND THAT RELATIONSHIP WORKED OUT REALLY WELL FOR A LONG TIME UNTIL THE MEDIAN HOME PRICE IN SEDONA WENT TO ABOUT A MILLION BUCKS.
AND AT COTTONWOOD IT'S ABOUT 450, $500,000.
AND SO WHAT'S HAPPENING IS WHEN FOLKS MOVE OVER, OUR FRIENDS FROM CALIFORNIA, FROM TEXAS, OR FROM THE MIDWEST, THEY MOVE HERE.
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR HOUSING, THEY'LL BUY UP WHATEVER THEY CAN.
SO THEY'RE BUYING UP, YOU KNOW, THE, THE LOWER END OF THE HOUSING MARKET WHERE OUR WORKFORCE SHOULD BE BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST GETTING THEIR FOOT IN THE DOOR UNTIL THEY CAN BUILD OR, OR BUY SOMETHING, UH, ELSE.
AND SO IT REALLY HAS HAD A, A DETRIMENTAL IMPACT ON OUR ECONOMIC, UH, GROWTH IN COTTONWOOD.
AND, UH, AGAIN, WE'VE GOT OUR, OUR, OUR STAFF HERE TO ANSWER ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.
I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE AND, AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU ALL MAY HAVE.
I'D LIKE TO, WHEN YOUR STAFF GETS UP, I'D REALLY LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW YOU ANNEX THE STATE LAND, BECAUSE THERE IS A, UH, QUITE A BIT OF STATE LAND SPRINKLED THROUGHOUT STATE OF ARIZONA, EVEN WITHIN INFIELD AREAS WITHIN MARICOPA COUNTY AREA TOO.
SO I'D LOVE TO KNOW HOW THAT PROCESS WENT.
UM, GREAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE MAYORS? YES, SIR.
UM, I GUESS THIS IS FOR THE MAYOR OF, OF COTTONWOOD, CUZ THERE, YOUR REMARKS STRUCK ME GIVEN OUR LAST MEETING IN FLAGSTAFF.
SO FLAGSTAFF, AS THE CHAIR POINTED OUT, MENTIONED THERE WERE 8,000 UNITS SHORT OF HOUSING.
UM, YOU MENTIONED COTTONWOOD SHORTS, 12 TO 1400 UNITS.
UH, BUT WE ALSO HEARD IN FLAGSTAFF THAT MUCH OF FLAGSTAFF'S WORKFORCE LIVES IN COTTONWOOD AND COMMUTES.
SO I WOULD ARGUE THAT YOU'RE BURDENED WITH HAVING TO HOUSE ANOTHER JURISDICTIONS WORKFORCE.
SO HOW DO YOU MANAGE THAT, I SUPPOSE, AS A REGION? HOW DOES THAT COME INTO PLAY WITH TRYING TO NOT IN MAYOR WOODS TALKED ABOUT THIS IN ONE OF OUR EARLY MEETINGS AS WELL, WHERE HE OFTEN FINDS HIMSELF ALSO HAVING TO HOUSE OTHER COMMUNITIES WORKFORCE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAID IT THAT PLAINLY,
UM, BUT SO I GUESS HOW, HOW, HOW DO YOU MANAGE SOMETHING LIKE THAT GIVEN THAT WE HEARD THOSE REMARKS IN FLAGSTAFF AND YOUR REMARKS ABOUT YOUR SHORTAGE IN IN COTTONWOOD? WELL, I MEAN, WE MANAGE, WE MANAGE IT THE BEST WE CAN.
AND LIKE I SAID, WE'VE COHID THE MANAGER, WE'VE DONE THE STUDIES WITH SEDONA, WE'VE, WE'VE INVENTORIED WHAT WE HAVE.
BUT IN TERMS OF, OF THE, THE WORKFORCE COMMUTING BACK AND FORTH, A LOT OF THIS IS JUST BEING MANAGED BY AN OPEN MARKET AND OUR INABILITY TO, TO HAVE LOCAL CONTROL OVER SUCH THINGS AS AIRBNB, SHORT TERM RENTALS.
I THINK A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO COMMUTE GREAT DISTANCES, UH, BECAUSE THOSE UNITS THAT WERE ONCE AVAILABLE, UH, AS A PLACE TO RENT ARE NOW, UH, TAKEN UP BY, BY SHORT TERM RENTALS.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S A SERIOUS PROBLEM IN NORTHERN ARIZONA.
SO, SO MAYOR, I MEAN, IS IT SAFE TO SAY THAT YOUR COMMUNITY IS BURDENED BY FLAGSTAFF SHORTAGE AS WELL? I I, BY HAVING TO HOUSE, I WOULD LEAN ON, ON MY STAFF TO ANSWER THAT.
I, I DON'T KNOW THE STATS ON HOW MANY COMMUTE FROM FLAG FROM COTTONWOOD TWO FLAGSTAFF.
I KNOW THAT FOLKS, I MEAN, HISTORICALLY HAVE COMMUTED.
MY WIFE USED TO COMMUTE TO, TO FLAGSTAFF, UH, FOR OPPORTUNITIES UP THERE.
AND MANY FOLKS COMMUTE TO PRESCOTT PRESCOTT VALLEY FOR WORK AND VICE VERSA HERE.
YOU KNOW, IT JUST, WE, THAT'S THE NATURE OF WHERE WE LIVE IN RURAL.
UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW SPECIFICALLY HOW MANY FOLKS THAT WE'RE HOUSING THAT WORK IN FLAGSTAFF.
UM, THE GENERAL EFFECTIVE DATE FOR LAWS THAT GOT PASSED IN THIS LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION WAS THIS WEEKEND ON SATURDAY, AND I WORKED WITH SENATOR MESNARD ON A SHORT TERM RENTAL BILL.
I'M HOPING THAT ALL THREE OF YOU ARE, HAVE BEEN BRIEFED ON IT BY YOUR STAFF ABOUT, UM, A NEW PROCESS FOR REGULATING SHORT TERM RENTALS.
EACH CITY IN TOWN CAN NOW, UH, PERMIT AND CONTROL AND KICK OUT BAD ACTORS AROUND THE SHORT TERM RENTAL PIECE.
SO PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW THAT LAW WORKS AS IT GOES INTO EFFECT JUST THIS LAST SATURDAY.
HOPEFULLY THAT HELPS AT LEAST GET RID OF THE BAD ACTORS.
UM, BUT IT'S JUST, UH, ONE ASPECT OF THE SHORT TERM RENTAL.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE TALK ABOUT, CUZ I KNOW WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT BIGGER CONCEPTS WITH SHORT TERM RENTALS, BUT I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW, AND HOPEFULLY IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GUYS ALL KNOW ABOUT THAT AS WELL, SO WE ARE FAMILIAR.
YEAH, LIKE MAYOR MO ALREADY SAID, IT'S NOT SO MUCH THE BAD ACTORS, IT'S REALLY DISPLACING HOMES THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE USED AS, AS RENTALS OR LONG, YOU KNOW, LONG TERM, UH, PLACES TO LIVE.
AND IT'S, IT'S THE, IT'S A COMMERCIAL USE, WHICH WOULD NORMALLY BE REGULATED BY THE CITY THAT'S JUST, UH, PERMEATING NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO LIKE, I'M GONNA, YOU, YOU, YOU SPEAK ON IT, YOU'RE
[00:25:01]
HAVE THE LICENSING ELEMENT ADDED TO IT, BUT DOES, IT WILL NOT STOP THE PROLIFERATION.THEY'RE MOSTLY WELL BEHAVED, AT LEAST IN SEDONA, WE GET, YES, WE HAVE OUR SHARE OF NUISANCE COMPLAINTS.
IT'S NOTHING LIKE IN THE VALLEY WHERE YOU ALL ARE.
UH, AND, AND FRANKLY, IT, IT JUST, WE ALREADY HAD THE ABILITY TO, UM, UM, SCRAPE THE WEBSITES AND IDENTIFY WHERE THE PROPERTIES ARE AND WE HA AND WE HAD THE ABILITY TO MAKE THEM PROVIDE AN EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION FOR US.
BUT THAT DOESN'T STOP THE PROLIFERATION IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM.
IT JUST HELPS US TO IDENTIFY THE LICENSING WILL HELP.
MAYBE NOT EVERY COMMUNITY HAS EMPLOYED A THIRD PARTY, UH, TO IDENTIFY THE PROPERTIES.
WE'VE GOT ABOUT EIGHT 85% OF THEM IDENTIFIED.
SO WE ALREADY KNOW WHO THEY ARE.
THE LICENSE WILL MAKE IT EASIER TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM, BUT IN NO WAY WILL IT STOP PROLIFERATION.
IT'S IF YOU, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE CHARTS AND MAPS OF WHAT WE HAVE, AND IT'S BEEN STEADILY UP EXCEPT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A COUPLE OF MONTHS EVER SINCE 1350 WAS ENACTED.
SO, NO, IT ISN'T REALLY, THE ONLY THING SIGNIFICANT THAT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE IS TO CHANGE STATE LAW, TO GIVE US MORE LOCAL CONTROL AND TO SAY WE DON'T HAVE TO TREAT SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM RENTALS THE SAME.
RIGHT NOW, THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS.
AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO TREAT SHORT TERM RENTALS AS THE BUSINESSES THAT THEY ARE, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE.
AND THEY'RE IN NEIGHBORHOODS NOW.
YES, WE'VE GOTTEN SOME INCOME FROM IT.
I WOULD GIVE UP SOME OF THAT INCOME TO BE ABLE TO, TO MANAGE AND, AND STOP THE BLEEDING ON THE CREATION OF SH OF VACATION RENTALS.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE THE LICENSING ABILITY, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO STOP THE PROLIFERATION.
YEAH, I WOULD, I ONLY BROUGHT THAT UP JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL TRACKING.
I WASN'T SURE IF THAT OH, YES, WE'RE WELL AWARE,
AND WE WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE AS SOON AS WE CAN.
HOWEVER, WHAT THE LAW SAID WAS ONCE THEY APPLY FOR A LICENSE, YOU HAVE TO ISSUE IT IN SEVEN DAYS.
UM, THAT'LL TAKE SOME DOING, WE'VE GOT ALMOST A THOUSAND PROPERTIES.
WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO EVERYBODY THAT APPLIES IN SEVEN DAYS.
SO WE'RE GETTING READY TO DO THAT AND WE WILL DO IT.
AND ONCE WE GET IT UP AND RUNNING, IT WILL BE A GOOD TOOL, BUT NOT A TOOL TOWARD, TOWARD MANAGING IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM, REALLY PERFECT JUST TO, TO MAKE THEM BEHAVE BETTER AND MAKE SURE THEY DO.
MOST OF THEM REALLY, AS I SAY, THEY, I HAVE 'EM IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE WELL BEHAVED, BUT IT'S, IT, IT ERODES THE NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER.
IT ERODES THE COMMUNITY CHARACTER AND IT'S JUST, THEY'RE NOT NEIGHBORS.
I'M SORRY, THEY'RE NOT NEIGHBORS.
THEY ARE VISITORS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND THEY'RE, IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW WELL BEHAVED THEY ARE.
THERE'S, THERE'S JUST TOO MANY OF THEM.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE REAL QUICK? ALL RIGHT.
JOANNE KEEN, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER OF SEDONA
WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, CHAIRMAN KAISER, UH, SENATOR GALL, SENATOR KAZAK, AND REPRESENTATIVE CHAVEZ AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR COMING TO SEDONA TODAY.
WE'RE, UM, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE YOU HERE AND TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TELL, UM, OUR STORY AND TO ALSO TELL OUR REGIONAL STORY.
UM, I THINK TODAY WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS, UM, I'M JUST GONNA GIVE KIND OF A QUICK OVERVIEW ON SHORT TERM RENTALS, UM, SOME OF THE DATA THAT THE MAYOR MENTIONED, AND, UM, THEN WE'LL HAVE OUR HOUSING MANAGER, UM, BOTH MAYORS REFERENCE THAT WE HAVE A JOINT HOUSING MANAGER THAT THE CITY OF COTTONWOOD AND CITY OF SEDONA HAVE HIRED.
AND, UM, SHANNON WILL BE GOING THROUGH KIND OF THAT QUESTION THAT YOU HAD, UM, ABOUT THE CHAIRMAN, ABOUT THE, UM, THE NUMBER OF, YOU KNOW, HOUSING UNITS AND OUR SHORTAGE AND SOME OF THOSE DETAILS, AND THEN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON WITHIN THE CITY OF SEDONA AS WELL.
AND THEN WE WILL HAVE THE, UM, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR FOR COTTONWOOD ALSO PRESENTING AS WELL.
UM, SEDONA, WE HAVE A SMALL STAFF.
UM, WE'RE ACTUALLY A, YOU KNOW, PRETTY SMALL COMMUNITY, UM, BUT WE ARE WITHOUT A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR TODAY.
SO, UM, IN SMALL, IN SMALL COMMUNITIES, WE KIND JUMP IN AND PITCH IN AND, AND DO WHAT WE CAN.
SO OUR CITY MANAGER IS ACTUALLY SERVING AS OUR ACTING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, KAREN OSBURN.
UM, AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE, UM, OUR PLANNING MANAGER ALSO HERE AS WELL, IF THERE'S ANY, UH, SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT COME UP.
UM, I DID WANNA POINT OUT THAT, UM, IN OUR BEAUTIFUL, UH, CHAMBERS TODAY, WE HAVE ROTATING ART EXHIBITS, SO, UM, NOT PLUGGING IT, BUT THESE ARE ALL ACTUALLY FOR SALE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, SEDONA IS, UM, JUST A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY THAT EMBRACES THE OUTDOORS AND THE ARTS, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THIS ROOM TODAY.
UM, THIS IS ALSO BEING BROADCAST LIVE AS WELL, I THINK
[00:30:01]
ON OUR, OUR CITY OF SEDONA WEBSITE.SO IF YOU HAVE A, HAVE HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
UM, SO JUST SOME SEDONA FACTS.
UM, THIS IS THE, A MAP OF SEDONA THAT JUST KIND OF SHOWS, UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE, WE ARE IN THE REGION, UM, INCORPORATED IN 1988 AND WE LIVE, UM, ARE WE, WE ACTUALLY ARE IN TWO, TWO COUNTIES, COCONINO AND YAVAPAI COUNTIES.
AND ANY OF YOU WHO ARE INVOLVED IN REDISTRICTING KNOWS THIS.
THIS WAS QUITE A TOPIC DURING REDISTRICTING WHEN SEDONA WAS SPLIT INTO TWO LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS.
UM, BUT THE, THE CHALLENGE OF BEING IN TWO COUNTIES IS, IS EVER PRESENT AND ALWAYS THERE, BUT IT KIND OF FORCES US TO, TO WORK, UH, MORE REGIONALLY.
THIS IS DOWN FROM, UM, OVER 10,000 IN THE LAST CENSUS.
SO WE'RE NOW UNDER 10,000 POPULATION.
UM, WE'RE 19 SQUARE MILES TOTAL, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE SURROUNDED BY PUBLIC LANDS, MOSTLY FOREST LAND.
UM, THE LITTLE RED DOTS IN THERE, STATE LAND.
UM, WE HAVE VERY LITTLE, UM, WITHIN THE CITY OF SEDONA.
UM, SO THOSE ARE JUST THE DETAILS ON SEDONA.
UM, AS YOU HAVE HEARD ALREADY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WORK REGIONALLY, UM, ON MANY DIFFERENT ISSUES, TRANSIT, UM, HOUSING OBVIOUSLY BEING A BIG ONE.
AND YOU CAN SEE KIND OF SEDONAS, UM, YOU KNOW, RELATION TO THE REST OF THE VERDE VALLEY COMMUNITIES.
AND I KNOW WE HAVE MANY OF THE VERDE VALLEY COMMUNITIES REPRESENTED IN THIS ROOM TODAY.
CAMP VERDE, CLARKDALE, COTTONWOOD, UM, ALL HERE IN THE ROOM TODAY.
AND, UM, WE HAVE A, A GREAT SYNERGY.
WE WORK TOGETHER AGAIN, WE, WE JOINTLY FUND POSITIONS.
WE WORK ON TRANSIT PROJECTS TOGETHER WHEN WE MEET, UM, PRETTY REGULARLY IN THE REGION.
SO KIND OF JUMPING INTO, UM, THIS PRESENTATION, SO THIS IS, UM, A SLIDE THAT, THAT WE USED AND, AND, UH, PRESENTATIONS, UM, IN THE PAST.
BUT THIS KIND OF SHOWS WHAT SEDONA LOOKED LIKE, UH, BEFORE SENATE BILL 1350 WAS PUT INTO PLACE.
UM, BEFORE WE WERE, UM, LOCALS WERE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE ABILITY WAS TAKEN AWAY TO REGULATE SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
SO THIS WAS WHAT WE ARE TRACKING, AND THESE ARE KIND OF THE, THE BED AND BREAKFAST PROPERTIES.
THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE, UM, TIMESHARES OR HOTELS.
THESE ARE JUST KIND OF TRADITIONAL BED AND BREAKFAST THAT WE PROBABLY WOULD CALL SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
NOW YOU CAN SEE IN 2019, THIS IS THE, THE MAP THAT KIND OF SHOWS THE INCREASE.
WE WENT FROM, UM, PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, 11 I THINK AT THAT TIME TO, UH, 744.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS SHORT-TERM RENTALS THAT DO NOT INCLUDE BED AND BREAKFAST, HOTELS, LODGES AND TIMESHARES.
AND I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT TO MAKE.
THERE'S AN ASSUMPTION THAT OUR NUMBERS IN SEDONA THAT WE SHOW OF OUR SHORT, SHORT TERM RENTAL POPULATION, THAT THEY DO INCLUDE TIMESHARES AND THEY DON'T.
SO WE HAVE TIMESHARES ON TOP OF THIS AMOUNT, AND NOW THIS IS WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
AND I DO HAVE THIS MAP, UM, A COPY THAT I'LL HAND TO YOUR STAFF TO, TO GET TO YOU.
UM, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH TODAY.
AND YOU CAN JUST SEE, YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR MENTIONED AT THE PROLIFERATION OF SHORT TERM RENTALS, THEY HAVE TAKEN OVER PRETTY MUCH EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE CITY OF SEDONA.
UM, IT USED TO, YOU USED TO SEE KIND OF CONCENTRATED AREAS AND NOW, NOW THEY'RE EVERYWHERE.
SO YOU'LL SEE ON THIS MAP THE GREEN DOTS, THOSE ARE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
SO THOSE ARE HOMES THAT ARE BEING TAKEN OUT OF OUR HOUSING STOCK.
AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT ABOUT 65.8% OF OUR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES OR SHORT TERM RENTALS.
UM, I THINK WHEN SENATE BILL 1350 WAS FIRST ENVISIONED, IT WAS TO ALLOW THE, THE GRANDMA WHO WANTED TO, UH, RENT OUT A HOME IN HER, IN HER HOUSE.
UM, AND, AND WE COMPLETELY SUPPORT THAT.
UM, BUT THAT WAS WHAT WAS ENVISIONED WHEN 1350 WAS FIRST PUT IN PLACE TO ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN.
AND NOW WHAT IT'S TURNED INTO IS A, UM, JUST A TAKEOVER OF ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CITY OF SEDONA.
SO JUST SOME DATA WHERE, UM, 15% OF OUR HOUSING STOCK IS OUR SHORT TERM RENTALS RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS AS OF, UM, I THINK JUST TWO WEEKS AGO, AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, WE, WE HAVE TRACKED SHORT TERM RENTALS FOR QUITE A WHILE, UM, YOU KNOW, THROUGH, YOU KNOW, SCRUBBING WEBSITES THROUGH, WE HAVE A, A COMPANY THAT WE HIRED EVEN BEFORE WE COULD DO LICENSING AND REGISTRATION SO WE COULD KEEP, KEEP TRACK OF SHORT TERM RENTALS.
AND ALSO WHAT WAS MENTIONED IS THAT THE NUISANCE PROPERTIES ARE NOT THE ISSUE FOR US.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND, UM, REPRESENTATIVE KAISER, WE, WE WORKED, UM, ON THE LEGISLATION THIS SESSION AS WELL AND REALLY WANTED TO HELP OUR, OUR, THE COMMUNITIES DOWN IN THE VALLEY WHO HAVE BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH NUISANCE PROPERTIES.
THAT IS NOT OUR ISSUE IN SEDONA, BUT WE KNOW THAT THEY, THEY REALLY WANTED THAT AUTHORITY.
[00:35:01]
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I HEARD IT RIGHT CUZ I'M, I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED.SO I THOUGHT I HEARD YOU SAY 65% OF YOUR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ARE SHORT TERM RENTALS.
THEN I THOUGHT I HEARD THAT 15% OF YOUR HOUSING STOCK WERE SHORT-TERM RENTAL, SORRY, 15% ARE SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND THEN 65.8% OF THAT 15% ARE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
SO THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT AND I'LL HAVE A, A SLIDE ON THAT AS WELL.
SO THIS IS JUST A KIND OF THE BREAKDOWN OF, OF THAT EXACT TOP, UH, TOPIC.
SO, UM, THE 65.8% OF THE 15% ARE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
AND, AND WE, WE ACTUALLY GO TO, WE BREAK THESE DOWN BY, UM, YOU KNOW, PRETTY GRANULARLY.
WE, WE ACTUALLY, DURING THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WE HAD A, A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT CALLS WITH AIRBNB WHERE WE WALK THROUGH THIS DATA JUST TO SHOW THAT WE'RE NOT JUST THROWING THESE NUMBERS OUT, THAT WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE DATA.
AND WHAT YOU'LL SEE ON THIS SLIDE IS THAT 984 WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF SEDONA, BUT THERE'S 556 JUST OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS.
SO THAT'S THE VILLAGE OF OAK CREEK WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN 1 79, UH, OAK CREEK CANYON AND SOME AREAS OUT 89 KIND ALL SURROUNDING THE CITY.
SO A TOTAL 1,540, UM, THAT'S THE NUMBER THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
SO IT'S, THAT'S ALSO HOUSING BEING TAKEN AWAY FROM, FROM OTHERS IN THE VERDE VALLEY AS WELL.
SO, UM, I GUESS ONE, YOU KNOW, AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO SHANNON, BUT ONE POINT THAT UM, I THINK WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE SHORT TERM RENTAL INDUSTRY THAT IS SLOWING DOWN.
UM, AND WE ARE NOT SEEING THAT IN SEDONA.
IN FACT, YOU CAN SEE THIS IS FROM JULY, 2020 UP UNTIL JUST, JUST THIS MONTH.
UM, AND THAT WE'RE STARTING TO SEE A STEADY, STEADY INCREASE.
UM, WE HAD TWO OF OUR BIGGEST JUMPS LAST SUMMER IN 2020, UM, SUMMER OF 2020, AND WE KIND OF RELATE THAT TO COVID AND, AND PEOPLE DISCOVERING SEDONA AND COMING TO SEDONA TRYING TO GET TO AREAS, UM, KIND OF AWAY FROM IN THEIR HOMES.
BUT OUR OTHER BIGGEST JUMP WAS IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR, KIND OF NEAR THE, THE END OF MARCH WHEN WE HAD, UM, UH, DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND THERE WAS SOME TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE PROLIFERATION.
WE HAD A REPRESENTATIVE BARTONS BILL THAT LOOKED AT PROVIDING SOME LOCAL CONTROL BACK TO AT LEAST THE RURAL COMMUNITIES.
AND WE SAW 7% JUMP IN THAT TIME.
UM, LIKELY BECAUSE OF THE CONCERN THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO ADDRESS THE PROLIFERATION OF SHORT TERM RENTALS.
SINCE THEN WE'VE SEEN A KIND OF A STEADY INCREASE.
UM, AND THIS IS KIND OF WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
UM, SO WE DON'T SEE THIS SLOWING DOWN AND I THINK ONE OF THE REQUESTS THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A HOUSING SUPPLY STUDY COMMITTEE, BUT JUST THAT WE REALLY LOOK AT THAT ISSUE BECAUSE IT IS IMPACTING HOUSING STOCK, NOT JUST IN SEDONA BUT IN THE VERDE VALLEY.
AND WE HOPE IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COMMITTEE, UM, DISCUSSES DURING THIS PROCESS.
UM, AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE SHANNON BOONE TO, TO COME UP AND SHANNON'S GONNA ACTUALLY SIT RIGHT HERE.
I JUST GOT A QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU AND IS MAYBE A QUESTION FOR THE HOUSING DIRECTOR, BUT, UM, IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, HOW IS, IT LOOKS LIKE IF YOU HAVE ABOUT A 1500 HOME SHORTAGE TO BEGIN WITH, LET'S SAY, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT ABOUT 1500 SHORT TERM RENTAL UNITS, YOU'VE GOT ABOUT 3000 DOOR SHORTAGE IN SEDONA.
HOW MANY HOMES OR DOORS ARE YOU BUILDING THE LAST THREE YEARS ON AVERAGE? CUZ IT LOOKS LIKE YOUR POPULATION IS STAYING THE SAME.
UM, SO IT'S NOT, YOU'RE NOT BATTLING GROWTH OF NEW RESIDENTS MOVING IN, RIGHT? SO THE POPULATION GROWTH IS KIND OF MAINTAINING, BUT YOU'RE ABOUT CORRECT 3000 DOORS SHORT.
UM, SO IT'S, UM, AND THE 1500 IS, UH, THE GREATER SEDONA.
UM, SO THE 984, THOSE ARE THE SHORT TERM RENTAL UNITS WITHIN THE CITY OF SEDONA.
IS THAT A QUESTION FOR YOU MAYBE AS FAR AS HOW MANY HOMES ARE BEING BUILT THE LAST THREE YEARS ON AVERAGE EACH YEAR? NO.
ARE DOORS, I MEAN NOT HOMES AS FAR AS DOORS BUILT, I DON'T KNOW, BUT UM, I WOULD SAY THAT THE, THE 1500 SHORTAGE ISN'T NECESSARILY IN ADDITION TO THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
SO WE DON'T HAVE GOOD NUMBERS ON SHORT-TERM RENTALS ARE A CAUSE OF THE 1500 SHORTAGE.
DON'T, WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY DOORS ARE BEING BUILT EACH YEAR, HOW MANY HOMES ARE BEING BUILT? APARTMENTS, TOWN HOMES, SINGLE FAMILY.
I THINK OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT STAFF CAN BETTER ANSWER THAT.
DO YOU HAVE, UH, ANY STATISTICS ON HOW MANY SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE FULL-TIME SHORTTERM RENTALS VERSUS KIND OF JUST INTERMITTENT?
[00:40:01]
UM, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.I MEAN, WE, UM, WHEN WE ARE IN CONTACT WITH SOMEBODY WHO'S OPERATING A SHORT TERM RENTAL, UM, WE DO REQUEST AND IT'S, IT'S THROUGH OUR, OUR REQUEST AND OUR ORDINANCE THAT IT'S AN ACTIVE RENTAL.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ASSUMING THAT IT'S BEING USED AT LEAST SOME PART OF THE YEAR AS A SHORT TERM RENTAL.
I THINK WHAT WE SAW IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR THAT WE FOUND THAT PEOPLE WERE TRYING TO REGISTER, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, SEND US THEIR EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION FOR SHORT-TERM RENTALS, BUT THEY WERE NOT PLANNING ON USING IT AS A SHORT TERM RENTAL RIGHT AWAY.
BUT WE DO REQUIRE THAT IT BE USED, BE USED AS A SHORT TERM RENTAL, BUT WE DON'T KNOW THE, THE TIME, HOW MANY, YOU KNOW, MONTHS A YEAR.
WE'RE ACTUALLY HOPING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH KIND OF THE LICENSING AND REGISTRATION PROCESS IT, WE'LL GET A LITTLE MORE OF THAT DATA THAT HELPS US TRACK THAT.
I GUESS WE'LL PROCEED WITH YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION THEN AND THEN HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THAT ANSWERED LATER.
DO YOU HAVE IT? IF I COULD JUMP IN, I'M SORRY.
YEAH, CH CHAIRMAN, UM, KAREN OSBURN, CITY MANAGER.
WE DO HAVE SOME NUMBERS FOR THE NEW HOUSING STARTS IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.
WHAT I CAN TELL YOU FOR CERTAIN IS THAT WE ARE ABSOLUTELY NOT KEEPING PACE WHATSOEVER WITH WHAT WE'RE SEEING, UM, AS THE LOSS OF BOTH TRRS AND KIND OF MAKING HEADWAY ON THAT GAP THAT WAS IDENTIFIED SOME YEARS AGO IN OUR HOUSING STUDY.
AND OUR POPULATION IS NOT FLAT, IT'S ACTUALLY BEEN DECREASING.
SO FROM THE 2020 CENSUS, WE HAD GONE FROM ABOUT, UH, 10,300 OR SO RESIDENTS DOWN TO 9,684 YOU SAW IN, UM, IN JOANNE'S PRESENTATION WE'RE NOW DOWN TO ABOUT 9,600.
SO WE ARE SEEING OUR POPULATION NUMBERS CONTINUE TO DECREASE.
SO WE ARE NOT ADDING HOUSING UNITS, UM, THAT'S EVEN KEEPING PACE WITH MAINTAINING, UM, A POPULATION AND OKAY.
UM, AND YOU THINK THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GET THOSE NUMBERS FOR US? OKAY.
I'M THE PLANNING MANAGER HERE.
UM, IN 2021 WE HAD 78, UM, NEW SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES.
UM, AND THAT IT'S BEEN SLOWLY INCREASING OVER THE PAST NUMBER OF YEARS.
UM, I THINK WE'RE ABOUT 65 AND 2020.
UM, AND THEN, SO, AND WE'RE A, I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS FOR THIS YEAR.
I COULD GET THOSE IF YOU WANTED THEM.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE SEEN SOME MORE, WE'VE HAD 1 45 UNIT APARTMENT COMPLEX BE BUILT, UM, AND WE HAVE A COUPLE OTHERS THAT HAVE RECENTLY BEEN APPROVED AND WOULD BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
SO WE HAVE SHANNON, OH THAT'S IN SHANNON'S PRESENTATION SO I WON'T TALK ABOUT THAT.
UM, BUT THEN WE ALSO HAVE SEEN A NUMBER OF HOUSES BEING RENOVATED AND EXPANDED.
UM, AND THAT WOULD JUST BE IN THE GENERAL, UM, HOUSING RESIDENTIAL REMODEL.
SO I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS OF WHICH ONE OF, YOU KNOW, THE EXTENT OF THOSE CUZ THEY'RE JUST KIND OF ALL GROUPED AND REMODELS.
BUT JUST ANECDOTALLY, WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF HOUSES COME IN AND, UM, SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE ADD GUEST HOUSES AND THAT SORT OF THING.
UM, OFTEN DO YOU AND ASSUME FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS.
GREAT, THANK YOU FOR THOSE NUMBERS.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE ABOUT 70 HOMES, WHETHER THEY'RE SINGLE FAMILY OR UH, DIFFERENT TYPES EACH YEAR.
AND DO YOU HAVE A HIGHER DEMAND OF FOLKS THAT WANT TO BUILD HOMES HERE? WE TALK TO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WANNA BUILD, I DON'T KNOW, HIGHER COMPARED TO WHAT, UH, THAN 70 A YEAR.
SO DO YOU EVER HAVE MORE INTEREST IN BUILDING, DO YOU HAVE DEVELOPERS THAT WANT TO BUILD MORE IN SEDONA OR THE SURROUNDING AREAS? UM, AND THEY'RE ONLY GETTING APPROVED FOR 70 HOMES A YEAR.
THE 70 IS JUST WHAT IS BEING APPROVED ON CURRENTLY ZONE SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES AS FAR AS RE UM, DEVELOPERS WHO DO WANT TO BUILD NEW, WE DO GET A SIGNIFICANT, WE'VE SEEN IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS MORE INTEREST IN THOSE.
UM, A LOT OF THOSE DO REQUIRE REZONINGS, WHICH REQUIRE PUBLIC INPUT AND OFTENTIMES THOSE DIE BECAUSE THEY ARE, THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO GO THROUGH THE ZONING PROCESS.
YEAH, WE'VE SEEN A LOT MORE INTEREST IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS OF UM, UH, PEOPLE WANTING TO DO DO MULTI-FAMILY PROJECTS, WHICH, BUT ZONING TENDS TO STOP THEM FROM BUILDING IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
UM, SO WE'VE MADE SOME CHANGES TO THE ZONING TO HOPEFULLY MAKE IT EASIER.
BUT THE COMMERCIAL ZONING, UM, THERE'S NOT AS MUCH OF THAT.
AND THEN OFTENTIMES EVEN THE CITY'S SUPPORTIVE OF REZONING SOME OF THE LARGER SINGLE FAMILY LOTS, INSTEAD OF DOING A TRADITIONAL SUBDIVISION, THERE'S OFTEN OTHER FACTORS THAT FACTOR INTO WHY THOSE PROJECTS DON'T PROCEED.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE LOOKING AT ME FOR A QUESTION.
[00:45:01]
SURE.MR. CHAIR, I CAN ASK A QUESTION.
UM, I MEAN DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF HOW MANY UNITS ARE GETTING DENIED ON AN, ON AN AVERAGE ANNUAL BASIS? WE'VE NOT DENIED ANY, THEY'VE GENERALLY NOT PURSUED A PROJECT OR THEY'VE WITHDRAWN THE PROJECT.
DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF HOW MANY UNITS THAT WOULD BE? NO, I'D HAVE TO THINK THROUGH THAT A LITTLE MORE THAN SO WHAT PROCESS OF THE ZONING DO YOU THINK ARE THEY SAYING NO TO? CUZ THEY'RE, THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY SELF OPTING OUT OF THE BUILDING PROCESS BECAUSE OF ZONING.
WHAT ASPECT OF ZONING ARE YOU HEARING FROM THEM IS THE REASON WHY THEY'RE DECIDING NOT TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS? I THINK THAT'S BEING TOLD, THAT'S PART OF SHANNON'S PRESENTATION, SO I DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE FACTORS.
LET'S GO AHEAD WITH THE PRESENTATION.
I COULD I JUMP IN HERE FOR JUST A MOMENT OR JUST SAY, YOU'RE TALKING A LOT ABOUT BUILDING AND HOW MUCH ARE WE BUILDING, BUT PROLIFERATION OF SHORT TERM RENTALS DOESN'T HAPPEN JUST THROUGH BUILDING.
IT HAPPENS THROUGH REAL ESTATE SALES OF PEOPLE WHO ARE MOVING OUT OF THEIR SINGLE FAMILY HOME AND CONVERTING IT INTO A SHORT TERM RENTAL.
SO THAT IS HOW THE PROLIFERATION HAPPENS IN, IN MANY, MANY CASES.
I'M THE HOUSING MANAGER FOR THE CITIES OF SEDONA AND COTTONWOOD.
UM, I WAS HIRED IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR, SO ALMOST MY ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY HERE.
I HAVE 25 YEARS WORKING IN, UM, HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ACROSS ALL THREE SECTORS.
SO I, I KIND OF STARTED MY CAREER IN PRIVATE FOR-PROFIT DEVELOPMENT.
UM, I'VE WORKED IN GOVERNMENT HOUSING PROGRAMS IN THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE AND IN COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN BOTH INDIANAPOLIS AND MILWAUKEE, UM, IN OVERSEEING CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT IN THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, FIRST I JUST WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE, THE REGIONAL APPROACH, UM, HERE IN THE VERDE VALLEY TO THE HOUSING CHALLENGES.
UM, YOU CAN SEE HERE ON THIS MAP, UM, DID HAVE A CIRCLE ON IT, NOT SURE WHERE THAT WENT, BUT, UM, THE CITIES OF CLARKDALE COTTONWOOD AND CAMP VERDE THERE KIND OF ALONG THE CENTER DIAGONAL OF THE PICTURE AND THEN SEDONA UP THERE AT THE TOP.
SO IN BETWEEN KIND OF EVERYTHING THAT IS THE VERDE VALLEY, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE CITIES HERE.
UM, IN 2020, UM, THE VERDE VALLEY REGIONAL ECONOMIC ORGANIZATION WORKED WITH THE CITIES AND TOWNS AND THE COUNTY IN THE VERDE VALLEY TO COMMISSION, UM, A HOUSING STUDY, SORRY, I'M GETTING AHEAD OF MYSELF HERE.
AND, AND WE KNOW THAT MUCH OF OUR WORKFORCE IS A BURDEN ON THE OTHER CITIES AND TOWNS IN THE VERDE VALLEY.
UM, HENCE THE REGIONAL APPROACH.
SO THE HOUSING STUDY THAT WAS COMMISSIONED, UM, PROVIDED US WITH A LOT OF DATA, UM, REGARDING THE, THE CRISIS IN THE VERDE VALLEY.
UH, SO YOU CAN SEE HERE IN CLARKDALE, COTTONWOOD AND SEDONA, MORE THAN 40% OF HOUSEHOLDS ARE COST BURDENED, SO PAYING MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR HOUSEHOLD INCOME FOR HOUSING.
UM, WE HAVE ABOUT 33,300 HOUSING UNITS IN THE VERDE VALLEY AS A WHOLE, BUT ONLY ABOUT 1500 OF THOSE ARE APARTMENTS.
SO THAT REPRESENTS ABOUT 6% ACROSS THE VALLEY, WHEREAS YOU'LL SEE AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT 16% ACROSS THE STATE.
SO WE REALLY HAVE A SHORTAGE OF MULTIFAMILY APARTMENTS IN GENERAL.
UM, WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT SHORT TERM RENTALS AND ONE OF THE OTHER EFFECTS THAT THEY'VE HAD HERE IS DRIVING UP OUR HOME VALUES PROBABLY MORE THAN WHAT THE PRIVATE MARKET NORMALLY WOULD.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE CHANGES, UM, BASED ON THE REALTOR.COM DATA THERE FROM 2019 TO 2022 IN OUR HOME VALUES.
SO IN SEDONA WE'VE GONE FROM ABOUT 630,000 FOR A MEDIAN HOME VALUE TO ALMOST A MILLION TODAY.
UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THE INCOMES BETWEEN 2019 AND 2020, WHICH IS THE LATEST THAT WE HAVE CENSUS DATA FOR, THEY ACTUALLY WENT DOWN A LITTLE AND THAT THAT MAY BE SOMEWHAT OF AN ANOMALY DUE TO 2020, BUT REGARDLESS, THE INCOMES AREN'T GOING UP AT NEARLY THE RATE THAT THE HOUSING PRICES ARE.
[00:50:01]
THIS IN SEDONA.A LOT OF TIMES SEDONA RESIDENTS WILL SAY, WELL, THE WORKFORCE CAN LIVE IN THE, IN THEIR SURROUNDING TOWNS, THEY CAN DRIVE HERE.
BUT THE REALITY IS EVEN CAMP VERDE IS 45 MINUTES AWAY AND THE MEDIAN HOME VALUE NOW IS OVER 450,000 THERE.
SO THERE IS ESSENTIALLY BETWEEN THE SHORTAGE OF APARTMENTS AND THE RISING HOME VALUES, NO PLACE FOR WORKING PEOPLE TO LIVE IN THE VERDE VALLEY.
UM, UNLESS YOU'RE ALREADY HERE.
SO THIS IS JUST ANOTHER SLIDE OUT OF THE HOUSING STUDY SHOWING THE, UM, HOUSING COST BURDEN WHERE OVERALL IN THE VERDE VALLEY WE SIT AT 36.4% COMPARED TO, UM, THE REST OF ARIZONA AT 29%.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE SLIDE THAT'S UP THERE, SHANNON, I'M SORRY, I'M CHANGING ON MY SCREEN AND NOT YOURS.
SO THAT'S THE SUMMARY OF THE CO HOUSING COST BURDEN, UM, SHOWING THE DETAILS OF THE, THE DIFFERENT CITIES AND EVEN THE COUNTY AND THEN JUST THE VERDE VALLEY.
UM, THIS ONE, SOME OF YOU HAD ASKED EARLIER ABOUT THE HOUSING DEMAND.
WE, WE DID IDENTIFY A NUMBER AROUND 1500 FOR SEDONA, BUT THIS SHOWS THE DETAILS FOR EACH OF THE CITIES IN TOWNS AND WITH THE PROJECTED GROWTH.
UM, FROM THE HOUSING STUDY, WE ARRIVED AT A SHORTAGE OF OVER 3,700 UNITS HERE IN THE VERDE VALLEY.
SO ABOUT 10% MORE THAN WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS NEEDED.
SO OUT OF THE HOUSING STUDY, THESE ARE SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME OUT OF IT.
UM, STAFFING AND FUNDING, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE KIND OF STARTED ON RIGHT AWAY.
UM, THAT WAS WITH THE HIRING OF MY POSITION.
THE FUNDING HAS, WE HAVE BEEN HAD A DEDICATED, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND HERE IN SEDONA FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
UM, I'LL GO THROUGH SOME OF THE DIFFERENT POLICIES THAT HAVE CHANGED OVER THE YEARS, UM, AND THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING THESE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO OUR PROGRESS KIND OF ON THOSE ACTUALLY THIS YEAR WE HAVE TOUCHED EVERY ONE OF THOSE ISSUES HERE IN THE VERDE VALLEY.
MAYBE NOT SEDONA ALONE, BUT UM, IN EITHER SEDONA, COTTONWOOD OR AS A REGION.
SO THE FIRST THING WAS MY HIRING IN SEPTEMBER 28TH, 2021.
UM, SHORTLY AFTER THAT WE LAUNCHED A DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, UM, IN HOPES OF HELPING MORE PEOPLE AFFORD HOME OWNERSHIP THROUGHOUT THE VERDE VALLEY.
SO BOTH SEDONA AND COTTONWOOD ADOPTED THESE PROGRAMS, WHICH ARE, WERE CREATED AND MANAGED BY HOUSING SOLUTIONS OF NORTHERN ARIZONA.
UM, THEY PROVIDE UP TO A TWO AND A HALF TO ONE MATCH TOWARDS THE PURCHASE PRICE.
SO HOME BUYERS CAN GET UP TO 25,000 IN ASSISTANCE.
UM, THE PRIMARY REQUIREMENT IS THAT THEY WORK FOR AN EMPLOYER, NOT ONE OF THE CITIES, BUT ANY EMPLOYER WITHIN OUR CITIES IN SEDONA AND COTTONWOOD.
AND WE ALLOW THE HOMES TO BE LOCATED OUTSIDE OF OUR CITY BOUNDARIES, SO ANYWHERE IN THE VERDE VALLEY.
AND BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT, UM, FOLKS AT LIKE THE 80% MEDIAN INCOME LEVEL AREN'T AFFORDING HOUSES THAT THE AT THE MARKET RATES, UM, THIS PROGRAM'S DESIGNED TO SERVE THOSE UP TO 150% OF AMI UM, HOUSING SOLUTIONS OF NORTHERN ARIZONA.
ALONG WITH THAT HAS CONTRACTED TO PROVIDE HOUSING COUNSELING FOR RESIDENTS OF BOTH CITIES.
UM, THEY'VE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE 1999 AND HAVE BEEN A REALLY GREAT PARTNER FOR US.
UM, SEDONA ALSO RECENTLY IMPLEMENTED THE RENT LOCAL PROGRAM, WHICH IS AN INCENTIVE PROGRAM TO INCENTIVIZE SHORT TERM RENTAL OWNERS TO RENT A LOCAL WORKERS.
UM, THAT PROGRAM JUST STARTED SEPTEMBER 1ST AND WE'VE HAD A GREAT DEAL OF INTEREST, BUT DON'T ANTICIPATE BECAUSE IT REQUIRES STOPPING SHORT TERM RENTAL AND STARTING LONG TERM RENTAL.
DON'T ANTICIPATE ANY APPLICATIONS REALLY BEFORE OCTOBER 1ST.
UM, IT DOES PROVIDE AN ANNUAL INCENTIVE TO SHORT-TERM RENTAL OWNERS OF 3000 TO $10,000 IN EXCHANGE FOR A ONE YEAR LEASE TO A LOCAL.
AND WE DID RESTRICT THE RENTS IN THAT PROGRAM.
THE MAXIMUM RENT THAT HAS ALLOWED IS 2200 PER MONTH.
SOME OF THE OTHER STRATEGIES THAT WERE RECOMMENDED IN THE STUDY, UM, INCLUDE POLICY AND CODE UPDATES.
UM, SEDONA HAS ALLOWED MULTI-FAMILY AND COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL, UH, WE'VE ADJUSTED OUR DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEES AND WASTEWATER FEES TO A SLIDING SCALE BY UNIT SIZE.
I'M SORRY, REAL QUICK ON THE MULTI-FAMILY, WHEN YOU SAY THAT THEY'RE ALLOWED IN COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL, DOES THAT MEAN YOU HAVE A BUY RIGHT TYPE
[00:55:01]
PROGRAM? YES.UM, CREATED DENSITY UNIT EQUIVALENCIES FOR SMALLER UNITS AND ANY, UH, UNITS WHICH ARE DEED RESTRICTED AFFORDABLE COUNT AS ZERO IN A DENSITY COUNT CALCULATION.
SO THAT ENABLES US TO HAVE MORE UNITS IN, UM, AFFORDABLE MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENTS.
UM, WHILE ADDITIONAL HEIGHT IS NOT APPROPRIATE EVERYWHERE IN SEDONA, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT MAINTAINING THE VIEW SHED.
UM, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED AREAS WHERE IT IS APPROPRIATE AND COULD WORK WELL.
SO OUR COMMUNITY FOCUS AREAS, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE DONE IS IDENTIFY WHERE SOME, UM, MORE HEIGHT COULD BE ALLOWED.
AND WE ALSO CHANGED THE WAY THAT HEIGHT IS CALCULATED IN MULTI-FAMILY.
UM, IT'S A LITTLE COMPLEX TO EXPLAIN, BUT ESSENTIALLY IT REQUIRED, UM, MULTIPLE FOUNDATIONS, WHICH GOT TO BE A LITTLE MORE EXPENSIVE.
UM, SO IT WAS A, A WAY TO REDUCE COSTS IN MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT.
AND ACTUALLY TOMORROW, UM, AT COUNCIL THEY WILL BE HEARING AN ELECTRICAL CODE AMENDMENT, JUST SOMETHING THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT MAKES MULTI-FAMILY BUILDING A LITTLE MORE EXPENSIVE.
UM, MANY OF THESE, THESE THINGS IN FACT WERE IDENTIFIED BY DEVELOPERS WHO CAME TO US AND SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS MAKES IT MORE EXPENSIVE AND WE CHANGED IT.
THAT'S, UH, SOMETHING THAT THE CITY IS WILLING TO DO TO ENCOURAGE MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT.
CAN WE GO BACK TO THAT SIDE? CAN YOU GO BACK, UH, SO CAN YOU MAYBE CLARIFY OR, OR PUT A LITTLE MORE MEAT ON THAT FIRST BULLET POINT? MULTIFAMILY, COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL AND THEN ALSO AROUND THE HEIGHT.
UM, I'M CURIOUS, SO I MEAN THE IDEA OF HAVING HOUSING BY RIGHT AND CERTAIN ZONING DISTRICTS, UH, CAN VARY.
UM, I HAVE A SUSPICION THAT THIS ISN'T SAYING ANY APARTMENT CAN BE BUILT WITHIN A COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT THAT I'M SURE THERE ARE HEIGHT AND DENSITY RESTRICTIONS OR AM I WRONG? YEAH, THE TYPICAL RESTRICTIONS THAT WOULD APPLY TO THAT, UM, ZONING WOULD STILL APPLY TO THE MULTI-FAMILY.
SO THEN CAN YOU GIVE US AN IDEA OF MR. CHAIR WHAT THOSE TYPES OF RESTRICTIONS WOULD BE? WHAT THOSE HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? A TWO STORY BUILDING, A THREE STORY BUILDING.
TYPICALLY TWO STORIES, BUT IT DEPENDS WHERE THEY ARE.
SO IN THOSE COMMUNITY FOCUS AREAS, UM, SOME OF THOSE AREAS WERE IDENTIFIED FOR MORE HEIGHT AND MR CHAIR DENSITY OR HOW MANY UNITS PER ACRE ARE WE, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO DEFER TO CARRY FOR THAT ANSWER
SO IT, YOU KNOW, IT HAD TO BE LIKE, AS PART OF A MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT.
WE DID CHANGE THAT, UM, TO ALLOW IT TO BE THE ONLY USE ON A, ON A PROPERTY.
AND THAT'S WHERE ONE OF THE MOST RECENT, UM, PROJECTS HAS BEEN APPROVED.
WE GOT A 60 UNIT TOWNHOUSE DEVELOPMENT APPROVED ON A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY THAT PREVIOUSLY WOULD'VE BEEN REQUIRED TO HAVE A RETAIL COMPONENT.
UM, WE DIDN'T, SO THAT'S, THAT'S THAT.
UM, OUR DENSITY LIMITS, WE CHANGED THO SO IN PRE 2017 WE HAD A, A MAXIMUM CAP OF 12 UNITS PER ACRE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
IN 2017 WE DID CHANGE THAT TO ALLOW DENSITIES HIGHER THAN 12 UNITS PER ACRE IF THE PROJECT IS ADDRESSING LOCAL HOUSING NEEDS.
SO IF THEY'RE DOING A, A RESTRICTION FOR LONG TERM RENTALS OR AFFORDABILITY, THERE IS NO UPPER, UPPER LIMIT.
UM, BUT IT WOULD BE BASED, WE STILL HAVE THE SAME HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS AND PARKING REQUIREMENTS AND THAT SORT OF THING.
SO IT JUST KIND OF ALLOWS PEOPLE TO, TO BUILD WHAT THEY CAN FIT ON A SITE RATHER THAN, CAUSE WHAT WE WERE SEEING BEFORE WAS THAT PEOPLE, IF THEY COULDN'T GET MORE THAN 12 UNITS, THEY WERE JUST BUILDING LARGER UNITS, WHICH WASN'T GOING TOWARDS HELPING THE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY CAUSE THEY WERE JUST, YOU KNOW, 2000 SQUARE FOOT CONDOS, WHICH, SO, SO MR. CHAIR, I MEAN, OKAY.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, AS PART OF THAT, UM, WE DID HAVE A PROJECT APPROVED AT 20 UNITS PER ACRE.
UM, THAT'S THE PIN LOFTS PROJECT.
UM, THE, WE'VE HAD A PROJECT APPROVED AT LIKE 13 AND A HALF UNITS PER ACRE THAT GUARANTEES LONG TERM RENTALS.
AND THEN THE MOST RECENT ONE WAS A AROUND 20 TO 22 UNITS PER ACRE.
UM, THAT'S THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT.
[01:00:01]
THEN, I GUESS MY POINT OR, OR OBSERVATION IS, WHILE THAT IS, I SUPPOSE, HELPFUL TO HAVE A SOME LEVEL OF A BY RIGHT COMPONENT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT ANYTHING OBVIOUSLY HIGHER THAN TWO STORIES OR MORE THAN 12 UNITS WOULD STILL GO THROUGH THE REZONING PROCESS AND 12 UNITS BREAK.I MEAN, THAT'S STUFF THAT MR. CAMP'S, SINGLE FAMILY BUILDERS OR NO.
WOULD LIKE TO BUILD, CORRECT? SURE.
SO TO CLARIFY, ON A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, UM, SOMETHING OVER 12 UNITS PER ACRE DOES NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH ZONING PROCESS.
IF THEY'RE DOING GUARANTEES THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
IF IT'S GOING TO BE LONG-TERM HOUSING, IT DOES NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH REZONING ON A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY.
UM, SO ONE OF THE OTHER APPROACHES, UM, SEDONA HAS WHAT WE CALL THE DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES AND GUIDELINES FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR THE DIGA, IT'S OUR VOLUNTARY INCLUSIONARY ZONING POLICY.
UM, SO PROJECTS WHICH INCLUDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FEE WAIVERS AND DEFERRALS, EXPEDITED REVIEW AND PERMITTING, UM, AND FLEXIBLE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS.
UM, KIND OF HAVE LISTED A FEW OF THOSE ALLOWANCES HERE.
UM, SO AS THEY PERTAIN TO LOT COVERAGE, BUILDING HEIGHT, UM, LOT AREA AND SETBACKS.
UH, ON YOUR, IN YOUR VOLUNTARY INCLUSIONARY ZONING PROGRAM, DOES THAT APPLY ONLY TO MULTI-FAMILY OR FOR SALE AS WELL? UM, FOR SALE AS WELL, AND NOT ONLY TO HOUSING.
SO WE HAVE HAD, UM, IN SOME INSTANCES, UH, I BELIEVE LIKE A LODGING DEVELOPMENT, WANTED SOME OF THOSE INCENTIVES, UM, AND WAS ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE, IN THE INCENTIVES.
SO HOW DOES THAT, MR. CHAIRMAN, HOW DOES THAT PROGRAM WORK? IS IT A CONTRIBUTION OR IS IT A RESTRICTION ON THE PRICE FOR SALE OR RENT? UM, EITHER OR BOTH, DEPENDING ON THE, THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THAT'S ULTIMATELY NEGOTIATED USING THE TERMS OF THE DIGA AND MR. CHAIRMAN, IS THAT HOW YOU, YOU KNOW, LIKE, UM, IMPLEMENT THOSE PROGRAMS THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT? YES.
I'M GONNA DEFER TO CARRIE FOR THAT ONE.
I DON'T KNOW IF I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION, BUT WE DID APPROVE ONE, UM, ONE PROJECT THAT, UM, THEIR DEED RESTRICTIONS JUST REQUIRE LONG TERM RENTALS.
THEY DID NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ANY OF THE ADDITIONAL HEIGHT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UM, BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO GET THE HIGHER, HIGHER DENSITY, UM, BY AGREEING TO HAVE THEM AS LONG-TERM RENTALS.
AND THEN, I'M SURE SHANNON WILL GET INTO THIS LATER, BUT WE, THE CITY RECENTLY APPROVED A DEVELOPMENT REVIEW FOR AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT THAT DID TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A COUPLE OF THE SETBACK AND HIDE ALLOWANCES, UM, TO, AND SO, YEAH, SO I DON'T WANNA STEP ON HER, BUT THAT WOULD BE, UM, THEY, THERE IS A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT FOR THAT ONE.
SO I DON'T, I CAN ANSWER OTHER SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, BUT I DON'T KNOW.
WELL, I'M, I'M JUST, I'M JUST CURIOUS.
YOU, YOU, AND PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, YOU, SO THIS IS A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM, TYPICALLY FROM OUR EXPERIENCE THAT'S NOT, IT'S NOT ALWAYS QUOTE VOLUNTARY BECAUSE YOU'RE TRYING TO SEEK SOME APPROVAL FROM THE CITY AND RETURN THAT HAPPENS.
BUT EITHER WAY, UM, YOU, YOU, THERE'S SOME BONUSES THAT YOU'RE OFFERING IF A PROGRAM PARTICIPATES IN THIS, THE LOT COVERAGE, THE HEIGHT, PROBABLY HIGHER DENSITY TO SOME DEGREE.
WHAT I JUST AM CONFUSED BY, IF YOU HAVE A LACK OF UNITS THAT YOU'VE IDENTIFIED, WHY DIDN'T YOU, WHY DON'T YOU JUST OFFER THOSE BENEFITS TO EVERY SINGLE DEVELOPMENT THAT COMES THROUGH, THEREFORE SOLVING YOUR DEVELOP YOUR UNIT PROBLEM? WE WOULD GET A LOT MORE UNITS, BUT THEY WOULD ALL BE SHORT TERM RENTALS.
WELL, I, IF YOU WANT PROHIBIT SHORT TERM RENTALS, WHICH YOU'VE DONE THROUGH YOUR DEVELOPMENT INQUIRY, THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN INCLUSIONARY ZONING.
THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT GOALS, CORRECT? CORRECT.
[01:05:04]
UM, SO MY NEXT SLIDE WAS GONNA BE ABOUT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.UM,
UM, UH, 19 UNITS WERE CREATED THROUGH THAT POLICY, UM, PRIOR TO THE SUNSET LOFTS AGREEMENT, WHICH WAS, UH, JUST LAST YEAR.
UM, AND THAT ONE HAS, UH, OR WILL BRING 46 UNITS, UM, TO SEDONA.
UM, I ALSO MENTIONED THAT WE HAVE AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND THAT WAS STARTED OVER 10 YEARS AGO.
IT'S FUNDED BY CONTRIBUTIONS, UM, FROM THE DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES AND GUIDELINES POLICY, AS WELL AS AN ANNUAL COUNCIL DETERMINED TRANSFER FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
SO WE HAVE ABOUT 2.2 MILLION NOW, UM, IN THAT FUND, WHICH COVERS THE HOUSING BUDGET AND, UM, ANY FUTURE INCENTIVES AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.
HOW DO YOU SEE THAT FUND BEING, OR HOW DO YOU SEE THAT FUND BEING USED ON A REGULAR BASIS NOW? UM, IT'S TO HELP WITH AFFORDABILITY.
WELL, IT'S THERE FOR THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH DEVELOPERS AND INCLUDING AFFORDABLE UNITS OR BUILDING, UM, AFFORDABLE DEVELOPMENTS AND FUNDS, ANY NEW PROGRAMS THAT WE CAN CREATE, UM, TO HELP MAKE HOUSING MORE AFFORDABLE FOR RESIDENTS.
UM, THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE FOR THE ALLIANCE BEGAN MEETING IN MAY OF 2022.
SO WE HAVE A PLANNED REGIONAL APPROACH TO DEVELOPMENT, WHICH INCLUDES COORDINATION BETWEEN THE CITIES AND TOWNS.
UM, IDEALLY THE ALLIANCE WILL ACT AS A NONPROFIT DEVELOPER AND BE THE F FUTURE HOME OF A COMMUNITY LAND TRUST.
SO KIND OF AS A RESULT OF MANY OF THOSE THINGS THAT I JUST MENTIONED, WE DO HAVE, UM, DEVELOPMENT SORT OF IN THE WORKS NOW, A LOT OF PROPOSALS.
UM, WE HAVE 52 UNITS THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED ACROSS TWO DIFFERENT PROJECTS FOR HOTEL CONVERSION, FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, OR WORKFORCE HOUSING.
UM, THERE ARE ESTIMATING ABOUT 430 UNITS THAT WE WOULD GET, UM, FROM LAND ACQUISITION.
AND THOSE PROJECTS ARE STILL IN KIND OF THEIR DUE DILIGENCE PHASE, SO HAVEN'T FULLY ACQUIRED THEIR LAND YET.
UM, 20 UNITS IN A PROJECT THAT THE LAND HAS ALREADY BEEN ACQUIRED, THE PLANS HAVE NOT BEEN REVIEWED YET.
UM, WE HAVE REVIEWED PRELIMINARY PLANS FOR ANOTHER 80 UNITS WHERE, UM, THE DEVELOPER OWNS THE LAND AND HAS PROPOSED A PROJECT NOT YET APPLIED FOR PERMITS OR ANYTHING.
AND THEN IN PERMITTING, WE HAVE THE 46 UNITS OF THE, THE SUNSET LOFTS PROJECT THAT WE'VE MENTIONED A COUPLE OF TIMES.
JUST CURIOUS, HOW DO, HOW DO YOU DEFINE THE WORKFORCE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS HERE? OKAY, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SIMPLY HOUSING THAT IS LESS THAN 30% OF THE HOUSEHOLDS INCOME, UM, WORKFORCE TYPICALLY BELOW 120% OF OUR AREA.
UM, SO FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE, HOW MANY OF THOSE UNITS DO YOU THINK WILL ACTUALLY BE BUILT? SO TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, WE HEARD IN TUCSON THAT I THINK THEY WERE, THEY HAD, I FORGET THE NUMBER, 17,000 UNITS IN THE PIPELINE, BUT THEY THOUGHT ROUGHLY 30% OF THOSE WOULD ACTUALLY BE BUILT OUT.
UM, SO THAT'S THE FIRST QUESTION.
AND THEN, UM, THE SECOND PART OF THE QUESTION, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE TIMING IS FOR ALL THOSE UNITS? LET'S, OR HOWEVER MANY UNITS YOU DECIDE WILL ACTUALLY BE BUILT OUT? I'M GONNA SUSPECT THAT THAT PERCENTAGE IS ABOUT THE SAME ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO, UM, LIKE I SAID, I'VE BEEN IN ARIZONA FOR A YEAR, SO FROM MY EXPERIENCE, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY OF THOSE WOULD BE BUILT.
UM, GOOD, MR. CHAIR, TO CLARIFY, 30% OF THAT 600 UNITS WILL LIKELY OR MAY BE BUILT? ULTIMATELY, I WOULD, I WOULD SAY 30% IS VERY LIKELY TO BE BUILT.
UM, IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, AND BECAUSE OF OUR NEED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, I WOULD SAY THAT MAYBE IT'S MUCH GREATER THAN THAT.
UM, SOME OF THESE PROPERTIES ARE PROJECTS OF THE CITY AS WELL, SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY A MATTER OF TIME.
AND THAT, I THINK WAS THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION, THAT THE 46 UNITS THAT ARE NOW IN PERMITTING ARE OBVIOUSLY OVER A YEAR OUT, PROBABLY AROUND A YEAR.
UM, THE OTHERS TWO TO THREE YEARS AT LEAST.
THINKING ABOUT THE VERDE VALLEY AS A WHOLE,
[01:10:01]
IS THERE ANY KIND OF, UH, CONSENSUS ON HOW MANY HOMES NEED TO BE BUILT PER YEAR GOING FORWARD? KINDA LIKE A GOAL OF, OF, OF BUILDING AND, UH, TO REACH YOUR GOALS? THERE IS, AND I APOLOGIZE, I THAT'S PART OF THE STUDY.IT WAS A RECOMMENDATION, BUT I DON'T HAVE THAT HANDY.
MR. CHAIR, IT'S A FOLLOW UP AS WELL.
UH, SO TWO TO THREE YEARS FOR THE REMAINING, FOR THE 30% OF THE UNITS FOR THE, OF THE 600.
WHY DO YOU THINK IT'S TAKING THAT LONG? UM, OR WHY DO YOU THINK IT'LL TAKE THAT LONG TO PRODUCE THOSE? PART OF IT IS THE COST OF LAND AND THE CHALLENGES THAT THE LAND PRESENTS.
UM, SOMEONE MENTIONED EARLIER THE TOPOGRAPHY, UM, DIFFERENT ISSUES WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU KNOW, GETTING WATER AND SEWER TO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
THERE ARE A LOT OF CHALLENGES, I THINK, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, IN DEVELOPMENT AND PUTTING TOGETHER A, A PROJECT.
UM, MR. CHAIR, IS ZONING A PART OF THAT PROBLEM? CERTAINLY.
UM, ONE, TWO, AT LEAST FOUR OF THESE NEED A ZONING CHANGE.
WHAT ARE YOU SEEING FOR AVERAGE TIME FOR REZONING CASES? UH, DEFER AGAIN TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOR THAT ONE.
UM, WHEN WE HAVE A GOOD PARTNERSHIP WITH THE, UM, DEVELOPER, WE CAN GET A REZONING DONE IN SIX TO SEVEN MONTHS, UM, WHEN THEY'RE NOT AS RESPONSIVE OR DO NOT RES, YOU KNOW, ARE NOT AS GOOD OF A PARTNER, THEY CAN TAKE LONGER.
AND, UH, WHEN YOU HAVE TO CHANGE YOUR, UH, YOUR GENERAL PLAN, MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THE GENERAL PLAN, UM, HOW LONG DOES THAT TAKE TO ADJUST IT, MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THE GENERAL PLAN? UM, THAT CAN TAKE EIGHT MONTHS OR SO, UM, FROM START TO FINISH.
AND GENERALLY, I KNOW THE STATE LAW AND THAT CHANGED RECENTLY, BUT WHEN WE WERE HAVING TO DO THEM ONLY ONCE A YEAR, AND WE CAN ONLY START THEM IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY TO GET THEM THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR, THAT WAS A IMPEDIMENT TO DEVELOPERS WHO WERE, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT PROJECTS IN JULY OR AUGUST IF THEY COULDN'T START.
AND I'VE HEARD SOME CITIES, UM, IN ORDER TO REZONE, YOU HAVE TO DO GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT, THEN YOU DO THE REZONING PROCESS, AND IT'S A VERY SIMILAR PROCESS.
IS THAT, IS THAT THE CASE HERE WHERE IF I WANNA REZONE DIRT THAT I OWN, I HAVE TO DO THE GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT FIRST PROCESS AND THEN THE REZONING PROCESS? WE DON'T REQUIRE YOU TO DO IT SEPARATELY.
WE DO ALLOW YOU TO DO IT CONCURRENTLY.
A LOT OF DEVELOPERS WILL CHOOSE TO DO IT SEPARATELY JUST BECAUSE THE, UM, EFFORT AND THE, THE TIME TO PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER.
THE GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT IS ON A MUCH TIGHTER TIME TIMEFRAME.
AND THEY DON'T WANNA PUT IN KIND OF SOME OF THE DESIGN WORK AND ALL THAT TO GET A DESIGN REVIEW APPROVAL.
IF THEY DON'T KNOW THEY HAVE THE GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT, THEY LIKE THE ASSURANCE THAT THEY AT LEAST HAVE SOME KIND OF APPROVAL BEFORE THEY GO.
YEAH, YOU DO EVERYTHING THAT THERE'S A LOT OF EFFORT AND TIME INVOLVED, AND THAT'S WHY THEY TEND TO, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY EFFORT AND TIME INVOLVED? OH, SORRY.
UM, SO LIKE A, A TYPICAL MULTIFAMILY PROJECT, IF IT REQUIRES A GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT OR WE CALLED IT COMMUNITY PLAN HERE AND ZONE CHANGE, AND THEN A DEVELOPMENT REVIEW FOR THE, UM, DESIGN OF THE BUILDING, WE DO ALLOW THEM TO GO THROUGH THAT ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
BUT THEY DON'T TYPICALLY WANT TO DO THEIR FULL ARCHITECTURAL PLANS WITHOUT EVEN HAVING, YOU KNOW, THE, THE COMMUNITY PLAN AMENDMENT.
WHY IS THAT, DO YOU THINK? UM, BECAUSE OF THE TIME, UM, AND THE COST TO HIRE AN ARCHITECT TO DO A FULL SET OF DESIGN DRAWINGS, UM, WITHOUT, AGAIN, IF THEY'RE TRYING TO GET A COMMUNITY PLAN AMENDMENT THAT HAS TO GO OUR COMMUNITY, MOST OF THESE ARE MAJOR AMENDMENTS THAT GET A CITYWIDE NOTICING.
THAT'S THE TWO THIRDS VOTE OF CITY COUNCIL.
THEY JUST GET A LITTLE SCARED OF PAYING AN ARCHITECT TO DO FULL DESIGN DRAWINGS WITHOUT SOME KIND OF ASSURANCE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY AT LEAST HAVE A ZONE CHANGE OR COMMUNITY PLAN AMENDMENT IN PLACE.
DO YOU THINK WHEN THEY INCUR ALL THOSE DIFFERENT COSTS FOR THE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, REZONING AND WHATEVER PROCESSES, DO YOU THINK THAT THOSE COSTS EVENTUALLY WIND UP AT THE DOORSTEP FOR THE PRICE OF THAT HOME? DO YOU THINK IT INCREASES THE PRICE OF THE HOME? UM, WELL, I HAVE NO IDEA.
NOT A, I I WOULD ASSUME THAT THEY FACTOR ALL OF THAT IN TO WHAT AND TIME IS, YOU KNOW, A COST AS WELL.
SO I WAS JUST GONNA PROVIDE A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE SUNSET LOFTS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
UM, IT IS 46 UNITS PROPOSED OF ONE AND TWO BEDROOMS. UM, ALL THE UNITS WILL BE AFFORDABLE TO HOUSEHOLDS EARNING BETWEEN 80 AND A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
UM, WE DID PARTNER WITH A LOCAL DEVELOPER ON THIS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
UM, THE CITY CONTRIBUTED 4.2 MILLION IN THE FORM OF LOAN TO THE PROJECT, AND THE OVERALL PROJECT BUDGET WAS 13.3 MILLION.
[01:15:01]
AND WORKFORCE HOUSING REQUIREMENTS ARE INSURED BY A 50 YEAR LAND USE RESTRICTION.UM, ONE OF THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR A POTENTIAL PUBLIC PRIVATE HOUSING OPPORTUNITY, UM, IS UA, WHICH IS ACTUALLY RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO OUR CITY OFFICES HERE.
UM, IT'S ABOUT ONE AND A HALF ACRES WITH AN EXISTING BUILDING ON IT, WHICH THE CITY WOULD LOOK TO, UM, DEMOLISH AND PARTNER TO BUILD WORKFORCE HOUSING THERE
SO AS FAR AS NEXT STEPS, UM, IN SEDONA, WE WOULD PLAN TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE RIGHT TO REGULATE VACATION RENTALS.
UM, MORE FUNDING FROM THE STATE, UM, TO THE RURAL AREAS IN PARTICULAR.
AND FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING, WE'VE SEEN A LOT LATELY BE FOR TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, AND WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON, UM, THE WORKFORCE THAT THAT IS SOMEHOW CURRENTLY HOUSED IN KEEPING THEM HOUSED.
UM, AND THEN FUNDING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, AS WE SEE THESE CITIES AND TOWNS EXPAND KIND OF OUTSIDE OUR TRADITIONAL BOUNDARIES, UM, WE'RE WORKING ON UPDATING AND SIMPLIFYING, UM, OUR, OUR DIGA OUR DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES TO SPEED THE PROCESS AND MAKE THAT EASIER FOR DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPERS.
UM, CONTINUING TO IDENTIFY AND CHANGE THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AND NEED BUILDING CODE IMPEDIMENTS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, WE'RE ADDRESSING THOSE AS WE IDENTIFY THEM.
UM, AND THEN WORKING ON KIND OF A COALITION TO BUILD LOCAL SUPPORT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO WE HAVE MORE YUMIES AND FEWER NIMBY, UM, WORKING WITH SMALL DEVELOPERS TO INCLUDE SOME AFFORDABILITY IN THEIR DEVELOPMENTS.
THEY'RE OFTEN NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE CONCEPT OF DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS AND HOW TO WORK WITH THE CITY.
SO REALLY EDUCATING, EDUCATING THE SMALLER DEVELOPERS AS WELL.
AND THEN MOVING FORWARD WITH REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS FROM DEVELOPERS FOR OUR CITY OWNED LAND.
UM, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE BIGGEST NEED IS AS FAR AS HOME TYPE IN THE VERDE VALLEY AREA? UM, THINKING ABOUT ANY, EVERYTHING FROM SINGLE FAMILY TO THE, TO THE PLEXES, TO MANUFACTURED TO TOWN HOMES, CONDOS, APARTMENTS.
SO WHAT'S THE, THE GREATEST NEED OUT THERE RIGHT NOW, AND WHAT'S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE TO BUILDING THAT NEED? UM, AND THEN, UM, I FORGOT MY OTHER ONE, BUT I'LL THINK OF IT AS YOU'RE ANSWERING THAT, BUT I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY APARTMENTS, BUT WE ALSO DO NEED SOME DIVERSITY IN OUR HOUSING STOCK.
WE HAVE AN OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING HERE, SO FROM DUPLEXES TO QUADS AND, YOU KNOW, JUST A REAL, A TRUE DIVERSITY IN HOUSING.
SO A LOT OF THAT MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING THAT WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT IS, IS NECESSARY HERE IN ADDITION TO APARTMENTS, WHICH IS THE PRIMARY NEED.
AND THEN, I KNOW WE ASKED THIS EARLIER, AND IT'S IN A REPORT SOMEWHERE, BUT JUST YOUR OWN PERSONAL OPINION, HOW MANY HOMES DO YOU THINK WE NEED TO BE BUILDING IN THE VERDE VALLEY EACH YEAR TO KIND OF KEEP UP WITH DEMAND ACROSS THE VERDE VALLEY? YEAH.
UM, OR YOU CAN JUST SEDONA HERE TOO, BUT MM-HMM.
IDEALLY, UM, MORE THAN 700 A YEAR, I BELIEVE.
UM, AND THEN THE HOMELESSNESS, UM, IN SEDONA OR THE VERDE VALLEY, HAVE YOU SEEN IT INCREASING, DECREASING, OR STAYING ABOUT THE SAME IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS? HAVING BEEN HERE A YEAR? I CAN'T SAY FOR SURE.
UM, CAN ANYONE HELP HER OUT? HAS BEEN HERE A WHILE.
CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE MEMBERS? I DON'T HAVE AN EXACT NUMBER, BUT I CAN TELL YOU ANECDOTALLY THAT FROM OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, DAILY REPORTS FROM OUR LOCAL WORKFORCE WHO ARE REGULARLY REPORTING TO US THAT THEY HAVE WORKFORCE THAT ARE LIVING IN VANS AT THE, IN THE FOREST.
UM, WE ARE VERY REGULARLY RESPONDING TO CALLS ABOUT TRANSIENTS IN DIFFERENT PLACES, YOU KNOW, THE CAMPING AND THE CITY, WHETHER THAT BE IN VEHICLES OR OTHERWISE.
SO WHILE WE DON'T HAVE EXACT NUMBERS, I CAN TELL YOU THAT OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE HAVE DEFINITELY SEEN AN INCREASE IN, IN HOMELESS ISSUES.
UH, WHAT DO YOU THINK'S DRIVING THAT HERE IN THE VERDE VALLEY AREA? I THINK FOR US IT'S THE INAVAILABILITY OF HOUSING.
IT'S, UM, WHEN WE ARE HAVING WORKFORCE LEGITIMATE FOLKS WHO WORK IN THE, IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE RESORTING TO VAN LIFE AS OPPOSED TO, UM, BECAUSE THEY JUST CAN'T SIMPLY FIND, UH, A PLACE TO, TO RENT.
UM, ANECDOTALLY FOR US, WE ARE SEEING 350 SQUARE FOOT STUDIO EFFICIENCY UNITS GOING FOR NEARLY $2,000 A MONTH.
SO IT'S JUST SIMPLY NOT AFFORDABLE,
[01:20:01]
UM, FOR FOLKS EVEN WHO DO, UM, WORK HERE.UH, YES, MS. MARINO FIRST, AND THEN MAYOR WOODS.
UM, AND I WANNA SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, KUDOS TO MY COLLEAGUES WHO ARE TRYING TO ADDRESS THE AFFORDABILITY.
I HAVE A QUESTION BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE TO LISTEN TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITIES, AND I'M HEARING A LOT FROM ALL OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT IT'S JUST NOT ABOUT SIMPLE SUPPLY AND DEMAND, BUT IT'S ABOUT SUPPLY AND DEMAND OF AFFORDABLE UNITS.
WHEN OUR MEDIAN HOME PRICE IS A MILLION DOLLARS, AND I JUST REFERENCED, YOU KNOW, AN EFFICIENCY UNIT GOING, STARTING AT ANY RENTALS THAT YOU'LL SEE EVEN FOR APARTMENT STOCK, IF THEY ARE AVAILABLE AND THERE'S NOT A LOT OF AVAILABILITY GO UP FROM THERE.
SO, UM, IT IS ABOUT THE AFFORDABILITY OF UNITS AND AS YOU, THE, THE SHANNON REFERENCED, UM, SOME DIFFERENT PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE, ANYTHING THAT IS VIABLE, ANYTHING THAT WILL COME TO FRUITION ON THAT LIST, AT LEAST FOR IN OUR COMMUNITY WILL INCLUDE AND HAS INCLUDED A CITY FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION.
SO NONE OF THOSE THINGS, EVEN WITH THE DEVELOPER INCENTIVES GUIDELINES, THE ADDITIONAL HEIGHT, THE SETBACKS, THE FLEXIBILITY, THEY CANNOT MAKE THAT PENCIL AT A, UM, DEED RESTRICTED LEVEL, EVEN AT 120% OF AMI WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE CITY.
AND MANY OF THE PROJECTS THAT SHANNON REFERENCED ARE ACTUALLY JOINT PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS WHERE THE CITY IS TAKING AN ACTIVE FINANCIAL ROLE IN THE CREATION OF THOSE UNITS.
AND FOR A SMALL COMMUNITY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE MORE FORTUNATE THAN MOST IN TERMS OF OUR ABILITY AND RESOURCES TO CONTRIBUTE TO THAT.
BUT THERE, THERE'S JUST NO WAY THAT WE CAN FILL THAT GAP IF FOR EVERY 46 UNITS WE'RE CONTRIBUTING $4 MILLION, UM, OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE KIND OF TRAVELING AROUND THE STATE AND MEETING IN PHOENIX WITH THE THOUGHT THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A BILL WILL COME OUT OF THIS AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO ADDRESS THESE SUPPLY ISSUES AND THE LACK OF AFFORDABILITY ISSUES.
AND MY QUESTION IS, IS THERE SOMETHING, OR ARE THERE THINGS THAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE COULD DO MOVING FORWARD THAT WOULD FRANKLY AID THE VERDE VALLEY WHEN IT COMES TO CREATING MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING? I I'M GONNA POINT TO SHANNON TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS ON HER LIST IN TERMS OF THE NEXT STEPS.
UM, BUT, BUT I DO THINK THAT A ONE SIZE FITS ALL BY RIGHT ENTITLEMENTS WHAT MIGHT WORK IN METRO PHOENIX AND BE PERFECTLY APPROPRIATE THERE MIGHT NOT WORK IN RURAL ARIZONA.
UM, CERTAINLY IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE TALKED ABOUT THINGS LIKE HEIGHT ALLOWANCES AND MM-HMM.
UM, AND, AND I MIGHT JUST LOOK TO SHANNON TO, TO FILL IN SOME OF THOSE OTHER GAPS.
UM, I THINK I, I LISTED THOSE HERE.
THE, THE RIGHT TO REGULATE VACATION RENTALS LOCALLY COULD MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE FOR US.
UM, THE FUNDING FOR RURAL HOUSING AND FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING AND FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, I THINK THE BILL THAT WAS PROPOSED LAST SESSION REALLY WOULDN'T WORK FOR US HERE.
IT WOULDN'T MAKE SENSE FOR US HERE.
UM, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER PROPOSALS SUCH AS A MENU OF, UM, DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS THAT CITIES MIGHT SELECT FROM THAT WOULD, WOULD FIT THEIR INDIVIDUAL CITIES.
AND I THINK, UM, THAT'S A POSSIBILITY.
UM, SO YOU MENTIONED THAT, UH, THE VERDE VALLEY HAS A CRITICAL NEED FOR A NEW MULTI-FAMILY APARTMENTS.
HOW MUCH LAND DO YOU THINK IS ZONED FOR APARTMENTS? WE'VE HEARD IN MANY COMMUNITIES THAT IT'S IN THE TEEN, SOMETIMES LESS THAT THAN THAT.
AND WHAT YOU MEAN BY IS NEW DIRT AVAILABLE TO BUILD, RIGHT? NOT CURRENT STOCK, YEAH.
JUST LAND AVAILABLE, CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ZONED FOR HARD ZONE FOR MULTIFAMILY.
WE HAVE LOOKED AT THE PARCELS THAT ARE ZONED AND AVAILABLE, BUT I DON'T HAVE A GOOD, LIKE, ACREAGE DESCRIPTION.
THE FACT IS IN SEDONA, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF VACANT LAND.
UM, AND THEN MR. CHAIR, YOU MENTIONED THE BILL FROM THIS PAST SESSION DEALING WITH ZONING BY, RIGHT.
UM, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, DO YOU THINK THAT AS A HYPOTHETICAL, IF
[01:25:01]
ZONING WAS ALLOWED BY RIGHT, AND HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS WERE TAKEN AWAY, DENSITY RESTRICTIONS WOULD TAKE AWAY, DO YOU THINK NATURALLY MORE HOMES WOULD POTENTIALLY BE PROPOSED OR BROUGHT TO THE CITY? TAKE ASIDE THE CONCERN ABOUT VIEW RESTRICTIONS OR BLOCKING VIEWS.I'M JUST CURIOUS IF YOU THINK THERE'S A CORRELATION BETWEEN ZONING AND HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS AND DENSITY RESTRICTIONS IN TERMS OF LIMITING THE CITY'S HOUSING STOCK.
I THINK, AGAIN, I WOULD SAY WE HAVE VERY LITTLE VACANT LAND, SO I'M NOT REALLY SURE HOW TO QUANTIFY WHAT WOULD BE BUILT, MR. CHAIR, BUT YOU CAN REDEVELOP CERTAINLY.
AND OUR GREAT MAYOR WITH US IS LAND LOCKED AS WELL.
AND, AND I THINK MOST OF HIS HOUSING PROJECTS ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, ARE BASED UPON REDEVELOPMENT.
AND I DON'T WANNA TAKE HIS FUNDER, BUT HE JUST APPROVED 1100 UNITS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS FOR, FOR HOUSING.
SO I'M, I GUESS I'M CURIOUS, UM, IF YOU WERE TO REDEVELOP A PROJECT AND HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS, DENSITY RESTRICTIONS WERE TAKEN AWAY, DO YOU THINK THAT COULD CAUSE MORE HOUSING TO BE BUILT TO MAYBE PLUG THE 1500 UNIT GAP? SURE.
SO IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT THE CITY IS METERING HOW MANY HOMES? REAL, REAL QUICK, LET ME JUMP IN HERE.
UM, SO GOING BACK TO A QUESTION, UM, YOU HAD BEEN ASKED, AND I I THINK YOU SAID YES, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE THE PERCENTAGES IN FRONT OF US.
SO THERE IS CURRENTLY ZONED LAND FOR MULTIFAMILY IN THE VERDE, IN THE SEDONA AND VERDE VALLEY AREA? YES.
AND THIS IS, THIS IS LAND THAT, UM, HAS NOT BEEN DEVELOPED AT ALL YET, CORRECT? OR IS IT CURRENTLY? UM, I, I, I BELIEVE WE DO HAVE VACANT PARCEL SITERS ON HAD SOME VACANT PARCELS.
UM, WE DID, ONE OF OUR PLANNERS DID A STUDY ON IT A CO A FEW YEARS AGO.
THEY'RE GENERALLY REALLY SMALL PARCELS, UM, UNDER HALF AN ACRE, MOST OF THEM.
AND THEN THE ONES THAT ARE LARGER HAVE OTHER, UM, CONSTRAINTS SUCH AS TOPOGRAPHY, ACCESS TO UTILITIES AND THAT SORT OF THING.
SO THERE'S REALLY NOT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE 46 UNITS ON ABOUT TWO AND A QUARTER ACRES, THAT IS ONE OF THE LARGER VACANT LOTS WE HAVE IN TOWN.
SO WE JUST, EVEN LOTS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY REDEVELOP.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE LARGE LOTS.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, 40 UNITS HERE, 40 UNITS THERE, BECAUSE THAT'S THE SIZE OF THE PARCELS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.
AND DID I, DID YOU SAY THAT, UM, MOST OF THE LAND THAT'S, UH, ZONED MULTIFAMILY RIGHT NOW IS LESS THAN HALF AN ACRE? MOST OF THE, THE PROPERTIES ARE LESS THAN HALF ACRE.
I CAN ONLY THINK OF ONE THAT'S LARGER THAN THAT.
AND IT'S LIKE A REALLY STEEP HILLSIDE WITH NO UTILITIES TO IT.
SO, SO, SO I'M NOT A DEVELOPER.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DO WHAT THEY DO, BUT IF YOU HAVE LESS THAN HALF AN ACRE FOR MULTI-FAMILY, HOW MANY UNITS DO YOU THINK YOU COULD PUT ON? LESS THAN HALF AN ACRE? 10
AND, AND JUST IF I COULD ADD ONE MORE THING TO KIND OF THE BY RIGHT.
DISCUSSION FOR OUR COMMUNITY, IF YOU COULD BUILD ANYTHING ANYWHERE WITHOUT THE KIND OF RESTRICTIONS THAT WE HAVE NOW IN OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE? YEAH, I THINK WE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE MORE UNITS, UM, OF HOUSING CREATED.
BUT MY SENSE IS THAT THOSE UNITS, BECAUSE OF THE VALUE OF OUR LAND AND THE TYPE OF, UM, BUYER THAT ARE REPRESENTED HERE, WOULD EITHER BECOME SHORT-TERM RENTALS OR THEY'D BE MILLION DOLLAR PROPERTIES, OR THEY'D BE THE RENTS, LIKE I JUST, SO WHEN WE ENTER INTO A NEGOTIATION FOR A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AND WE APPLY THE DIGA, THAT'S THE ONLY CONTROL OR INPUT THAT WE HAVE.
AND IN USING FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO HELP ACQUIRE THAT, IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT AT LEAST SOME OF THOSE UNITS ARE DEED RESTRICTED AND DO HAVE THE LAND USE RESTRICTIONS AND WILL BE KEPT IN PERPETUITY IN THAT HOUSING STOCK FOR WORKFORCE AND AFFORDABILITY.
OTHERWISE, THEY BECOME MARKET RATE UNITS.
AND FOR US, THAT MIGHT BE MILLION DOLLAR UNITS.
REGARDING, UH, YEAH, RIGHT BACK TO YOU IN A SECOND, UH, REGARDING THE SHORT TERM RENTALS AND DEED RESTRICTIONS.
AND, UM, CAN YOU HAVE COMMUNITIES, UH, UPDATE CCNRS OR CREATE CCNRS TO RESTRICT SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS? SO WE HAVE HAD, THROUGH A VOLUNTEERING NEGOTIATION IN SOME PROJECTS THAT HAVE COME FORWARD THAT THEY HAVE VOLUNTARILY RESTRICTED AND SAID WE'RE GONNA HAVE CCNRS, UM, IN ORDER TO, TO KEEP THESE UNITS AND THROUGH DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.
UM, BUT OTHERWISE, IF, IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT ABILITY TO, TO NEGOTIATE WHEN THEY COME IN, WE'RE JUST SIMPLY NOT GONNA GET IT.
BUT THE LOCAL NEIGHBORHOODS COULD, UH, CREATE A CCNR THEN TO RESTRICT THAT IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, IS THAT RIGHT? SO ANECDOTALLY, I HAVEN'T DONE RESEARCH ON THIS, BUT I DO TALK TO A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
WHAT WE'VE ACTUALLY SEEN IS THAT THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DO HAVE CCNRS, THAT STRAIGHT SHORT TERM RENTALS, THOSE ARE GOING AWAY.
UM, AS NEW PEOPLE COME IN AND BUY HOUSES, THEY'RE,
[01:30:01]
YOU KNOW, THE NEIGHBORS WHO HAVE BEEN THERE FOR YEARS AND DON'T WANT SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE BEING OUTVOTED BY THE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING IN AND LOOKING AT IT AS AN INVESTMENT.AND SO EVEN THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DO, DID HAVE, UM, RESTRICTIONS ON THAT, WERE SEEING THOSE FALL, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT STAYING IN PLACE.
THE OTHER THING I THINK YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CCNRS AND ALL THAT, THE ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM FOR THAT IS GOING TO COURT.
THIS JUST ISN'T GOING TO WORK OVER TIME.
YOU CAN'T TAKE, YOU KNOW, YOU TAKE ONE SHORT TERM RENTAL OR TWO IN A NEIGHBORHOOD TO COURT, IT COULD TAKE TWO YEARS, AND IN THE MEANTIME, IT'S STILL PROLIFERATING IN SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES.
SO IT'S NOT A GOOD ENFORCEMENT RECORD.
WE NEED ZONING ENFORCEMENT MM-HMM.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, THANKS, UM, FOR ALL THE PRESENTATIONS AND CONVERSATION TODAY.
I'VE, I'VE, YOU KNOW, LEARNED A LOT.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW WHO MY QUESTION ULTIMATELY IS GONNA BE, UM, YOU KNOW, ANSWERED BY, AND I, I PUT IT OUT TO ANYBODY, BUT I'M KIND OF, I, I'M STRUGGLING HERE BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I, I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS AS IT RELATES TO SHORT TERM RENTALS.
I'M ACTUALLY KIND OF SOMEWHAT SYMPATHETIC.
THE MAYOR PUT IT, WELL, THEY'RE NOT GOOD NEIGHBORS, I GET THAT.
UM, BUT PART OF YOUR PROBLEM, AS I HEARD TODAY, WAS DIRECTLY BECAUSE OF SHORT TERM RES, THE FACT THAT UNITS HAVE BEEN TAKEN OFF THE MARKET AND ARE UNAVAILABLE, I GUESS FOR, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR AVERAGE SERVICE WORKER, TEACHER, OR FIREFIGHTER.
BUT THE SAME RESPECT, YOU'VE IMPLEMENTED A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS, WHICH ARE GREAT, AND I THINK THAT'S COMMENDABLE FOR ALL OF YOU.
BUT BASED ON THE NUMBERS I SAW FROM THOSE PROGRAMS, THEY'RE NOWHERE GONNA BECOME NEAR SOLVING YOUR PROBLEM.
AT THE SAME RESPECT, YOU SEEM RELUCTANT TO INCREASE YOUR DENSITY LEVELS OR YOUR ZONING PROCESS IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM TO BRING TO BEAR MARKET RATE HOUSING, WHICH YOU SAID WILL NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
SO I DON'T SEE A SOLUTION HERE.
AND, AND SO EDUCATE ME ON WHERE I'M WRONG IN MY MATH.
AND, AND IF YOU SAW, IF YOU BANN EVERY AIRBNB AND THE SEDONA, WOULD YOUR PROBLEM GO AWAY, I GUESS IS THE ANSWER? IT WOULD, YOU'RE CONVINCED THAT, THAT THIS WOULD GO AWAY? UH, SIR, I DON'T THINK THAT OUR PROBLEM WILL GO AWAY, BUT 1500 ADDITIONAL UNITS IN THE GREATER SEDONA AREA CERTAINLY WOULD HELP WITH THAT SUPPLY AND DEMAND ISSUE.
NOW, GRANTED, BUT APARTMENTS, APARTMENTS, SO THAT MR. CAMPS, MR CAMPS, WE DON'T INTERRUPT PEOPLE.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE THE PROP 2 0 7 ISSUE.
SO EVEN IF THE LEGISLATOR OR LEGISLATURE CHANGED THE LAW TOMORROW, AND WE COULD NOW PUT A CAP AND STOP THE BLEEDING ON THIS PROLIFERATION THAT WE'RE SEEING MONTH AFTER MONTH IN OUR COMMUNITY, THOSE 1500 ARE NOT GOING AWAY.
THEY HAVE GRANDFATHERED RIGHTS, UM, TO CONTINUE TO BE USED IN THAT WAY.
SO WOULD 1500 NEW UNITS COMING BACK INTO THE POOL HELP US? YES.
IS THAT GOING TO SOLVE THE ENTIRE, UM, HOUSING SHORTAGE IN NORTHERN ARIZONA? NO, NOT AT ALL.
NO, AND I'M SORRY FOR INTERRUPTING.
I'M, I'M GENUINELY LIKE, JUST HAVE TROUBLE DIGESTING THIS NUMBER GAME BECAUSE IT, TO YOUR POINT, IF YOU PUT 1500, YOU'RE OKAY PUTTING 1500 UNITS OF AIRBNB ON THE GROUND, WHICH I UNDERSTAND YOU.
IF, IF YOU'VE BANNED AIRBNBS AND YOU HAD 1500 NEW UNITS IN, IN THE HOUSING STOCK, THAT WOULD BE A WIN.
HELPFUL, CORRECT? YEAH, SURE, IT'D BE A WIN.
BUT ON THE DEVELOPMENT SIDE, THAT SEEMS TO BE PROBLEMATIC.
NUMBER ONE, AT LEAST FROM WHAT I HEARD TODAY.
AND IF I GOT THAT WRONG, PLEASE TELL ME.
BUT NUMBER TWO, YOUR PROBLEM IS APARTMENTS.
IF I UNDERSTOOD IT, IT WAS 3,700 INSTANT APARTMENTS.
SO I'M, AGAIN, I'M NOT, I'M, I'M JUST TRYING TO LEARN, I, I, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NEW TO ME, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT PUTTING 1500 HOUSES AND THEY MAY NOT ALL BE HOUSES ONTO THE MARKET, DOESN'T SOLVE THE APARTMENT PROBLEM THAT YOU FACE.
AND, AND I'M KIND OF JUMBLING THIS A LITTLE BIT CUZ OF THIS VERDE VALLEY VERSUS SEDONA THING, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO JUST POINT AT SEDONA.
I'M TRYING TO GET MY NUMBERS AROUND MY HEAD, WRAPPED AROUND THE, THE NUMBERS.
[01:35:01]
YEAH.SO TO GO BACK TO ONE OF YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY DON'T WE JUST, YOU KNOW, INCREASE HEIGHT, THE, OR INCREASED DENSITY, AND AGAIN, IF THEY HAVE THOSE REQUIREMENTS, YOU KNOW, IF THEY AGREE THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE LONG TERM, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE SHORT TERM RENTALS, THERE IS REALLY NO DENSITY LIMITS.
IT'S MORE OF A HEIGHT PARKING DESIGN.
WHAT FITS ON THE SITE, WHAT WE RUN INTO IS THAT THE, UM, WE, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, WE JUST DON'T HAVE LARGE PARCELS LEFT IN THE CITY.
AND EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE IS SURROUNDED BY EXISTING DEVELOPMENT.
SO YOU'RE ALWAYS GONNA BE DEALING WITH THE NEIGHBORS WHO, YOU KNOW, BUILT, BOUGHT SOMETHING, ASSUMING THAT MAYBE A A 20 FOOT 2025 FOOT BUILDING COULD BE BUILT NEXT DOOR.
AND SO IF YOU DRASTICALLY INCREASE HEIGHT, YOU'RE, IT'S, IT'S JUST THAT BALANCE BETWEEN DOING WHAT WE CAN TO MAXIMIZE UNITS, BUT ALSO REALIZING THAT THERE'S EXISTING NEIGHBORS THERE.
WE DON'T REALLY, OTHER THAN SOME, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME LARGER PROPERTIES THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY DOESN'T CONTROL.
THERE'S, THERE'S NOT A GOOD PLACE TO, YOU KNOW, TO GO UP 5, 6, 7 STORIES THAT WOULDN'T IMPACT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE'RE GONNA TRANSITION TO YOU HAVE A QUICK QUESTION? YEAH, A QUICK QUESTION.
UM, GIVEN THE REGIONAL WORKFORCE, HAVE YOU GUYS DONE ANY KIND OF ANALYSIS, MR. CHAIR, UM, ON HOW MANY PROJECTS YOU CAN PROPERLY MANAGE IN A YEAR? I MEAN, I KNOW IDEALLY YOU'D LIKE TO BUILD OVER 700, BUT WHAT CAN THE REGIONAL WORKFORCE FROM A POPULATION, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU KNOW, YOU'VE LOOKED AT THAT.
I THINK THE HOUSING STUDY DID LOOK AT THAT A LITTLE BIT.
UM, BUT WHAT WE KNOW AS MAYOR LINSKY ALLUDED TO EARLIER IS WE'RE BUILDING AS MUCH AS WE CAN RIGHT NOW.
UM, THE WORKFORCE IS PRETTY MAXED OUT.
BUILDERS WILL TELL YOU THEY'RE WAITING UNTIL A CREW CAN COME IN TO DO BUILD THE NEXT STEP.
SO WE DON'T HAVE THE WORKFORCE TO BUILD THE IDEAL NUMBER OF UNITS.
AND JUST A QUICK FOLLOW UP, YOU'RE, UH, I WAS REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THE SHORT, THE SEDONA RENT LOCAL PROGRAM.
IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT IN MY ADVOCACY ABOUT HOW DO WE INCENTIVIZE LONG TERM RENTALS INSTEAD OF CONSTANTLY TRYING TO FOCUS SOLELY ON SHORT TERM RENTALS.
WHAT'S THE PUBLIC RESPONSE TO THAT PROGRAM, BEN? I SAW SOME ONLINE COMMENTS TO THE ARTICLES THAT WAS LIKE, OH, WELL I MAKE, YOU KNOW, I MAKE THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE OR TWO MONTHS OF THE SHORT TERM RENTAL.
IT'S NOT ENOUGH, BUT I DO BELIEVE IT'S A GOOD START.
THE, THE ONE THING THAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE PROGRAM IS THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO, UM, CONVINCE THE OWNER OF A FIVE BEDROOM, FIVE BATH HOME TO TURN IT INTO A LOCAL RENTAL.
UM, THE GOAL IS NOT TO GET SORT OF THE LUXURY DIGS FOR OUR LOCAL WORKFORCE.
IT'S MORE TO, UM, INCENTIVIZE THOSE FOLKS WHO AREN'T MAKING THE BIG PROFITS RIGHT NOW.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF THEM WHO ARE KIND OF BORDERLINE, UM, EVEN SOME PEOPLE I'VE TALKED TO WHO ARE JUST DOING SHORT TERM RENTAL BECAUSE IT'S FUN AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GETTING WEARY OF IT AND THE OVER TOURISM THAT IT HAS BROUGHT AND SOME THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THERE ARE OTHER MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS BESIDES THAT INCENTIVE.
THE INCENTIVE HOPEFULLY JUST PUSHES SOME PEOPLE OVER THE EDGE.
UM, AND I HAD A GOOD POINT TO MAKE ABOUT THE FIRST HALF OF YOUR QUESTION.
NOW I CAN'T RECALL WHAT THAT WAS.
I THINK HE'S GONNA FOLLOW UP FOR YOU
UM, WELL, INTERRUPT ME IF I, I JUST HAVE ONE LAST COMMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S INTERESTING TO HEAR ABOUT THE PROLIFERATION THAT HAPPENED IN MARCH.
UM, THERE WAS LEGISLATION THAT WOULD'VE ENACTED A CAP ON SHORT TERM RENTALS.
AND I THINK WE SAW THIS GOLD RUSH HAPPENING AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE F YOU KNOW, AS WE DEVELOP CONVERSATIONS AND, AND REGULATIONS AROUND SHORT TERM RENTALS, THE ADVERSE EFFECTS LIKE THAT HAPPENING ARE ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT.
IT'S TOO BAD TO HEAR ABOUT THAT BALLOON.
WE WANNA TRANSITION TO SCOTT ELLIS FROM, UM, CITY OF COTTONWOOD FOR PRESENTATION.
I GAVE THEM THE PRESENTATION THAT GARY SENT ME, SO, OKAY.
IT DIDN'T WORK FOR ME BECAUSE IT DIES EVERY THANK YOU.
I'LL STAY RIGHT HERE IN CASE YOU NEED, DID YOU GET COPIES OF THIS?
[01:40:07]
I HAVE THEM.JUST GETS, GETS GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIR COMMITTEE.
SCOTT ELLIS, THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR FOR CITY OF COTTONWOOD.
AND I WILL GO OVER WHERE WE ARE AT WITH SOME OF, UH, OUR HOUSING.
OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS WE'VE HAD A DECENT NUMBER OF HOUSING PROJECTS PROPOSED AND APPROVED BY OUR PLANNING COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL.
NOT ALL OF THEM HAVE REQUIRED A REZONE.
UM, I DON'T HAVE AN EXACT NUMBER.
SOME OF 'EM CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT EASIER IN VARIOUS ZONING DISTRICTS TO ALLOW FOR MULTIFAMILY.
WE HAVE SOME IN THE PIPELINE RIGHT NOW THAT DO REQUIRE A REZONE.
WHAT WE DON'T CONSIDER OUR PROCESS BURDENSOME, THE BIGGEST BURDEN IS THE STATE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE REZONE PROCESS.
WE JUST LIKE SEDONA, IF THE DEVELOPER IS ON BOARD WITH IT, IT CAN GO AS QUICKLY OR AS LONG AS IT TAKES THEM.
UM, I'VE SEEN IT DONE AS QUICK AS THREE MONTHS.
AVERAGE IS PROBABLY SIX, BUT AGAIN, IT'S ON THEM TO GET US WHAT WE NEED TO PROCESS IT.
SO IT'S NOT THAT OUR PROCESS AGAIN, IS BURDENSOME, BUT IT JUST, WHEN THEY DON'T RESPOND TO US, WHEN THEY DON'T GET US WHAT WE NEED TO GIVE TO OUR PLANNING COMMISSION COUNCIL, IT TAKES LONGER.
UH, SEVERAL PROJECTS ARE MULTI-FAMILY, SEVERAL ARE SINGLE FAMILY OVER ON.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S A LASER POINTER ON HERE.
IS THERE? YEAH, UP ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THERE, THE MESQUITE HILLS TWO, THAT'S APPROXIMATELY 275 SINGLE FAMILY HOMES IN A SUBDIVISION THAT'S GETTING STARTED WITH THEIR NEXT PHASE.
UH, THE VINEYARDS UP KIND OF IN THE PURPLE AREA THAT'S TOTAL OF 555 DWELLING UNITS.
MIXTURE OF SINGLE FAMILY, MULTI-FAMILY.
UH, THAT'S KIND OF, IT'S MOVING FORWARD BUT IT'S A LITTLE BIT SLOW.
UM, ON THE DEVELOPER SIDE, WE HAVE A CURRENT ONE CLEMENT STYLE PLACE THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE A COUPLE HUNDRED APARTMENTS.
THEY'RE IN THE REZONE PROCESS RIGHT NOW.
UM, THE BUNGALOWS ARE ABOUT 40, 50 UNITS, DUPLEX STYLE UNITS THAT JUST GOT APPROVED BY OUR PLANNING COMMISSION IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.
THE OVERLOOK, SAME THING THAT JUST GOT APPROVED.
MOUNTAIN VIEW ADDITION, THAT ONE IS AN EXISTING OLDER APARTMENT COMPLEX, HAS BEEN AROUND FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS.
THEY'RE TRYING TO DO ANOTHER 30 TO 40 UNITS.
UH, SIXTH STREET LOSS IS ABOUT 56 UNITS.
THEY ARE, THEY'VE GONE THROUGH OUR PROCESS PRETTY QUICK WITH OUR PLANNING COMMISSION.
UM, SAN RIANO IS ANOTHER 150 ISH UNITS APARTMENTS.
THEY'RE GETTING READY TO GO THROUGH THEIR REZONE PROCESS WITH OUR PLANNING COMMISSION IN OCTOBER.
UM, WHAT'S THE ROUGH POPULATION OF COTTONWOOD? WE'RE JUST UNDER 13,000.
SO BASED ON THE LESS LAST CENSUS.
AND THEN, I MEAN, YOU'VE, YOU'VE ALREADY RATTLED OFF SEVERAL HUNDRED HOMES THAT ARE IN THE PIPELINE, RIGHT? CORRECT.
DO YOU KNOW THE TOTAL NUMBER THAT ARE IN THE PIPELINE OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD? UH, IT IS ON ONE OF THE LATER SLIDES.
AND, AND I'LL GET TO THE REASON WHY WE'RE NOT QUITE SEEING THESE COME TO FRUITION YET.
UM, ONE OF OUR BIGGEST PROJECTS THAT WE'VE BEEN WAITING ON, INSPIRATION IS KIND OF RIGHT THERE, CENTER LEFT.
UM, THAT'S 192 APARTMENT UNITS THAT WAS APPROVED ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO.
TOOK THEM UNTIL EARLY THIS YEAR TO GET STARTED, ACTUALLY BREAK GROUND AND NOW THEY ARE MOVING FORWARD HOPEFULLY TO BE OPEN, HAVE PEOPLE MOVING IN BY NEXT YEAR.
WHY DID IT TAKE FIVE YEARS? FINANCING
[01:45:05]
THE PURPLE AREA OVER ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE? UM, THAT IS APPROXIMATELY 2000 DWELLING UNITS SUBDIVISION THAT HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR PROBABLY 25 YEARS.WE HAVE THE VERDE RIVER RUNNING THROUGH THE MIDDLE THERE.
WE CAN'T GET SEWER WHERE WE HAVE IT EXISTING ACROSS THAT RIVER.
THE WHOLE NEW TREATMENT PLANT HAS TO BE OVER THERE.
WATER'S NOT AN ISSUE THAT ARE WELLS OVER THERE.
IT'S THE SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT IT IS MADE, UH, SIGNIFICANT STRIDES.
NOW THEY'VE WORKED OUT WITH AN ADJACENT DEVELOPMENT ON HOW TO MOVE THAT FORWARD.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE SEEING THAT COME OFF THE GROUND.
THERE IS, AND IT'S NOT CALLED OUT ON THERE VERY WELL, BUT THERE'S KIND OF THAT, UH, SQUARE AREA IN THE MIDDLE THERE.
THAT'S, THAT'S SOME STATE TRUST LAND THAT OUR MAYOR MENTIONED EARLIER.
IT'S ABOUT 780 ACRES OF STATE TRUST LAND THAT IS INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.
THERE IS TOPOGRAPHY THERE, THERE ARE SLOPES THERE.
WATER NOT QUITE AS BIG A DEAL, BUT SEWER IS.
SO AGAIN, SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT I MENTIONED IS THE INSPIRATION.
192 UNITS THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING BUILT.
MESQUITE HILLS 273 SINGLE FAMILY VINEYARDS TOTAL OF 555 SINGLE AND MULTI-FAMILY.
KENDRA HEIGHTS IS A SMALL SUBDIVISION WITH 20 SINGLE FAMILY.
THE BUNGALOWS 48 MULTI-FAMILY SANRIO IS 44.
THAT'S AN INFILL PROJECT, SO IS THE BUNGALOWS.
SO IT WAS A SIXTH STREET LOFT AT 56 UNITS.
UH, WE HAVE A VARIETY OF PROPOSED PROJECTS.
WE GET A FEW HUNDRED THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED, BUT AS OUR MAYOR MENTIONED EARLIER, ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS IS LABOR.
THE OTHER BIGGEST PROBLEM THAT I HAVE SEEN IS FINANCING ON THE DEVELOPER SIDE.
SO IT'S NOT OUR ZONING THAT'S HOLDING ANYTHING UP, IT'S, IT'S THE MONEY WORLD ON THE DEVELOPER SIDE.
SO AS OF NOW THAT ARE IN CONSTRUCTION OR ELIGIBLE FOR BUILDING PERMITS, AND BY THAT IT MEANS THEY HAVE THEIR APPROVALS, THEY HAVE THEIR ZONING APPROVALS FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND OR CITY COUNCIL.
WE HAVE 429 MULTI-FAMILY UNITS THAT CAN BE BUILT OR GET THEIR BUILDING PERMITS AND 314 SINGLE FAMILY UNITS OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS.
UM, AND OUR MAYOR CAN ATTEST TO THIS, HE'S PROBABLY GETTING TIRED OF SEEING ME AT ALMOST EVERY COUNCIL MEETING.
WE'VE REDUCED PARKING REQUIREMENTS, UM, ALLOW THE DIRECTOR TO RE REDUCE PARKING REQUIREMENTS IF NEEDED.
UH, REAR YARD BUILDING SETBACKS.
AND OUR, OUR TWO ZONE, WHICH IS OUR FIRST MULTI-FAMILY ZONING DISTRICT, UH, TINY HOUSES, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I HAVEN'T HEARD BROUGHT UP YET TODAY.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS BECOMING ONE OF THOSE COST PROHIBIT PROHIBITIVE ITEMS NOW, JUST LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE.
UH, BUT WE HAVE MADE IT EASIER TO BRING TINY HOMES IN.
UM, ONE THING THAT WE DID ALLOW MULTIPLE DETACHED UNITS IN OUR MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ZONES, OUR R TWO AND OUR THREE.
SO BEFORE TO HAVE MULTI-FAMILY HAD TO BE LIKE A DUPLEX.
YOU COULD HAVE, YOU COULD HAVE THE DUPLEX THERE.
AND THEN ANOTHER DUPLEX, WHICH YOU COULDN'T HAVE IS A SINGLE FAMILY HOME AND A SINGLE FAMILY HOME.
IT ALL HAD TO BE ATTACHED SOMEHOW.
SO YEAH, YOU MIGHT HAVE TWO SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ON ONE PROPERTY, BUT IF A ZONE MULTI-FAMILY, WE'LL NOW CONSIDER THAT MULTI-FAMILY.
UM, WE DID PERMIT MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL USE BY RIGHT IN OUR C1 LIKE COMMERCIAL ZONE, UH, RESIDENTIAL ATTACHED TO COMMERCIAL USES BY RIGHT IN C1 ZONE.
AND WE HAVE ADOPTED DESIGN GUIDELINES, OPT IN DESIGN GUIDELINES IN OUR OLD TOWN AREA, WHAT WE CONSIDER OUR HISTORIC AREA FOR REDUCED SETBACKS AND LOT SIZES.
WHAT WE FOUND IS A LOT OF THE LOTS IN THAT AREA DIDN'T EVEN MEET CURRENT ZONING STANDARDS.
[01:50:01]
SO IF YOU HAD A VACANT LOT, YOU WANT TO, IT WAS ZONED FOR MULTIFAMILY, YOU WANT TO COME IN, PUT IN DUPLEX.A LOT OF THOSE LOSS WERE ALREADY UNDERSIZED.
SO THIS LETS THE PROPERTY OWNER OPT IN SAY I DO WANT TO FOLLOW THESE NEW STANDARDS NOW THAT LOT SIZE REQUIREMENT IS REDUCED AND THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD.
WE DID THAT WITH A, UH, GRANT FROM STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE DID THAT.
WE'VE REDUCED MINIMUM OPEN SPACE REQUIREMENTS FOR MULTI-FAMILY FROM 30 TO 20%.
UH, THE PLANNING COMMISSION CAN REDUCE IT FURTHER IF THEY DEEM THAT IT'S APPROPRIATE.
WE'VE EASED ACCESS REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT, UM, BY ALLOWING THEM TO HAVE ACCESS VIA NEW E UH, EASEMENT.
BEFORE, IF THE EASEMENT WASN'T IN PLACE PRIOR TO 1979, IT HAD TO BE ADJACENT TO A ROAD, PUBLIC ROAD.
WE'VE REDUCED THE LANDSCAPING YARD REQUIREMENT.
UM, MINIMUM LOT SIZE IN THE R THREE AND R FOUR ZONES ALLOW MULTIPLE DETACH UNIT AND R FOUR, WHICH IS SIMILAR TO WHAT I JUST SAID ON THE OTHER PART WITH THE R TWO.
UM, PERMITTED R TWO DENSITY MULTI-FAMILY BY RIGHT AND R THREE DENSITY MULTI-FAMILY BY CONDITIONAL USE IN THE COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL ZONE.
IT'S A VERY SMALL ZONE THAT GOES ALONG OUR MAIN STREET, UM, PRETTY MUCH ALREADY BUILT UP, BUT WE DO SEE SOME PEOPLE COME IN WANT TO DO THAT REDEVELOPMENT ON IT.
AND WE DO HAVE A PENDING AMENDMENT THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY TAKING TO OUR, OUR COUNCIL NEXT WEEK FOR CLUSTER SUBDIVISIONS.
SO RIGHT NOW WE DO HAVE AGRICULTURAL RESIDENTIAL ZONES.
WE ARE STILL SOMEWHAT OF AN AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY.
THOSE LOT SIZES ARE PRETTY LARGE.
UH, WE HAVE A BIG CHUNK OF LAND THAT IS BEING EYED BY A DEVELOPER.
THEY DO WANT TO DO SINGLE FAMILY.
INSTEAD OF MAKING THEM REZONE, THEY COULD PROPOSE A CLUSTER SUBDIVISION THAT ALLOWS 'EM TO BUILD ON SMALLER LOT SIZES, PROVIDE US A LITTLE BIT MORE OPEN SPACE AND THEN THEY DON'T HAVE TO REZONE IT ALL FROM 2011 TO 2021.
UH, THAT KINDA GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF THE NUMBER OF BUILDING PERMITS THAT WE'VE ISSUED AND IT HAS SUBSTANTIALLY GONE UP, ESPECIALLY WITH MULTI-FAMILY.
UH, 2020 ONES ARE OUR BIGGEST YEAR MANUFACTURED HOMES HAVE INCREASED SINGLE FAMILY HOMES KIND OF WENT UP AND DOWN A LITTLE BIT, KIND OF FLUCTUATED.
UM, I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD A NEW APARTMENT COMPLEX EXCEPT FOR THE ONE THAT'S BEING ACTIVELY BUILT RIGHT NOW.
IN 10, 15 YEARS WE'VE HAD ONE SENIOR, UH, SENIOR HOUSING APARTMENT COMPLEX.
BUT NO, JUST STANDARD APARTMENT COMPLEX BUILT IN A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF TIME.
SO IN THE LAST 10 YEARS WE'VE ISSUED 375 1 UNIT DET DETACHED AS BASICALLY YOUR SINGLE FAMILY, UH, 203 MANUFACTURED HOMES.
WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF ACTIVE MANUFACTURED HOME SUBDIVISIONS, BUT WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THAT BECOME COST PROHIBITIVE AS WELL.
THE PRICE OF EVERYTHING'S JUST GOING UP.
UM, AND THEN FIVE OR MORE UNITS, 258 OF 'EM, SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF THAT IS WITH THAT 192 UNIT COMPLEX.
IS THAT THE ACTUAL COST OF MANUFACTURER? THAT IS ALL I HAVE ON THAT PRESENTATION.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON WHAT WE'RE DOING OVER THERE, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
UM, WE DO SEE SHORT TERM RENTALS AS AN ISSUE AS WELL.
MAYBE NOT AS BAD AS SEDONA, BUT WE'RE GETTING, WHEN, WHEN THEIR RESIDENTS GET DISPLACED, THEY'RE TRYING TO COME TO US AND WE JUST DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE FOR THEM.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
IT, IT SEEMS TO ME, I MEAN IT'S REALLY IMPRESSIVE PRESENTATION CUZ IT, IT, IT FEELS LIKE YOU WANT TO GROW, YOU WANNA PROVIDE HOMES AND YOU'RE DOING IT.
UH, SO COMMEND YOU COTTONWOOD FOR DOING THAT.
SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
THE NUMBERS WERE EXCELLENT TOO.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT SET OF SABRINA.
SO IT JUST DAWNED ON ME IN HEARING YOUR PRESENTATION AND THE NUMBER OF HOUSING UNITS THAT YOU'RE BUILDING THAT COTTONWOOD IS UM, VASTLY BECOMING A BEDROOM COMMUNITY.
ARE YOU SEEING ANY OTHER IMPACTS IN YOUR OPERATIONS IN TERMS OF PUBLIC SAFETY OR OTHER RESIDENT SERVICES THAT, UM, YOU'RE STRUGGLING WITH AS IT RELATES TO HAVING THE SALES TAX BASE TO SUPPORT THOSE SERVICES? UM, BEING THAT YOU HAVE A POPULATION INCREASE BECAUSE
[01:55:01]
YOU'RE SUPPORTING THE WORKFORCE FROM YOUR NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES? MR. CHAIR COMMITTEE? UM, I DID HEAR THE QUESTION ASKED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER BEFORE I CAME UP ON THE HOMELESS POPULATION BEING INCREASED.AND MY PERSPECTIVE IS IT HAS IN COTTONWOOD, UM, SORRY TO PUT YOU ON SPOT, MR. MAYOR, BUT YOU ARE PART OF THE HOMELESS COALITION.
I BELIEVE YOU'VE, YOU'VE SEEN THAT AS WELL.
WE, I SERVE ON THE BOARD FOR THE VERDE VALLEY HOMELESS COALITION.
WE HAVE SEEN AN UPTICK FOR SURE.
AND THEY HAVE ALL THE, THE FACTS AND FIGURES.
IF YOU CARE TO REACH OUT TO THEM, THEY COULD PROVIDE THAT TO YOU.
YEAH, I, I UNFORTUNATELY DON'T HAVE THAT AS A PUBLIC SAFETY STANDPOINT.
UM, IF I WERE TO GUESS, I WOULD SAY YEAH, IT HAS BEEN, IT HAS BEEN INCREASED.
FOLLOW, LET ME FRAME THAT QUESTION IN A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT MANNER.
ARE YOU SEEING YOUR, YOUR SALES TAX BASE AND YOUR GENERAL FUND REVENUES GROW, UM, IN A MANNER THAT'S ALLOWING YOU TO SUPPORT YOUR POPULATION GROWTH IN THE GROWTH OF THE NUMBER OF HOUSING UNITS SO FAR? YES.
MR. HAMMOND? UH, YEAH, MR. CHAIR REAL QUICK.
SO THE SPIKE IN PERMITTING ACTIVITY, IS THAT THE RESULT OF YOUR POPULATION GROWTH OR YOU HOUSING SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES WORKFORCE? DO, DO YOU THINK IT'S A RESULT OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE DO HAVE THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED? SO LIKE I MENTIONED, WE DO HAVE SEVERAL SINGLE FAMILY HOME SUBDIVISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
THE BIGGEST SPIKES COME IN, UM, ON THAT MULTI-FAMILY IS FROM THAT LARGER APARTMENT COMPLEX.
AND SOME OF THE SMALLER ONES, LIKE I SAID AND AND INDICATED ON THERE, SOME OF THEM HAVE HAD BUILDING PERMITS ISSUED.
AND SO WE COUNT THAT AS THEY'RE ISSUED.
THEY CAN START CONSTRUCTION YESTERDAY IF THEY WANTED TO.
UM, THE UNFORTUNATE PART IS MOST OF THEM HAVE NOT BECAUSE IT'S, IT BECOMES A FINANCIAL ISSUE ON THEIR PART OF IT WITH GETTING THE LABOR THAT'S NONEXISTENT.
AND THEN AS OF RECENTLY, THE COST OF BUILDING MATERIALS.
IS THERE ANYTHING THE STATE CAN DO IS, I THINK THIS SOUNDS LIKE AN ISSUE IN SEDONA AND I'M SURE IT'S AN ISSUE IN OTHER RURAL COMMUNITIES WITH WORKFORCE.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT STATE CAN DO TO INCREASE WORKFORCE, THE NUMBER OF FOLKS THAT CAN ACTUALLY BUILD THESE HOMES? CUZ IT SOUNDS LIKE A MAJOR CHOKE POINT IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, AT LEAST FOR COTTONWOOD.
IT'S A TOUGH QUESTION I KNOW, BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW I CAN ANSWER THAT.
WELL YEAH, THINK ABOUT IT AND LET ME KNOW BECAUSE IF THERE'S SOME CREATIVE WAY TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY LOTS OF COMMUNITIES IN RURAL ARIZONA THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITH THAT SAME THING.
YEAH, WE'VE APPROVED EVERYTHING BUT NOBODY CAN BUILD YET BECAUSE THE SAME ELECTRICIAN CREW IS ROTATING JOBS.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE WORKING ON THIS BUILDING, THEY CAN'T START ANOTHER PROJECT UNTIL THEY GET DONE WITH THIS ONE.
CORBIN COTTONWOOD CITY MANAGER.
SO THE ANSWER TO THAT IS A COUPLE THINGS.
THE FIRST IS CONTINUE TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND THE TRADE SKILLS.
UM, DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO ENCOURAGE AND TO MAKE THAT AFFORDABLE FOR OUR STUDENTS TO STAY HERE.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO TO A FOUR YEAR DEGREE.
SO BIG SUPPORTER OF YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE, ALSO THE VTAC PROGRAMS IN OUR HIGH SCHOOLS, UM, TO HELP THEM GET THE SKILLS THAT THEY NEED.
SO THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST THING YOU CAN DO.
THE OTHER THING THAT WAS ASKED EARLIER, WHAT ELSE CAN THE STATE LEGISLATURE DO? AND UM, IT'S BEEN SAID, BUT I WANNA PUT IT MORE BLUNTLY, HELP PAY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO THE, ALL THE STATE TRUST LAND INSIDE THE CITY OF COTTONWOOD DOES NOT HAVE WATER AND SEWER.
AND IT'S NOT LIKE BUILDING IN A CITY WHERE YOU CAN JUST CONNECT DOWN THE ROAD AND ADD ON AND PAY A FEE AND BUILD IF YOU WANNA HELP DEVELOPERS.
UM, ZONING, YOU KNOW, THE BY RIGHT.
UH, UM, FOR MANY REASONS, I DON'T THINK THE ANSWER.
IT DOESN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM FOR US, AS YOU'VE SEEN, WE ARE COOPERATIVE WITH OUR DEVELOPERS.
AND THE BIGGEST THING IF YOU WANNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE IS HELP, UH, PROVIDE GRANTS FOR HOUSING.
THERE ARE GRANTS FOR JOB CREATION.
THERE'S LOTS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANTS FOR, FOR BUSINESSES TO PUT IN WATER AND SEWER TO PUT THAT COMPANY OR THAT BUSINESS OR THAT MANUFACTURING PLANT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT THEY WON'T PUT IT UNDER COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE WORKFORCE, WE DON'T HAVE THE WORKFORCE CUZ WE DON'T HAVE THE WORKFORCE HOUSING.
SO IT'S A BIG CIRCLE AND IF YOU REALLY WANNA MAKE AN IMPACT, PROVIDE GRANTS FOR WATER AND SEWER, UH, IN AREAS THAT ARE URBAN OR I'M SORRY, RURAL THAT DON'T HAVE, UH, CURRENT ACCESS.
MR. CHAIR, IF I COULD 0.0, WE GET A QUICK FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO WHAT HE JUST SAID THEN.
WE'LL, YEAH, ACTUALLY, UM, AND I THINK, UM, THANK YOU MR. CHAIR.
UH, I THINK I'VE MENTIONED THIS BEFORE, BUT, UM, IT'S NOT ONLY GRANTS BUT IT'S ALSO COORDINATION, RIGHT? SO, UM, I, WE, UH, I THINK I SHARED THIS BEFORE THAT I SPOKE AROUND WORKFORCE HOUSING IN PRESCOTT VALLEY.
[02:00:01]
THE, ONE OF THE DEVELOPERS THERE, WHAT CAN WE BRING BACK TO THIS HOUSING SUPPLY STUDY COMMITTEE.AND, UM, WHAT WAS ECHOED AND, AND SHARED WAS THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE COORDINATION AT THE STATE LEVEL BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING DEPART, YOU KNOW, DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, UH, THE CORPORATION COMMISSION, ALL OF THE NECESSARY STATE AGENCIES THAT TOUCH, IT'S NOT JUST THE LOCAL CONVERSATION, IT'S NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, THE LOCAL DEPARTMENTS THAT NEED TO SPEAK WITH DEVELOPERS.
UM, YOU OFTEN HAVE TO HAVE THOSE RELATION TIES THAT NOT EVERYBODY HAS TO GET, YOU KNOW, THOSE WHEELS GREASED.
SO I THINK THROUGH COORDINATION CAN COME GRANTS OR THROUGH GRANTS CAN COME COORDINATION.
I DON'T CARE HOW IT GOES, BUT I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE, THAT'S, THAT'S ANOTHER WAY THAT THIS STATE CAN, CAN, CAN HELP OUT.
MR. CHAIR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
YOU HAD A QUICK FOLLOW UP? UH, YEAH, MR. CHAIR COMMITTEE.
I, I DID WANT TO POINT OUT TOO THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS TALK ABOUT BY RIGHT ZONING, SPEEDING UP THE PROCESS.
MORE TIMES THAN NOT, OUR TURNAROUND TIME ON PERMITS, UM, IS ONLY TWO WEEKS.
UM, THE LARGER PROJECTS, YEAH, IT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER SOMETIMES, BUT WE GET CONSTANT FEEDBACK ABOUT HOW QUICK WE GET PERMITS TURNED AROUND SO WE'RE NOT HOLDING UP THESE PROCESSES.
MR. CHAIR, IF I CAN EXPLAIN, WE'RE WORKING ON A DIG DIGGER, UH, WITH SHANNON, AN INCENTIVIZE, RIGHT.
AND WE WANNA LIST ONE OF THE THINGS, EXPEDITED REVIEW, ALL OF OUR REVIEWS ARE EXPEDITED.
UM, SO THAT REALLY DOESN'T NECESSARILY HELP IN OUR, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
MR. CHAIR, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I DON'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT, BUT YEAH, GO AHEAD.
THE OTHER THING THAT I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU, WE WE DO, WE, WE WORK WITH OUR DEVELOPERS, SO DOES SEDONA.
I MEAN, WE DON'T, AND I'M SURE, UH, PRESCOTT AS WELL.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE A COMBATIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH DEVELOPERS.
A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT HOLD UP DEVELOPMENT THINGS THAT YOU'VE ALREADY SAID.
BUT THE THING WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT IS REALLY THE, THE, THE HUMAN ELEMENT.
AND IF THERE IS A, A REZONE NECESSARY OR IF THERE IS A, A MI OR A MAJOR LAND, UH, GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT THAT'S NECESSARY.
YOU'VE GOT A COMMUNITY UP HERE THAT WE HAVE TO ANSWER TO.
AND, AND FOR THOSE WHO LIVE ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO LIVE AND RURAL, UH, ARIZONA, YOU REALIZE IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE.
WE DON'T WANT GARBAGE BEING DEVELOPED.
IF YOU LIVE IN SEDONA, UH, YOU'RE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE THIS WONDERFUL VIEW, SHED, THE FOLKS UP HERE DON'T WANT TO SEE A LOT OF CHANGE.
SO THERE'S A VERY HUMAN ELEMENT THAT, AND AS POLICY MAKERS, WE HAVE TO RESPOND TO THAT.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S ONE THING I THINK WE HAVEN'T REALLY CONSIDERED THAT THAT CAN BE A MAJOR IMPEDIMENT CUZ I I, YOU GO TO ONE OF THESE PUBLIC MEETINGS IN SEDONA, WHERE THEY'RE, WHERE, AND THEY'VE TRIED HARD TO GET SOME, UH, LOW INCOME DEVELOPMENTS OFF THE GROUND.
AND I MEAN, THOSE DEVELOPERS ARE, THEY'RE SHELL SHOCKED, FRANKLY, FROM THE COMMUNITY WHO COMES OUT AND SAYS THAT WE REALLY JUST DON'T WANT THIS.
SO SOMETHING THAT'S CONSIDERED, I, I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.
THAT'S DEFINITELY A BIG PART OF THIS.
UM, WE, WE HAVE THAT SAME ISSUE IN THE VALLEY THAT DEFINITELY CAME UP IN THE ORIGINAL BILL FOR SURE.
UM, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING A HOUSING STUDY COMMITTEE WHERE WE'RE TRAVELING THE STATE, LISTENING, UNDERSTANDING A LITTLE BIT MORE.
I THINK THERE THE FINE LINE AND THE, THE TOUGH PART IS FINDING A WAY TO MEET THE SUPPLY DEMAND WHILE STILL RESPECTING LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
SO IT'S LIKE THIS PERFECT SWEET SPOT WE'RE TRYING TO FIND.
UM, AND THAT'S THE HARD PART, RIGHT? CERTAIN.
I JUST HOPE THAT AN, AN ABOLISHMENT OF ZONING LAWS.
I, YOU KNOW, WE'VE PROVEN, LIKE SINCE THE ROMAN EMPIRE, THAT'S JUST A BAD IDEA.
LIKE WE, AND, AND I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA GET INTO THE 26 74 BILL.
WE WEREN'T ABOLISHING A ZONING LAWS.
THAT WAS MASSIVE MISINFORMATION TRYING TO KILL THE BILL.
SO, BUT THE POINT IS, WE ARE WHERE WE ARE NOW AND WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE PROBLEMS FOR ARIZONANS, RIGHT? WE WANNA RESPECT LOCAL COMMUNITIES, BUT WE, WE NEED TO FIND HOMES.
OTHERWISE OUR SENIORS ARE GONNA BE ON THE STREET.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE INCREASED HOMELESSNESS AND ON, AND SO WE'VE GOTTA SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.
MR. CHAIRMAN, AND MARY, TO YOUR POINT CUZ, AND A LOT OF THESE HEARINGS, I ASK A LOT OF PEOPLE THIS QUESTION, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR CONCERN IS OBVIOUSLY THE, THE NEED FOR HOUSING VERSUS A COMMUNITY'S HUMAN ELEMENT, AS YOU PUT, I THOUGHT THAT WAS GOOD.
UM, ON, ON VOICING CONCERN OVER WHATEVER PROJECTS IN THE WORKS.
SO FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, WHAT IS THE BALANCE THERE? HOW DO YOU BALANCE THAT LOCAL, UM, AND I I DON'T MEAN THIS IN NEGATIVE WAY, BUT OPPOSITION TO CERTAIN PROJECTS WITH A COMMUNITY'S OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE HOUSING.
HOW DO YOU BALANCE THAT? SURE.
AND I THINK WE DO THAT WITH, WITH THE FACTS AND FIGURES THAT WE'VE, WE'VE PAID FOR, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE, THE, THE HOUSING STUDY THAT WE DID WITH THE CITY OF SEDONA.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE PROVIDE THE DATA AND, AND MANY PUBLIC FORUMS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO GET INFORMED, EDUCATED, UH, SHOW THEM THE NEED AND SHOW THEM SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS WE HAVE.
AND I MEAN, IT'S A VERY PUBLIC PROCESS, MR. CHAIRMAN.
BUT ZONING IS A, HOUSING IS NOT A GOAL OF ZONING.
[02:05:01]
ARIZONA'S ZONING LAWS ARE DESIGNED TOWARDS CONFLICT RESOLUTION.AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S BAD, I'M JUST SAYING HOUSING IS NOT A PERCEIVED OUTCOME OF ZONING.
AND ZONING, QUITE HONESTLY, FROM A HISTORICAL SPEC PERSPECTIVE, HAS USED FOR THE EXACT OFFICE TO DENY HOUSING, IF YOU WANNA LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF IT.
SO HOW DO YOU BALANCE THE NEED FOR HOUSING AGAINST A, A PROCESS THAT AT LEAST EXISTS TODAY IN ARIZONA AS CONFLICT RESOLUTION? I GUESS, MAYBE I MISUNDERSTOOD THE QUESTION, I APOLOGIZE.
BUT WE, WE CHANGE ZONING FREQUENTLY IN THE CITY OF COTTONWOOD AT LEAST.
UM, IF THERE'S A PROPOSAL THAT COMES FORWARD THAT DOESN'T, UH, MATCH WHAT THE UNDERLYING ZONING IS, AND IT STILL ALIGNS WITH OUR GENERAL PLAN, THE VOTER APPROVED GENERAL PLAN, THEN WE CONSIDER IT.
IF IT DOESN'T ALIGN WITH THE GENERAL PLAN, THEN WE GO BACK TO THE, TO THE ELECTORATE AND ASK FOR THE CHANGE.
MR. CHAIRMAN AND YEAH, AND, AND I, I GET THAT I'M NOT, I'M NOT TRYING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT THAT THIS IS LIKE A FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION TO ME THAT WE AS A COMMITTEE TO THE CHAIRMAN'S KIND OF COMMENTS, WHERE'S THAT SWEET SPOT? THAT'S WHAT WE TRY AND ASK PEOPLE WHEN WE GO AROUND THE CIRCUIT TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK.
AND IT'S, I THINK IT'S A REALLY FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, EVEN, EVEN YOUR COMMENTS ON THE GENERAL PLAN, AT LEAST IN, I WON'T SPEAK TO COTTONWOOD, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH YOUR PROCESS, BUT AT LEAST DOWN IN PHOENIX, YOU KNOW, MY BUILDERS SEEK 40 UNITS PER ACRE, WHICH IS AUTHORIZED UNDER A GENERAL PLAN THAT'S VOTER APPROVED.
AND WE GO THROUGH 18 MONTHS OF ZONING REVIEW TO GET 2.5.
AND THAT'S NOT, IN MY BOOK, A DEFENDABLE PROCESS.
THAT'S NOT A PROCESS THAT'S PRODUCTIVE.
HOUSING IS NOT A GOOD OUTCOME OF THAT PROCESS.
NOW DO, DO WE NEED TO BLOW IT UP? MAYBE NOT, BUT I DON'T THINK THE CURRENT ZONING PROCESS IS IDEAL AS IT RELATES TO GENERATING HOUSING.
THAT'S MY ONLY POINT, I GUESS.
AND YEAH, I'M NOT TRYING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.
I JUST, I, I, I REALLY THINK IT'S A FASCINATING CONVERSATION.
I, I DO FROM JUST BEING A NATIVE HERE AND THE HOUSING NEEDS.
I'VE HEARD FROM EVERYBODY TODAY.
LIKE I KNOW YOU'RE TRYING TO KIND OF FIND THAT SWEET SPOT ON LOCAL LEVEL AND COTTONWOOD OUTCOMES ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM PRESCOTT AND A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM SEDONA.
AND I THINK YOU'RE ALL WORKING THROUGH THE PROCESS IN YOUR OWN WAY, AND I THINK THAT'S GREAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, OUR JOB, I GUESS IS TO FIND WHAT THE STATE'S ROLE IS IN MAKING SURE HOUSING OUTCOMES ARE, ARE A POSITIVE THING FOR, FOR COMMUNITIES AND THE STATE.
NO, I, AND I'M, I'M SORRY THAT YOU'VE HAD FRUSTRATING CIRCUMSTANCES DOWN IN THE VALLEY WITH THE ZONE CHANGES AND EVERYTHING, BUT UP HERE, I DON'T THINK YOU'D FIND THE SAME THING.
I THINK WE WORK REALLY WELL WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE DEVELOPMENT, UH, COMMUNITY AS WELL TO, TO GET ZONE CHANGES IF IT'S APPROPRIATE.
SO I, I DON'T THINK THOSE SAME PROBLEMS EXIST UP HERE.
MR. CHAIR, GET A, A COMMENT FROM THE SENATOR REAL QUICK, UM, MR. CHAIR.
TO THAT POINT, UH, THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN HEARING.
UH, I'VE BEEN HEARING THAT ZONING'S NOT A PROBLEM AT ALL HERE IN, IN THIS, IN THIS, IN THE VERDE VALLEY AREA.
AND SO I, I, I GUESS WHAT I, I WANT THIS COMMITTEE TO DO IS, YOU KNOW, WE, WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL TO NOT BE TOO NARROWLY FOCUSED ON WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE, BECAUSE I'M NOT HEARING THAT THAT'S A PROBLEM HERE.
UM, AND, AND IF IT IS A PROBLEM, I I'D LIKE TO HEAR IT.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR SOME DEVELOPERS COME UP AND TELL US THAT.
BUT I'VE HEARD FROM, FROM YOU, FROM MAYOR, I'VE HEARD FROM, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE, THAT HAVE COME UP AND SPOKEN THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET THINGS DONE QUICKLY.
THEY'VE, THAT THEY'VE WORKED WITH DEVELOPERS AND THEY'VE GOT A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM.
AND IN SOME CASES, IT, IT'S, AS LONG AS THE DEVELOPERS PARTICIPATING IN THE PROCESS, IT'S A VERY SMOOTH PROCESS.
AND AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, YOU'RE CORRECT.
I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THAT SWEET SPOT.
AND, AND IS ZONING FOR HOUSING, WHAT IT DOES ALLOW FOR IS A CONVERSATION, AND IT DOES ALLOW THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE A VOICE, BUT IT ALSO ALLOWS US SOMETIMES TO GET MORE, ALL OF SEDONAS DIGGERS AND THEIR REQUIREMENTS HAPPEN BECAUSE THERE'S A CONVERSATION.
WITHOUT THAT CONVERSATION, THERE WOULD NOT BE A GUARANTEED OF LOW INCOME HOUSING THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO.
SO TAKING THE CONVERSATION ABILITY AWAY FROM US, EVEN, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A FORCED CONVERSATION AT TIMES, PREVENTS US FROM FINDING WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.
MR. ELLIS, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE FROM YOUR PRESENTATION? NO, SIR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM, JUST REAL QUICK.
SO WE, WE'VE HEARD FROM A NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES, FLAGSTAFF, UM, TOLD US THAT THEY'RE LANDLOCKED.
THERE'S 7,000, 8,000 UNITS SHORT, THEY CAN'T BUILD OUT.
SO NATURALLY YOU WOULD THINK BUILD UP, BUT THEIR COMMUNITY DOESN'T LIKE TALL BUILDINGS EITHER.
WE KNOW THERE ARE OTHER COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE THAT ARE LANDLOCKED.
UM, SO THE ONLY THING YOU CAN DO IS BUILD IN INFILL AND BUILD UP.
UM, BUT AGAIN, COMMUNITIES RESIST THAT.
SO, SO WHAT DO WE DO, UM, IF WE'RE LIMITING BUILDINGS TO TWO STORIES AND COMMUNITIES? I MEAN, EVENTUALLY, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO MR. CAMPS, IT'S A MATH PROBLEM.
OUR STATE CONTINUES TO GROW A HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE
[02:10:01]
MOVING HERE A YEAR.ARE WE TO SAY THAT THESE COMMUNITIES WERE JUST SAYING NO MORE HOUSING? IF, IF, IF, IF WE'VE REACHED THAT TWO STORY, THREE STORY, WHATEVER THRESHOLD, AND WE JUST START GOING INTO CORPORATED AREAS, OR, I MEAN, WHAT IS THE, IN YOUR OPINION OR WHOMEVER'S OPINION, LIKE WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP IN TERMS OF WHERE WE, WHERE WE HOUSE PEOPLE, MR. CHAIR, BACK TO THE, UH, HEIGHT REQUIREMENT, AGAIN, ALLOW LOCAL FOLKS TO DECIDE WHAT IS BEST FOR THEIR COMMUNITY.
I'VE ONLY SEEN ONE PROJECT IN THE FOUR YEARS I'VE BEEN WITH SYDNEY, DAVE COTTONWOOD DENIED.
AND IT WAS BECAUSE IT WAS THREE STORIES IN OUR OLD TOWN WHERE THE CURRENT BUILDING HEIGHT IS TWO STORIES.
IT WOULD NOT HAVE FIT, IT WOULD NOT HAVE WORKED, IT WOULD HAVE ADDED PARKING ISSUES.
IT WOULD'VE DONE A LOT OF NEGATIVE THINGS TO OUR OLD TOWN, TO OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT.
SO I THINK, UM, THE OTHER THING THAT CONTROLS HEIGHT IN OUR COMMUNITY, IN ADDITION TO THE VIEW IS PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO YOU CAN GET A WAIVER OR C P FOR HIGHER BUILDINGS, AS LONG AS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS ON BOARD, WE THEN HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT FIRE SAFETY ON THOSE UPPER, UPPER FLOORS TO MAKE SURE WE CAN RESPOND.
SO IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE NECESSARILY AGAINST ANY SPECIFIC HEIGHT, BUT I THINK THAT QUESTION IS BEST ANSWERED IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE THAT TALL BUILDING IS GONNA GO.
NOW WE'RE GONNA JUMP INTO PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
THREE MINUTES PER, AND WE'LL START WITH, UH, JESSICA WILLIAMSON.
AND WE'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES AND I'LL GIVE YOU A, A HEADS UP WHEN IT GETS DOWN TO ONE MINUTE.
I, I'M, I WANT MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING BUILT IN SEDONA.
AND I WANT OUR RESIDENT RENT RENTAL INVENTORY TO INCREASE SO OUR WORKFORCE COULD LIVE HERE, CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY, AND SUPPORT OUR BUSINESSES, SUPPORT OUR ECONOMY, WHICH IS DEPENDENT UPON THEM.
I WAS ON THE, SEDONA, HAD A HOUSING COMMITTEE FOR MANY YEARS BEFORE I WAS ELECTED TO CITY COUNCIL.
I WAS ON THAT HOUSING COMMITTEE.
UM, IT'S ONLY GOTTEN WORSE, BUT WHAT I DON'T WANT IS JUST NEW HOUSING.
WE DON'T NEED NEW HOUSING FOR MILLIONAIRES, FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN PHOENIX, WHO WANT SOME PLACE TO COME ON WEEKENDS.
I, UH, FOR TOURISTS WHO ARE TRAVELING, I USE SHORT TERM RENTALS WHEN I TRAVEL.
UM, BUT WE JUST DON'T NEED NEW HOUSING FOR THE PURPOSE OF NEW HOUSING.
AND AS LONG AS SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE NOT CHECKED, ANY NEW HOUSING HERE IN SEDONA IS GONNA BE A SHORT-TERM RENTAL, JUST BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
THAT'S THE NATURE OF, OF WHERE WE LIVE.
UM, LOCAL CONTROL REALLY IS THE KEY.
A STATE MANDATED PROGRAM REFLECTING THE NEEDS OF THE VALLEY OR TUCSON, REALLY, REALLY ISN'T APPROPRIATE FOR US.
AND, AND WE'VE SEEN THAT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
AN EROSION OF LOCAL CONTROL, SOME KIND OF MAGIC ABOUT, ABOUT THE RULES WILL BE THE SAME TO APPLY TO EVERYBODY, BUT SOMEHOW THEY'RE ALWAYS CRAFTED FOR PHOENIX.
SO IT'S JUST AN IDEA THAT JUST DOESN'T WORK.
UM, WHAT DO WE HAVE? WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DECIDE, AND WE DON'T NEED MORE UNITS FOR THOSE PEOPLE.
UM, YOU KEEP ASKING WHAT THE STATE CAN DO.
THE STATE CAN PUT A CAP ON SHORT TERM RENTALS SO THAT WE HAVE A CHANCE TO BUILD OTHER KIND OF HOUSING HERE.
DEVELOPERS WOULD HAVE A CHANCE TO BUILD HOUSING WITHOUT ALL OF THEM TURNING INTO SHORT TERM RENTALS.
ONCE PEOPLE CAN BUILD HOUSING, AND IT WON'T BE SHORT TERM RENTALS, IT CAN BEGIN TO COME BACK AND TO ACTUALLY PROVIDE FOR MORE UNITS.
AND THE OTHER THING IS, NO ONE CAN BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITHOUT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.
I DON'T REALLY CARE WHO YOU ARE.
THE LAND COSTS, COST MATERIALS, THE LACK OF LABOR, WE NEED YOUR MONEY.
WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T SUPPORT BUILDING IT.
THE STATE, IF THE STATE'S SERIOUS ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, YOU HAVE TO PUT UP MONEY BECAUSE BUILDERS CAN'T BUILD IT.
QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU REAL QUICK BEFORE YOU TOTALLY.
WE HAVE WHAT, 14, 15% OF OUR HOUSING STOCK? YES.
THE PROBLEM IS LOCALLY, WE NEED A LOCAL CAP, NOT A STATEWIDE CAP.
[02:15:01]
NOT ADVOCATING FOR A STATEWIDE CAP.I'M ASKING WHAT THE CAP SHOULD BE, IN YOUR OPINION.
WELL, IT SHOULD BE DETERMINED LOCALLY, NUMBER ONE, THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING
IT SHOULD BE DETERMINED LOCALLY.
WE NEED LOCAL CONTROL TO DETERMINE E A CAP FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL CITY.
UH, FOR OF, WE'RE A SMALL CITY, 14%, AS YOU SAW FROM THAT MAP, IS JUST, IT'S, IT'S REALLY OVERWHELMING.
THE NEXT LARGEST ONE IS WHAT? 3%? OH, OH, CITY.
THE NEXT PERCENTAGE NEXT OF NEST.
HIGHEST PERCENTAGE IN ARIZONA? WELL, I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE.
WE HAVE PAGE, FOR INSTANCE, HAS NO SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES TO TURN TO.
SO, SO WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE IN ALL OF ARIZONA.
SO, I MEAN, I DON'T, I AM NOT AGAINST SHORT TERM RENTALS.
I CERTAINLY THINK THE ORIGINAL IDEA OF HAVING THEM ROOMS IN YOUR HOMES OR CAS SOMEWHERE WHERE YOU'RE A RESIDENT AND YOU HAVE A WAY TO MAKE MONEY IS GOOD.
YOU HAVE PEOPLE COME IN WITH THEIR HANDS FULL OF MONEY, PRICING, PRICING, VERY RICH PEOPLE.
HOW DO THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE IN SEDONA, WHICH IS NOT NECESSARILY WHAT WE WANT.
AND I, I THINK WHATEVER CAP WE PUT ON, WE'RE A, WE ARE ER, LIGHT YEARS AWAY FROM GOING BACK DOWN FROM MEETING THAT CAP AT, WE'RE AT 14% MM-HMM.
BUT IT WOULD GIVE US A CHANCE TO BUILD SOME OTHER KIND OF HOUSING WITHOUT THE SHORT TERM RENTAL IMPEDIMENT, WHICH IS NOT NOTHING IN, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I THINK IN OTHER COMMUNITIES, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S CENTRAL HERE.
AND IT, NO TALK ABOUT HOUSING CAN GO ON WITHOUT TALK ABOUT SHORT TERM RENTALS.
OKAY, NEXT UP, UH, RANDALL GARRISON, AND THEN ON DECK IS ROGER EASTMAN.
AND, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, CO-CHAIRS KAISER AND GOWAN, UH, SENATOR KAZA AND REPRESENTATIVE CHAZ CHAVEZ AND MAYOR WOODS AND THE REST OF THE COMMITTEE.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU CAME HERE TODAY.
AND NOT ONLY DID YOU COME HERE, BUT YOU CAME HERE VERY EDUCATED.
YOU, YOU'VE ALREADY SPENT A, A LOT OF TIME DIGGING INTO OUR ISSUES AND OUR ISSUES SPECIFICALLY, WHICH I APPRECIATE.
YOU'RE, WE'RE NOT PREACHING TO NOBODY.
WE'RE, WE'RE PREACHING TO AN EDUCATED CROWD.
ONE THING I I THINK YOU SHOULD BE HEARING TODAY IS THAT WE'RE IN CRISIS ABOVE ALL.
AND IT'S A VERY PASSIONATE SUBJECT IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
IT'S A VERY, PEOPLE HAVE AN OPINION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER WHEN IT COMES TO HOW WE DEVELOP THE LAND THAT WE HAVE.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET THIS KIND OF A CROWD TYPICALLY FOR A LEGISLATIVE MEETING.
UM, BUT WHEN YOU COME IN HERE TALKING ABOUT HOW WE'RE GONNA CHANGE OUR LIFESTYLE, IT VERY MUCH IS GOING TO AFFECT THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
ONE THING THAT I KEEP, I KEEP THINKING, GETS GLOSSED OVER IN, IN WHAT'S BEING PRESENTED IS 74% OF THE LAND IN THE VERDE VALLEY IS FORCED.
14% OF THE LAND THAT, THAT REMAINS IS STATE TRUST LAND, WHICH ISN'T DEVELOPED CURRENTLY.
THAT LEAVES 13% OF THE LAND AVAILABLE.
AND EVERYTHING YOU SEE WHEN YOU WALK OUT OF THIS ROOM AND DRIVE BACK OVER THAT MOUNTAIN IS WHAT'S DEVELOPABLE.
SO COTTONWOOD IS WORKING STRATEGICALLY ON TRYING TO MOVE OUT AND GRAB OTHER STATE TRUST LANDS.
AND THE STATE HAS ACTUALLY BEEN UNDER, UNDER GOVERNOR DO, DO SEE VERY COOPERATIVE IN HOW STATE TRUST LAND CAN BE, UH, GAINED INTO YOUR COMMUNITY.
BUT YOU HAVE TO SHOW THE ABILITY TO CREATE VALUE.
IT HAS TO BE, BECOME AN ECONOMIC DRIVER TO DO THAT.
WELL, AS YOU SAW BY THE MAPS THAT THE CITY PROPOSED AND SHOWED IT, IT'S A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF AREA TO TRY AND PUT INFRASTRUCTURE IN TO BE ABLE TO SHOW THAT YOU CAN INCREASE VALUE.
AND SO WHAT THAT DOES IS THAT JUST PUSHES MORE AND MORE DEVELOPMENT ON THE LITTLE PIECES THAT ARE LEFT.
AND THE NIMBYISM IN, IN OUR COMMUNITIES IS, IS, IS OFF THE CHARTS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE JUST TIRED OF BEING IMPACTED.
OUR ROAD STRUCTURE HERE IS NOT CAPABLE OF DEALING WITH NOT ONLY THE LOCAL TRAFFIC, BUT THE TRAFFIC WE HAVE FROM TOURISTS.
WE HAVE MORE TOURISTS SPENDING NIGHT IN SEDONA THAN PEOPLE LIVE HERE.
UH, SHORT TERM RENTALS IS, IS AN ISSUE THAT I DON'T THINK PEOPLE FULLY UNDERSTAND.
THE CITY OF SEDONA AND THE VILLAGE OF OAK CREEK HAVE LOST RESIDENTS IN THE LAST CENSUS.
HOW MANY OF YOUR COMMUNITIES HAVE LOST
[02:20:01]
RESIDENTS? BUT WE'RE LOSING RESIDENTS BECAUSE SHORT TERM RENTALS MOVE IN.AND IT'S NOT JUST MOM AND POP THAT WANT A SECOND HOME TO CREATE A BUSINESS OR A THIRD HOME TO CREATE A BUSINESS.
WE HAVE CORPORATIONS BUYING ENTIRE BLOCKS OF HOUSES BECAUSE IT'S CHEAPER TO BUY A HOUSE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAN IT IS TO BUILD A NEW RESORT OR BUILD A HOTEL.
SO, AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL THE RIGMAROLE OF DOING THAT WITH GETTING YOUR ZONING AND YOUR EXCEPTIONS AND YOUR ENTITLEMENTS.
THEY JUST BUY A HOUSE, CHANGE THE LOCK ON THE KEY, AND, AND IN YOU GO, THEY, THEY CREATED, THEY TOOK THAT HOUSE AWAY FROM THE MARKET, WHICH THEN MEANS THAT FAMILY THAT WAS LIVING IN THAT HAS TO GO FIND SOMEPLACE ELSE TO LIVE.
WE'VE ALSO HAD A HUGE NUMBER OF, UH, PEOPLE MOVE INTO THE VERDE VALLEY OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS BECAUSE THEY'VE DECIDED THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO RETIRE.
THE NUMBER OF HOUSES THAT ARE GOING TO SECOND HOMES IS, IS THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE ROOF THAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT HERE IN SEDONA.
IT'S DEFINITELY HAPPENING IN THE VILLAGE OF OAK CREEK.
AND IT'S STARTING TO BLEED OVER INTO ALL THE OTHER COMMUNITIES.
SO WE HAVE ALL THESE PROBLEMS AND YOU'VE ASKED A LOT OF GREAT QUESTIONS, AND WE COULD WRITE PAPERS ABOUT MOST OF THOSE QUESTIONS TO GIVE YOU A MORE DETAILED UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT PROBLEMS WE'RE DEALING WITH.
BUT THERE IS NO ONE SIZE FITS ALL, AND THERE'S NO PHOENIX SOLUTION THAT'S GONNA WORK IN THE VERDE VALLEY BECAUSE IN THE VERDE VALLEY, WE HAVE FIVE COMMUNITIES AND WE HAVE THE COUNTY, AND EVERYBODY HAS A BELIEF THAT THEY'RE DIFFERENT AND THEY'RE ENTITLED TO WHAT THEY VIEW AS THEIR RIGHT AND THEIR, THEIR WAY OF LIFE THAT THEY WANT TO KEEP CONTROL OF IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT JUST SHUTS DOWN THE ABILITY TO DO IT ANYWHERE, BECAUSE THEY'VE ALSO BECOME VERY COHESIVE ABOUT WORKING THROUGHOUT THE VERDE VALLEY.
COTTONWOOD IS DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB OF CONTINUING TO TRY AND PUSH OUT, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE COTTONWOOD HAS AVAILABLE LAND.
CAMP VERDE HAS BEEN UBER AGGRESSIVE ON BUILDING OUT.
THEY HAVE AVAILABLE LAND, BUT MOST OF OUR OTHER PLACES DON'T.
AND THE LAND THAT IS AVAILABLE TYPICALLY IS GONNA GET PUSHBACK FROM THE COMMUNITIES BECAUSE THE DENSITIES ARE JUST SO HIGH TO MAKE THE COST RATIO WORK OUT FOR DEVELOPMENT, THAT IT ISN'T, YOU CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT A HIGH DENSITY.
ANY QUESTION? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR STATEMENTS.
ROGER EASTMAN AND THEN SUSAN EDWARDS IS ON DECK.
UH, SUSAN EDWARDS AND THEN DALE CASEY'S ON DECK.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES AND I'LL TRY TO REMEMBER TO TELL YOU IN THE ONE MINUTE, MR. CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR, FOR COMING UP HERE FOR PEOPLE.
UM, MY NAME IS SUSAN EDWARDS AND I LIVE IN PHOENIX AND I'M ONE OF THE CO-FOUNDERS OF THE ARIZONA NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE, WHICH IS WORKING TO PROTECT THE RESIDENTIAL INTEGRITY OF ARIZONA'S NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW
AND OUR RESEARCH TELLS US AFTER IN 2016 WHEN IT WAS PASSED, ARIZONA HAD VERY FEW, FEW SHORT TERM RENTALS.
FOUR YEARS LATER, IN AUGUST OF 2020, WE HAD OVER 20,000 ARIZONA HOUSING UNITS HAD BEEN LOST STR BY 19 MONTHS AFTER THAT LAST MARCH, THIS MARCH, ARIZONA HAD MORE THAN 43,000 UNITS.
AND IN THE NEXT FIVE MONTHS, NEXT FIVE MONTHS, MARCH TO AUGUST, THAT NUMBER GREW TO 60,000.
AND THOSE ARE OWNED BY ONLY ABOUT 5,000 INVESTORS, HEAVILY CORPORATE AND OUTTA STATE.
AND THAT FOLKS IS AN INCREASE OF OVER 39% IN JUST THE LAST FIVE MONTHS.
BUT IT WAS 99% IN MOJAVE COUNTY, 57% IN PINAL COUNTY, 49 IN PIMA, AND 46% IN YAVAPAI.
IS THAT DUE TO SB 6 11 68 MAYBE.
BUT DOES THAT MEAN WE DO NOTHING RIGHT NOW? SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE 22% OF THE 20 BY OUR CALCULATE, 22% OF THE 270,000 HOUSING UNIT SHORTAGE WERE THE NUMBERS GROWING EXPONENTIALLY.
AND REGARDLESS ABOUT HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT STR, INCLUDING THE FACT THAT PEOPLE IN PARKS AND VARIOUS FOREST AREAS ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE FIRE HAZARD CUZ PEOPLE SMOKE OUTSIDE IN, IN SPITE OF FIRE RESTRICTIONS IN THE LAST SIX YEARS, TRRS HAVE DEVOURED OVER 60,000 HOUSING UNITS WHERE ARIZONANS USED TO LIVE.
AND STR CAN ALWAYS OUTBID FAMILIES FOR HOMES.
SO MORE NEW CONSTRUCTION WILL JUST LEAD TO MORE ST AND WE WANT NEW BUSINESSES IN THIS STATE, BUT WE ARE PEOPLE
[02:25:01]
LIKE THIS TMSC SEMICONDUCTOR EMPLOYEES GONNA GO LIVE WHERE THEY FIGURE KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD WITHOUT FLOW INFLOW AND OUTFLOW OF STRANGERS FOR THEIR KIDS AND EVEN THE CEOS AND A RISING NUMBER OF UNITS, THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE ARE APARTMENT UNITS AND CONDOS THAT ARE BEING CONVERTED OR SUBLET CAMELBACK HOUSE IN SCOTTSDALE 68TH STREET IN CAMELBACK.OF THE 200 UNITS THAT ARE THERE, WE ESTIMATE 70 UNITS ARE NOW SHORT TERM RENTALS.
UM, AND HOW, HOW EVEN WITH RULES DO YOU PREVENT APARTMENT ARBITRAGE, WHICH IS ANOTHER THING HAPPENING WHERE A COMPANY COMES IN, RENTS A BLOCK OF APARTMENTS, AND THEN STARTS SHORT TERM RENTING THEM OUT AND MANAGES THEM 25 SECONDS.
UM, THE CCNRS, WE DID, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD DID AN UPDATE OF CCS, IT COST US $4,000 NINE MONTHS OF WORK.
AND WE STILL HAVE TO REGULATE OURSELVES AND TAKE THEM TO COURT.
IF YOU DON'T FIX SHORT TERM RENTALS, YOU WILL NEVER FIX HOUSING.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA, UH, CHANGE THE ORDER, SIR, I'M SORRY.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UH, UM, LORI HUNTS GO FIRST AND THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE YOU STEP IN RIGHT AFTER HER.
LORI, UH, CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS, I HAVE TO LEAVE.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR DELIBERATIONS AND WE HOPE YOU FIND A REALLY GOOD SOLUTION.
HI EVERYBODY, MY NAME'S LORI HUNT AND I'M THE VICE MAYOR FOR PRESCOTT VALLEY.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COUNTY.
UM, OUR PRE OUR POPULATION IN PRESCOTT VALLEY IS ABOUT 46,785.
UM, PERMIT AVERAGE IS IN 19, IT WAS 4 54 AND 20.
AND SO FAR THROUGH AUGUST THIS YEAR IS 4 59.
SO IT'S ABOUT 45 UNITS PER MONTH ON AVERAGE.
UM, CURRENT STATISTICS, OUR HOUSING IS EXPENSIVE FOR THE AVERAGE FAMILY AND WE HAVE TEACHERS THAT ARE BEING MADE OFFERS THAT WHEN THEY COME TO CHECK OUT HOUSING, THEY REFUSE THE OFFER UP TO FIVE, UH, IN FIVE A YEAR.
THEY REFUSE THE OFFER CUZ THEY CAN'T FIND ANYWHERE TO LIVE.
UM, SETBACKS, COST OF CONSTRUCTION.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE HOUSING TRUST FUND INCREASE.
WE INTEND TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT AS MUCH AS WE CAN, BUT WE NEED MORE MONEY IF POSSIBLE.
MADE AVAILABLE, AVAILABLE TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS AND PARTNERSHIPS.
UM, STOCK OF HOUSING, AGAIN, IT'S NOT AFFORDABLE, ALTHOUGH WITH THE INCREASE IN INTEREST RATES, THE RETAIL SIGNS ARE STAYING UP A LITTLE BIT LONGER IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
I'VE NOTICED IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, THE HOUSES AREN'T TURNING OVER AS, AS FREQUENT.
WE HAVE ABOUT 2000 APPROVED MULTIFAMILY MARKET RATE, MULTIFAMILY PROJECT, UH, UNITS ON THE BOOKS OR UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
BUT AGAIN, OUR FAMILIES CAN'T AFFORD THAT.
UM, WHAT WE'VE DONE, UM, WE HAD AN, UH, MISSERVICE ALLUDED TO, UM, HER SPEAKING AT OUR ATTAINABLE HOUSING FORUM IN AUGUST.
UM, WE HAD A GREAT, GREAT NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
IT WAS OUR START TO START LOOKING AT AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR ATTAINABLE HOUSING.
UM, SINCE THAT TIME WE HAVE, UH, FORMED AN ATTA ATTAINABLE HOUSING TASK FORCE.
THEY'RE GETTING READY TO MEET.
THEIR MARCHING ORDERS WILL BE TO MAKE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL TO DO A WHITE REPORT FOR US SO THAT WE CAN DECIDE HOW WE'RE GONNA MAKE CHANGES.
UM, THEY'RE GONNA PROVIDE MATERIAL FOR A WEBSITE THAT WE CAN ADD TO OUR EXISTING WEBSITE.
UM, THEY'RE GONNA TRACK OUR ZONING CODE REVAMP.
SO OUR ZONING CODE REALLY HASN'T HAD MASSIVE CHANGES FOR 25 YEARS.
SO WE'VE HIRED A CONSULTANT, WE'VE ALREADY DONE OUR DEBRIEF, AND THEY'RE GONNA BEGIN CHANGING OUR ZONING CODE.
SO THAT'S GONNA BE PROBABLY A NINE MONTH PROCESS.
I'M HOPING NOT ANY LONGER THAN THAT.
UM, AND THEN THAT'S GONNA FOCUS ON ATTAINABLE HOUSING.
IT'S GONNA FOCUS ON AFFORDABILITY, UH, GUIDELINES AND OTHER INNOVATIVE RE UM, APPROACHES.
I ALLUDED TO OUR, OUR FORUM AND MS SERVICE DID SAY THAT THE DEVELOPERS DID.
WE HAD A PANEL AND SHE WAS ON THE PANEL, BUT THE DEVELOPERS DID MENTION THAT THERE WERE ISSUES WITH STATE AGENCIES AND SHE MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT OF THIS.
UM, WHAT WE REALLY NEED IS FOR STATE AGENCIES TO EXPEDITE AND TO COORDINATE MUCH LIKE WE DO IN THE LOCAL AREA.
YOU KNOW, A DO, UH, ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF UM, ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.
UM, SORRY, I'M TALKING AS FAST
[02:30:01]
AS I CAN.UH, SO THE OTHER THING THAT, UM, OUR TASK FORCE IS GONNA BE, UH, TASKED WITH IS TO SET A CULTURE OF SUPPORTING PRIVATE SECTOR HOUSING.
SO AGAIN, WITH THE NIMBYISM, WE'VE ALL MENTIONED THAT TODAY, BUT WE HAVE TO EDUCATE OUR RESIDENTS THE NEED FOR FIREFIGHTERS, DISPATCHERS, TEACHERS, UH, POLICE OFFICERS TO HAVE ENTRY LEVEL HOUSING.
UM, WE NEED TO ENGAGE WITH DEVELOPERS TO ENCOURAGE THEIR INVESTMENT AND PARTNERSHIP ON PROJECTS.
AND WE'VE BEGUN THAT ALSO AS MUCH AS THEY CAN.
ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT REQUIRED TO HELP WITH SCHOOL DISTRICT FUNDING AND CONSTRUCTION.
UM, OUR TASK FORCE IS ALSO GONNA MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHANGING OUR TOWN CODE, MORE INCENTIVES TO THE DEL DEVELOPER AGREEMENT SECTION.
ALSO RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INCENTIVES AND FINANCING.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT REIMBURSING CONSTRUCTION SALES TAX TO AS WELL AS EXPEDITING.
UM, SO, UH, WE ALSO JUST STARTED OUR, UM, TRANSIT IN TOWN.
UH, WE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF, UH, ABOUT A 6 MILLION, UH, FUNDING DURING COVID THAT WAS PARTICULARLY EARMARKED TO TRANS FOR TRANSIT.
AND, UM, IT JUST STARTED THIS WEEK.
AGAIN, IT'S OUR, UM, DEMAND RESPONSE TRANSIT.
SO IT'S A DOLLAR OR $2 A RIDE YOU CALL THE DAY BEFORE OR EVEN A COUPLE HOURS BEFORE.
WE'LL COME PICK YOU UP, TAKE YOU TO DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT, TAKE YOU TO WALMART FOR A DOLLAR OR $2 A RIDE.
UM, WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT MANUFACTURED HOUSING AT BOX BOWLS.
THEY'RE ABOUT 500 SQUARE FEET.
WE'RE, UH, APPROACHING DEVELOPERS THAT HAVE APPROVED PROJECTS THAT HAVEN'T STARTED YET TO SEE IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN BRINGING BOX BOWLS IN WHERE ALL FOUR SITES TILT UP AND YOU HAVE A ROOF MIS SERVICE.
YOU WERE TAKING COPIOUS NOTES THAT DAYS, AND SINCE THAT TIME, BOX BULLS ARE BEING CONSIDERED TO BE APPROVED BY THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
SO I THANK YOU FOR WHAT PART OF THAT YOU HAD.
OUR DEVELOPERS THINK THAT THEY CAN BRING THEM IN ABOUT 12 HUN FOR ABOUT $1,200 A MONTH FOR AN EXISTING APPROVED PROJECT IF THEY JUST CHANGE FROM STICK-BUILT CONSTRUCTION TO BOX BULLS.
WE NEED THE STATE'S HELP WITH COOPERATIVE COOPERATION, EXPEDITING, AND MORE FUNDING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? MISS SERVICE? I JUST WANNA PIGGYBACK THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
UM, I JUST WANNA PIGGYBACK THAT YES, YOU ECHOED A LOT OF THE SAME SENTIMENTS THAT I THINK, UM, THE STATE CAN CAN, UM, THANK THANKS TO MANY OF THE LAWMAKERS THAT ARE SITTING ON THIS PANEL.
THERE WAS A 60 MILLION INVESTMENT TO THE HOUSING TRUST FUND.
WE AT THE HOUSING COALITION HAVE, UM, HAVE, HAVE ASKED THE GOVERNORS, UH, THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO MATCH THAT WITH HIS, UH, STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS.
WE'RE HOPING THAT THAT'S IN THE NEGOTIATION PLAY.
WE'D LOVE TO FOLLOW SUIT OF, YOU KNOW, OTHER STATES LIKE NEVADA THAT JUST INVESTED 500 MILLION OF THEIR STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL WORK RECOVERY FUNDS TO HOUSING.
SO IF NOT, AT THE VERY LEAST, LET'S HAVE THE GOVERNOR MATCH WHAT THE STATE INVESTED.
AND THEN, UM, THE, THE, THE, THE COORDINATION PIECE, I THINK THAT THAT THAT'S ANOTHER ROLE THAT THE STATE CAN PLAY.
AND THAT MIRRORS ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT THE GOVERNOR'S GOAL COUNCIL ON ENDING HOMELESSNESS THAT WOULD PUT THAT INTO PERPETUITY.
UM, DIRECTOR SIMPLOT HAS DONE A GREAT JOB DOING THAT, UM, CURRENTLY, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT GO ON INTO, INTO PERPETUITY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I LIKE WHAT COTTONWOOD SUN SAID ABOUT HELPING WITH INFRASTRUCTURE TOO.
YEAH, I WROTE THAT DOWN AS A BILL IDEA FOR NEXT YEAR.
YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT ONE, JIM.
AND I APOLOGIZE, BUT I I HAVE A FOUR O'CLOCK.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. MAYOR.
UNDERSTAND SIR, THANK YOU FOR BEING PATIENT.
I'VE LIVED IN SEDONA FOR 31 YEARS.
SO I'VE SEEN A LOT OF CHANGES.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY MANY OF THEM ARE NOT THE BEST.
BUT, UH, AS FAR AS INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRAFFIC HERE IN SEDONA, OUR BIGGEST PROBLEM, OF COURSE, WHICH HAS BEEN MENTIONED MANY TIMES IS THE SHORT TERM RENTALS.
UH, THE EXPLOSION OF SHORT TERM RENTALS HAS JUST, UH, TAXED OUR INFRASTRUCTURE TERRIBLY.
UH, WE HAVE THREE WAYS IN AND OUT OF THIS CITY.
AND ON WEEKENDS, ESPECIALLY HOLIDAY WEEKENDS, HIGHWAY 1 79, IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR THE TRAFFIC TO BACK UP TWO HOURS.
SO, UH, IT'S NOT THAT WE NEED MORE TOURISTS, IT'S THAT WE NEED TO GET BACK TO WHERE WE WERE, UH, AS FAR AS THE TRYING TO CONTROL THE, UH,
[02:35:01]
SHORT TERM RENTALS.NOW, WHAT I SUGGEST TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, UH, YOU'VE ASKED FOR ANSWERS.
WHAT I SUGGEST YOU DO IS GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL, UM, BILL.
AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE ORIGINAL BILL WAS, WAS SET UP TO WHERE, AS WAS MENTIONED, UH, EMPTY NESTERS THAT WANT TO MAKE LITTLE EXTRA INCOME BY RENTING OUT THEIR KIDS ROOMS FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS.
UH, OR IF YOU HAVE A CASITA GREAT FOR A SHORT TERM RENTAL.
NOW THE SOLUTION MIGHT BE TO RESTRUCTURE THAT BILL TO WHERE ACTUALLY THE WAY IT WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED TO WHERE THE OWNER MUST LIVE ON THE PROPERTY.
THAT WOULD ELIMINATE PROBABLY 90% OF THE, OF THE, UH, SHORT TERM RENTALS HERE IN SEDONA AND THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
UH, WHAT YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER AS FAR AS SEDONA IS CONCERNED, WE ARE UNIQUE IN THAT WE ARE IN ISLAND IN THE MIDDLE OF A NATIONAL FOREST.
WE CANNOT EXPAND LIKE MOST OTHER CITIES.
UM, SO IT'S BASICALLY IN, IN PHIL NOW.
UM, APARTMENTS HAVE BEEN, UM, BEAT TO DEATH HERE TODAY, HERE IN SEDONA.
UH, WE HAVE LOW INCOME INCOME HOUSING.
IT'S ACTUALLY UP IN THE, IN THE, UM, CANYON.
IT IS A, UM, TRAILER PARK THAT'S BEEN THERE FOR ACTUALLY SINCE THE FIFTIES.
MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THAT TRAILER PARK ARE SERVICE PEOPLE TAKING CARE.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVE, UH, DINNER HERE IN SEDONA, YOUR SERVER MIGHT BE LIVING IN THAT TRAILER PARK.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT TRAILER PARK HAS BEEN, UH, PURCHASED BY AN OUT OF STATE, UH, DEVELOPER.
HE PLANS TO ELIMINATE IT AND PUT IN, UH, MORE SHORT TERM RENTALS.
SO IT MIGHT BE LOOKING WORTH LOOKING INTO THAT AS WELL.
WE HAVE SOME SHORT TERM RENTALS.
SO THOSE WOULD BE 68 FAMILIES THAT WOULD BE HOMELESS BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD REGULAR HOUSING.
UH, CCNRS OR, OR, UH, HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS WERE MENTIONED.
I LIVE IN A SUBDIVISION OF 39 LOTS.
WE HAVE, UH, HOA FIRST PARAGRAPH IN OUR CCN.
OURS SAYS, NO PROPERTY WILL EVER HAVE A BUSINESS OR RUN A BUSINESS OUT OF THEIR HOME.
AND I THINK WE CAN ALL ADMIT THAT SHORT-TERM RENTALS ARE A BUSINESS.
SO MANY OF THE HOMES THAT WE HAVE LOST HERE IN SEDONA ARE BOUGHT BY PEOPLE FROM OTHER STATES, LARGE CORPORATIONS.
THEY TURN THEM INTO SHORT TERM RENTALS THAT NEEDS TO STOP BECAUSE IT'S DESTROYING THE HOMETOWN FEELING OF SEDONA.
THANK IS, SIR, REAL QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU.
UM, YOU HAD MENTIONED EARLIER THAT APARTMENTS DON'T WORK IN SEDONA AND I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD EXPAND ON WHY THEY DON'T WORK.
WELL, ONE OF THE REASONS NOW, UH, JAKE MENTIONED GOING HIGHER, UH, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU PUT IT.
ONE OF THE REASONS MOST EVERYBODY BOUGHT IT PROPERTY IN SEDONA IS BECAUSE OF THE VIEWS.
I MEAN, THIS IS GOD'S COUNTRY.
WHEN I WAS FIRST LOOKING FOR PROPERTY HERE IN SEDONA,
[02:40:01]
THERE WAS A BEAT UP OLD BUICK.AND I'LL NEVER FORGET IT BECAUSE IT HAD A BUMPER, A STICKER ON IT THAT SAID GOD MADE THE GRAND CANYON.
AND IF YOU, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU, UH, BUILD A HOME, AND THAT'S ANOTHER THING UNIQUE ABOUT SEDONA.
MOST OF THE HOMES IN SEDONA ARE CUSTOM HOMES.
THEY'RE NOT COOKIE CUTTER HOMES.
AND THE, THE HOME IS THE, THE HOME IS DETERMINED BY THE VIEWS YOU DETERMINE, OR I MEAN, YOU BUILD YOUR HOUSE TO TAKE, UH, ADVANTAGE OF WHATEVER VIEWS ARE FROM YOUR LOT.
SO IT'S, IT'S A MATTER OF, OF, AND AGAIN, IT GETS BACK TO INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO I HOPE I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? MR. MOND? MR. CHAIR? THANK YOU.
I GUESS I'LL MAYBE PIGGYBACK ON THE QUESTION.
SO THEN, AND IT GOES BACK TO MY PREVIOUS QUESTION FROM A FEW MINUTES AGO THEN, WHERE DO WE BUILD, WHERE DO WE HOUSE THE POPULATION OR THE WORKFORCE? CAUSE THE STATE CONTINUES TO GROW.
I RECOGNIZE THERE, THERE ARE INHERENT ISSUES WITH, PEOPLE HAVE LIVED HERE FIRST, BUT I I GUESS IF, IF THEY AREN'T TO BE BUILT HERE AND, AND WE'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED, JUST BRINGING BACK ALL THE SHORT TERM RENTALS WON'T SOLVE THE SHORTAGE.
SO WHERE ARE WE TO BUILD THE NEW HOMES? WELL, AS I SAY, WE ARE AN ISLAND AND RIGHT NOW IT IS SIMPLY INFILL.
THE LOTS THAT ARE LEFT, THERE ARE TWO LEFT IN MY SUBDIVISION.
THEY HAVE FANTASTIC, FANTASTIC VIEWS.
UH, BUT I MEAN, YOU CAN'T BUILD A, YOU SHOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO BUILD A MULTI-FAMILY APARTMENT IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA THAT IS ZONED SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
WE HAD A OUT OF STATE, UH, DEVELOPER BOUGHT A HOUSE IN OUR SUBDIVISION.
WE TOLD HIM, WE GAVE THEM A COPY OF OUR CCNRS STATING THAT IT COULD NOT BE A BUSINESS.
HE TOLD US TO GO POUND SAND BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE 39 PROPERTIES.
THERE'S NO WAY WE COULD AFFORD A LENGTHY LAWSUIT.
SO WE NOW HAVE FOUR, UH, SHORT TERM RENTALS IN OUR SUBDIVISION AND THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
LOOK INTO POSSIBLY CHANGING, OR AT LEAST GOING BACK TO THE IDEA OF THE OWNER MUST LIVE ON THE PROPERTY.
AND THAT WOULD ELIMINATE SO MANY OF THESE SHORT TERM RENTALS RIGHT HERE IN SEDONA.
AND THAT WOULD OPEN UP WITHOUT BUILDING, THAT WOULD OPEN UP ALL THESE HOMES FOR LONG TERM RENTALS.
SO IT WOULD TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM.
NEXT UP WE HAVE, UH, KATHY ELA AND ON DECK IS THE REVEREND MONICA WHITAKER.
I AM KATHY CANELA AND I'M A CITY COUNCIL HERE IN SEDONA.
PRIOR TO THAT, I SPENT THREE YEARS ON THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION.
I WANNA REALLY THANK THIS PANEL FOR RECOGNIZING THE NEED TO HEAR FROM LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO TRAVEL AROUND AND GET THAT INPUT.
I THINK IT'S VITAL TO THE CONVERSATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF ANY LEGISLATION OR POLICIES THAT DO COME FORWARD.
UM, I WANTED TO ALSO THANK THE MAYORS THAT SPOKE PREVIOUSLY IN ALL OF THE STAFF PRESENTATIONS, BECAUSE I THINK THEY REALLY OFFERED SO MUCH INFORMATION AND INSIGHT, UH, TO THE PANEL THAT IS UNIQUE TO OUR REGIONAL AREA.
SO THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO THEM ON THAT.
UM, I DON'T NEED TO REPEAT ALL THEIR POINTS.
THEY MADE THEM VERY WELL THEMSELVES, BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REITERATE CERTAIN THINGS SUCH AS THAT THE LACK OF WORKFORCE HOUSING IS REGIONAL AND STATEWIDE ISSUE.
[02:45:01]
THE LOSS OF OUR HOUSING STOCK IS JUST INTERTWINED WITH THE CONVERSION OF THAT STOCK TO SHORT TERM RENTALS.IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEPARATE ONE FROM THE OTHER.
I'VE SPOKEN TO STATE LEGISLATORS WHENEVER I GET THE OPPORTUNITY, AND I'M REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE, SORRY, WITH THE AWARENESS THAT THEY HAVE ABOUT OUR PLIGHT UP HERE.
EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY NOT BE FROM NORTHERN ARIZONA, THEY CERTAINLY SEEM TO UNDERSTAND WE'VE GOTTEN SOME OF OUR MESSAGE THROUGH.
HOWEVER, IN SPITE OF THAT UNDERSTANDING, THE BILLS THAT CAME OUT OF THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION HAVE NOT, THEY'VE NOT ADDRESSED THE RELIEF THAT WE NEED.
UM, AND TO RE REITERATE AGAIN, THAT NEED IS HOUSING ON ALL LEVELS.
EVERYTHING FROM SINGLE FAMILY HOMES TO TOWN HOMES TO APARTMENTS.
WE NEED THE PLETHORA OF HOUSING OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO US HERE.
BUT HB 26 74 WOULD'VE CREATED STATEWIDE ZONING RULES THAT WOULD'VE PREEMPTED LOCAL ZONING.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU SPOKE TO THAT BEFORE AND SAID THAT THERE WAS SOME MISINFORMATION OUT THERE.
I STILL BELIEVE THAT THE LOCAL ZONING WOULD'VE BEEN PREEMPTED.
UH, AND THAT'S NOT THE ANSWER THAT WE NEED.
UH, FOR ZONE FOR SEDONA, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE AT THIS POINT TO SEPARATE THE PROLIFERATION, AS THE MAYOR POINTED OUT OF SHORT TERM RENTALS, UH, AS BUSINESSES AS WAS STATED BEFORE.
UM, AND THAT IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY, AS YOU'VE HEARD TODAY, ALTHOUGH WE ALL HAVE HOUSING PRESSURES, THEY'RE ALL A BIT DIFFERENT.
SEDONA IS DIFFERENT FROM PRESCOTT.
PRESCOTT IS DIFFERENT FROM PHOENIX.
PHOENIX IS DIFFERENT FROM TUCSON, WHICH IS DIFFERENT FROM FLAGSTAFF.
IT IS NOT A ONE SIZE FITS ALL.
AND I REALLY HOPE THAT ANY LEGISLATION OR PROPOSALS THAT COME OUT OF THIS DO NOT REFLECT WHAT CAME OUT OF 26 74 AND TRY TO MAKE ONE SIZE FITS ALL LEGISLATION.
ALTHOUGH AGAIN, THIS IS A REGIONAL ESTATE PROBLEM, WE HAVE TO HAVE LOCAL CONTROL TO ADDRESS IT.
WE DO NEED, UM, TO SUPPORT PLEASE OF ASKING YOU TO SUPPORT LOCAL ZONING CONTROL SO THAT COMMUNITIES CAN SELF-IDENTIFY WHERE DENSITY SOLUTIONS MIGHT BE PART OF THE FIX.
LOCAL COMMUNITIES CAN DO THAT MUCH BETTER THAN SOMETHING THAT IS MANDATED OUT THE STATE.
I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE SUPPORT LOCAL ZONING CONTROL SO THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY THE SHORT TERM RENTALS.
WHERE IS APPROPRIATE PLACEMENT FOR THEM AS WELL.
PLEASE GIVE US THE LOCAL CONTROL OVER THE, THE NUMBER OF SHORT TERM RENTAL UNITS THAT AFFECT US.
PLEASE GIVE THAT, THAT CONSIDERATION TO RESTORING THOSE REGULATIONS TO US.
PLEASE ALSO INCENTIVIZE THE HOUSING STOCK WITH WORKFORCE HOUSING, UM, AND INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING AVAILABILITY THAT WAS MENTIONED BEFORE AS WELL IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD REALLY BE IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
IT WAS NOTED THAT THE SEDONA POPULATION HAS BEEN DECLINING, AND THAT IS AGAIN, BECAUSE OF THE LOSS OF HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES HERE.
WE'RE ASKING FOR SUPPORT, HELP INSIGHT FROM THIS COMMUNITY TO HELP US FIX THE PROBLEMS LOCALLY.
THE PRICES HAVE BEEN DRIVEN UP BY THE PROLIFERATION OF THE SHORT TERM RENTALS.
TO ADDRESS OUR HOUSING NEEDS, WE NEED TO BE EMPOWERED TO ADDRESS THE SHORT TERM RENTAL SITUATION OURSELVES.
WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY WHERE IT IS APPROPRIATE TO BUILD WITH DENSITY.
WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO INTEGRATE NEW DEVELOPMENT INTO OUR COMMUNITIES TO KEEP THE COMMUNITY CHARACTER THAT IS SO IMPORTANT.
AGAIN, LOCAL CONTROL IS KEY TO THESE POINTS.
PLEASE KEEP THAT IN CONSIDERATION.
WE HAVE THE REVEREND MONICA WHITAKER AND THEN ON DECK IS GENE VIOLENCE.
SORRY I DIDN'T SEE THE CHAIRMAN AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
UM, I'M REVEREND MONICA, THE RECTOR AT ST.
ANDREWS EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN SEDONA.
UM, AS THE PRIEST IN CHARGE FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS, I'VE HEARD REPEATED LAMENTS FROM MY PARISHIONERS AND STAFF ABOUT THE CHANGING CHARACTER OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, SINCE THE LOSS OF LOCAL ZONING CONTROL AND SHORT TERM RENTALS, WE'VE HAD WITNESSED MULTIPLE ISSUES ACROSS, UM, AGE AND INCOME DEMOGRAPHICS.
OUR CHURCH HAS FOUND IT CHALLENGING TO SUPPORT YOUNG FAMILIES IN THEIR FAITH JOURNEYS DUE TO THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SOME CAME TO THE AREA TO WORK AS SCHOOL TEACHERS, BUT THEY SOON DISCOVERED HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS TO RETAIN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT THEY WORKED SO HARD TO FIND.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THEY MOVED AWAY FROM THE VERDE VALLEY AND ARIZONA,
[02:50:01]
ANOTHER PERSON, OR FOUND IT HARD, DIFFICULT TO KEEP THEIR APARTMENT DURING THE FIRST PART OF THE PANDEMIC.UM, DURING THE MORATORIUM, THEIR LANDLORD EVICTED.
UM, DESPITE THE MORATORIUM, THE LANDLORD EVICTED MANY OF THEIR NEIGHBORS AND THEN RAISED THE RENT SO HIGH THAT THIS PARISHIONER HAD TO FIND ANOTHER JOB TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
WE HAVE STAFF MEMBERS WHO STRUGGLE TO REMAIN IN THEIR APARTMENTS AS RENTAL COSTS INCREASE WHEN EMPLOYEE HAD TO MOVE OUT OF HIS APARTMENT INTO A HOTEL ROOM FOR SEVERAL WEEKS WHILE THEIR LANDLORD MADE EMERGENCY REPAIRS.
INITIALLY, THE LANDLORD WANTED TO CANCEL THE LEASE, BUT OUR EMPLOYEE WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE APARTMENT BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T FIND ANOTHER ONE OF COMPARABLE RENT SIZE OR AMENITIES AND WAS ABLE TO NEGOTIATE, UH, BEING ABLE TO STAY THERE.
HOWEVER, UM, HE HAD TO FIND A SECOND JOB BECAUSE IN ORDER TO STAY IN THAT APARTMENT, BECAUSE THE LANDLORD RAISED, UM, THE RENT, ANOTHER EMPLOYEE WHO'S BEEN HERE SEVERAL YEARS ON A YEAR TO YEAR LEASE, UM, UM, REALLY ENJOYS LIVING HERE.
BUT EVERY TIME HE TRIES TO RENEW THE LEASE, THEY, IT TAKES MONTHS TO LOCATE THE LANDLORD CUZ THEY DON'T LIVE IN SEDONA.
UM, TAKES SEVERAL MONTHS FOR THEM TO GET THEIR LOOSE LEASE RENEWED AND THEN THEY GET REALLY WORRIED AND START TRYING TO FIND OTHER HOUSING.
UM, BUT, AND THEN THEY THINK THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO LEAVE THEIR JOB BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FIND HOUSING HERE.
UM, AND THEN, UM, THEN THEY'RE CONCERNED THAT THEIR RENT IS GONNA, UM, BE INCREASED OUTSIDE OF THEIR, THEIR BUDGET.
UM, ALSO, MANY OF OUR ELDERLY PARISHIONERS WHO'VE LIVED HERE FOR DECADES, UM, USED TO ENJOY, UH, MANY FRIENDSHIPS, LOCAL FRIENDSHIPS AND A SENSE OF COMMUNITY WITHIN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, THEY WOULD CHECK IN ON EACH OTHER'S WELLBEING AND LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER'S PROPERTY.
UH, BUT NOW THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE OVERRUN WITH SHORT TERM RENTALS, WITH NOISY OCCUPANTS AND MULTIPLE VEHICLES AND EXCESSIVE TRASH.
THE WHOLE CHARACTER OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS HAS DETERIORATED FROM COMMUNITY TO COMMERCIALIZATION.
THE CITY OF SEDONA NEEDS TO REGAIN LOCAL CONTROL OF OUR COMMUNITIES, FIND REASONABLE BALANCE BETWEEN TOURISM, LOCAL BUSINESS AND RESIDENTIAL CONCERNS.
WE NEED TO OFFER MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS AND RECLAIM OUR NEIGHBORHOODS TO REFLECT THE NATURAL BEAUTY AND DISTINCTIVE CHARACTER OF SEDONA.
NEXT STEP IS GENE VALENCE, AND THEN ON DECK IS BRIAN, UH, PZ.
MY HUSBAND AND I MOVED TO, UH, THE VERDE VALLEY IN 2000, BOUGHT PROPERTY IN 2003.
AND WE LOVE ARIZONA AND THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO DRAG ME OUT OF HERE BY MY FEET.
I AM SURE THAT THE ORGANIZATIONS AND AUTHORITIES WHO DEVELOPED SB 1350 NEVER INTENDED SO MANY NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES.
I'M SURE THEY NEVER INTENDED TO DESTROY NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT I'M THINKING OF A FRIEND, UH, WHO WITH HER HUSBAND BOUGHT PROPERTY HERE DECADES AGO.
AND THEY EXPECTED THEY WOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO LIVE IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES.
WELL, MY FRIEND'S HUSBAND DID.
HERS WAS THE LAST HOUSE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD IN WHICH A HUMAN BEING ACTUALLY LIVED.
AND SHE COULD NO LONGER TAKE EARLY MORNING WALKS BECAUSE WHAT USED TO BE DRIVEWAYS IS NOW PARKING LOTS.
AND THERE ARE CARS OVERFLOWING INTO THE STREETS.
SO SHE WOULD BE WALKING ALONG CAR CANYONS.
AND THE NEIGHBORS THAT SHE USED TO KNOW ARE GONE.
AND THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE NOW DON'T LIVE THERE.
THEY DON'T CALL HER WHEN THERE'S A LIGHTNING STORM OR THE POWER GOES OUT.
BUT I'M SURE THAT WAS NEVER INTENDED.
I'M SURE IT WAS NEVER INTENDED TO UNDERMINE BUSINESSES.
I'M THINKING ABOUT THE RESTAURANT THAT BASICALLY RESCUED MY HUSBAND AND ME DURING COVID BECAUSE THEY HAD OUTDOOR DINING AND THEY HAD TAKEOUT THAT RESTAURANT'S ON THE MARKET BECAUSE THEIR WORKFORCE IS GONE.
I'M SURE IT WAS NEVER INTENDED TO ESCALATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CONCERNS INTO A CRISIS.
BUT I'M ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO VOLUNTEERS AT THE FREE COMMUNITY SUPPERS EVERY MONDAY.
AND WHILE I'M ACCUSTOMED OVER THE YEARS JUST SEEING SOMEONE PULL UP IN A CAR IN WHICH THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY LIVING, I AM NOT ACCUSTOMED TO SEEING FAMILIES DO THAT.
AND I'M NOT AS ACCUSTOMED TO SEEING THE LARGE, INCREASING NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON FOOT CAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE CARS ANYMORE.
SO MY POINT IS SIMPLE, LOCAL COMMUNITIES KNOW BEST WHAT THE NEEDS
[02:55:01]
ARE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES.SWEEPING STATE DECISIONS ABOUT DEVELOPMENT HAVE UNINTENTIONAL CONSEQUENCES AND THE AUTHORITY FOR DEVELOPMENT DECISIONS SHOULD REST WITH THE COMMUNITIES.
ANY QUESTIONS THOUGH? BRIAN FIELDS PTZ.
ALSO HAPPENED TO BE PART OF A RESIDENT WORKING GROUP THAT IS, UH, ABOUT, UM, EIGHT MONTHS INTO UPDATING OUR GENERAL PLAN.
SO THE GENERAL PLAN WAS MENTIONED A FEW TIMES TODAY.
UH, AND I'LL TOUCH BASE ON THAT, UH, IN A MOMENT.
THERE WAS THE, THE NOTION OF THE HUMAN FACTOR PLAYING A PART IN WHAT THE COMMUNITY WILL ACCEPT WHEN IT COMES TO ADDRESSING THE LACK OF, UH, AFFORDABLE OR WORKFORCE HOUSING.
AND I THINK THAT SOME OF THE GOOD WORK THAT'S ALREADY BEEN UNDERWAY HASN'T BEEN TALKED ABOUT BECAUSE SHANNON BOONE, OUR HOUSING MANAGER, HAS IN FACT DONE AN INVENTORY OF THE AVAILABLE PARCELS IN WHICH SOME HIGHER DENSITY PROJECTS COULD POSSIBLY BE BUILT.
AND SHE'S PULLED TOGETHER EXAMPLES OF WHAT HIGHER DENSITY DEVELOPMENT MIGHT LOOK LIKE OTHER THAN A TRADITIONAL, YOU KNOW, BIG BOX APARTMENT BUILDING.
SO THE WORK IS UNDERWAY TO ADDRESS THAT HUMAN FACTOR.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THROUGH OUR GENERAL PLAN PROCESS AND OTHER EFFORTS BY CITY STAFF, WE DO NEED TO HAVE HARD CONVERSATIONS LOCALLY ABOUT WHAT KIND OF APPETITE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FOR, UH, DENSITY TO TRY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THIS PROBLEM OURSELVES AND WITHIN OUR CITY LIMITS.
SO I WOULDN'T WANT YOU TO COME AWAY TODAY THINKING, AH, THOSE PEOPLE IN SEDONA, THERE WERE PAIN IN THE BUTT AND THEY'RE JUST PUNTING ON THIS AND SAYING IT'S TOO HARD AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA HOLD TO OUR ZONING, YOU KNOW, TO OUR LAST DYING BREATH.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CASE.
UM, I FEEL LIKE SOME OF THE COMMENTARY OR SOME OF THE QUESTIONS HAVE SUGGESTED THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR ZONING IS THE PROBLEM, BUT I REALLY DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S TRUE EITHER.
OUR CITY MANAGER HAS TALKED ABOUT VERY AGGRESSIVE INVOLVEMENT BY THE CITY TO FINANCIALLY PARTICIPATE AND IN OTHER WAYS NEGOTIATE WITH DEVELOPERS IN ORDER TO TRY TO MAKE PROJECTS COME INTO BEING.
I ALSO WAS VERY CONCERNED THAT I'VE HEARD SEVERAL TIMES THIS IDEA THAT, WELL, IF YOU DID ADDRESS SHORT TERM RENTALS, IT STILL WOULDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM.
THERE'S NO ONE SINGLE SILVER BULLET.
BUT IF YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT THE ONE BIGGEST BULLET IN THE GUN IS, IT IS TO ADDRESS SHORT TERM RENTALS.
AND SO, UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, YOU ASKED A GREAT QUESTION OF, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN YOU KNOW THE STATE LEGISLATURE RESPECT LOCAL COMMUNITIES? THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO IS TO RESPECT LOCAL CONTROL.
ALLOW US TO CONTROL OUR OWN DESTINY WITH OUR OWN ZONING, THE ZONING THAT WE HAD FOR DECADES.
AND THAT WAS STRIPPED AWAY BY SB 1350.
THE IMPACTS AS THE, THE LAST SPEAKER JUST WAS TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UNINTENDED IMPACTS, 1350, IT'S DOUBLED THE NUMBER OF LODGING ROOMS. IT'S INCREASED, IT HAS CREATED EXCESS TOURISM TO THE HIGHEST DEGREE.
WE'VE LOST HOUSING FOR LONG TERM RETIREES, CRITICAL WORKERS SUCH AS TEACHERS AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS.
MY WIFE'S THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SEDONA CHARTER SCHOOL, OUR PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL HERE IN TOWN.
SHE WOULD BE HERE RIGHT NOW EXCEPT SHE'S GOT A SHORTAGE OF TEACHERS.
AND SO SHE'S IN THE CLASSROOM TODAY AND THEY HAVE STRUGGLED WITH FINDING HOUSING FOR TEACHERS.
AND THEY LIKE THE PRESCOTT VALLEY, UH, CITY MANAGER THAT SPOKE A SHORT WHILE AGO.
SHE HAS SEEN MULTIPLE OFFERS FOR EMPLOYMENT TURN DOWN BECAUSE THE EMPLOYEE CAN'T FIND HOUSING.
SO IT REALLY IS CRITICAL, UH, WE CAN'T PURSUE ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION HERE IF YOU DON'T HAVE HOUSING.
THERE IS NO ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION BEYOND THE HOSPITALITY ECONOMY THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
AND I'M A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER AND I HAVE THE LUXURY OF BEING ABLE TO HIRE EMPLOYEES THAT COULD LIVE ANYWHERE, BUT I'D LOVE TO HIRE HIM HERE.
BUT I WILL NEVER DO THAT UNDER THE CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES BECAUSE IF I DO, I'M JUST GONNA ADD TO THE HOUSING WOES BECAUSE ONE, THEY'RE GONNA TAKE UP, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GONNA TAKE UP A HOUSE THAT SOMEBODY ELSE MIGHT BUY OR RENT OR, OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE.
SO I WILL NEVER CONTRIBUTE TO ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION HERE.
UNDER THE CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES, RENTS HAVE INCREASED BY 50 TO A HUNDRED PERCENT OR MORE.
YOU'VE ASKED ABOUT HOMELESSNESS.
YES, THERE IS INCREASED HOMELESSNESS.
THE NUMBER OF WORKING PROFESSIONALS THAT ACTUALLY ARE LIVING OUT OF THEIR VAN IS UNIMAGINABLE.
[03:00:01]
HAS BEEN FORCED TO ACT, TO CONSOLIDATE CAMPING IN THE NATIONAL FOREST BECAUSE IT'S GOTTEN SO OUTTA CONTROL THAT IT'S CREATED ALL KINDS OF DAMAGE.SO WHAT DO WE NEED? WE NEED A RETURN OF LOCAL CONTROL.
SB 1350 NEEDS TO BE OVERHAULED, THROWN OUT, WHATEVER IT IS.
AND PROP 2 0 7 IS STILL SITTING THERE BEHIND IT, WAVING ITS UGLY, YOU KNOW, HAND UP IN THE AIR SAYING, BUT IF YOU ELIMINATE MY STR R I GET TO SUE YOU.
EXCEPT WE DIDN'T CREATE THE PROBLEM.
WE HAD THE ZONING, WE HAD THE ORDINANCES THAT SAID YOU COULDN'T DO SHORT TERM RENTALS.
AND THE AG FORCED US TO DELETE THAT, UH, ORDINANCE THAT EXISTED THAT SAID YOU COULDN'T RENT OUT FOR LESS THAN 30 DAYS.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU ASKED WHAT KIND OF, UM, CAP WOULD WE LIKE IT, IT SHOULD BE A LOCAL DECISION JUST AS THE MAYOR SAID.
RIGHT? BUT LET'S JUST SAY FOR ARGUMENTS SAKE, IT'S 5% MAYBE, RIGHT? WE CAN'T WAIT FOR THOSE 10% TO TURN OVER, OVER THE YEARS TO WHERE THEY CAN NO LONGER BE ANTR, RIGHT? SO IF WE'RE GONNA MAKE MEANINGFUL IMPACT ON THIS, THE STATE LEGISLATURE CREATED THIS PROBLEM WITH SB 1350.
IF THEY'RE GONNA FIX IT, IT ALSO NEEDS TO INCLUDE A FIX FOR PROP 2 0 7, AND EITHER THAT'S A CARVE OUT SO THAT WE'RE NOT ON THE HOOK FOR THE LOSS OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OR THE LOSS OF ECONOMIC VALUE BECAUSE THE HOME CAN NO LONGER BE ANTR OR YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO KICK IN FUNDS FROM THE STATE, YOU KNOW, UH, SURPLUS BUDGET TO HELP PAY FOR THAT.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD ASK FOR.
THAT'S HOW YOU CAN RESPECT SEDONA, RESPECT RURAL COMMUNITIES, RESPECT THE, ALL THE COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE THAT ARE STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
ANY ANYONE HAVE ANY OTHER FURTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, CONCERNS YOU MET FROM THE PUBLIC? ALL RIGHT, MR. CHAIR, MIGHT I JUST ADD ONE MORE? I, YES.
UH, BRIAN JUST BROUGHT UP THE PROP 2 0 7, WHICH IS NOT ONLY A HINDRANCE TO, EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE GRANDFATHERED IN THAT'S ALREADY HERE.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S GONNA CHANGE.
FRANKLY, I WOULDN'T EXPECT THE LEGISLATURE TO CHANGE THAT, BUT MAYBE AT LEAST WE HAVE.
WE HAVE GOT ONE PROJECT OUR WAY THAT IS 46 APARTMENTS, 46 APARTMENTS, ALL AFFORDABLE.
BY THE DEFINITION STATED EARLIER, WE HAD A VERY DIFFICULT TIME FINDING A WAY TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE DEVELOPER.
WE COULDN'T, WE CAN'T TAKE THE LAND OUT OF THE COST EQUATION.
WE CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE OF PROP 2 0 7.
IF THERE COULD BE SOME KIND OF CARVE OUT FOR THAT SORT OF THING TO CREATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING YOU WOULD WANNA LOOK AT AT THE LEGISLATURE.
BECAUSE WHAT WE DID WAS WE STRUCTURED A LONG TERM LOAN, BUT IT, IT'S REALLY A DIFFICULT PROPOSITION TO DO IF WE HAD SOME WAY TO AT LEAST HELP CITIES WHO CAN AFFORD TO, AND WE CAN AFFORD TO SOMETIMES, UH, SUBS HELP SUBSIDIZE SOMEHOW AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT'S BEING BUILT.
BUT WE CAN'T BECAUSE OF PROP 2 0 7.
UM, I, I BELIEVE THAT THAT GOVERNMENT IS BEST SERVED WHEN YOU ACTUALLY GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITIES AND LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
SO FOR THAT, I THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR BEING HERE.
MAYOR CITY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR OPENING UP THE DOORS TO YOUR HOME.
UM, IN THIS JOURNEY OF, OF LEARNING OF THE DIFFERENT WOS THAT, THAT, THAT AFFECT THE STATE OF ARIZONA, I THINK IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT WE AS A A, AS A LEGISLATURE HAVE ABUSED THE PRIVILEGE OF CREATING LEGISLATION THAT CHANGES, UM, STATUTES FOR THE STATE.
BECAUSE WHAT WORKS IN MARICOPA COUNTY DOES NOT WORK FOR EVERYBODY.
WHAT WORKS IN TUCSON DOES NOT WORK FOR PHOENIX.
WHAT WORKS IN SEDONA DOES NOT WORK FOR BUCKEYE.
AND THERE ARE FEW ISSUES THAT WE SHOULD LOOK INTO IN WHICH IT'S COMPREHENSIBLE TO ENACT STATE LEGISLATION.
BUT HERE, WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS, IS A CONVERSATION THAT I BELIEVE HAS LOST COMMON SENSE OVER THE YEARS.
AND WHEREAS I RESPECT PROPERTY RIGHTS AND INDIVIDUALS WHO OWN THEIR OWN PROPERTY TO BE ABLE TO, UH, ENACT WHICHEVER WHATEVER THEY BELIEVE WORKS FOR, FOR THEM AND FOR THEIR PROPERTY.
WE ALSO WOULDN'T ALLOW A PROPERTY MEMBER TO PUT UP A, A FERRIS WHEEL IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA, RIGHT? AND SO THE FACT THAT WE CONTINUE TO BEAT THE DRUM OF PROTECTING ENTITIES THAT OWN ENTIRE RESIDENTIAL BLOCKS, UH,
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TO ME IS, IS, IS INCOMPREHENSIBLE.AND, AND, AND WHAT WE ARE DOING IN THAT MATTER IS REMOVING COMMUNITY.
AND IF, IF WE REALLY LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IS THAT COMMUNITY IS WHAT MAKES THIS COUNTRY SUCH A GREAT COUNTRY.
AND WHEN YOU REMOVE THAT FACTOR OUT OF CITIES LIKE PHOENIX, OUT OF CITIES LIKE SEDONA, OUT OF SMALL TOWNS, YOU'VE LOST AN ENTIRE ENVIRONMENT.
AND ON THE OTHER HAND, I I ALSO SEE THAT MANY CITIES WHO WERE INCORPORATED NOT TOO LONG AGO, UM, THEIR REALITY NO LONGER FITS THEIR VISION.
AND SO WHAT, WHAT I ASK, UM, AS, AS SOMEBODY WHO WILL NOT BE RETURNING TO THE LEGISLATURE NEXT, NEXT TERM, IS THAT WE RESPECT THE FACT THAT LOCAL JURISDICTION IS A THING, AND THAT THEY MAKE THE DECISIONS BASED OFF OF WHAT'S BEST FOR THEIR INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITY.
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, THAT WHAT YOUR VISION IS ISN'T NECESSARILY WHAT THE REALITY IS BECAUSE TO ME, IT, IT'S VERY CONCERNING ONE, UH, TO HEAR THAT, THAT MEMBERS OF OUR WORKFORCE ARE LIVING OUT OF VANS OR THAT THEY'RE HAVING TO LIVE AN HOUR AWAY FROM WHERE THEY WORK.
UH, THAT IS A DOMINO EFFECT TO DISASTER BECAUSE AS SOMEBODY WHO LIVES IN THE CITY THAT LOVES TO COME UP TO SEDONA, I CANNOT IMAGINE COMING UP TO A CITY WHERE THERE IS NO WORKFORCE FOR THERE TO BE TOURISM.
AND SO I THINK WE ALSO NEED TO LOOK INTO THOSE, THOSE FACTORS.
UM, ALL I ASK MOVING FORWARD IS THAT THE STATE CAN WORK WITH THE CITY AND THAT THE CITY CAN CONTINUE TO RESPECT AND ABIDE BY WHAT THEIR COMMUNITY WANTS.
I, UH, I REALLY WORRY ABOUT, UM, I HAVE HEARD FROM SOME CITIES AND TOWNS THAT THEY JUST, THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO GROW AND COMMUTING'S FINE.
IT'S NOT, NOT SAYING I HEARD THAT TODAY.
I'M, I'VE HEARD IT FROM OTHER CITIES AND TOWNS AND I WORRY ABOUT THOSE CITIES AND TOWNS BECAUSE I'VE ALSO MET WITH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND TALKED TO THEM ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHY CAN'T YOU KNOW THEIR TEACHER SHORTAGE OF THEIR INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL? AND IN ONE CASE, IT WAS BECAUSE THE TEACHER COULDN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN THE AREA AND THEY COULDN'T AFFORD TO DRIVE 45 MINUTES INTO THE AREA ANYMORE.
SO I THINK THE, THE DANGEROUS PART ABOUT BEING A CITY OR TOWN THAT DOESN'T WANT TO CONTINUE TO BUILD HOUSING IS THAT YOU'LL CREATE A PROBLEM THAT CREATES A SPIRAL THAT GOES THE WRONG WAY AND YOU'LL HAVE, UH, A LACK OF TEACHERS, LACK OF POLICE AND FIRE, A LACK OF SERVICE EMPLOYEES.
AND THEN THE TAXES WILL GO UP FOR EVERYBODY ELSE BECAUSE GROWTH ACTUALLY ALLOWS LOWER TAXES FOR EVERYBODY, WHICH ALLOWS, UH, COST OF LIVING TO GO DOWN.
SO I WORRY ABOUT CITIES AND TOWNS THAT WANNA MAKE THAT CONSCIOUS DECISION, UM, BECAUSE IT CREATES A SPIRAL THAT YOU CAN'T GET OUT OF.
UM, I HAVE REALLY ENJOYED MY TIME HEARING EVERYBODY TODAY, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE MAYORS THAT SPOKE UP AND THE CITY STAFF.
YOU ALL HAVE INCREDIBLE INFORMATION FOR US.
UM, SEDONA WILL ALWAYS HOLD A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART.
UM, I ACTUALLY PROPOSED MY WIFE IN SEDONA, UM, 20 YEARS AGO.
UM, I, I PLAN TO MOVE UP HERE WHEN I'M DONE WORKING AND DOING WHATEVER I'M DOING IN THE VERDE.
UH, THE VERDE VALLEY'S BEAUTIFUL.
IT MEANS A LOT AND WE HEAR YOU A PLEASURE.
UH, WE'RE GONNA TAKE THESE NOTES BACK AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY TAKING THE TIME TO SIT HERE AND GIVE US ALL THIS GREAT INFORMATION.
YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE HAD STUFF TO SAY? I GOT WHY ONE.