[00:00:02]
GOOD.[1. CALL TO ORDER/PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE/MOMENT OF SILENCE]
CALL, WE'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.PLEASE JOIN ME FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE LIFE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CLERK.
[2. ROLL CALL/MOMENT OF ART]
DO, PLEASE READ THE ROLL CALL AGAIN.MAYOR JALO HERE, VICE MAYOR PLU.
THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR NANCY LAAN TO STEP UP AND SHARE WITH US ALL WITH THIS GREAT AUDIENCE AND PARTICIPANTS ARE DOING HERE TODAY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNSELORS.
AS YOU SEE, WE HAVE A VERY EXCITING MOMENT OF ART TODAY.
IT'S A GREAT WAY TO END THE NEW, UH, THE, THIS DECEMBER, THE END OF THIS YEAR, AND START THE NEW.
SO THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO'S COME IN HERE TO, UM, PERFORM FOR US TODAY.
SO LAST MONTH, THE CHAMBER MUSIC, SEDONA RECEIVED THE MAYOR'S ARTS AWARD FOR THE SUPPORT THEY PROVIDE FOR SEDONAS COMMUNITY YOUTH ORCHESTRA.
THIS ORGANIZATION IS DEDICATED TO PROVIDING YOUNG MUSICIANS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF MUSIC THROUGH STUDYING AND PERFORMING DIVERSE REPERTOIRE FOR STRING ORCHESTRA AND CHAMBER MUSIC ENSEMBLES.
BY VIRTUE OF GEOGRAPHY, THE YOUNG PEOPLE AND IN OUR RURAL COMMUNITY AND SURROUNDING AREAS HAVE LIMITED ACCESS TO ROBUST MUSIC AND, AND, UM, PERFORMING ARTS AND CULTURAL ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
SCYO EXISTS TO CHANGE THAT, PROVIDING EXCEPTIONAL TRAINING AND PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCES TO A WIDE RANGE OF STUDENTS WITH VARYING MUSICAL DEVELOPMENT AND SKILL SETS.
THE PRELUDE AND CONCERT ORCHESTRAS ARE LED BY CO-FOUNDERS AND CO CONDUCTORS, CHRISTINA BEEL AND COURTNEY YATES.
BOTH ARE GRAMMY NOMINATED MUSIC EDUCATORS AND PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS, AND HAVE A COMBINED EXPERIENCE IN EDUCATION AND PERFORMANCE FOR MORE THAN 60 YEARS.
UNDER THIS HIGHLY QUALIFIED LEADERSHIP, SY CEO'S EDUCATIONAL APPROACH BRINGS YOUNG STRING MUSICIANS TOGETHER IN A SAFE, INCLUSIVE, AND WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT, FOSTERING INDIVIDUAL GROWTH, INTELLECTUAL LEARNING, CONFIDENCE, AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL AWARENESS.
ALL OF THIS EQUIPS STUDENTS WITH TOOLS TO LEAD A RICH AND BALANCED LIFE.
THIS SEASON, THIS IS REALLY IMPRESSIVE.
THIS SEASON, CHRISTINA AND COURTNEY DECIDED TO EXPAND COMMUNITY OUTREACH BY OPENING PARTICIPATION TO BUDDING MUSICIANS OF ALL AGES.
IT'S AN AMAZING INTERGENERATIONAL PROGRAM THEY HAVE, I THINK THE YOUNGEST IS FOUR, AND THE OLDEST IS 72 IN THIS GROUP, AND THEY ALL WORK TOGETHER.
SO LET'S GIVE 'EM A ROUND FOR THAT.
IT'S SO SPECIAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO HAVE THIS, THIS, UM, GIFT THAT THEY HAVE BROUGHT THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SO THEY, UM, SHARED THEIR LOVE OF MUSIC TOGETHER.
AND ANNUALLY, THESE MUSICIANS PRACTICE IN 34 SATURDAY MORNING REHEARSALS, A YEAR, SEVERAL CONCERTS AND COMMUNITY PERFORMANCES.
CHRISTINA AND COURTNEY ALSO PROVIDE WEEKLY MUSIC LESSONS TO OVER 30 STUDENTS IN SEDONA.
THEY ARE BOTH DEEPLY COMMITTED TO FOSTERING A VIBRANT MUSIC COMMUNITY, ENRICHING LIVES, AND UPLIFTING THE HUMAN SPIRIT THROUGH MUSIC EDUCATION TODAY.
OH, BOTH ORCHESTRAS WILL BE PERFORMING IN COLLABORATION.
BY THE WAY, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THIS, UM, WITH SEDONA DANCE ACADEMY'S LIVE PERFORMANCE OF THE NUTCRACKER BALLET THIS SATURDAY.
SO IT'S DECEMBER 14TH AT FOUR O'CLOCK AT SEDONA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER.
THE PRO THIS PROMISES TO BE A SPECTACULAR PERFORMANCE FROM SEDONAS TALENTED YOUNG MUSICIANS AND DANCERS IN A WONDERFUL COLLABORATION.
SO IF YOU CAN GO, I THINK TICKETS ARE SELLING OUT THIS AFTERNOON, THE PRELUDE ORCHESTRA WILL OPEN WITH THEIR RENDITION OF CORONATION MARCH FROM THE PROPHET, COMPOSED BY OMO MAYOR BEAR, AND ARRANGED BY ANDREW DUBINSKI.
NEXT, THE CONCERT ORCHESTRA WILL SHARE SOME TRADITIONAL HOLIDAY SPIRIT PLAYING DANCE OF THE TOY FLUTES FROM THE NUTCRACKER BALLET, COMPOSED BY PETER TCHAIKOVSKY AND ARRANGED BY RICHARD MEYER.
PLEASE WELCOME THE SEDONA COMMUNITY AND YOUTH ORCHESTRA.
[00:08:21]
SO PRAY THE ORCHESTRA, GET OUT BEST YOU CAN.LET THEM DISPERSE BEFORE YOU TRY AND CLIMB ON IN HERE.
[00:13:05]
THANK YOU.YOU REALLY, YOU REALLY OUTDID YOURSELF FOR THE END OF THE YEAR.
JUST SO YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT ONLY FROM SEDONA AND COTTONWOOD.
THERE'S A, THERE'S A STUDENT HERE THAT COMES FROM PRESCOTT.
OKAY, BEFORE WE GO ON WITH THE CONSENT ITEM, I JUST WANNA BRING UP TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE AUDIENCE, IF YOU ARE HERE FOR A, THE ANNEXATION DISCUSSION LATER ON IN THE AGENDA, AND YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT IT BEING IN YOUR RESIDENTIAL AREAS, IT DOES NOT COVER RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
SO YOU'RE WELCOME TO STAY, YOU'RE WELCOME TO SPEAK, YOU'RE WELCOME TO DO ALL THAT.
BUT IF YOU, IF THAT SOLVES YOUR ISSUE, THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ANY OF THE, IT'S NOT GONNA BE THE PINES.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE LOWER RED ROCK LOOP ROADS AREA IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
HEY MAYOR, DO YOU WANT LET PEOPLE OVER? YES.
IF ANYBODY'S LOOKING FOR SEATS, WE HAVE IN THE FRONT CORNER OVER HERE.
YOU'RE WELCOME TO TAKE A SEAT.
[00:15:01]
NOBODY NEEDS TO STAND SHOWING.YOU WANT TO COME DOWN, MAX? YOU WANNA COME TO, TO THE CORNER? NO.
[3. CONSENT ITEMS - APPROVE ]
CONSENT ITEMS. THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY WHERE THE COUNCIL, THE STAFF, OR THE PUBLIC WHO WE DO HAVE SOMEONE REQUESTING TO HAVE AN ITEM PULLED, UH, CAN HAVE THE ITEM PULLED.SO, UH, WE HAVE MICHAEL INSO INAL, ARE YOU HERE? YES, SIR.
WELL, IF YOU WANNA COME TO THE MIC AND ADDRESS US AS TWO, UH, ITEM H AND WHY YOU WANT TO HAVE IT PULLED, AND THEN WE WILL DISCUSS IT.
MY NAME IS MICHAEL AND FANS, AND I AM THE CHIEF LOBBYIST FOR THE ARIZONA CITIZENS DEFENSE LEAGUE.
WHILE I APPRECIATE THE, UH, AMENDMENT OFFERED TO, UH, THE CITY CODE, REFERRING TO THIS, UH, UH, 12 POINT 30 0 9 0, THE AMENDMENT IS STILL IN VIOLATION OF OUR STATE CONSTITUTION, UH, IN, IN REGARDS TO THE HELLER DECISION IN REGARDS TO THE MCDONALD DECISION AND REGARDS TO THE BRUIN DECISION, WHICH WOULD KEEP SEDONA STILL IN VIOLATION OF 13 DASH 31 0 8.
SO LET'S DO THE CONSENT ITEMS A THROUGH G AND I CAN, CAN I, ANY, ANY, THE COUNSELORS WANNA HAVE THAT PULLED.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE? I MOVE TO APPROVE CONSENT ITEMS THREE A THROUGH G AND AYE.
[3.h. AB 3167 Approval of an Ordinance amending Sedona City Code Section 12.30.090. ]
ITEM H WE WILL DISCUSS, UH, CITY ATTORNEY.WOULD YOU LIKE TO, UH, GIVE US SOME INFORMATION ON THAT? SURE.
UH, UM, COUNCIL, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UH, THE, I, I DISAGREE WITH THAT ASSESSMENT THAT IT WOULD STILL BE IN VIOLATION OF A RS 31 0 8 OR THE ARIZONA CONSTITUTION.
UH, IT WAS ALSO REVIEWED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE AND LEG LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL, UM, FROM THE ARIZONA STATE LEGISLATURE, AND THEY BOTH APPROVED OF THE CHANGES, UM, AND THE REPRESENTATIVES WHO, WHO INITIALLY MADE, UM, UH, COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS ITEM, THEY ALSO APPROVED THE AMENDMENTS AS PROPOSED.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM TODAY? VICE MAYOR KURT, CAN YOU TELL US WHAT IS IT THAT THIS GENTLEMAN WOULD LIKE US TO DO THAT'S NOT IN THERE? OR HOW IS HE FIND IT TO BE DEFICIENT? WHAT WERE THE ARGUMENTS? DO YOU KNOW? I, I DON'T KNOW.
THEY WERE NOT PROVIDED BEFORE HIM.
UH, COUNCIL FOLTA, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? COMMENT? NO, BUT THE, UH, INDIVIDUAL IS APPARENTLY READY TO ANSWER THEM.
VICE MAYOR'S QUESTION IF, CAN WE DISCUSS THIS? KURT? IT'S UP TO COUNSEL.
AND THE INTEREST OF DISCUSSING THIS FURTHER, IT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND THIS, THE, UH, REPRESENTATIVES COUNSEL, WELL, THERE'S SOMEBODY HERE WHO I'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT HE IS, SO, YEAH.
YEAH, I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM HIM.
I JUST DON'T WANNA, I DON'T WANNA MAKE ANY ASSUMPTIONS, SO, OKAY.
UH, MICHAEL, YOU WANNA STEP UP AND SHARE YOUR ISSUE? YES, SIR.
AGAIN, THE, THE ISSUE THAT HAS IN THE AMENDMENT, IT STILL CONSIDERS BOWS, LONG BOWS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND UNDER THE HELLER DECISION ARMS, THE DEFINITION OF ARMS CONSIDERS ANY DEFENSIVE WEAPON.
AND THOSE CAN BE USED AS DEFENSIVE WEAPONS UNDER OUR STATE CONSTITUTION, UNDER ARTICLE TWO, SECTION 26.
BASED UPON THAT, IT'S STILL IN VIOLATION.
AND, AND I, I'M IN, I'M IN DISCUSSION WITH, WITH THE LEGISLATORS WHO FILED THE, THE 1487, AND I, I DOUBT THEY WOULD'VE APPROVED OF THIS.
I, I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE, BUT I DOUBT IT.
THEY'VE ALREADY AGREED TO WITHDRAW THEIR COMPLAINT.
AND THEY TOLD THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE THAT.
SO, I MEAN, I THINK THE DIFFERENCE IS THOSE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN
[00:20:01]
PROHIBITED, EVEN, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, SO THOSE, THOSE, THAT'S NOT NEW LANGUAGE.UM, AND IT WAS COMPLIANT WITH THE CONSTITUTION BEFORE, AND THE, AND THE COURT DECISIONS, WHAT CHANGED WAS STATE LAW IN 2010, UM, UH, PREVENTING THE CITY FROM PROHIBITING FIREARMS AS DEFINED IN STATE STATUTE, NOT NECESSARILY POOR FOR THOSE, THOSE DECISIONS CITED, UM, CITED HERE.
SO I DON'T SEE THAT THERE'S STILL ANY VIOLATION.
WHEN THIS WAS PASSED BY THE STATE, DID YOU BRING IT UP TO THEM? UH, IT WASN'T BROUGHT MR. MAYOR, IT WASN'T BROUGHT UP UNTIL ONE OF OUR MEMBERS WHO, WHO IS A RESIDENT OF SEDONA, BROUGHT IT TO OUR ATTENTION.
AND IT WAS, IT WAS BROUGHT TO THE STATE THAT WAY.
THIS, THIS IS AN, AN OLD STATUTE.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES WITHIN THE STATE THAT HAVE THESE, GOING BACK TO THE EIGHTIES AND NINETIES AND EARLY TWO THOUSANDS,
SO THE SUPREME COURT DECISION SINCE 2008, DEFINE THE, THE, THE, THE WORD ARMS, WHICH FURTHER DEFINES IT IN OUR STATE CONSTITUTION.
IT'S NOT THAT IT'S A NEW, NEW ORDINANCE THAT, OH, YOU'RE DOING THIS NOW.
IT'S JUST WE'RE TRYING TO CLEAN UP, CLEAN IT UP.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE TO ACCEPT CONSENT? ITEM THREE H AS PRESENTED.
WHERE SHALL COUNCILLOR DUNN? OKAY.
AND YOU OPPOSED? YOU WERE UNANIMOUS.
APPOINTMENTS, RECOGNITIONS, AND AWARDS.
[4. APPOINTMENTS ]
YES, MA'AM.I CAN GIVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THIS.
SO ON APRIL 4TH, UM, THE CITY STARTED ADVERTISING THE, WE HAD AN OPENING FOR A SEAT THAT EXPIRED IN THE COMMISSION.
AND THEN, UM, ANOTHER SEAT BECAME OPEN.
SO THEN THERE WAS AN ADVERTISEMENT FOR TWO POSITIONS, AND THEN TWO ADDITIONAL SEATS.
WHILE THESE TWO SEATS WERE, WE WERE RECEIVING APPLICATIONS, TWO OTHER SEATS WERE SET TO EXPIRE NOVEMBER 30TH FOR A TOTAL OF FOUR.
AND SO, UM, THEY HAD THE FOUR APPLICATIONS.
AND THEN A COUPLE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION SELECTION COMMITTEE AGREED TO WAIVE INTERVIEWS FOR THE CURRENT COMMISSION MEMBERS SEEKING REAPPOINTMENT.
THAT WAS FOR COMMISSIONER STEVE EGNER AND NATE MYERS THAT HAD RESUBMITTED THEIR APPLICATIONS.
AND THEN ON NOVEMBER 14TH, THE SELECTION COMMITTEE MADE UP OF MAYOR BLO, VICE MAYOR PLU, AND, UH, NATE MYERS AS THE CHAIR INTERVIEWED BOBBY WOODS, KAREN STUPAC, AND THOMAS WHITE WEISS.
SO BEFORE YOU, TONIGHT IS, UH, DISCUSSION, POSSIBLE ACTION FOR APPOINTING, UM, TWO PEOPLE TO THE COUNCIL, UH, BOBBY WOODS AND KAREN STUPAC, AND THEN THE REAPPOINTMENT OF NATE MYERS AND STEVE EGNER TO THE COMMISSION.
THAT WILL BRING THE COMMISSION TO FOUR MEMBERS.
NO, NO, FIVE, BECAUSE THERE'S ONE REMAIN.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
I MOVE TO APPOINT BOBBY WOODS AND KAREN STUPAK AND TO REAPPOINT STEVE NER AND NATE MYERS TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION WITH A TERM BEGINNING IMMEDIATELY AND ENDING NOVEMBER 30TH, 2027 OR UNTIL A SUCCESSOR IS APPOINTED, WHICHEVER IS LATER.
AND MAYOR, I BELIEVE WE DO HAVE SOME APPLICANTS IN THE OFFENSE THAT YOU, IN THE AUDIENCE THAT YOU MAY WANNA RECOGNIZE.
I WANTED TO DO THE, THE VOTE FIRST, BUT YES.
SO, UH, ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY, WE HAD THE SECOND.
DO WE HAVE BOBBY WOODS, UH, OR KAREN HERE? STEVE EGNER OR, UH, NATE MYERS, IF YOU, WOULD YOU LIKE TO STAND UP AND SPEAK FOR A MINUTE? SAY A FEW WORDS.
WELL, IT'S NICE TO BE BACK ON THE COMMISSION AGAIN.
I CREATED IT MANY, MANY YEARS AGO, SO I INTEND TO WORK HARD FOR IT, SO.
[00:25:01]
STEVE, DID YOU WANNA SAY A FEW WORDS? NO, I'M GOOD.BOBBY, WHERE ARE YOU, BOBBY? OH, COME ON UP.
I AM, I'M 65 AND MY FATHER WAS AN ARCHITECT HERE BEFORE ME, AND SO IT WAS, WHEN I HEARD THAT IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET INVOLVED THIS WAY, I WAS SUPER EXCITED.
SO THANKS FOR, THANKS FOR RECEIVING ME.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE BOTH NEW COMMISSIONERS ON THAT, UH, COMMISSION.
I PUT MY, YOU WANNA SAY A FEW WORDS, NATE? OR IF I PUT THE GLASS, I CAN SEE THAT FOR, THERE YOU GO.
I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR, UH, FOR THE REAPPOINTMENT AND THE, THE NEW APPOINTMENTS AND LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, MOVING FORWARD WITH A, A FULL COMMISSION.
[5. SUMMARY OF CURRENT EVENTS BY MAYOR/COUNCILORS/CITY MANAGER & COUNCIL ASSIGNMENTS]
OF CURRENT EVENTS BY THE COUNCIL OR THE CITY MANAGER OR STAFF, PETE.AS, UM, SOME OF YOU KNOW, PROBABLY NOT VERY MANY OF THE AUDIENCE KNOWS THAT I AM THE COUNCIL'S REPRESENTATIVE ON THE PLATEAU WATER PARTNERSHIP.
AND EVERY YEAR THE CP UH, WP, UH, HOSTS A FOURTH GRADE WATER ETHICS CONTEST.
AND IT WAS IN FEBRUARY OF, OR THIS YEAR, EARLIER THIS YEAR, THAT SEDONA ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED FOR THE FIRST TIME AND, UH, WON, UH, FIRST PLACE IN THE ESSAY PART OF THE CONTEST.
AND SO THAT WAS JUST AWESOME THAT WE, UH, HAD THAT, UH, ENTRY INTO SEDONA.
AND AS PART OF OUR MEETING LAST WEEK, UH, I WAS, UH, GIVEN, UH, A STACK OF THE ART THAT WAS SUBMITTED.
SO THIS IS KIND OF THE CONTINUATION OF OUR MOMENT OF ART.
SO I HAVE SEVEN OF THE PIECES OF ART THAT WERE SUBMITTED, UH, DURING THE CONTEST.
AND THESE ARE AWARDED TO OUR CITY MANAGER, UM, THANKING, UH, THE CITY FOR OUR PARTICIPATION IN THE COCOA, UH, NINO PLATEAU WATER PARTNERSHIP.
AND SO I'M GONNA GIVE THESE TO THE CITY MANAGER, UH, FOR HER TO DISTRIBUTE AS SHE SEES FIT, EITHER TO, UH, WATER TREATMENT PLANT OR OUR SUSTAINABILITY STAFF OR WHOEVER, OR HER OWN OFFICE AS WELL.
AND THEN, UH, WE DID DO SOME BUSINESS AS WELL.
WE DID PASS OUR BUDGET FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, SO WE'RE GOOD.
ANYTHING ELSE FROM THIS SIDE? UH, COMMITTEES ON THIS SIDE, VICE MAYOR.
I THINK, UM, MOST OF US ALL ATTENDED THE LIBRARIES SHOUT OUT LOUD EVENT ON SUNDAY, AND THEY HAD OVER A THOUSAND PEOPLE.
I DUNNO HOW MANY PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE WERE THERE, BUT IT WAS A WONDERFUL EVENT AND LOTS OF ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS AND COUNSELORS WHO THINK THEY'RE KIDS.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, ALL THE PLANS THAT THE LIBRARY HAS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
AND SO THOSE THAT MAY NOT HAVE HEARD THE LIBRARY WILL NOW BE REFERRED TO COMMUNITY LIBRARY, SEDONA COMMUNITY BEING THE MOST IMPORTANT FOR THEM.
IT REALLY, IT REALLY GOT EVERYBODY OUT.
SO, ANYTHING ELSE, BRIAN? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
UH, EACH OF THE LAST TWO WEEKS, THERE'S BEEN A RIBBON CUTTING ON, UH, 1 79 TO, UH, DEBUT TWO NEW PIECES OF PUBLIC ART.
SO HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY HAS SEEN THE ROAD RUNNER AT, UH, MORGAN ROAD AND MORE RECENTLY, NANCY, IF I DON'T GET IT RIGHT, SORRY, JULIANNE AND MARIA, UH, THAT WERE DEBUTED LAST WEEK AT, UM, CANYON CIRCLE, CANYON DRIVE.
SO IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THOSE, PLEASE DO TAKE THE TIME, UH, TO WALK OUT AND LITERALLY LOOK AT JULIANNE AND MARIA.
THE DETAIL IN THOSE SCULPTURES IS VERY SPECIAL.
AND, UH, I THINK NANCY MAY HAVE ALREADY LEFT, BUT CONGRATULATIONS TO HER, TO HANCO AND ANYBODY ELSE FROM STAFF THAT WAS PART OF BRINGING THIS.
AND OF COURSE, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ARTIST.
AND THERE'LL BE TWO ADDITIONAL, UH, ART STATUTES COMING UP IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
ONE AT CHAPEL ROAD ROUNDABOUT, AND THE OTHER AT BACK OF BEYOND.
SO LOOK FORWARD TO, TO SEEING THAT AS WELL.
VICE MAYOR, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY SOMETHING BECAUSE I SEE MISINFORMATION ABOUT THE COST OF THESE SCULPTURES.
[00:30:01]
DEVELOPERS WHO PARTICIPATE IN GIVING US MONEY FOR ART THAT GOES INTO A FUND.AND IT'S THAT MONEY THAT'S USED FOR THE ROUNDABOUTS, SO IT'S DEVELOPMENT FEES AS OPPOSED TO, UH, THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND.
SO I THINK IT'S, UM, FOR THE COMMUNITY, IT SHOWS THE IMPORTANCE THAT WE VALUE FOR ART AND, AND MAKING OUR COMMUNITY ANIMATED BY THE ARTS.
SO, UH, FOR MYSELF, I, I'VE HAD A COUPLE EVENT EVENTS COMING UP.
UH, THE, THE MANAGER AND I ATTENDED THE VERDE VALLEY SUPERVISORS, MAYORS, AND MANAGERS MEETING IN COTTONWOOD.
THAT'S ALL FOR THE VERDE VALLEY.
UH, AND THAT WAS VERY, VERY PRODUCTIVE.
WE TALKED ABOUT QUITE A FEW THINGS, TRANSPORTATION, UH, UH, EVENTS, UM, PROJECTS I SHOULD SAY.
AND WE ALSO DISCUSSED AT GREAT LENGTH, UH, A DISPATCH CENTER FOR THE VERDE VALLEY AND AS WELL AS THE PRESCOTT SIDE OF THE COUNTY.
UH, DECEMBER 6TH, ANNETTE AND I ATTENDED THE ARA PI COUNTY SUPERVISORS, MAYOR MAGS MEETING.
UH, THAT WAS ALSO, THAT WAS AT THE COLLEGE, VERY SIMILAR, BUT TO TODAY'S MEETING, BUT IT WAS THE OVERALL, UH, COUNTY AND ALL THE SUPERVISORS WERE THERE AND MANY, MANY MORE, UH, MAYORS.
SO THAT WAS A VERY GOOD EVENT AS WELL.
AND, UH, DECEMBER 4TH, UH, THE VICE MAYOR, UH, THE CITY MANAGER AND I ATTENDED A MEETING WITH DR. RYAN AND HER STAFF, ALONG WITH THE FIVE MAYORS AND MANAGERS IN THE VERDE VALLEY TO DISCUSS ISSUES, UH, OF THE COLLEGE AND THE COMMUNITY, AND SPECIFICALLY, UH, THEIR REASONS FOR NOT ATTENDING A PAST MEETING HERE AT CITY COUNCIL.
SO, UH, I THOUGHT YOU'D ALL WANNA KNOW.
[6. PUBLIC FORUM ]
FORUM.10, WE'LL START WITH, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC FORUM.
TRACY RANDALL, YOU ARE NUMBER ONE, FOLLOWED BY JAMES ACK
YOU COULD SAY NO, JIM, YOU'VE GOT THREE MINUTES.
JIM GAVE ME HIS THREE MINUTES IN CASE I RUN OVER
WELL, YOU HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT YOU WANNA DO.
YEAH, HE'S NOT GONNA SPEAK, BUT I THINK MINE WILL BE RIGHT AT THREE MINUTES.
I'M A SEDONA RESIDENT AND PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL BIKE CLUB, THE VERDE VALLEY CYCLIST COALITION.
I'M HERE WITH MEMBERS OF THE SEDONA TRAIL COMMUNITY TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE LETTER SENT TO COUNCIL AND STAFF ADVOCATING FOR A FULL-TIME TRAILS COORDINATOR.
THE CLUB WAS TOLD THAT COUNCIL AND STAFF DID NOT UNDERSTAND THIS POSITION, SO WE OUTLINED THE ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN MORE DETAIL IN ADDITION TO THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
WHY DO WE FEEL THIS POSITION IS CRITICAL FOR SEDONA? FIRST? PEOPLE HAVE SUGGESTED THAT THE BIKE CLUB SHOULD DO THIS JOB, AND WE HAVE BEEN TRYING, I THINK WE HAVE A COUPLE FOLKS HERE ON THE CLUB THAT ARE VOLUNTEER BIKE COORDINATORS, BUT WE CANNOT DO THIS JOB FROM THE OUTSIDE.
WE CAN SUGGEST IDEAS AND LOBBY FOR CHANGE, BUT WE ARE NOT IN THE ROOM WITH THE CITY ENGINEERS, THE PLANNERS AND STAFF.
WHEN CRITICAL DECISIONS ARE MADE AND EXECUTED THAT IMPACT THE TRAILS, CONNECTIONS AND PATHWAYS THE CITY NEEDS SOMEONE ON STAFF DEDICATED TO BEING THE VOICE FOR OUR TRAILS, CONNECTIONS, AND PATHWAYS.
STEPS WILL NOT BE AS SUCCESSFULLY EXECUTED WITHOUT SOMEONE ON CITY STAFF DEDICATED THE TRAILS.
AND THINKING BROADLY ABOUT SEDONAS TRAIL SYSTEMS IN AND OUT OF CITY BOUNDARIES, PEOPLE HAVE SUGGESTED THAT THIS IS THE FOREST SERVICE JOB, THE TRAIL FUND, THE BIKE CLUB, AND MANY VOLUNTEERS HAVE RAISED THE MONEY BUILT AND MAINTAINED THE RED ROCK TRAIL SYSTEM.
OUR TRAILS ARE HERE AND MAINTAINED DUE TO THE EFFORTS OF THESE NONPROFITS WORKING ALONG, WORKING ALONGSIDE A HARDWORKING BUT SEVERELY UNDERFUNDED AND UNDERSTAFFED RED ROCK RANGER DISTRICT.
DO YOU THINK THIS LACK OF FUNDING AND RESOURCES IS GOING TO IMPROVE WITH US LOBBYING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT? I DON'T.
AND IT'S ACTUALLY GOTTEN WORSE THIS YEAR IF YOU FOLLOWED, AND I THINK YOU GUYS ARE AWARE OF IT, 'CAUSE WE HAD TO FUND A LOT OF THE MAINTENANCE THIS YEAR.
SEDONAS RED ROCKS ATTRACT THE TOURISTS AND THE RESIDENTS AND THE TRAILS AND PATHWAYS PROVIDE THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO ENJOY THESE RED ROCKS GENERATING MUCH OF SEDONAS REVENUES.
THIS IS A LOCAL CHALLENGE AND WE SHOULD FOCUS ON LOCAL SOLUTIONS.
SEDONA NEEDS TO INVEST MORE OF ITS REVENUES BACK INTO THE TRAILS, CONNECTIONS AND PATHWAYS, AND NEEDS TO COLLABORATE
[00:35:01]
WITH THE FOREST SERVICE AND THESE NONPROFITS TO ENSURE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS BUILT EFFECTIVELY.I OFTEN HEAR, SO SEDONA HAS NO SENSE OF COMMUNITY, AND I STRONGLY DISAGREE.
THERE IS A VERY STRONG COMMUNITY OF TRAIL USERS IN SEDONA THAT HAVE CHOSEN TO LIVE HERE, LARGELY DUE TO THESE TRAILS.
SEDONA SHOULD BE INVESTING AND FOCUSING ON MORE ON ITS STRENGTHS, FOSTER AND INVEST FURTHER IN THIS TRAIL COMMUNITY, STRIVE TO BECOME A NATIONAL LEADER IN THE TRAILS TRAIL CONNECTIONS AND PATHWAYS THAT ARE SAFE AND INVITING FOR ALL LEVELS AND FORMS OF TRAIL LOOP USERS.
AND I BELIEVE YOU WILL ATTRACT MORE PEOPLE LIKE THAT.
PLEASE LISTEN TO THIS ENGAGED AND POSITIVE COMMUNITY OF SEDONA RESIDENTS AND TRAIL USERS.
ADD A SEDONA CITY TRAILS POSITION IN 2025.
UH, DOUG COP, WELL, HAPPY TO SEE YOU, DOUG.
EVAN, ARE YOU HERE? OKAY, SO GOOD EVENING, UH, MAYOR JALO AND CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME'S DOUG COPP, LIVE IN WEST SEDONA, AND FOR MANY YEARS I WAS THE VOLUNTEER BICYCLE COORDINATOR FOR THE CITY OF SEDONA.
WHEN YOU ENTER SEDONA ON ANY OF THE ROADS, YOU'LL SEE A SIGN OFF THE SIDE SAYS SILVER LEVEL, BICYCLE FRIENDLY COMMUNITY.
IT'S A PROGRAM RUN BY THE LEAGUE OF AMERICAN BI BICYCLISTS, RECOGNIZING CITIES FOR THEIR MULTIMODAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND PROGRAMS. SO IT BECAME A BRONZE LEVEL BICYCLE FRIENDLY COMMUNITY IN 2011 AND A SILVER LEVEL IN 2015.
THAT OCCURRED BECAUSE OF OUR INCREDIBLE TRAIL SYSTEM, OUR BIKE LANES, OUR BIKE PARK, UH, ALL THE WORK DONE BY, UH, ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE VER VALLEY CYCLISTS, UH, FRIENDS OF THE FOREST THAT, SO IN THE RED ROCK TRAIL FUND, UM, WE HAVE A MOUNTAIN BIKE PATROL, WE HAVE BIKE CLUBS AT, UH, HIGH SCHOOL AND WEST SEDONA.
UH, 30 YEARS AGO THAT WAS NOT THE CASE.
UM, 30 YEARS AGO WE HAD MAYBE A HUNDRED MILES OF TRAILS, AND THAT'S ABOUT IT.
UH, THERE WAS A LOT OF OPEN SPACE BETWEEN PROPERTIES.
PEOPLE USED TO CUT THROUGH PRIVATE PROPERTY TO GET TO THE TRAILS, TO GET TO THE FOREST.
UM, AND THAT CREATED A LOT OF SOCIAL TRAILS.
UM, OVER TIME, THERE WERE A LOT OF CONFLICTS THAT CAME TO A HEAD ABOUT 13 YEARS AGO, AND THE CITY MANAGER AT THE TIME ASKED ME AND, UH, CITY COUNCILOR NAMED CLIFF HAMILTON AT THE TIME, TO LOOK AROUND SEDONA, SEE WHERE PEOPLE WERE CROSSING PRIVATE LAND TO ACCESS THE FOREST, REACH OUT TO THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS AND SEE IF WE COULD, UH, GET AN EASEMENT.
UH, THE CITY PAID FOR EASEMENTS.
UH, WE DIDN'T GET, WE GOT A FEW EASEMENTS.
WE DIDN'T GET ALL THE ONES WE WANTED.
UM, WE, THE CITY WASN'T GONNA CONDEMN ANY PROPERTY.
WE WERE JUST, UH, LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS.
BUT THE REASON I TELL YOU THIS STORY IS THAT, UH, THE TRAILS ARE, ARE PART OF OUR CITY INFRASTRUCTURE, TRAILS, NEIGHBORHOOD, ACCESS TO THE FOREST.
UH, TRAIL HEADS ARE JUST LIKE CITY STREETS AND CITY SIDEWALKS.
THEY'RE PART OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE WE NEED A, UM, PERSON ON CITY STAFF DEDICATED TO THE TRAILS.
UM, CAN VOLUNTEER AT THE BIKE, CAN GET VOLUNTEERS TO WORK AT THE BIKE PARK TO HELP MAINTAIN IT.
SO I, UH, SUPPORT THE, UH, WHAT TRACY SAID ABOUT, UH, HAVING A PERMANENT, UH, CITY PERSON FOR TRAILS ADVOCACY.
AND THEY CAN ALSO UPDATE THE BIKE FRIENDLY COMMUNITY APPLICATION, WHICH NEEDS TO BE DONE EVERY FOUR YEARS.
AND THANKS FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THIS COMMUNITY IN THE PAST.
OKAY, EVAN, WE'LL BE FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL COYNE.
UM, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
PLEASE, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE.
UH, EVAN POYA, SEDONA, ARIZONA.
SO MY NAME IS EVAN POYA AND I'VE LIVED IN SEDONA FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS NOW.
I'M FORTUNATE TO BE A SEDONA HOMEOWNER, AND MY WIFE AND I RUN A SMALL BUSINESS IN SEDONA CALLED THE SEDONA MOUNTAIN BIKE ACADEMY.
HOWEVER, MOST RELEVANT FOR TODAY, I ALSO VOLUNTEER MY TIME WITH THE CITY OF SEDONA ON THE BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
LIKE MANY OF US, I MOVED TO SEDONA BECAUSE OF THE NATURAL BEAUTY AND WORLD CLASS TRAILS.
OVER MY 10 YEARS OF LIVING HERE, I HAVE SEEN SUCCESS AND GROWTH FROM SEDONA AS A BICYCLE FRIENDLY CITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND ATTENTION TO OUR NEEDS.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I STARTED VOLUNTEERING WITH THE CITY BECAUSE I KNOW WE CAN DO BETTER.
OUR MULTIMODAL PATHWAYS IN SEDONA ARE SEGMENTED AND COMPLETE AND IN NEED OF IMPROVEMENT.
AS CYCLISTS, HIKERS, AND COMMUTERS, WE ARE CONSTANTLY HOPPING OFF OF WHAT PATHWAYS EXIST INTO TRAFFIC
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IN ORDER TO REACH OTHER PARTS OF TOWN.I HAVE LIVED IN BOULDER, COLORADO, VAIL, COLORADO, AND EVEN DALLAS, TEXAS.
ALL OF THESE LOCATIONS OFFER ROBUST MULTIMODAL PATHWAYS THAT CONNECT ONE END OF TOWN TO THE OTHER PATHWAYS WHERE STUDENTS CAN SAFELY RIDE TO SCHOOL OFF OF BUSY ROADS.
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE HONEST WITH OURSELVES THAT SEDONA DOES NOT HAVE THIS.
TODAY I WOULD LIKE TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO TWO WAYS WE CAN TAKE ACTION.
THE FIRST IS TO HIRE A FULL-TIME TRAIL AND BIKE PARK COORDINATOR FOR THE CITY OF SEDONA.
SEDONA IS THE LEADER IN THE OUTDOOR RECREATION INDUSTRY AND THE CITY'S ATTENTION TO RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES, CONNECTIVITY AND FACILITY MAINTENANCE IS CRITICAL.
THE SEDONA BIKE PARK IS NO LONGER A ONE MAN PART-TIME JOB.
SEDONA NEEDS FULL-TIME, A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE TO KEEP UP WITH THE MAINTENANCE AND SAFETY STANDARDS OF THIS ROBUST PARK.
SOMEONE WHO IS CAPABLE OF ORGANIZING AND LEADING TEAMS OF VOLUNTEERS.
THIS POSITION WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND THE FOREST SERVICE TO MAKE SURE THAT MISTAKES ARE NOT MADE WHEN CONNECTING FUTURE PROJECTS TO NEIGHBORING TRAILS.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT MOST CITY EMPLOYEES DO NOT LIVE IN SEDONA, AND A LOCAL EXPERIENCED TRAIL BUILDER WOULD BE OF HIGH VALUE.
THE SECOND, THE SECOND ACTION WE CAN TAKE IS FOR THE COUNCIL TO TRULY UNDERSTAND HOW PRIORITIZING OUR MULTIMODAL PATHWAYS WILL HELP THE COMMUNITY.
SO I AM HERE TODAY WITH AN ASK FOR THE COUNCIL.
I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU ON A BIKE RIDE.
UH, WE CAN START HERE AT CITY HALL AND WE CAN RIDE E-BIKES TO POSSE GROUND CITY PARK.
UH, ON THIS ADVENTURE, WE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE FIRSTHAND WHERE OUR PATHWAYS HAVE EXCEEDED AND WHERE WE STILL NEED WORK.
UH, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE SOME NICE, NICE MOMENTUM WITH NEW PATHWAYS BEING ESTABLISHED ON ANTE AND SHELBY DRIVE.
I WOULD LIKE TO URGE THE COUNCIL TO KEEP PUSHING THESE PROJECTS THROUGH KNOWING THEY WILL ALWAYS RECEIVE OPPOSITION.
OKAY, MICHAEL, WE'LL BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, RIVER FREDERICO VALDEZ, ARE YOU HERE? YEAH, RIGHT HERE.
HI, I'M MIKE COYNE, AND I'LL BE VERY BRIEF.
I FIRST WANNA SAY THAT I, YOU YOU LIVE WHERE? YEAH.
I, I WANNA SAY THAT I ENTIRELY SUPPORT EVERYTHING THAT TRACY JUST SAID AND THAT EVAN SAID.
AND I JUST WANNA MAKE THE POINT THAT THE TRAILS HERE IN SEDONA ARE A CROWN JEWEL.
THIS IS WHY MANY OF MY FRIENDS ARE HERE.
AND I THINK IT'S A MAJOR FINANCIAL DRIVER IN SEDONA.
AND NOT ONLY THAT, IT'S A SOURCE OF PEACE, IT'S A SOURCE OF WELLNESS, THESE TRAILS.
UM, AND I JUST BELIEVE THAT AS A CITY, WE NEED TO GIVE THEM THE RESPECT THEY DESERVE.
AND THAT INCLUDES THE FINANCIAL BACKBONE TO KEEP OUR TRAILS AND PROTECT OUR TRAILS.
AND I THINK, UH, CREATING THIS POSITION WITHIN THE CITY IS A VERY IMPORTANT STEP IN THAT DIRECTION.
WE HAVE, NOW IT'S RIVER FEDERICO, AND THEN I HAVE FEDERICO VALDEZ.
IS THAT TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE? YEAH.
START WITH YOUR NAME AND CITY OF RESIDENCE.
HI, MY NAME IS RIVER VALDEZ AND I LIVE IN SEDONA, ARIZONA.
I'M 17 YEARS OLD AND MY FAMILY MOVED TO SEDONA WHEN I WAS FOUR.
I'M A TWO TIME ARIZONA MOUNTAIN BIKE STATE CHAMPION, AND CURRENTLY THE NUMBER ONE JUNIOR CYCLIST IN THE US IN JANUARY,
IN JANUARY, I'LL BE RANKED NUMBER THREE IN THE WORLD BY THE UCI.
I'VE RACED ACROSS THE US PUERTO RICO, AND EUROPE PROUDLY REPRESENTING THE USA.
AFTER TRAVELING TO EXOTIC CYCLING DESTINATIONS, I CAN SAY SEDONA FALLS SHORT IN PROVIDING SAFE TRAIL ACCESS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT SONSONA ROADS ARE USED BY EVERYONE REGARDLESS OF AGE OR SKILL LEVEL.
IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE A FATAL ACCIDENT OCCURS.
BUT HAVING A DEDICATED TRAIL COORDINATOR COULD SAVE LIVES.
PERHAPS MY OWN SON'S MOUNTAIN BIKE, MOUNTAIN BIKING TRAILS ARE WORLD CLASS, HOWEVER, SAFELY ACCESSING AND CONNECTING THESE TRAILS IS NOT POSSIBLE IN THE CURRENT STATE.
AS FOR ROAD CYCLING, IT'S A DISASTER.
THE COMBINATION OF OLDER DRIVERS AND DISTRACTED TOURISTS CREATES A DANGEROUS ROAD ENVIRONMENT.
I WEAR MY USA CLOTHES TO STAND OUT AND MY DAD OFTEN RIDES WITH ME.
EVEN WITH THESE PRECAUTIONS, I HAVE TO STAY HYPERVIGILANT.
UNFORTUNATELY, I NEED TO SPEND HALF MY TRAINING RIDES ON THE ROAD.
I NEVER LOOK FORWARD TO THESE RIDES SINCE THE SAFETY IMPLICATIONS ARE JUST TOO SIGNIFICANT.
WHEN I WAS 10, BOTH MY PARENTS WERE HIT BY A UPS TRUCK WHILE RIDING ON HIGHWAY 1 79.
THEY SURVIVED, BUT MANY AREN'T SO LUCKY.
JUST THREE WEEKS AGO, A 14-YEAR-OLD FELLOW RACER
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WAS KILLED NEAR HIS HOME.TRAGEDIES LIKE THESE SHOULDN'T BE THE CATALYST FOR CHANGE.
I FEEL SAFE AND INSPIRED TO RIDE IN CITIES WITH THOUGHTFUL PLANNING AND CYCLING INFRASTRUCTURE.
I OFTEN THINK, WHY CAN'T SEDONA DO THIS? I KNOW SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE VVCC HERE TONIGHT WHO HAVE AWESOME IDEAS ON IMPROVING SEDONAS OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES, REDUCING TRAFFIC AND ELIMINATING TRAIL CONGESTION.
THEY JUST NEED THE CITY TO WORK WITH THEM.
OKAY, NOW, FEDERICO VALDEZ WILL BE FOLLOWED BY LARS ROMACK MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M HERE TODAY TO DESCRIBE WHAT IT'S LIKE RAISING A KID LIKE RIVER WHO'S A CYCLIST HERE.
AND IT PAINS ME TO SAY THIS, BUT IT'S, IT'S SUPER STRESSFUL.
UM, MY WIFE AND I ARE PROUD OF HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS BOTH ON, ON AND OFF THE BIKE.
HE'S A GOOD STUDENT AND DOES A LOT OF VOLUNTEERING FOR THE CITY.
NOT BECAUSE WE TELL HIM TO, BUT 'CAUSE HE WANTS TO.
THAT SAID, WE'RE, AND THIS IS JUST BUMS ME OUT, BUT WE'RE COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS UNTIL HE LEAVES FOR COLLEGE.
AND THE REASON IS, IS WE'RE ACUTELY AWARE OF HOW DANGER DANGEROUS IT IS.
RIDING HERE IN SEDONA, LIKE RIVER MENTIONED, MY WIFE AND I WERE BOTH HIT ON HIGHWAY 1 79 FOR THE CITY.
FOR A CITY BUILT AROUND ITS BEAUTY.
SEDONA NEEDS TO DO A BETTER JOB OF GETTING CITIZENS AND ITS TOURISTS TO ITS WORLD CLASS TRAILS SAFELY RIGHT NOW.
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO GET TO TRAILS LINK THEM OR COMMUTE ACROSS TOWN WITHOUT RISKING YOUR LIFE ON 89 A OR 1 79.
AS AN ARCHITECT WITH MASTER PLANNING EXPERIENCE, I SEE THE CITY PRIORITIZING PROGRAMS THAT DON'T FULLY SOLVE SEDONAS PARKING AND TRAFFIC ISSUES.
LOTS OF RESOURCES ARE BEING PUT TOWARDS THE CURRENT SHUTTLE SYSTEM, WHICH SOLELY RELIES ON PEOPLE DRIVING PARKING TO PARKING LOTS AND THEN RIDING BUSES TO GET TO THE TRAILS.
UH, THIS IS HELPFUL, BUT EQUALLY IMPORTANT IN MY PROFESSIONAL OPINION, IS TO FIGURE OUT A SOLUTION THAT TAKES VEHICLES OUT OF THE EQUATION.
UM, SINCE SEDONA IS A SMALL TOWN WITH NICE WEATHER, THE CITY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A CITYWIDE PATHWAY TO CONNECT LOCALS AND VISITORS TO TRAILS.
BY WALKING AND BIKING, THIS WILL REDUCE CONGESTION, ENHANCE SAFETY, AND MAKES SEDONA A PLACE THAT PEOPLE WANT TO COME BACK TO.
UM, THIS IS NOT AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK.
THE CITY HAS TALENTED PEOPLE READY TO HELP.
THERE'S A WHOLE ROOM, UH, IN TO TONIGHT THAT ARE WILLING AND READY TO HELP.
THEY JUST NEED TO BE GIVEN THE CHANCE.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE NEED A DEDICATED FULL-TIME TRAILS COORDINATOR TO LEAD THE EFFORT.
UM, A PERSON ON THE INSIDE LIKE HAS BEEN SAID TO PULL, PULL THIS ALL TOGETHER, COORDINATE THE VARIOUS AGENCIES, MUNICIPALITIES, THE COUNTIES, AND CRAFT A THOUGHTFUL AND SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION.
LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO SAY, I KNOW COUNCIL HAS CONCERNS ABOUT ADDING NEW STAFF.
I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE GETTING SOME PUSHBACK.
UM, AND I'VE HAD THOSE CONCERNS ABOUT SOME OF THAT TOO.
BUT THIS POSITION DIRECTLY BENEFITS ALL OF SEDONA RESIDENTS AND VISITORS.
UM, THIS ISN'T A FRIVOLOUS REQUEST.
IT'S BACKED BY LOCALS AND NON-PROFIT GRASSROOT ORGANIZATIONS WITH, WITH EXPERTS THAT ARE EAGER TO HELP.
SEDONA DESERVES A FUTURE WHERE RESIDENTS AND VISITORS CAN CONNECT TO THE TRAIL SAFELY AND THOUGHTFULLY AND NOT HAVE TO RELY ON A CAR TO DO IT.
AND, UH, THE LAWS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY CHRISTINE REINER.
I'M A
THANK YOU FOR COUNCILORS AND VICE MAYOR FOR HAVING ME WITH TIME.
UH, I AGREE WITH TRACY RIVER, FREDDY, MIKE, ALL ON THE SAME PAGE ON THAT STUFF.
I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT A COUPLE OTHER BENEFITS THAT IN RELATION TO THIS POSITION.
AND A REALLY BIG ONE TO ME IS CONTINUITY OF THE LONGER VISION OF THE TRAIL SYSTEM.
THE FOREST SERVICE IS A GREAT ORGANIZATION, NATIONAL STRONG IN HOW THEY DO THIS, BUT THEY DO HAVE ONE FLAW IS THAT THERE IS A LOT OF TURNOVER.
THAT ORGANIZATION HAS PEOPLE THAT LOVE TO TRAVEL AND GO DIFFERENT PLACES.
AND IS MY TIME, 20 YEARS OF VOLUNTEERING WITH THE VERDE SEX COALITION? I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS POSITIONS CHANGE OVER AND THOSE RELATIONSHIPS HAVE TO BE RE-ESTABLISHED.
INFORMATION HAS TO BE FED TO THEM.
WHERE, WHERE THE CITY, I SEE A LOT LESS TURNOVER OVER THE YEARS OF THE CITY STAFF.
AND SOMEBODY IN THAT POSITION WOULD REALLY HELP CARRY CONTINUITY TO WORK WITH KEVIN KOOL.
AND WE HAVE GREAT STAFF CURRENTLY BETWEEN KEVIN, ALEX, SCHULER, PHILLIP, WALL, ROD, UM, AND THAT, BUT IF THEY LEAVE AND MOVE ON AND PROMOTE, THAT'S THE NATURE OF THAT ORGANIZATION THAT THEY MOVE ON TO A LOT OF TIMES A DIFFERENT FOREST.
[00:50:01]
THE TRAILS POSITION HERE WOULD HELP KEEP THAT CONTINUITY GOING AND HAVE LOCAL KNOWLEDGE, ESPECIALLY HELPING PASS THAT KNOWLEDGE BACK TO CITY STAFF WORKING ON PROJECTS THAT CONNECT WITH IT.THAT'S THE NEXT POINT IS COORDINATION.
UM, THE REST OF THE CITY STAFF AND ALL DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS DOESN'T HAVE TO GET THE INFORMATION SECONDHAND.
THEY CAN GET THAT WITH SOMEBODY THAT'S PLUGGED IN DIRECTLY WITH WORKING WITH THE FOREST SERVICE AND COORDINATING, AS WELL AS WORKING ON THOSE PROJECTS WITHIN CITY LIMITS THAT WOULD BUTT UP TO THAT TO HAVE BETTER CONTINUITY.
AND THE PLANNING, AGAIN, THIS, THE PLANNING FOR THESE, THESE SOLUTIONS THAT FREDDY AND RIVER TALKED TO ABOUT HOW THIS WHOLE SYSTEM GETS BROUGHT UP TO CONNECT THE WORLD CLASS TRAILS TO THE SOMEWHAT NOT QUITE THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE ON IN CITY REQUIRES A 30,000 FOOT VIEW TO NOT LOOK AT JUST THE CITY BOUNDARY AND LOOK AT HOW DO PEOPLE RECREATE AND MOVE ABOUT THE WHOLE SYSTEM.
AND THAT NEEDS TO BE CONTIGUOUS.
SO WHEN YOU'RE A USER, WE DON'T THINK ABOUT THE CITY LIMITS ON THAT.
WE GO FOR A RIDE, I GO RIDE THROUGH A BUNCH OF STUFF IN CITY TO CONNECT TO THE TRAILS OUT TO DRY CREEK, OUT OF CITY LIMITS BACK IN.
SO A LOT OF THESE LITTLE THINGS HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED, AND I KNOW STAFF DOESN'T TRIES TO DO THIS, BUT THEIR CAPACITY IS TAKEN UP BY OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
THIS DEDICATED PERSON WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE THE CAPACITY TO REALLY SOLELY FOCUS ON THAT PIECE AND NOT HAVE IT IN ADDITION TO ALL THEIR OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES.
UM, LASTLY, OTHER THAN THIS, I'LL JUST REITERATE A POINT OF TRACY'S ON HERE, IS THAT THE AMOUNT OF WORK ASSOCIATED WITH THIS IS BIG.
I MEAN, THE AMOUNT OF MEETINGS THAT I PERSONALLY GO TO AND TRACY GOES TO BETWEEN THE VERDE FRONT WORKING GROUP, ALL THE DIFFERENT NONPROFITS TRYING TO COORDINATE BETWEEN THE RED ROCK TRAIL FUND, VVCC, THE FRIENDS OF THE FOREST, THERE'S SO MUCH TIME TO BE SPENT ON THAT.
THIS WOULD ALLOW THAT PERSON TO REALLY FOCUS AND HAVE THE WHOLE PICTURE.
CHRISTINE RAINER WILL BE FOLLOWED BY JOHN KIRSHNER, WHO'S OUR LAST SPEAKER.
IF ANYONE ELSE WISH WISHES TO, UH, SHARE THEIR CONCERNS OR OPINIONS ON THIS TOPIC, NOW IS THE TIME TO FILL OUT A CARD.
OTHERWISE, UH, JOHN WILL BE THE LAST PERSON.
SO CHRISTINE, YOUR NAME AND CITY OF RESIDENCE.
MY NAME IS CHRISTINE REINER AND I LIVE IN WEST SEDONA AT AND YEAH.
UM, AT ONE OF THE, UM, BUSIEST SPOTS IN WEST SEDONA AT THE SOLDIER PASS TRAILHEAD.
MY HUSBAND IS THE GATE CODE KEEPER AND WORKS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE FOREST SERVICE TO MAINTAIN THOSE DOUBLE GATES.
AND, UM, WE MOVED HERE BECAUSE OF THE TRAILS.
WE WERE ROADIES, UM, YOU KNOW, ROAD CYCLISTS PRIOR TO THIS.
WE HAD NO IDEA WE WERE GIVING UP OUR ROAD CYCLING.
WE 100% SWITCHED TO MOUNTAIN BIKES.
UM, BUT THAT WAS A COMPLETE SHOCK.
BUT WE DID MOVE HERE FOR THE TRAILS.
UM, SINCE I LIVE AT ONE OF THE BIGGEST VORTEXES, UM, OF THE COMBINING OF HOA, UM, JEEPS PRIVATE, UH, PRIVATE OFF-ROAD VEHICLES, UM, THERE'S 12 PASSES A DAY THAT CAN GET THROUGH THOSE TWO GATES.
UM, AND THEN THE BUSES ARE DROPPING OFF 25 AT A TIME EVERY 50 MINUTES, UM, FOUR DAYS A WEEK.
WE'RE HOPING FOR SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO WATCH THE, UM, CYCLISTS COME THROUGH THESE NARROW TRAILS ALL COMING TOGETHER AT THE SAME TIME.
WE ALSO HAVE THIS ELECTRIC GATE THAT IS, UM, WE'VE TRIED TO PUT ROPE AND PROTECT IT, AND IT'S QUITE HAZARDOUS AS THERE'S CHILDREN HANGING OUT, UM, WAITING FOR THE SHUTTLE.
UM, THERE CAN BE SIX, UM, 30 PEOPLE WAITING FOR THE SHUTTLE SHUTTLE AND 30 PEOPLE GETTING OFF THE SHUTTLE.
I'VE COUNTED AS MANY AS 32, UM, PEOPLE.
AND I KNOW THAT PROBLEM HAS BEEN SOLVED AND REDUCED TO A LIMIT OF 25 PER DROP OFF.
AND, UM, AND THEN CERTAIN TIMES A YEAR ARE OF COURSE BUSIER THAN OTHERS.
AND WE'RE GETTING, WE'RE IN A BUSY TIME NOW.
UM, SO WE LIVE AND BREATHE THIS EVERY DAY.
AND I'M AN AVID MOUNTAIN BIKER PART OF THE, UM, MOUNTAIN OR THE, UM, BRO VALLEY CYCLING COALITION.
AND, UM, JUST WANNA, UM, SUPPORT TRACY'S, UM, SUGGESTION FOR A VERY QUALIFIED, UM, TRAILS COORDINATOR.
I ALSO E-BIKE, UM, TO GET OUT OF MY HOUSE, UM, BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT'S NOT POSSIBLE TO GET MY CAR OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY.
UM, SO I USE THE ROADS, THE, THESE MULTI-USE PATHS, WHICH ARE AMAZING, BUT VERY HARD FOR PEOPLE TO IDENTIFY.
UM, I'M A REGISTERED NURSE AT THE SEDONA ER AND I HAVE TO WATCH VERY CLOSELY AS I PARALLEL THE
[00:55:01]
SEDONA TRAILS, UM, THE MULTI-USE PATH, UM, BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T SEE THE PATH AT NIGHT.THEY WALK ON ALL SIDES ALONG WITH THE WILD ANIMALS.
AND, UM, ANYWAY, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL TO US AT THE SEDONA, UM, OR THE, UM, SOLDIER PASS TRAILHEAD.
AGAIN, OUR LAST SPEAKER WILL BE JOHN KIRSCHNER.
JOHN, YOUR NAME AND CITY OF RESIDENCE.
UM, I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT, SEDONA FOR THE LAST PICK THE MIC UP.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? I'M JOHN KIRSCHNER.
I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF WEST SEDONA FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS.
I MOVED HERE BECAUSE OF THE MOUNTAIN BIKING.
UM, I ALSO HAVE A 10 MONTH OLD OR 11 MONTH OLD NOW SON, A 10-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER.
UH, I TAKE THEM MOUNTAIN BIKING AS MUCH AS I CAN.
UM, AND I'M JUST HERE TO VOICE MY, UH, SUPPORT FOR THIS, UH, SOMEBODY THAT CAN FOCUS IN THE CITY ON SAFE ACCESS, UH, LINKING THINGS PROPERLY.
AND, UM, WHEN I GO TO PLACES, UH, PLACES IN COLORADO OR PLACES, UH, IN CALIFORNIA THAT I'VE BEEN, THAT HAVE REALLY, UM, AMAZING TRAILS AND ACCESS TO DIFFERENT TRAILS AND THEN BIKE PATHWAYS THAT GO THROUGH THE TOWN, THOSE ARE ALWAYS REALLY AMAZING CITIES.
THERE'S COMMUNITY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE BUILT THE SANBORN PATHWAY THERE AND, UM, TO SEE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE USING THAT IS AMAZING.
UM, AND I THINK THAT IT WOULD BENEFIT THE CITY IMMENSELY TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT WOULD FOCUS ON THAT AND HELP CREATE, UH, A BETTER, MORE BIKE CENTRIC, UH, COMMUNITY.
UM, BECAUSE THERE'S REAL VALUE THERE AND THAT'S ALL.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THAT WILL, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC FORUM AND WE'LL MOVE OUT TO MOVE
[7.a. Recognition of Police Department Community Services Aide Jack Ross. ]
ON TO ITEM SEVEN, PROCLAMATIONS RECOGNITIONS AND AWARD.THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE ASKED FOR TO RECOGNIZE, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT, COMMUNITY SERVICE, A JACK ROSS.
JACK, WHY DON'T YOU STAND OVER HERE WITH ME? YOU DON'T HAVE TO LEAVE
SO FOR THE, I KNOW MOST OF THE ENTIRE COUNCIL WILL KNOW JACK ROSS.
HE'S NORMALLY IN A, IN A, UH, VERY BRIGHT YELLOW SHIRT, WORKING FOR THE CITY, DOING A LOT OF HARD WORK, AND HE'S ALWAYS A SEE THAT SMILE.
HE HAS THAT SMILE EVERY TIME WE SEE JACK AROUND THE CITY.
AND JACK'S DESIRE TO RETIRE FROM VOLUNTEERING FROM OUR CITY.
AND I HAD A FEW WORDS FOR JACK JUST TO RECOGNIZE HIM.
UH, JACK ROSS IS AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN BY HIS COWORKERS AS CAPTAIN JACK.
HE HAS SERVED OUR COMMUNITY SERVICES AID FOR THE SEDONA POLICE DEPARTMENT SINCE APRIL 22, TILL THIS, UH, DECEMBER 3RD OF THIS YEAR.
IN HIS ROLE, JACK ASSISTED PARKING MANAGEMENT IN UPTOWN AND TRAIL AREAS OF SEDONA AND PERFORMED A VARIETY AND OTHER DUTIES INCLUDING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVES AND TRAFFIC CONTROL.
AND HE DOES COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
SO JACK GREW UP JUST SOUTH OF BOSTON BEFORE MOVING ON TO SERVE HIS COUNTRY AS A NAVY CARRIER PILOT.
RIGHT AFTER HIS MILITARY CAREER, JACK HAD A FULFILLING CAREER AS A COMMERCIAL AIRLINE PILOT AND RETIRED APPROXIMATELY FIVE YEARS AGO FROM DELTA AIRLINES.
JACK CURRENTLY LIVES IN THE VILLAGE ROAD CREEK WITH HIS WIFE KAELA.
UH, WHO IS HERE? WHERE ARE YOU? OH, THERE YOU ARE.
I DIDN'T SEE YOU WHEN IN THE AUDIENCE.
UH, JACK CONTINUES TO GIVE BACK TO HIS COMMUNITY THROUGH HIS PARTICIPATION IN SAFECO, WHICH THIS COMMUNITY IS IN INDEBTED TO YOU FOR BEING PART OF, UH, SAFECO.
THAT'S THE, UH, SEDONA AREA VETERANS COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
THEY'RE THE GROUP THAT DOES A LOT FOR OUR MILITARY AND THEY PUT UP OUR FLAGS AND TAKE THEM DOWN ON 89 A AS WELL AS, UH, MANY, MANY OTHER PROJECTS HERE IN THE CITY.
SO, UH, YEAH, JACK HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO HELPING VETERANS IN NEED AND PROVIDING FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
UH, WHEN ASKED WHAT HE ENJOYED MOST ABOUT HIS TIME WITH THE CSA, HE SAID THE INVOLVEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY AND INTERACTING WITH PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S WHAT JACK HAS DONE HIS ENTIRE TIME WITH OUR CITY.
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ALL OVER THE WORLD AND HAD THAT SMILEY FACE FOR ALL OF THEM AND HELPFUL.SO IT, IT, IT GIVES, UH, IT ALSO GIVES HIM A GLIMPSE INTO THE LIVES OF A SON-IN-LAW, A SON AND SON-IN-LAW WHO ARE BOTH LAS VEGAS METRO POLICE OFFICERS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT JUST TO PERSONALLY THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR OUR CITY TO, AND TO BE A PERSONAL FRIEND OF MINE.
AND I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR US.
OH, I THOUGHT YOU TELL ME TO SUCK MY BELLY.
WANNA SAY A FEW WORDS, JACK? I DO.
UH, UH, CHIEF FOLEY, THANKS FOR ACCEPTING ME INTO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IT WAS, UH, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO BE THERE.
IT WAS LIKE A TOUR OF DUTY FOR ALMOST THREE YEARS.
UH, VERY ENJOYABLE OPEN DOOR POLICY, WHICH WAS VERY HELPFUL WHEN A LOW LEVEL GUY LIKE ME COULD GO IN AND AIR SOME CONCERNS AND THOUGHTS AND EVERYTHING.
AND, UH, THE PEOPLE OF SEDONA WHO ARE WONDERFUL AS WELL AS THE VISITORS WE HAVE HERE, IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT DEAL.
I UNDERSTAND THE BIKERS AND YOUR, YOUR GOAL TO GET SOMEONE IN THERE TO RUN THAT THING AND CONNECT THINGS ON A BETTER LEVEL.
MAYOR, THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
[8.a. AB 3158 Discussion/presentation by USFS Red Rock District Ranger, Alex Schlueter regarding USFS Red Rock District Ranger’s priorities.]
EIGHT, REGULAR BUSINESS ITEM, A AB 31 58 DISCUSSION, POSSIBLE PRESENTATION BY THE US RED ROCK RANGER, ALEX, UH, SCHLUTER, UH, REGARDING THE US FOREST SERVICE, RED ROCK RANGER DISTRICT PRIORITIES UP AT THE TABLE IF YOU WANT, IF THAT'S, IF YOU'RE FINE WITH THAT, JUST SPEAK INTO THE MIC.CAN EITHER RUN IT BY THIS, YOU CAN JUST RUN, STICK WITH THE LAPTOP.
CAN YOU HEAR ME ALL RIGHT? WE CAN.
SO I'VE GOT A COUPLE THANK YOUS.
FIRST OF ALL, UM, FIRST THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME.
UH, I MENTIONED TO THE MAYOR AND THE CITY MANAGER THIS MORNING THAT I'M RELATIVELY NEW IN THIS ROLE, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO IMPROVE IS, FIRST, INTERNALLY, US SETTING OUR PRIORITIES.
WE'RE PULLED IN A MILLION DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS, SO SETTING THEM AND FIGURING THEM OUT EARLY ON.
AND THEN IMPORTANT FOR YOU ALL, COMMUNICATING OUR PRIORITIES.
SO THIS IS REALLY, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY, IT'S GONNA BE REALLY HELPFUL FOR US.
SECOND, THANKS FOR LETTING ME GO FIRST.
MY DOG AND MY GIRLFRIEND ARE VERY GRATEFUL THAT I'LL BE HOME AT A REASONABLE TIME.
UM, BUT YOU DIDN'T TELL ME THAT I'D BE FOLLOWING A CONCERT, THE NUMBER ONE JUNIOR BICYCLIST AND AN ACCOMPLISHED RETIREE.
SO I'VE GOT A LOT TO, TO LIVE UP TO HERE.
SO BEFORE I GET STARTED, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF THIS, THIS IS A DENSE PRESENTATION.
SO IF YOU WANNA STOP ME, ASK QUESTIONS, ASK QUESTIONS AT THE END, OR IF YOU WANT TO HAVE ME BACK WITH SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS MORE ABOUT A SPECIFIC PROJECT THAN I DO, PLEASE DO JUST LET ME KNOW.
MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO SO OR FOLLOW UP VIA EMAIL.
ALRIGHT, I'M GONNA SET THE CONTEXT HERE BEFORE I GET STARTED ABOUT SPECIFIC PRIORITIES.
SO A LOT OF FOLKS THINK ABOUT RECREATION WHEN THEY THINK ABOUT THE FOREST SERVICE BECAUSE TRAILS, AS WE'VE HEARD, THEY'RE, THEY'RE REALLY THE ENTRYWAY TO OUR PUBLIC LANDS.
AND THE NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM HAS A BUNCH OF TRAILS.
AND HERE WE HAVE, I WOULD SAY, THE BEST TRAILS IN THE COUNTRY.
UH, BUT BEYOND RECREATION, WE HAVE A MANDATE FROM CONGRESS, OUR ENTIRE ORGANIZATION TO MANAGE NOT JUST FOR RECREATION, BUT FOR OTHER RESOURCES, INCLUDING RANGE TIMBER, WATERSHED, WILDLIFE, AND FISH AND WILDERNESS.
IT SAYS IN THOSE, THESE TWO LAWS CITED AT THE BOTTOM THAT THIS IS WHAT WE MUST DO.
AND WE DO NOT HAVE A NATIONAL RECREATION AREA DESIGNATION OR A NATIONAL MONUMENT DESIGNATION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT TELLS US TO PRIORITIZE ONE RESOURCE OVER ANOTHER.
WE HAVE TO FIND A BALANCE BETWEEN ALL OF THESE RESOURCES.
SO ALONG WITH, UM, FINDING THAT BALANCE, THERE'S A BUNCH OF WHAT WE CALL BASE WORK ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF THESE.
WHETHER IT'S ADMINISTERING PERMITS, WHETHER IT'S MONITORING THE, THE GRASS OUT IN THE FIELD FOR THE RAIN SHOP, UH, WHETHER IT'S MARKING TIMBER, UH, MONITORING ENDANGERED SPECIES, THREATENING ENDANGERED SPECIES.
THAT TYPE OF WORK COMES BEFORE ANY NEW PROJECT THAT WE EVER TAKE ON.
JUST, JUST KEEPING THINGS OPEN AND KEEPING AN EYE ON THEM IS, IS HUGE FOR US.
AND IT'S, IT'S, IT TAKES A LOT OF OUR CAPACITY.
[01:05:01]
A COUPLE THINGS TO SET THE CONTEXT HERE.IT GOT MENTIONED IN SOME OF THE COMMENTS FROM, FROM FOLKS SUPPORTING THE TRAIL POSITION.
THE FOREST SERVICE RIGHT NOW IS IN A POOR POSITION WHEN IT COMES TO BUDGET.
I THINK YOU ALL ARE FAMILIAR, I'M NOT GONNA GO OVER EACH OF THE REASONS THAT ARE LISTED HERE, BUT I'LL TALK ABOUT OUR LOCAL IMPACTS.
UM, BASED ON THE DECISION AT THE BOTTOM LISTED HERE THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AT A NATIONAL LEVEL.
THIS IS NOT JUST OUR DISTRICT THAT HAS MADE THESE DECISIONS.
WE'VE BEEN TOLD FROM OUR WASHINGTON OFFICE NATIONWIDE THAT, THAT THESE ARE, UM, WHAT WE NEED TO FOLLOW.
SO NO HIRING NON-FIRE, SEASONAL EMPLOYEES.
ANYBODY FAMILIAR WITH THE FOREST SERVICE KNOWS THAT A LOT OF THE ON THE GROUND WORK GETS DONE BY SEASONAL EMPLOYEES.
SO FOR US, THAT'S A HUGE HIT THIS WINTER, THANKS TO A COUPLE THINGS.
I WOULD SAY LUCK AND PARTNERSHIP, WE'RE DOING OKAY, LUCK BECAUSE WE HAD SOME SEASONAL EMPLOYEES SLIP THROUGH THE CRACKS, GET THEIR OFFICIAL OFFER BEFORE THAT DECISION WAS MADE, WHICH IS GREAT.
AND THEN PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE GENEROUS DONATION THAT THE CITY MAKES TO OUR TRAIL CREW EVERY YEAR.
AND THE ORGANIZATION, SEDONA, RED ROCK TRAIL FUND AND WHEEL FUND, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO RECRUIT AND, AND FIND A THIRD PARTY TRAIL CREW TO JOIN OUR EMPLOYEES.
SO WE HAVE A FULL TRAIL CREW THIS WINTER, BUT COME NEXT SUMMER, IT'S GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
SO WE HAD 18 PEOPLE IN OUR DEVELOPED RECREATION SHOP.
THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT CLEAN THE TOILETS, THAT, THAT TAKE OUT THE TRASH, THAT CHECK ON THE SITES THAT, THAT DO THEIR BEST TO MANAGE THE PARKING.
THIS SUMMER, WE'RE LOOKING AT HAVING SEVEN OR EIGHT PEOPLE.
SO, SO IT'S GONNA BE QUITE THE CHANGE.
WE'RE TRYING TO COME UP WITH PLANS HOW TO FILL THOSE GAPS, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE YET.
THE OTHER, UH, ITEM I WANTED TO KIND OF GO OVER IS A NATIONWIDE STRATEGY THAT IS THE FOREST SERVICE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY FOR EVERY NATIONAL FOREST IN THE COUNTRY.
AND THAT IS THE WILDFIRE CRISIS STRATEGY.
FOR MANY YEARS, UH, THE FOREST SERVICE HAD A POLICY TO PUT EVERY WILDFIRE OUT BY 10:00 AM AND AND UP UNTIL I THINK ABOUT THE SEVENTIES, THAT WAS THE POLICY AND IT LED TO A LOT OF FUEL BUILDUP.
IT LED TO A LOT OF OVERGROWTH OF FOREST.
AND, AND THAT REALIZATION CAME THAT, THAT THERE ARE AREAS THAT REQUIRE FIRE TO, TO BE IN LINE WITH THE ECOSYSTEM, UH, THAT, THAT WE NEED.
WE DO PRESCRIBED FIRE, WE MANAGE FIRE A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY NOW.
UM, AND USUALLY IT WAS FRAMED IN A RESTORATION CONTEXT.
IT WAS TRYING TO RESTORE THOSE FIRE INTERVALS WHERE LET'S SAY IF ON AVERAGE HISTORICALLY OVER THE LAST THOUSAND YEARS THERE WAS A FIRE EVERY 30 YEARS WE WOULD TRY TO MIMIC SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, AND WE, WE STILL DO TRY TO RESTORE THE LANDSCAPE TO THOSE INTERVALS.
ADDITIONALLY, SINCE THE WILDFIRE CRISIS STRATEGY WAS RELEASED A COUPLE YEARS AGO, IT'S THE AGENCY, IN MY OPINION, IT'S THE AGENCY RECOGNIZING THAT THE FOREST SERVICE HAS A ROLE TO PLAY IN COMMUNITY PROTECTION.
WE'VE HAD DISASTERS NATIONWIDE WHERE A FIRE STARTED AND ROLLED THROUGH PUBLIC LANDS AND DEVASTATED COMMUNITY.
AND WE HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY, TO DO OUR BEST TO GIVE US A BETTER CHANCE AT STOPPING THOSE FIRES.
SO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE NATIONALLY, THERE ARE 21 SPECIFIC LANDSCAPES THAT THAT IS FOCUSED ON, AND A BIG IN INFLUX OF FUNDS THROUGH A COUPLE DIFFERENT LAWS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
ALLOWED US TO DO A LOT OF GOOD WORK ON THESE 21 LANDSCAPES LOCALLY.
ONE OF THOSE LANDSCAPES IS THE FOUR FOREST RESTORATION INITIATIVE OUTLINED HERE.
IT'S A COMBINATION OF THE KAIBAB, THE COCONINO, THE TONTO, AND THE APACHE SICK GREAVES NATIONAL FOREST.
SO THIS IS THE LANDSCAPE THAT WE'RE IN.
AND UH, AND THAT IS OUR NUMBER ONE FOCUS IS REDUCING FUELS, UH, THROUGH BOTH FIRE MANAGEMENT AND TIMBER SALES.
SO I'M NOT GONNA GO OVER THESE ONE, I'M NOT GONNA READ THEM TO YOU.
YOU CAN SEE THEM UP THERE ON THE SCREEN.
THE FIRST ONE IS A LITTLE BIT LESS RELEVANT TO THE RED ROCK RANGER DISTRICT.
WE DO HAVE A FEW UNITS OF TIMBER, UH, ON THE DISTRICT, BUT MOST OF WHAT WE CALL ARE MERCHANTABLE TIMBER IS IN WILDERNESS WHERE WE WOULD NOT SELL TIMBER.
UM, BUT THE OTHER DISTRICTS OF THE COCONINO, THIS IS A LARGE FOCUS.
SO THE IMPACT ON US IS REALLY WHEN THEY NEED SPECIALIST SUPPORT.
SO WHEN THEY NEED A WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST TO HELP OUT, THEY DON'T NEED TO FILL THAT GAP OR, OR A, UH, HYDROLOGIST, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WE MAY SEND STAFF UP TO HELP OTHER DISTRICTS PRIORITIES.
TWO AND THREE HERE, AND I, AND I SHOULD BACK UP, THESE PRIORITIES COME STRAIGHT FROM OUR FOREST SUPERVISOR.
HE ISSUES A LETTER ANNUALLY THAT OUTLINES HIS PRIORITIES FOR THE ENTIRE FOREST FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT BROADER THAN THIS, BUT ONCE WE LEARNED ABOUT OUR BUDGET, UM, CIRCUMSTANCES HE UPDATED THAT PARED IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT TO THESE FOUR.
SO PRIORITIES TWO AND THREE, THIS IS WHERE THE RED ROCK RANGER DISTRICT REALLY FITS.
THE SECOND ONE IS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF ALL OPPORTUNITIES TO SAFELY USE FIRE.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO PRESCRIBED BURNING.
UM, WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES WHEN THERE IS A WILDFIRE THAT WE CAN, IF IT'S IN A PLACE THAT WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN, WE CAN CONTAIN IT.
[01:10:01]
UM, WE WILL MANAGE IT FOR RESOURCE BENEFIT AGAIN TO, TO TRY TO RESTORE THOSE, THOSE FIRE INTERVALS THAT HISTORICALLY OCCURRED.AND THEN THE THIRD PRIORITY IS PROVIDING RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES.
I MENTIONED GOING DOWN TO SEVEN OR EIGHT STAFF.
UM, OUR FIRST PRIORITY, AND I'LL I'LL OUTLINE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON PROJECTS IS TO KEEP THINGS OPEN.
I CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT RIGHT NOW WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT OUR, OUR PLAN'S GONNA BE TO FILL THOSE GAPS.
BUT THERE ARE ARE CERTAIN PARTS OF OUR FOREST THAT ARE SENSITIVE ENOUGH THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO, TO MANAGE THOSE AREAS, UM, TO ENFORCE OUR LAWS AND REGULATIONS, WE MAY HAVE TO CLOSE THEM.
UH, AND I'LL GET INTO EACH OF THESE WITH SPECIFIC PROJECTS.
AND THEN THE LAST BULLET, UH, IS, IS NOT RELEVANT TO THE RED ROCK RANGER DISTRICT.
IT'S FOCUSED ON OUR FLAGSTAFF RANGER DISTRICT.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT THAT.
SO AS I GO, SOME OF THESE, I I GRADE OUT.
IT'S NOT BECAUSE IT'S NOT A PRIORITY, IT'S BECAUSE IT DIDN'T SEEM REAL RELEVANT TO THIS AUDIENCE.
SO I HAVE IT LISTED, BUT I'M NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT THOSE PROJECTS.
SO THE SECOND, UH, PRIORITY ABOUT WILDFIRE AND PRESCRIBED FIRE, JUST MANAGING FIRE IN GENERAL, EITHER ONE.
WE'VE GOT A FEW PROJECTS THAT I THINK ARE VERY RELEVANT TO THE CITY OF SEDONA.
SO IMPLEMENTING PRESCRIBED BURNS, THIS ONE, THIS, WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH OUR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION THIS PAST FALL FOR PRESCRIBED BURNS IS IN THE BEGINNING OF THE BURN SEASON, WE HAD A NEWS RELEASE THAT OUTLINED A MAP WITH ALL OF OUR PLANNED BURNS ACROSS THE ENTIRE FOREST.
UM, AND THEN EVERY WEEK ON MONDAY, WE DO ANOTHER NEWS RELEASE THAT, THAT SAID, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING THIS WEEK OR WHAT WE'RE PLANNING THIS WEEK.
AND, AND SO IT GIVES THE PUBLIC AN IDEA OF, OF WHAT, WHERE THE, THE FIRES ARE.
THEY CAN LOOK AT THE WIND DIRECTION ON A GIVEN DAY AND KIND OF PREDICT WHERE THAT SMOKE'S GONNA END UP.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT'S A HUGE IMPACT TO THE RESIDENTS, NOT ONLY OF SEDONA, BUT THE ENTIRE VERDE VALLEY.
BUT I HIGHLIGHTED HERE, UH, A PHOTO, OH, IT'S A TOUCHSCREEN
THIS IS ONE THAT I WAS ON THIS FALL.
UM, AND I HIGHLIGHTED HERE BECAUSE IT'S A GOOD EXAMPLE OF ONE THAT IS, IS AIMED AT NOT ONLY RESTORATION, BUT COMMUNITY PROTECTION JUST NORTH OF THERE ALONG MORMON LAKE IS MORMON LAKE VILLAGE.
AND THERE'S PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE YEAR ROUND.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE IN THE SUMMER, DURING WILDFIRE SEASON AND DOING THIS PRESCRIBED BURN TO THE SOUTH OF THAT AREA WHERE THE PREVAILING WINDS, IF THERE WERE A WILDFIRE, WOULD PUSH IT INTO THAT COMMUNITY.
THIS WILL GIVE US A MUCH BETTER CHANCE TO CATCH A WILDFIRE IN THE FUTURE BEFORE IT GETS INTO THAT COMMUNITY AND BEFORE IT AFFECTS STRUCTURES.
THAT BEING SAID, WHILE IT'S BURNING DURING THE DAY, WE HAVE THOSE PREVAILING WINDS GOING FROM THE SOUTHWEST TO THE NORTHEAST AND DISPERSING THAT SMOKE.
BUT IF WE'RE NOT GETTING STRONG WINDS THAT DAY, SMOKE ACTS MORE LIKE WATER.
ONCE IT, IT, IT, UH, COOLS DOWN AND IT WILL GO DOWN INTO THE RAVINES THAT OUR WATERWAYS ARE.
AND THE VERDE VALLEY IS SPECIAL IN PART BECAUSE OF ALL THE WATERWAYS WE HAVE.
AND SO THAT SMOKE WILL END UP GOING THROUGH MUN CANYON, THROUGH WOODS CANYON, UH, DOWN INTO CAMP VERDE.
IT WILL GO TO THE LOWEST AREA AT NIGHT, AND THE WINDS OFTEN SHIFT THE OTHER DIRECTION AT NIGHT AS WELL.
WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T REALLY CONTROL THAT.
WE WORK WITH, WITH BOTH, UH, THE LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS TO UNDERSTAND WHEN EVENTS ARE PLANNED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IMPACTS WE MIGHT HAVE TO HELP OUR DECISION MAKING.
BUT THERE ARE GOING TO BE SMOKE IMPACTS IN THIS COMMUNITY IN THE VERDE VALLEY, UM, FOREVER, YOU KNOW, AS THESE, THESE EVENTS OCCUR.
BUT THIS WAS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHERE CLEARLY IT'S FOR COMMUNITY PROTECTION.
IT'S A CHALLENGE BECAUSE THE BENEFIT IS UP THERE.
THE IMPACT IS DOWN HERE WHEN WE'RE BURNING.
BUT I WANNA SAY THAT, THAT CONTINUING OUR PRESCRIBED BURNS IS, IS A MAJOR PRIORITY OF THE DISTRICT.
THE SECOND PROJECT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT WAS THE FOREST WIDE GRASSLANDS RESTORATION.
AGAIN, LEANING INTO THAT RESTORATION GOAL, THERE ARE MANY, MANY AREAS, UH, IN THE COCONINO NATIONAL FORESTS THAT HISTORICALLY WERE GRASSLANDS AND NOW HAVE BEEN OVERGROWN, HAVE REALLY THICK JUNIPER, DENSER FOREST, UM, AREAS WHERE PRONGHORN, FOR EXAMPLE, HAVE HISTORICALLY ROAMED BUT NO LONGER DO BECAUSE THEY DON'T FEEL SAFE.
'CAUSE THEY USUALLY PREFER OPEN AREAS.
AND SO THERE WE'RE, WE'RE IN THE PLANNING PROCESS OF A FOREST WIDE DECISION TO THIN OUT SOME OF THE OVERGROWTH AND TO RESTORE THOSE GRASSLANDS.
WE STARTED WITH WHAT YOU SEE ON THE MAP HERE, THE THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF GRASSLAND AND THE SEMI DESERT GRASSLAND IS WHAT IS PREDOMINANTLY IN OUR DISTRICT.
UM, WE'RE GONNA CUT OUT SOME OF THE AREAS WHERE LOOKING AT CLIMATE CHANGE MODELING, WE WOULDN'T ACTUALLY GET GRASSLAND RESTORED.
IF WE THINNED IT OUT, WE WOULD GET SOMETHING THAT'S SCRUB EAR AND MORE LIKE PHOENIX, WHICH I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WANTS.
UM, BUT AREAS WHERE WE THINK WE'LL BE SUCCESSFUL THROUGH, THROUGH HAND THINNING, THROUGH, UM, HAVING, UH, TIMBER REMOVED THROUGH MACHINERY OR THROUGH FIRE, THAT'S WHAT THIS PROJECT'S GONNA BE.
SO IN A COUPLE YEARS, A YEAR TO TWO YEARS, I WOULD SAY WE'LL HAVE A DECISION AND THEN BE IMPLEMENTING THAT IN THE FUTURE.
AND THEN LASTLY, THE BIG PARK COMMUNITY PROTECTION PLAN.
I DON'T WANT THE NAME TO THROW YOU OFF BECAUSE
[01:15:01]
IT MAKES IT SOUND LIKE IT'S A CENTERED ONLY ON THE VILLAGE OF OAK CREEK, BUT THIS IS A RECOGNITION THAT THERE'S FIRE DANGER HERE.THE RISK OBJECTIVELY FROM OUR MODELING IS NOT THE SAME THAT WE HAVE IN FLAGSTAFF OR WE HAVE IN PRESCOTT, BUT THERE IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE A RISK OF A WILDFIRE ROLLING THROUGH AND PEAK CONDITIONS FOR BURNING THROUGH THE CITY OF SEDONA.
SO ONE OF THE, THE ITEMS THAT WE'RE JUST STARTING TO GET THE PLANNING PROCESS STARTED, UM, IS POTENTIALLY HAVING PERMANENT FUEL BREAKS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF SEDONA.
AND ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE VILLAGE OF OAK CREEK, THE PREVAILING WIND COMES FROM THE SOUTH, SOUTHWEST AND WEST.
SO IF A WILDFIRE WERE TO START ON THAT SIDE, IT WOULD GIVE US A BETTER CHANCE TO CATCH THAT FIRE BEFORE IT GETS INTO THE COMMUNITY.
SO JUST STARTING THOSE CONVERSATIONS, JUST STARTING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE USING OUR TOOLS, OUR MODELING TO COME UP WITH A PROPOSED ACTION.
THERE WILL BE LOTS OF PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT, COMMUNITY MEETINGS ABOUT THAT PROJECT, BUT I WANT TO GIVE YOU A HEADS UP ON IT.
WHO ARE YOU IN DISCUSSION WITH OUTSIDE THE FOREST SERVICE ON THOSE ISSUES? SO WE'VE MENTIONED IT TO THE BIG PARK COUNCIL, FOR EXAMPLE.
UM, THE DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY FIRE MANAGEMENT, WE'VE TALKED TO A LOT BECAUSE ANYTHING WE DO, FIREWISE IS USUALLY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM, WITH PRESCRIBED BURNS.
A DEQ, UM, IS ANOTHER PARTNER LESS INVOLVED IN THIS BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S NOT BURNING ITSELF, IT'S ACTUALLY JUST CLEARING.
UM, BUT WE'VE GOT MANY PARTNERS THAT WE ARE GONNA DEPEND ON TO IMPLEMENT AND MAINTAIN SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
SO, SO, UH, THE OTHER, I WOULDN'T NECESSARILY SAY IT DEPENDS HOW YOU DEFINE PARTNER, BUT THIS IS AN ASK THAT'S BEEN HAD FROM MANY HOAS WHEN PEOPLE FOLLOW OUR FIREWISE RECOMMENDATIONS AND TREAT AREAS IN THEIR YARD AND WHATNOT AND REDUCE FIRE RISK THERE, OFTENTIMES YOU GET THE QUESTION, WELL, WHAT ABOUT THE ADJACENT FOREST LAND? THIS IS PARTIALLY IN RESPONSE TO THAT.
THIS IS AN ACTION THAT WE CAN TAKE ON THE ADJACENT FOREST LAND TO HELP CUMULATIVELY REDUCE THAT RISK.
WHAT ABOUT THE COUNTY, UM, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICERS? I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE TALKED WITH THEM YET, BUT WE DEFINITELY WILL BE.
I WAS INTRIGUED TO HEAR YOU TALK ABOUT THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING FIREBREAK WORK IN THE SOUTH SIDE OF SEDONA, BUT DID I HEAR YOU CORRECTLY STATE THAT IN YOUR FIRE MODELING ANALYSIS THAT SEDONA IS ACTUALLY NOT AS RISKY AS FLAGSTAFF AND PRESCOTT? IS THAT THE STATEMENT THAT YOU HAD SAID? THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.
I'M NOT, THIS IS ME, NOT AS SOMEBODY WHO CAME UP IN THE FIRE WORLD AS AN EXPERT IN FIRE MODELING.
BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS, IS THE FUEL BUILDUP AROUND THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF AND AROUND THE CITY OF PRESCOTT MAKES A, A CATASTROPHIC EVENT MORE LIKELY IN A, IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT THAN IT DOES IN SEDONA.
I'D BE CURIOUS TO UNDERSTAND YOUR, YOUR AGENCY'S THOUGHT, WHOEVER THOSE PEOPLE ARE ABOUT OAK CREEK CANYON AND PERHAPS SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS, BUT THAT'S, YEP.
THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, SORT OF REASSURING NEWS TO US A LITTLE BIT THAT WE'RE RISKY, BUT PERHAPS WE'RE NOT AS RISKY AS SOME OF REST OF THE STATE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I, I'D LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT HOW THE FOREST SERVICE THINKS ABOUT THOSE RISKS FOR US HERE IN SEDONA.
SO, UM, JUST TO GO BACK A FEW SLIDES OF WILDFIRE CRISIS STRATEGY.
THIS MAP THAT SHOWS FOR FOUR FOUR FOREST RESTORATION INITIATIVE, IT STARTED THIS ANALYSIS HOW THEY PICKED THOSE LANDSCAPES.
THEY DIVIDED THE, THE COUNTRY INTO POLYGONS THAT WERE ROUGHLY 250,000 ACRES.
AND THERE'S A MAP THAT SHOWS NATIONWIDE WHERE THE HIGHEST RISK ONES ARE.
UM, AND THOSE ARE THESE YELLOW AND RED LANDSCAPES, FIRE SHEDS.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS MAP, SEDONA IS LOCATED LIKE JUST ON THE CORNER OF THE AREA, SOUTHWEST OF THE S IN SAN FRANCISCO PLATEAU THAT IS NOT COLORED.
SO, SO FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S NOT IN A FIRE.
SHE, RIGHT, AGAIN, THIS IS BASED ON THAT FIRE SHE, AND NOT JUST THE CITY, BUT IT'S NOT IN THE HIGHEST RISK FIRE.
SHE, IT'S COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY HIGH RISK.
SO, SO LIKE I SAID, THERE IS STILL SIGNIFICANT RISK.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE ALEX CONTINUES? OKAY, ALEX, CONTINUE ON.
NO, UH, THE THIRD PRIORITY, MOVING ON TO RECREATION.
I THINK ANYBODY WHO LIVES HERE KNOWS THAT RECREATION IS THE HEART AND SOUL OF THE RED ROCK RANGER DISTRICT.
WHETHER WE'RE A NATIONAL RECREATION AREA OR NOT, WE'RE JUST A PLAIN NATIONAL FOREST.
BUT RECREATION IS, IS, UH, PART OF EVERYTHING WE DO PRETTY MUCH.
SO, NUMBER ONE, I MENTIONED THIS, KEEPING RECREATION SITES OPEN IF POSSIBLE.
UM, ONE OF THE AREAS I HAVE THE MOST CONCERN ABOUT IS FOSSIL CREEK.
WE HAVE A, A SYSTEM DOWN THERE THAT TAKES ABOUT SIX TO EIGHT EMPLOYEES TO RUN.
AND THIS SUMMER WE HAVE TWO OR THREE EMPLOYEES.
SO WE'RE NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO DOWN THERE TO MANAGE THAT.
UM, UNDER THE MANAGEMENT PLAN WE HAVE FOR THAT AREA, THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE.
UM, WE STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN OUR BUDGET.
CONGRESS HASN'T PASSED A BUDGET THIS YEAR YET.
WE'RE PLANNING BASED ON ANTICIPATED BUDGET.
UM, WE ALSO DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH OF OF THE
[01:20:01]
RECREATION FEE DOLLARS WE COLLECT ARE GONNA BE DEDICATED TOWARDS SALARY.SOME OF THAT STUFF, THOSE DECISIONS ARE MADE AT LEVELS HIGHER THAN, THAN THE DISTRICT I'LL SAY, AND WE HAVE TO REACT TO.
SO THAT'S NUMBER ONE IS, IS KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON.
ONE OF THE OTHER, UH, HUGE PRIORITIES WE HAVE THAT OBVIOUSLY YOU ALL ARE INTERESTED IN IS GREATER SEDONA RECREATION COLLABORATIVE.
SO MELISSA IS ONE OF THE CO-CONVENERS.
I WOULD FRAME THAT AS A HUGE SUCCESS SO FAR THAT CONTINUES TO MAKE PROGRESS.
I BROKE IT DOWN INTO A FEW DIFFERENT PARTS HERE.
THE FIRST ONE IS CONTINUING TO SUPPORT FROM THE FOREST SERVICE PERSPECTIVE, THE THREE ACTION TEAMS THAT ARE WORKING FROM GSRC.
SO THE FIRST ONE IS EDUCATION COMMUNICATION COMMITTEE, SECOND ONE'S, ROADS ACTION TEAM.
THEY EACH HAVE DIFFERENT GOALS.
UH, WE CAN GET INTO MORE DEPTH IF YOU WANT.
BUT, UH, WE ARE CO-LEAD FOREST SERVICE EMPLOYEES ARE CO-LEAD ON THE RHODES ACTION TEAM AND THE MONITORING TEAM, AND THEN HEAVILY INVOLVED IN IN THE EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION COMMITTEE.
SO THEY'RE, UH, THEIR PROGRESS IS OUR PROGRESS.
THE WAY I SEE IT, THE BROKEN ARROW TRAILHEAD REDESIGN.
THIS IS A BIG PROJECT, UM, THAT I KNOW Y'ALL ARE INTERESTED IN AS WELL.
SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC FLOW AND PROVIDE AN AREA FOR TIME-LIMITED PARKING.
I'M GONNA AVOID THE WORD STAGING 'CAUSE PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT DEFINITIONS OF IT, BUT TIME-LIMITED PARKING SO THAT VEHICLES THAT ARE GOING INTO THE BROKEN ARROW BASIN, INSTEAD OF PARKING IN FRONT OF RESIDENCES AND AIRING DOWN THEIR TIRES OR HAVING LUNCH OR WHATEVER THEY DO, UH, BEFORE THEY ENTER THE AREA, WE WANT TO GET THEM OUT AWAY FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND INTO THE TRAIL HEAD.
AND THEY CAN DO THAT OFF TO THE SIDE.
WE DON'T WANNA NECESSARILY INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES, BUT WE WANT TO IMPROVE THAT TRAFFIC FLOW.
UH, YOU ALSO, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE, THE CURRENT TRAIL HEAD, IT'S ONE WAY IN, ONE WAY OUT.
AND THEN THERE'S THIS, THIS FILTER THAT'S PLACED KIND OF BACK FURTHER AND PEOPLE ARE OFTENTIMES REVERSING AND MAKING THREE POINT TURNS.
WE WANT A CIRCULAR TRAFFIC FLOW THAT THAT'S NOT GONNA BACK TRAFFIC UP WITH THE OVERALL GOAL TO REDUCE THE TIME THAT THOSE VEHICLES ARE SPENDING IN FRONT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO WE HAD A BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE DESIGN THAT I HAD A PHOTO OF, AND THEN I WAS LIKE, THIS ONE'S NEWER.
THIS IS, THIS IS DRAWN BY CARL, ALSO BEAUTIFUL IN ITS OWN WAY.
UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE MORE ACCURATE WITH WHAT WE'VE BEEN IN DISCUSSIONS WITH SOME OF THOSE NEIGHBORS ON.
WE EXPECT TO HAVE A DECISION AUTHORIZING THAT PROJECT NEXT MONTH.
AND THEN THE SECOND AND THIRD STEP, THE SECOND STEP IS GETTING THAT DESIGN INTO AN ENGINEERED DESIGN THAT A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY CAN ACTUALLY BUILD.
AND THE THIRD STEP STEP IS CONSTRUCTING THE PROJECT.
SO COME THE END OF JANUARY, WHEN WE PLAN TO HAVE THAT AUTHORIZED, UH, WE'LL BE LOOKING FOR A PARTNER, WHETHER IT'S THE CITY, WHETHER IT'S ANOTHER NONPROFIT TO LOOK FOR A GRANT TO DO STEPS TWO AND STEPS THREE.
ALEX, THANKS FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING.
AND UM, UH, I THINK I PROBABLY HAD THE MOST ENJOYABLE MEETING WITH SOMEBODY EVER WHEN YOU AND I WENT HIKING AND, UH, TALKED ABOUT MUCH OF WHAT YOU'RE COVERING THIS EVENING.
AND, UH, I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING EVERYBODY UP HERE GET TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, MUCH OF WHAT YOU AND I SPOKE ABOUT THE, THE TOPIC RELATED TO BROKEN ARROW.
I'D LIKE YOU TO JUST SPEAK TO A LITTLE BIT, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN OVERALL ABOUT, OR A DESIRE TO SEE A LIMITED ENTRY, LIMITED ACCESS PERMIT SYSTEM OVERALL AT BROKEN ARROW.
AND WHEN YOU AND I SPOKE ABOUT THIS, YOU SHARED A MORE DETAILED APPROACH OR A MORE DETAILED METHODOLOGY THAT'S REQUIRED TO ARRIVE AT A POINT WHERE SOMETHING LIKE THAT COULD HAPPEN.
AND IF YOU REMEMBER, MY REACTION WAS, GEE, THIS IS A WHOLE LOT MORE DETAIL THAN ANYTHING COUNCIL HAD EVER HEARD BEFORE.
AND IT FELT LIKE WE HAD EXPECTATIONS SET PREVIOUSLY THAT PROBABLY COULD NEVER HAVE BEEN MET.
SO CAN YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT NOW ABOUT WHAT, WHAT WOULD A, A FUTURE SET OF STEPS LOOK LIKE THAT COULD END UP RESULTING IN SOME TYPE OF A PERMITTED ENTRY SYSTEM? WOULD YOU MIND IF I POSTPONE THAT TILL THE END? ABSOLUTELY.
THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL WITH THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I'M BROKEN BEFORE WE MOVE.
WHAT ARE YOU ANTICIPATING IN TERMS OF A BUDGET REDUCTION? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA AT ALL? THAT'S A REALLY DIFFICULT QUESTION FOR ME TO ANSWER.
UM, I THINK THEY HAVE AN IDEA AT THE NATIONWIDE SCALE.
I, I DON'T KNOW THOSE NUMBERS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
LOCALLY, WE'VE GOT, SO THERE MANY DIFFERENT, WHAT WE CALL COLORS OF MONEY.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT RECREATION FEE DOLLARS OF MULTIPLE TYPES.
WE'VE GOT, UM, CAMPGROUND FEES THAT GO TO THE CONCESSIONARY.
WE'VE GOT MANY DIFFERENT ONES.
I I DON'T KNOW ANY ANTICIPATED NUMBERS AT THIS POINT.
A LOT WHERE IT HITS US THE MOST
[01:25:01]
IS STAFFING WHEN WE CAN'T FILL IN BEHIND PEOPLE DEPARTING.WE HAD TWO PEOPLE DEPART THIS MONTH.
WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE DEPARTING THAT I KNOW OF IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
I DON'T PLAN ON FILLING BEHIND THEM ANYTIME SOON OR HAVING THE, THE ABILITY TO FILL BEHIND SO THEY'RE FROZEN ONCE THEY'RE VACANT.
IT'S NOT THAT THEY'RE FROZEN, IT'S THAT WE HAVE A FEW, UH, A FEW FILTERS WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
WE HAVE A HEAD COUNT ON THE FOREST THAT WE CANNOT EXCEED.
AND SO WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE FOREST WIDE, ALL OF OUR VACANCIES.
AND WE HAVE A LIMIT TO HOW MANY ACTIONS WE CAN DO REGION-WIDE.
SO THEY ONLY ACCEPT A CERTAIN NUMBER FROM US RECOMMENDING UP TO THE REGION THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH AND WE HAVE TO WORK WITHIN OUR HEADCOUNT.
SO, SO THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT FILTERS BEYOND JUST THE DOLLARS THAT I HAVE TO WORK THROUGH AND, AND COMPETE FOR TO FILL ANY POSITION.
AND SO WHEN WE'RE FILLING POSITIONS, THESE PRIORITIES, ONES THAT ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO THEM WILL BE MUCH MORE COMPETITIVE AND MUCH MORE LIKELY TO BE FILLED THAN, THAN A GENERAL POSITION, LET'S SAY, IN IN A RESOURCE THAT IS NOT AS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THESE PRIORITIES.
SO, SO I DON'T HAVE ACTUAL NUMBERS FOR YOU.
I CAN GET THEM TO YOU WHEN, WHEN WE ACTUALLY GET A BUDGET AND KNOW, BUT I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT YOUR ASK OF US TO FILL IN SOME OF THAT, THOSE HOLES AND THE SOONER WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AS WE ENTER INTO OUR BUDGET.
DISCUSSIONS STARTING TOMORROW AND WORKING OUR WAY THROUGH APRIL WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL TO KNOW.
I'LL KEEP THAT IN MIND AND GET THAT TO YOU AS, AS SOON AS I HAVE THAT.
THE NEXT ONE RELATED TO GSRC IS THE EYEBROW ROAD REROUTE.
SO THIS IS FOREST ROAD 1 52 C, NOT DIRECTLY IN THE CITY, BUT, BUT I KNOW YOU'VE ALL HEARD A LOT ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
THIS IS A PROJECT WHERE THE NEIGHBORS WANT TO TAKE AN OLD ROUTE THAT YOU CAN SEE ON THIS, UH, SATELLITE IMAGE AND REROUTE THE, FOR THE FOREST ROAD BACK TO THAT OLD ROUTE TO GET IT AWAY FROM RESIDENCES.
THEY'VE HIRED A CONTRACTED ENGINEER TO COME UP WITH A PLAN.
WE'VE HAD BACK AND FORTH, UM, COMMENTS.
WE JUST RECEIVED THEIR MOST RECENT DESIGN YESTERDAY.
SO THAT CONTINUES TO MAKE PROGRESS.
IT'S SOMETHING WHERE THE, THE ROUTE IS HYDROLOGICALLY BETTER WHERE IT IS RIGHT NOW, BUT BALANCING THE HIGH HYDROLOGICAL IMPACT AND TRYING TO MITIGATE THAT VERSUS THE, THE IMPACT POSITIVELY SOCIALLY, UM, OF MOVING THAT ROAD.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING, UM, IS, IS JUST FIGURING OUT WHAT'S BEST FOR THE FOREST SERVICE AND FOR THE RESIDENTS.
UH, I THINK WE'LL LIKELY AUTHORIZE THAT, BUT IT'S, IT'LL TAKE A WHILE TO GET THROUGH THAT DESIGN TO MEET EVERYTHING THE FOREST SERVICE NEEDS.
AND THEN THE, THE COMMUNITY, I BELIEVE WILL BE WORKING ON A GRANT APPLICATION TO FUND THAT PROJECT.
AND THEN LASTLY, THE ENTERPRISE PROGRAM.
THIS IS AN INTERNAL TEAM THAT THE FOREST SERVICE HAS NATIONWIDE.
YOU CAN THINK OF IT AS AN INTERNAL CONTRACTOR THAT IS A RECREATION PLANNING GROUP THAT BRINGS A CERTAIN LEVEL OF EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE THAT WE MIGHT NOT HAVE ON THE DISTRICT.
AND JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, CAPACITY.
SO THEY TAKE THEIR PROJECT RECOMMENDATIONS COMPETITIVELY, NATIONALLY.
SO WE APPLIED FOR THEIR HELP FOR GREATER STUDENT OWNER RECREATION COLLABORATIVE AND OHV MANAGEMENT.
AND WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN THAT.
SO WE'VE GOT THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE FROM THIS TEAM THAT HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TO THIS PROJECT.
THEY EACH BALANCE ABOUT FOUR TO SIX PROJECTS AT ANY, ANY GIVEN TIME.
SO IT'S NOT AS IF THEY'RE HERE 40 HOURS A WEEK, THEY ARE BASED ALL OVER THE NATION.
BUT WE WORK REMOTELY A LOT THESE DAYS.
AND THEY HAD A SITE VISIT TO GET FOR AN ENTIRE WEEK TO GET FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA THEY VISITED.
PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THE SITES I THINK YOU'D ALL BE INTERESTED IN, WHICH WAS GREAT.
THEY PACKED IN A LOT AND I THINK THEY SLEPT ON THE PLANE RIDE HOME.
BUT THEY ARE IN PHASE ONE OF THEIR EFFORTS.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE TIMELINE THERE IS MID-FEBRUARY.
SO THE FIRST PHASE IS COMING UP.
WE'VE BEEN, WE TAKE A STEP BACK, WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT DSRC AND ALL THE SUGGESTIONS IT'S MADE, WHICH IS AWESOME TO HAVE THAT REPORT AND HAVE THAT PALLET OF OPTIONS FOR THAT WE CAN TAKE AS A LAND MANAGEMENT AGENCY.
WHAT WE DON'T HAVE YET IS, IS THE, THE OTHER PARTS OF THAT PROCESS, WHICH ARE MONITORING.
SO WE UNDERSTAND THE CONDITIONS ON THE GROUND AND THEN TRIGGER POINTS THAT CONNECT THE TWO, THE, THE MONITORING, THE CONDITIONS ON THE GROUND WHEN A TRIGGER POINT WILL, WILL BE JUST THAT TRIGGER AN ACTION CONNECTED TO THAT LIST OF OPTIONS.
AND SO WHAT THEY'RE WORKING ON IS A TRAIL ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY AND A VISITOR CAPACITY ANALYSIS WORKSHEET.
TWO DIFFERENT PROJECTS TO HELP BRING OBJECTIVE DATA TO PAIR ALONG WITH ALL THE MOUNTAIN OF ANECDOTAL DATA WE HAVE FOR OHV MANAGEMENT SO THAT WHEN WE GO FORWARD AND SET THOSE TRIGGER POINTS AND FIGURE OUT
[01:30:01]
ALONGSIDE GSRC WITH THEIR INPUT, WHAT THOSE TRIGGER POINTS ARE THAT ENDS UP FEEDING INTO A NEPA DECISION, A FORMAL DECISION BY THE AGENCY, IT HAS TO BE DEFENSIBLE BY HAVING ALL THAT OBJECTIVE DATA.IT PROTECTS US FROM SOMEBODY WHO HAS THE OPPOSITE PERSPECTIVE OR DISAGREES WITH THE DECISION AND CHALLENGES THAT DECISION.
IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT DATA TO BASE IT ON AND THOSE TRIGGER POINTS WELL THOUGHT OUT, THEY CAN CHALLENGE IT AND SEND US RIGHT BACK TO STEP ONE.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID.
SO THE TRAIL ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY, UH, IT WILL GO OUT AND ASSESS THE ROADS FOR DIFFERENT CRITERIA.
UH, IT WILL CERTAINLY HAVE SOME SORT OF SOCIAL IMPACT CRITERIA, CERTAINLY HAVE NATURAL RESOURCE IMPACT CRITERIA.
UM, BUT THEY'RE DEVELOPING RIGHT NOW IN COLLABORATION WITH GSRC, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, THE VISITOR CAPACITY ANALYSIS WORKSHEET.
WE HAVE AREAS WHERE FOLKS THINK THAT MIGHT BE OVER THE CAPACITY.
BROKEN ARROW BASIN IS A GOOD EXAMPLE WHERE THE RESIDENTS THINK THAT IT'S OVER CAPACITY.
THERE'S TOO MANY VISITORS IN THAT AREA.
THIS WORKSHEET HELPS US FIGURE OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE OBJECTIVELY, IS THIS SOMETHING WHERE WE SHOULD TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AND DO A VISITOR CAPACITY ANALYSIS ITSELF AND COME UP WITH LIKE WHAT THAT LIMIT IS? OR IS IT SOMETHING WHERE, UM, WE AS AN AGENCY SIMPLY DISAGREE AND IT'S A DECISION POINT THAT WE MAKE AND SAY WE DON'T AGREE THAT THIS IS, THIS IS EVEN NEAR VISITOR CAPACITY SO THAT THAT WILL COME IN THE FUTURE.
SO I'LL, I'LL AGAIN CIRCLE BACK.
UM, BUT THAT'S WHERE I'LL STOP HERE.
PETE AND I HAVE A COMMENT FOR YOU.
SO AL, ALEX, LET ME MAKE SURE THAT I HEARD YOU CORRECTLY.
THE FIRST WORKSHEET YOU TALKED ABOUT IS REALLY AN OHV FOCUSED ACTIVITY THAT YOU'RE DOING.
WELL, FOR THE SECOND ONE, IF YOU SPEAK ABOUT BROKEN ARROW, ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT THE SAFETY OF BROKEN ARROW, THE ROAD AND THE TRAFFIC, YOU KNOW, THE ACCESS TO BROKE, I'M, I'M SORRY, NOT BROKEN ARROW.
I I'M THINKING ABOUT BACK AND BEYOND, AND YOU DIDN'T SAY BACK AND BEYOND, BUT I'M THINKING ABOUT BACK AND BEYOND.
THESE ARE ALL MOTORIZED FOCUSED, SO BACK AND BEYOND WOULD NOT BE PART OF THIS PROJECT.
SO THEY'RE ALL MOTORIZED FOCUSED.
AND THEN I WANTED TO ASK THAT I CLEARLY, THE, UH, I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER THAT THIS IS AN INDEPENDENT ACTIVITY THAN THE VOLPI REPORT, BUT DOES THE VOLPI, DID THE VOLPI REPORT FEED INTO THIS? WAS THAT PART OF NOT MUCH.
SO THIS IS MOTORIZED RECREATION.
THE VOLPE REPORT IS, IS MORE ABOUT TRAFFIC FLOW.
I MEAN THERE, THERE'S SOME OVERLAP, RIGHT? BUT, BUT THE VOLPE REPORT, THE WAY I READ IT WAS MORE ABOUT TRANSPORTATION AND TRAIL HEADS AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
UM, AND LESS ABOUT MOTORIZED RECREATION.
SO VOLPE REPORT IS, IS SOMEWHAT OVERLAP, BUT, BUT NOT A WHOLE LOT.
SO, YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE.
MY, MY MIND IS THINKING ABOUT THIS QUESTION THAT SOME YEARS AGO WE SORT OF WORKED TOGETHER AND EVENTUALLY A SOLUTION WAS FOUND AT SOLDIERS PASS AND NOW WE'RE DOING A BUNCH OF STUFF AT BROKEN ARROW AND THE EYEBROW IS, IS NOW HAPPENING AS WELL.
AND SORT OF THE LAST PINCH POINT IN MY MIND IS BACK AND BEYOND.
AND SO WHERE IS THAT IN YOUR LIST OF THINGS? EVENTUALLY I AND I RECOGNIZING YOUR, YOUR BUDGET CONSTRAINTS, BUT IS IT EVEN ON YOUR LIST? IT IS NOT ON OUR LIST FOR THIS YEAR.
IT IS ON MY LIST FOR SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN ON IN THE COMING YEARS.
SO ALEX, I I APPRECIATE THIS INFORMATION.
I'VE RECEIVED A COUPLE OF COMMENTS FROM THE GSRC MEMBERS WHO WERE CONCERNED THAT THEY, THAT THEY WOULD GO AWAY BECAUSE OF THE ENTERPRISE, UH, GROUP.
AND THAT MAKES ME, THAT ASSURES ME THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE, 'CAUSE THEY'RE OUR VOICE SPEAKING FOR US AND OUR BUSINESSES.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT THEY, THAT THEY'RE PART OF THE, THE GROUP AND THEY'VE SHOWN TO BE A REALLY GOOD ASSET FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
UH, BUT I'M GLAD THEY'RE STILL GOING TO BE THERE.
I YOU, I'M ALSO SEEING THAT WE'RE NOT GOING THE SAME DIRECTION WE WERE TWO AND A HALF, THREE YEARS AGO WHERE WE HAD TO START THE PROCESS ALL OVER AGAIN.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT, THAT THAT REPORT THAT GSRC PRODUCED WAS REALLY THE FOUNDATION OF WHAT THE ENTERPRISE TEAM IS STARTING WITH.
IT IT SOMETIMES FEELS LIKE BACKTRACKING.
'CAUSE THIS PROCESS CAN GO IN A, IN A FEW DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS TO FILL IN THOSE GAPS.
BUT I PROMISE IT'S NOT, THEY WERE, THEY WERE GIVEN HUNDREDS OF PAGES OF BACKGROUND MATERIAL THAT TOOK THEM A COUPLE MONTHS TO GET THROUGH AND THEY'RE BUILDING ON ALL OF IT.
YOU HAVE DOWN HERE, UH, FEBRUARY OF 2025, UH, FINALIZED PHASE ONE
[01:35:01]
AND IS PHASE TWO AND PHASE THREE, I BELIEVE.AT WHAT POINT DOES A DECISION GET MADE AND WHAT IS THE TIMELINE FOR THOSE DECISIONS? SO I'LL FLIP THROUGH A BUNCH OF SLIDES HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
WE'RE RUNNING, WE'RE RUNNING CLOSE ON TIME.
SO PHASE ONE, UH, IS THROUGH FEBRUARY.
AND THEN ACTUAL DATA COLLECTION BASED ON THAT CRITERIA IS NEXT SUMMER.
WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHO'S GONNA BE DO THE DOING THE COLLECTING.
MY GUESS IS IT'S GONNA BE A MIXTURE OF FOREST SERVICE STAFF, G-S-C-R-G-S-R-C PARTICIPANTS AND VOLUNTEERS.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THAT'S GONNA TAKE, BUT MY GUESS IS THROUGH NEXT FALL, NEXT WINTER, SOMEWHERE IN THAT TIMEFRAME, THAT'S GONNA BE A DECISION POINT RIGHT THERE.
WHEN WE COMPLETE THOSE VISITOR CAPACITY ANALYSIS WORKSHEETS AND DECIDE IS THIS AREA NEAR OR CLOSE TO CAPACITY? IF IT IS, THEN THAT'S THE AGENCY DECIDING IT IS WE NEED TO GO FORWARD WITH A VISITOR CAPACITY ANALYSIS, WHICH IS PART OF PHASE THREE, WHICH IS WHAT WOULD ARRIVE AT CERTAIN TRIGGER POINTS OR POTENTIALLY A NUMBER OF IT CAN HANDLE A HUNDRED VEHICLES PER DAY OR WHATEVER THE NUMBER ENDS UP BEING.
UM, IT'S ALSO A DECISION POINT AT THE END OF PHASE TWO IF, IF WE DON'T THINK IT IS AND THE AGENCY MAKES THAT DECISION.
UM, SO THERE'S A COUPLE DECISION POINTS.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S THAT, DO WE LOOK CLOSER? AND THEN IF WE DO THE VISITOR CAPACITY ANALYSIS AT THE END OF PHASE THREE, WHATEVER THAT NUMBER IS, IF IT'S SAY A HUNDRED AND WE'RE GETTING 150 VEHICLES PER DAY, THEN CLEARLY WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO REDUCE IT DOWN TO THAT CAPACITY.
IF IT'S A HUNDRED AND WE'RE GETTING 50 PER DAY, THEN THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT MANAGEMENT ACTION IS LIMITING VOLUME.
MAYBE THERE'S OTHER MANAGEMENT ACTIONS TO ADDRESS IMPACTS DIRECTLY.
SO WITH BROKEN ARROW SPECIFICALLY, PHASE ONE IS FIGURING OUT THAT METHODOLOGY AGAIN, TO HAVE THAT OBJECTIVE DATA.
PHASE TWO IS, IS COLLECTING THAT, THAT DATA AND AT THE END OF IT DECIDING IS BROKEN ARROW POTENTIALLY OVER CAPACITY VEHICLE WISE, NOT ADDRESSING THE NON-MOTORIZED RECREATION.
AND THEN PHASE THREE WOULD BE, IF WE DECIDED IT IS CLOSE OR ABOVE, MOST LIKELY ACTUALLY DOING THAT VISITOR CAPACITY ANALYSIS.
I PLAN TO HAVE THE ENTERPRISE TEAM, ENTERPRISE PROGRAM THROUGH THIS ENTIRE THING.
ALL THREE PHASES I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT ALL I HAVE TO DO IS ASK, AND NOW THAT THEY'RE A PART OF THE PROJECT, THEY WILL EXTEND IT.
UM, SO UNLESS SOME OTHER CIRCUMSTANCE HAPPENS, I FULLY INTEND TO HAVE THEM ALONG THE WAY.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF THE, THE ROUTE FOR IT.
THANK YOU MAYOR ALEX, AS PART OF THAT PROCESS SOMEDAY, I WOULD LOVE TO UNDERSTAND HOW, YOU KNOW, SOME YEARS AGO A BROKEN ARROW OPENED AND WE BUILT A PARKING LOT.
WE, I'M USING THE GLOBAL WE DOWN THERE.
AND I'M ASSUMING THAT THE SIZE OF THAT THING HAD TO DO WITH AN ANALYSIS BACK IN TIME ABOUT CAPACITY AND VISITOR EXPERIENCE AND ALL THE REST,
AND NOW YEARS LATER THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
BUT IT SEEMS THAT WE'RE GONNA COME TO AN ANSWER ABOUT THIS IS THE NEW LEVEL VISITOR EXPERIENCE.
AND YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND HOW THAT GETS ANCHORED IN TIME BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY A, IN PLACES NOT NECESSARILY BROKEN ARROW.
ALTHOUGH I, I THINK BROKEN ARROW FOR SURE THAT THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE IN PLACES HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY.
AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW WE SIZED IT BEFORE AND NOW WE'RE GONNA JUSTIFY A WHOLE NEW SIZE, YOU KNOW, IN SOME OTHER DAY.
SO SOMEDAY THAT'S A CONVERSATION I WOULD LOVE TO LEARN FROM YOU COURT.
SO I JUST WANNA, UM, ADD ON AS SOMEONE WHO SITS ON THE GSRC AND, AND, UM, THAT IS FOR SOME OF THE BACKFILL, IF YOU WANNA USE IT THAT WAY, TO TRY AND HELP OUT BOTH THE FOREST SERVICE AND THE ENTERPRISE TEAM.
UH, FOR INSTANCE, THE DATA MONITORING GATHERING TEAM IS LOOKING TOWARDS WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S A WAY FOR THEM TO GET A, UM, STATE PARKS GRANT THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO, UH, HIRE INDIVIDUALS WHO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING AROUND THINGS LIKE COUNTING AND, UM, TRAIL MANAGEMENT AND WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S ANY DESTRUCTION HAPPENING ON THE TRAILS FOR THAT TOOTHPASTE EFFECT THAT WE KEEP HEARING ABOUT.
SO THE GSRC ITSELF IS ALSO THINKING ABOUT WAYS IN WHICH THEY COULD POTENTIALLY GET, UM, GRANTS TOGETHER IN ORDER TO DO THIS.
AND AS, UM, ALEX HAS ALREADY MENTIONED, IN ORDER FOR THOSE GRANTS TO BE AWARDED, THERE HAS TO BE SOME OTHER GROUP, WHETHER IT'S THE CITY OR A NONPROFIT, THAT ACTUALLY WILL THEN DO THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR THOSE, FOR THOSE AS WELL.
BUT WE ARE LOOKING AS THE GSRC TO WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN GET THE DATA THAT THE FOREST SERVICE NEEDS TO MAKE THE DECISIONS WE HOPE THEY WILL MAKE.
AND WE ARE, LIKE I SAID, WE ARE, WE HAVE A BIG ITEM AFTER YOU.
SO WE WANNA GET TO, YEAH, THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE MEDIA'S PROBABLY RED ROCK TRAIL'S ACCESS PLAN PHASE TWO.
[01:40:01]
30 MILES PROPOSED OF NEW TRAILS IN TURKEY CREEK WHERE WE WENT HIKING.UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT AUTHORING A DECISION THIS MONTH ON THIS PROJECT AND CONSTRUCTION WOULD START, UM, IT'D BE AUTHORIZED ANYTIME, BUT PROBABLY NEXT FALL IS WHEN IT WOULD, WOULD REALLY START.
ONE MORE SLIDE ON RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES.
THE WESTERN GATEWAY TRAILHEAD REDESIGN.
HERE'S A ANOTHER CONCEPTUAL DESIGN THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CITY STAFF ON THIS PROJECT.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR A COUPLE YEARS ON THIS PROJECT.
RIGHT NOW IT'S A DIRT LOT, RIGHT? AND THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY THERE.
WE'RE SPLITTING IT INTO TWO PHASES SO THAT WE CAN BETTER INTEGRATE INTO YOUR PLANNING PROCESS FOR THE ADJACENT CULTURAL PROP, CULTURAL PARK PROPERTY, AND MAKE SURE THAT YOUR DESIGN, WHATEVER THAT RESULTS IN AND OUR DESIGN ARE CONSISTENT WITH EACH OTHER AND PROVIDE A GOOD EXPERIENCE AND TRANSITION ZONE.
BUT THE FIRST PHASE IS UPDATING THESE TRAILS, UH, AND FIXING THEM.
THE SECOND PHASE IS UPDATING THE PARKING LOT, I THINK.
AND THEN THE LAST FEW ON HERE, RECREATION FEE IMPLEMENTATION.
UM, SO WE HAD FIVE NEW SITES ADDED TO THE RED ROCK TRAIL PASS THIS YEAR AND IMPLEMENTING THAT, PUTTING A FEE, UH, MACHINE AT EACH OF THOSE SITES AND NEW SIGNAGE, THAT TYPE OF THING.
UH, THAT'S GONNA BE IMPORTANT THIS YEAR.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE GONNA DO, GOING TO BE PROPOSING A MIXTURE OF NEW FEES.
SO THEY INCLUDE INSTALLING, UM, OR, OR RAISING THE FEES AT OUR RENTAL CABINS, RAISING THE FEE OF OUR RED ROCK PASS.
THE RED ROCK PASS HAS NOT BEEN RAISED IN 25 YEARS SINCE IT WAS INTRODUCED.
IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN $5 PER DAY.
UM, SO IT'S, IT'S PROBABLY ABOUT TIME AS WELL AS INSTITUTING A FEE AT FOSSIL CREEK.
UM, DOWN AT THE OTHER END OF OUR DISTRICT IS AN AREA THAT HAS A PERMIT FEE RIGHT NOW, BUT IT'S A RESERVATION FEE.
WE GET $0 BACK FOR MANAGEMENT AND, UH, WE USE ONLY CONGRESSIONAL CONGRESSIONALLY ALLOCATED DOLLARS DOWN THERE TO MANAGE IT.
IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE SUSTAINABLE FINANCIALLY IF WE HAD A FEE FOR THAT AREA.
SO THOSE ARE THE THREE THINGS BEING CARRIED FORWARD.
IT'S A LONG PROCESS WHERE WE ULTIMATELY MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE APPROVED.
AND THEN LASTLY, DISPERSED RECREATION SITE DATA COLLECTION.
THIS DOES NOT SOUND VERY SEXY, BUT THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR US BECAUSE THIS IS ABOUT THE WESTERN SEDONA CAMPING CLOSURE.
WE RENEWED IT SO IT'S GOOD UNTIL AUGUST, I THINK 2026.
UM, BUT IT, THE REALITY IS WE NEED TO MAKE A LONG-TERM DECISION.
AND IF WE WANT TO DO AN ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS THAT ALLOWS US TO DO A 10 YEAR CLOSURE, WE NEED THE DATA TO SUPPORT THAT.
IS IT BEING EFFECTIVE? UM, IS WASTE MANAGEMENT AN ISSUE? ARE THERE CHANGES WE NEED TO MAKE IN ORDER TO, TO HAVE THAT LONG TERM? SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE, WE DEFINITELY HAVE ON OUR MIND.
AND TO THE TOOTHPASTE EFFECT OF DISPLACEMENT WHEN WE CLOSE AN AREA, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT WHERE THOSE VISITORS HAVE GONE.
AND IT'S MOSTLY BEAVER CREEK ROAD, UM, OUT EAST OF I 17 AND BEAVERHEAD FLATS ROAD.
AND THEN LASTLY, SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS THIS YEAR.
BUT THAT'S, THAT'S OUR PAIRED DOWN PRIORITIES FOR THIS YEAR.
FUTURE THINGS, ITEMS THAT ARE NOT ON THE, THE DOCKET THIS YEAR, BUT ARE FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS THAT I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO TACKLE IN THE NEXT FIVE TO 10 YEARS, IF NOT SOONER.
SO TRANSPORTATION AND VISITOR CAPACITY.
BUILDING ON THAT VOL PAY REPORT, YOU MENTIONED.
UM, WE HAVE AREAS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY OVERUSED THAT HAVE TOO MANY VISITORS.
WE ALSO HAVE AREAS THAT COULD HANDLE MORE VISITORS.
SO THE ONES THAT CAN HANDLE MORE VISITORS.
IF WE BUILD A BIGGER PARKING LOT, IT'S GONNA FILL UP.
IT'S NOT A LONG-TERM SOLUTION FOR US.
THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING IS THE LONG-TERM SOLUTION.
IT'S BUILDING ON THE SUCCESS WE'VE HAD WITH THE SHUTTLE PROGRAM TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT PEOPLE CAN GO FROM, FROM SOMEWHERE WHERE WE CAN HAVE A LOT OF VEHICLES TO, TO AN AREA WHERE THEY CAN RECREATE WITHOUT CAUSING THE TRAFFIC IMPACT.
SO IT'S ALL CONNECTED, THE VISITOR CAPACITY AND THE TRANSPORTATION SIDE, THAT'S A HUGE TOPIC.
WE DO NOT CURRENTLY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO TAKE ON QUESTION.
YEAH, YOU DON'T HAVE THE STAFF TO TAKE THAT ON, LOOKING AT THAT, BUT DO YOU ALREADY HAVE, UM, A LIST OF POTENTIAL SITES FOR FURTHER CAPACITY? YOU SAID SITES THAT COULD TAKE MORE, BUT DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THOSE ONES ARE BY SPECIFIC SITE? I DON'T HAVE, NO, I DON'T HAVE LIKE A LIST, LIKE A BOLDED LIST ANYWHERE.
I MEAN, I, I HAVE A COUPLE AREAS IN MIND THAT THE, AND THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SOCIAL CAPACITY AND THE NATURAL RESOURCE CAPACITY.
SO AREAS THAT HAVE A LOT OF WHAT WE CALL SLICK ROCK CAN HANDLE A LOT OF PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT HAVING AN IMPACT ON THE VEGETATION OR THE SOIL.
BUT OTHER AREAS THAT ARE MORE SENSITIVE, MAYBE YOU CAN'T.
SO LIKE OUR RIPARIAN AREAS ALONG WATERWAYS, THAT'S WHERE ALL OUR THREATENING ENDANGERED SPECIES ARE.
MOST OF THOSE AREAS ARE PLACES THAT WE WOULD NOT SEND MORE VISITORS.
ARE, ARE YOU LOOKING THOUGH IN YOUR MIND, AS YOU SAID, YOU HAVE THEM IN THE MIND WHAT THEY MIGHT BE, ARE THEY SOMETHING THAT WOULD BALANCE OVERUSED AREAS CAPACITY? ARE YOU LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT YEAH, EXACTLY.
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR BALANCE THERE? WE WOULD LOVE FOR AREAS THAT ARE VERY SENSITIVE.
SAY WE HAVE AREAS ON THIS DISTRICT THAT HAVE LOTS OF CULTURAL RESOURCE SITES, ARCHEOLOGY.
[01:45:01]
WE WOULD LOVE TO TAKE SOME OF THE VISITORS THAT GO THERE AND PUT THEM SOMEWHERE THAT HAS A LOT MORE SLICK ROCK AND A LOT LESS ARCHEOLOGICAL RESOURCES.IF WE COULD BE, I WANNA GET TO THE NEXT ITEM BEFORE PEOPLE START TO LEAVE.
SO I'VE GOT ONE SLIDE AFTER THIS.
DO YOU, UH, IS THERE ANYTHING IN YOUR PRIORITY FUTURE PRIORITIES THAT WOULD EXPAND THE SHUTTLE? NOW WE, FOUR DAYS A WEEK WE HAVE A, A LIMITATION ON THE NUMBER OF SITES.
IF WE WANTED TO EXPAND IT TO MORE SITES AND FOR MORE DAYS PER WEEK, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD ENTERTAIN? IS THAT ON YOUR LIST? THAT WOULD BE PART OF THIS.
I MEAN, I, I WOULD FORESEE EXPANDING THE SHUTTLE SYSTEM.
EVERY SITE HAS ITS OWN CHALLENGES.
SOME IT'S ENDANGERED SPECIES, SOME IT'S CULTURAL RESOURCE SITES, SOME IT'S WILDERNESS VALUES.
SO EVERY SINGLE ONE HAS DIFFERENT NUANCES.
BUT THAT WOULD BE PART OF THIS ANALYSIS AND PLANNING PROCESS.
THIS ISN'T EVEN REALLY ON THE SCHEDULE, YOU SAID.
THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S MINOR THINGS THAT, THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
UM, TALK TO ROBERT ABOUT THAT MM-HMM
THAT ARE ADJUSTMENTS, HOW TO IMPROVE THE CURRENT SHUTTLE SYSTEM.
BUT AS FAR AS MAJOR EXPANSION, WE, WE DON'T, RIGHT NOW WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT REALLY THINKING THROUGH THAT.
FOR, FOR ANOTHER MEETING? YEAH.
SO THE LAST ONE, UM, IS RIPARIAN RESTORATION.
SO THIS ONE IS ONE WHERE IT, IT, PEOPLE DON'T NOTICE IT.
AN AVERAGE PERSON FROM THE PUBLIC.
THIS IS AT CRESCENT MOON AND IT'S RIGHT BY OAK CREEK.
AND IT'S A LOVELY AREA TO RECREATE.
THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THERE IN THE CREEK DURING THE SUMMER.
AND IT IS AWESOME THAT THOSE PEOPLE ARE ENJOYING THEIR PUBLIC LANDS.
THE PROBLEM WE HAVE IS THAT WHEN YOU HAVE SOIL COMPACTION LIKE THIS FROM VISITOR TRAFFIC, WHAT YOU DON'T SEE THERE IS NOT ONLY GRASS, BUT YOU DON'T SEE YOUNG TREES COMING UP TO REPLACE THOSE ONES THAT ARE, ARE MATURE AND WILL EVENTUALLY DIE.
SO WHEN THESE TREES DIE, THERE WILL BE NO ONE YOUNG ONES TO REPLACE THEM.
THE SUNLIGHT WILL GO DIRECTLY TO THE STREAM, THE WATER WILL HEAT UP, THE FISH WILL DIE.
AND WE WILL HAVE A, A MUCH MORE BARREN RIPARIAN AREA THAT IS NOT AS ECOLOGICALLY SOUND AS, AS WHAT WE HAVE NOW, AND THAT'S 20 YEARS, 30 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.
BUT WE AS LAND MANAGERS HAVE TO START THINKING THROUGH THAT AND THINKING HOW TO MANAGE AND PROTECT SOME OF THOSE AREAS WHILE STILL PROVIDING THAT OPPORTUNITY.
SO THIS IS A HUGE VERDE VALLEY WIDE PROBLEM THAT AFFECTS THE PRESCOTT NATIONAL FOREST JUST AS MUCH AS US.
UM, THAT WOULD BE A BIG PROCESS TO FIGURE OUT THOSE AREAS.
WE WANNA POINT PEOPLE TO RIPARIAN AREA AND WATER RECREATION AND WHAT AREAS WE WANT TO PROTECT ALONG THE STREAMS. APOLOGIES FOR RUNNING LATE.
BRIAN, YOU WANTED TO ASK A FINAL QUESTION, UH, ABOUT THE, UH, MORGAN ROAD BROKEN ARROW, OR DID YOU GET THAT? NO, THAT'S BEEN THOROUGHLY ANSWERED AND, AND IT WAS REALLY MORE FOR EVERYBODY ELSE'S BENEFIT TO GET TO HEAR WHAT I'D HEARD PREVIOUSLY.
AND BECAUSE I FELT THAT, UH, PREVIOUS COUNSEL WAS NOT NECESSARILY PROPERLY INFORMED ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO, UH, EVENTUALLY ARRIVE AT SOME TYPE OF CAPACITY CONTROL.
SO ALEX, HUGE THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND EVERYTHING YOU'VE SHARED TONIGHT.
ANY OTHER FINAL COMMENTS? NO, ALEX, THANK YOU.
UM, ONE THING I WANTED TO MENTION, UM, WENDY PETERMAN, OUR BRAND NEW DEPUTY DISTRICT RANGER, SHE DID A FOUR MONTH STINT LAST SUMMER.
WE CONVINCED HER TO COME BACK PERMANENTLY.
SO WE HAVE HER, SHE WOULD'VE BEEN HERE TODAY.
SHE WAS FEELING SICK, BUT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO YOU ALL MEETING HER AS WELL AND, UH, BEING MORE INVOLVED.
I SEND AARON MY BEST WILL DO WHEN HE GETS BACK.
WE WOULD NORMALLY TAKE A BREAK RIGHT NOW, BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE, I I, WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE ON AND NOT KEEP PEOPLE HERE ANY LONGER THAN WE HAVE TO.
SO, UH, AND I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO LEAVE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PRESENTATION.
[8.b. AB 3166 Public Hearing/discussion/possible action regarding approval of a Settlement Agreement with Olson Real Estate Group, Inc. dba R.D. Olson Development and 115 Schnebly, LLC to resolve litigation by affirming Planning and Zoning Commission’s development review approval of Oak Creek Heritage Lodge Case Number: PZ23-00004 (DEV), suspension of Council Rules of Procedure 3.E.11 on reconsiderations, and discussion regarding making the Oak Creek Heritage Area Zoning District obsolete. (Part 1 of 2)]
UM, ITEM B, AB 31 66 PUBLIC HEARING DISCUSSION, POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING APPROVAL, APPROVAL OF A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH OLSON REAL ESTATE GROUP, UH, INC.D-B-A-R-D OLSON DEVELOPMENT AND ONE 15 SCHLEY, UH, LLC TO RESOLVE LITIGATION BY AFFIRMING PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION'S DEVELOPMENT REVIEW, APPROVAL OF OAK CREEK HERITAGE LODGE, CASE NUMBER PZ 23 DASH 0 0 0 4, UH, DEV SUSPENSION OF COUNSEL, RULES OF PROCEDURE, UH, THREE POINT E POINT 11 ON RECONSIDERATION AND DISCUSSION REGARDING MAKING OAK CREEK HERITAGE AREA ZONING DISTRICT OBSOLETE.
OKAY, KURT, THANK YOU MR. MAYOR.
MADAM VICE MAYOR AND COUNSELORS,
[01:50:02]
AS THE MAYOR STATED BEFORE YOU, TONIGHT IS A, THE PLANNING ZONING CASE NUMBER PZ 2 23 DASH 0 0 0 4 DEVELOPMENT REVIEW FOR THE PROPOSED OAK CREEK HERITAGE, UH, LODGE, AND ALSO A PROPOSED SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH OLSON REAL ESTATE GROUP, INC.UM, DOING BUSINESS AS ALREADY OLSON DEVELOPMENT AND ONE 15 ASSEMBLY LLC TO RESOLVE LITIGATION.
AND THE AVA PI SUPERIOR COURT CASE NUMBER CV 2 2 4 0 0 6 9 4.
UH, SO THE PROCEDURE FOR THIS ITEM IS SIMPLY GONNA BE A SHORT STAFF PRESENTATION, WHICH I'LL, I'LL GIVE, UM, COUNSEL'S FREE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS DURING MY PRESENTATION, UH, FOLLOWING MY PRESENTATION AND COUNSEL QUESTIONS.
IT'LL BE TIME FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING, COUNCIL'S FREE TO ASK ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OF MYSELF.
THE APPLICANT IS HERE, UM, THE APPELLANT, UM, RESIDENTS, ANYONE ELSE THEY WANTED TO, UM, IN ORDER TO COME TO A DETERMINATION, UM, UH, AS THEY DELIBERATE ON THE PROPOSED RECONSIDERATION AND AMENDMENT OF COUNCIL'S JUNE DECISION AND THIS PROPOSED SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT.
SO, JUST A BRIEF BACKGROUND, IT IS IN THE REPORT AND, UH, WE WERE JUST HERE IN JUNE, UM, DISCUSSING THIS.
BUT PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION APPROVED THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT IN APRIL, 2024.
UM, THE DECISION WAS APPEALED BY TWO DIFFERENT RESIDENT GROUPS TO CITY COUNCIL.
AND IN JUNE, 2024, THE CITY COUNCIL VOTED FOUR TO THREE TO OVERTURN, UH, THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION'S.
APPROVAL OF THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW RESULTED IN DENIAL OF ARTIE OLSEN'S DEVELOPMENT REVIEW APPLICATION, UM, ARTIE OLSEN THEN, UH, TIMELY NOTICE, UH, UH, UH, AN APPEAL, UH, SPECIAL ACTION APPEAL TO THE SUPERIOR COURT AND THEN FILED THE LAWSUIT.
UH, CURRENTLY WHAT IS, UH, PENDING IS THE CITY'S MOTION TO DISMISS ON COUNTS ONE AND TWO OF THEIR COMPLAINT.
UH, COUNT THREE, UH, WAS NOT INCLUDING THE CITY'S MOTION TO DISMISS, AND THAT AS THE ALLEGATION THAT CITY ACTED IN AN ARBITRARY, UH, AND CAPRICIOUS MANNER IN DENYING THEIR DEVELOPMENT REVIEW APPLICATION.
UM, AND THE COURT, UM, JUST BEFORE THANKSGIVING, OR I THINK THE, MAYBE THE FRIDAY OR THURSDAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING, UH, SET THE CASE, UH, FOR THE MOTIONS TO DISMISS, THERE WAS ALSO A MOTION DISMISS BY CHRISTINE WAGNER, UH, PENDING AND SET THOSE FOR ORAL ARGUMENT ON IN JANUARY, JANUARY, UH, 15TH.
UH, IF, UM, SO IF COUNSEL DOES NOT APPROVE THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT OR THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT TONIGHT, THEN UH, THE LITIGATION WOULD CONTINUE.
UH, THERE'D BE THOSE ORAL ARGUMENTS IN JANUARY AND THEN SOMETIME AFTER THAT, UH, THE PRESIDING JUDGE NAPPER WOULD HOPEFULLY RULE ON THE CITY'S MOTION TO DISMISS.
UH, AND LITIGATION WILL CONTINUE CURRENTLY, THE CASE WOULD IS SET FOR TRIAL IN NOVEMBER, 2025.
UH, SO THE PROPOSED, UH, SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT IS ON THE SCREEN.
AND AT THE OUTSET, I WANTED TO JUST STATE THAT WE'VE RECEIVED A NUMBER OF COMMENTS, UM, ALLEGING THAT THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE, UH, AUTHORITY TO, TO CHANGE COURSE AT THIS POINT, AND THAT IT JUST HAS TO ACCEPT, UH, THE OUTCOME OF THE LITIGATION, UM, EITHER WINNING OR LOSING THE LAWSUIT, UH, THROUGH, THROUGH MOTIONS, UH, OR, OR TRIAL.
AND I JUST WANT TO CLEARLY EXPRESS FOR THE RECORD THAT THE CITY, UM, ACTING THROUGH THE CITY COUNCIL HAS BOTH INHERENT AUTHORITY AND EXPRESS AUTHORITY TO SETTLE THIS LITIGATION, INCLUDING THIS LAW LAWSUIT AND ANY LITIGATION.
UM, AND THAT THE CLAIM THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS NO CHOICE IN THIS MATTER IS, IS ERRONEOUS.
UH, CITY COUNCIL, JUST LIKE ALL LITIGANTS, HAS AUTHORITY TO, UH, ENTER INTO SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS.
AND THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS ARE ACTUALLY, UH, GENERALLY ENCOURAGED BY THE COURTS.
UM, SO THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT BEF IS ON THE SCREEN AND THERE ARE FIVE, UM, MAIN AMENDMENTS TO THE, UH, THE APPLICATION THAT WAS APPROVED BY PLANNING AND ZONING, ZONING COMMISSION.
AND THEY FALL, FALL INTO FIVE CATEGORIES.
THERE'S, THERE'S MORE AMENDMENTS, BUT THE FIRST ONE, UM, IS IT BREAKS UP SOME BUILDINGS, SOME LARGE BUILDINGS INTO SMALLER BUILDINGS.
AND, UM, THE SECOND SET IS IT MOVES THE BUILDINGS.
I'LL GO BACK, I'LL GO THROUGH THESE IN A LITTLE MORE DETAIL, BUT IT MOVES, UM, THE MAJORITY OF THE BUILDINGS FURTHER AWAY FROM THE FLOODWAY.
NONE OF THE BUILDINGS WERE IN THE FLOODWAY, UH, BUT THEY HAD PATIOS OR, OR DECKS THAT WERE, UH, BALCONIES THAT WERE OVERHANGING THE FLOODWAY.
UM, THIS MOVES THE MAJORITY OF THOSE BACK.
UM, AND THEN IT INCREASES PARKING BY 28 PARKING SPACES, UH, AND ALSO, UH, MOVES PARKING OUT OF THE DRY VIALS TO BOTH ENSURE SUFFICIENT PARKING SO THERE'S NO PARKING ON THE NEIGHBORING BARE WALLOW OR ON SNUBBY HILL ROAD, AND THAT THERE'S ADEQUATE ROOM FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES TO ACCESS THE SITE THROUGH THE PARKING LOT.
UM, AND ONE KEY NOTE OF THE ADDITIONAL PARKING IS IT'S STILL ALL, WELL, WELL, THE VAST MAJORITY, THERE'S JUST A COUPLE SITES PARKING SPACES THAT ARE NOT, UH, VALET ONLY.
SO IT'S A VALET ONLY, UH, PARKING, UH, HENCE THE ABILITY TO DO MORE COMPACT PARKING SPACE SIZES THAN
[01:55:01]
THAN TYPICAL.UH, IT ALSO PLACES VARIOUS LIMITATIONS ON THE RESTAURANT AND SPA AND THE EVENT SPACE.
AND THEN RD ALSO AGREES TO CONTRIBUTE, UM, 550,000.
SO I'LL GO THROUGH 'EM JUST QUICKLY.
UM, BUT IN CASE ANYONE HAD ANY QUESTIONS, UM, THE FIRST ONE IS SHOWN ON THE SCREEN HERE IS THE SOUTH CLUSTER OF THE LODGING BUILDING, UH, WILL BE BROKEN UP INTO THREE SMALLER BUILDINGS, UM, INSTEAD OF THE ONE OR FOUR REALLY WITH THE SMALL ONE.
OH, SORRY, THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE CENTRAL CLUSTER.
HERE'S THE SOUTH CLUSTER DOWN HERE.
UM, AND THEN THE CENTRAL CLUSTER IS ALSO BROKEN UP.
UH, AND THEN BOTH THE, ALL THE CLUSTERS ARE MOVED BACK AWAY FROM THE FLOODWAY.
THE, WE GET HERE, THE CENTRAL CLUSTER AS SHOWN ON THE SCREEN.
UM, THE BA BALCONIES AND PATIOS WERE MOVED ABOUT HALF HALFWAY OUT, UM, ON THE SOUTH END.
UM, AND THE NORTH END WERE, WERE FULLY OUT ON THE CENTRAL CLUSTER.
THE BALCONIES ARE MOVED OUT, UM, COMPLETELY EXCEPT FOR ONE.
AND THEN THE RESTAURANT, UH, SPACE.
AND THEN ON THE WEST CLUSTER WHERE THEY HAVE THE MOST SPACE, IF YOU LOOK AT A, A SITE PLAN, UH, THE SOUTH END IS WHERE IT GETS NARROWER, UH, BETWEEN THE CREEK AND SNUBBY HILL ROAD, UH, WHICH PROHIBITED THEM FROM MOVING THE BALCONIES COMPLETELY OUT OF THE FLOODWAY.
UH, BUT ON THE NORTH END THEY HAVE MORE SPACE, SO THEY'RE ABLE TO MOVE THE BUILDINGS COMPLETELY BACK SO THAT NONE OF THE BALCONIES OVERHANG THE FLOODWAY, UM, VEHICLE PARKING WAS INCREASED FROM 9,218 SPACES.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE HERE OCCUPANCY AND USE RESTRICTIONS FOR THE, UH, FOR THE GUESTS.
UM, THE EVENT SPACE, THERE'S A SLIDING SCALE, DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER OF EVENTS WILL END UP, THE NUMBER OF ROOMS YOU'LL, NUMBER OF PERSONS AT THE EVENT WILL DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF ROOMS YOU'LL BE REQUIRED TO RENT.
SO UP TO 23 ROOMS WILL BE REQUIRED FOR A HUNDRED PERSON EVENT.
UH, THE RESTAURANT, UH, WILL BE CAPPED AT 80 DINERS, UH, WITH MAX OF THEM BEING 25% OUTSIDE, MEANING THAT THEY DROVE TO THE SITE.
UM, THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THOSE WHO, UM, WALK FROM THE NEARBY RV RESORT OR THE BARE, BARE WALLO NEIGHBORS.
UH, SIMILARLY, THE SPA WILL BE LIMITED TO 25% MAX OUTSIDE GUESTS.
UM, GETTING DOWN TO SECTION SIX HERE, UM, ARTIE OLSON HAS, HAS ALSO AGREED TO CONTRIBUTE UP TO $550,000 TO HELP FUND, UH, THE PROPOSED OAK, UH, CREEK, CREEK WALK PLAN.
UH, MAP HAS ATTACHED IN THE, IN THE, TO THE DEVELOP TO THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT.
AND IN THE AGENDA BILL, THE 550,000 WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS, UH, AND COULD BE USED FOR ACQUIRING PROPERTY FOR THE CREEK WALK, UH, DESIGNING THE CREEK WALK OR ACTUALLY CONSTRUCTION, THE CREEK, CREEK WALK.
IT'S GOOD FOR UP TO 15 YEARS FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS AGREEMENT, WHICH IF THIS WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL, THE EFFECTIVE DATE WOULD BE TODAY.
UH, AND THEN IN A CONSIDERATION OF THE CITY, UH, BESIDES, UH, REVERSING, ITS AMENDING ITS DECISION FROM JUNE, UH, THE CITY WOULD ALSO BE, UH, EXEMPTING RD OLSON FROM ANY DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEE INCREASED.
UM, SO THAT DOES NOT CHANGE THAT THEY WOULD PAY DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEES.
THEY JUST PAY THE CURRENT FEE STRUCTURE AND NOT THE ANY INCREASE IF COUNCIL ADOPTS ANY DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEE INCREASE IN THE NEXT THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2028.
UH, SO THAT IS THE, UH, DEVELOPMENT, THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT.
UM, SOME HAVE CLAIMED, LIKE I I SAID AT THE BEGINNING, THAT, UH, THE CITY DOES NOT, CITY COUNCIL DOES NOT HAVE AUTHORITY TO AMEND PLANNING AND ZONING CONDITIONS, COMMISSION'S APPROVAL.
BUT AS CITED CLEARLY BY THOSE SAME PEOPLE IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE SECTION 8.8, E THREE E, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL ON THAT APPEAL HAD THE ABILITY TO AFFIRM, DENY, OR AMEND THE APPLICATION AT THAT TIME.
IT RESERVES THAT IT STILL HAS THAT RIGHT TODAY TO AMEND P AND Z'S DECISION.
SO THESE ARE, UH, CHANGES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE IN, IN JUNE, UH, AND ARE REQUIRED TO BE DONE IN JUNE AS PART OF CITY COUNCIL'S APPROVAL THEN IF IT HAD GONE THROUGH THAT ROUTE.
UM, BUT IT'S FREE TO DO SO TODAY.
BOTH SETTLE THIS LAWSUIT AND AMEND ITS PRIOR DECISION.
UM, NOT NECESSARILY A RECONSIDERATION, BUT AMEND IT.
UM, SO THAT COMPLETES MY PRESENTATION.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL.
COUNSEL, UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT? I HAVE A QUESTION.
[02:00:01]
AFTER PLEASE BUSINESS FOR THIS MM-HMMVICE MAYOR, I, I WANTED TO ASK YOU A QUESTION ABOUT THE CREEK WALK.
WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT THAT AND THE MAP, THE, THE CREEK WALK AS PROPOSED, AND THIS IS NOT, HASN'T, THIS IS CONCEPTUAL VERY, VERY EARLY, BUT IT WAS AWAY FROM THE BEAR WALLOW HOMES, RIGHT? SO VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I CAN ZOOM IN A LITTLE BIT.
UM, THE, AS YOU SEE HERE, AND THESE LINES AREN'T GONNA BE PERFECTLY ACCURATE, BUT THE BARE WALL RESIDENTS ARE, ARE HERE.
THEIR PROPERTIES DO EXTEND DEPENDING ON WHICH SIDE THE CREEK'S REALLY FLOWING AND HOW IT CHANGES FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
BUT, UM, AT LEAST ON THIS MAP SHOW THAT IF THE CREEK'S NOT AS WIDE AS BEING SHOWN THERE, BUT IT DOES EXTEND A WAYS OUT, THE CREEK WALK IS PROPOSED TO BE ON THE OTHER SIDE FROM THE BARE WALL OF HOME.
SO IT DOESN'T DIRECTLY AFFECT THEIR PROPERTY.
UM, IT CAN, IT DOESN'T REQUIRE, EXCUSE ME, CAN WE NOT CALL OUT FROM THE AUDIENCE? SO IT DOESN'T REQUIRE ANY CONDEMNATION OF THEIR PROPERTY OR ANY, ANY TAKING OF THEIR PROPERTY.
IT'D BE PROPOSED ON THE OTHER SIDE, UH, NEXT TO THE RESORTS THAT ARE ALREADY IN EXISTENCE, UH, THAT ALREADY HAVE ACCESS TO THE CREEK.
KURT, WITH THE PROPOSED CHANGES, WHAT IS THE EFFECT ON, UH, VEHICLE TRAFFIC? SO, UH, ONE OF THE, UH, REASONS FOR DENIAL WAS, UH, OR REVERSAL OF APPROVAL WAS, UM, NON-COMPLIANCE WITH TRAFFIC AT THE LEVEL OF MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL.
SO WHERE DOES THE PROJECT POST THESE PROPOSED CHANGES LAND RELATIVE TO THE TRAFFIC ASSOCIATED WITH MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL? SO COUNCIL, COUNCILOR, UH, FOLTZ, THE, UM, NO NEW TRAFFIC STUDY HAS BEEN DONE.
UM, SO IT, IT ANTICIPATED TO BE THE SAME OR PERHAPS SLIGHTLY LESS WITH THE RESTRICTIONS ON THE GUESTS, UM, CAPPING THE NUMBER FROM OUTSIDE AND THE NUMBER WHO COULD USE, USE THE, UH, SPECIAL EVENTS AND HOW MANY HAVE TO HAVE RENT ROOMS DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ARE COMING FOR THE, FOR THIS SPECIAL EVENT.
SO, BUT NO NEW TRAFFIC STUDY WAS DONE.
SO THE SAME AMOUNT, UM, AS, AS PREVIOUSLY PUT FORTH BY THE APPLICANT, WHICH WAS APPROVED BY STAFF, UM, AS BEING ADEQUATE.
OKAY, DEREK, SO WHAT'S OUR ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM IF, YOU KNOW, THEY AGREE TO ALL THESE STIPULATIONS ABOUT GUESTS AND SERVICES PROVIDED, HOW DO WE ENFORCE THAT? UH, SO MOST, WE DON'T PLAN ON ANY, LIKE HAVING A PERSON THERE, UH, WATCHING THEM.
UM, SO GENERALLY WITH ANY TYPE OF ENFORCEMENT, IT'S COMPLAINT BASED.
UH, SO IF WE RECEIVE CONCERNS FROM NEIGHBORS OR OTHER PEOPLE ATTENDING THERE THAT ANYTHING WAS, WAS OVER, UM, THE LIMITS LISTED, UM, THEN CODE ENFORCEMENT COULD INVESTIGATE AND THEY COULD, UM, ONE, THEY COULD, UM, BE IN BREACH OF THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, BUT THERE COULD ALSO BE PERHAPS, UM, CODE VIOLATIONS AS WELL.
ALRIGHT, I'D LIKE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS ITEM.
IF ANYONE HAS NOT ALREADY FILLED OUT A CARD, NOW IS THE TIME TO DO SO.
UH, WE'LL START OFF WITH JAKE WEBER.
IF YOU COME UP TO THE PODIUM STAR WITH YOUR NAME AND CITY OF RESIDENCE, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY FRED SHIN.
UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UM, COMMISSION AND, UH, TABLE ONE, UH, HERE, CERTAINLY, UH, JAKE WEBER.
UH, CURRENTLY I'M A RESIDENT OF THE VILLAGE OAK CREEK, UH, AND A 43 YEAR RESIDENT OF THE GREATER SEDONA AREA BEFORE YOU WERE A CITY, AND THEN ALSO A RESIDENCE DURING CITY.
ALSO, I CURRENTLY OWN THE GASAWAY, THE HISTORIC, UH, GASAWAY, UH, LANDMARK, UH, ACROSS THE STREET FROM MR. OLSON'S, UH, PROPOSED, UH, UH, LODGE.
UH, SO I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF, UH, THAT SETTLEMENT AS I READ IT.
CERTAINLY YOU'VE HAD LEGAL COUNSEL, UH, AND, UH, BEAT THIS TO DEATH ON A THREE YEAR TIMELINE.
SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S TOO MUCH I CAN, UH, REQUEST OF YOU OTHER THAN AS A CITIZEN.
UH, WHEN I READ THE DETAILS OF THE LITIGATION THAT'S BROUGHT AGAINST THE CITY, UM, IT WORRIES ME.
[02:05:01]
BEEN HERE 43 YEARS.WE RAISED OUR CHILDREN IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UH, WE RAISED OUR GRANDCHILDREN IN THIS, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UH, MY GRANDSON IS A PROUD UNITED STATES MARINE.
UH, AND IT DISTURBED ME THAT WE'VE GOTTA HAVE AN ATTORNEY AND AN ATTORNEY AND AN ATTORNEY TO PRESENT DEVELOPMENTS, UH, TO THE CITY OF SEDONA.
SO I WOULD JUST REQUEST THAT WE LOOK AT THIS, WE MEASURE TWICE AND WE EITHER HAVE MORE LAWYERS ON THE CITY COUNCIL OR WE HAVE LESS, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW YOUR DETAIL ON WHAT WE'VE GOT UP HERE, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE COMMON SENSE WOULD TAKE PLACE ON BEING ABLE TO BRING IN A FIVE STAR PROJECT.
HE HAS 10 OR 11 OTHER, UH, HOTELS IN FIVE STAR LOCATIONS, HAWAII, SANTA BARBARA, SO FORTH.
TO COME TO SEDONA IS TREMENDOUS, I THINK FOR US, IN THE SAME MANNER THAT IT WAS TO HAVE LE BURGE TO HAVE, UM, LOS ADOS ENCHANTMENT, UH, THOSE FIVE STAR COMMUNITIES THAT WE HAD FRIENDS AND FAMILY VISIT OVER THAT TIME.
SO MY 2 CENTS IS NOT IN THIS THREE MINUTES CONVINCE YOU SOMETHING DIFFERENT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU'VE STUDIED THIS WITH, UH, WITH SINCERITY, UH, FOR THAT.
BUT I'M HERE TO SAY THAT I KNOW THERE'S ALWAYS CONSEQUENCE, UH, TO OTHER NEIGHBORS.
UH, I HAD 10, 12,000 CUSTOMERS A WEEK IN BEING A GROCER.
AND, UH, BIG PARK DID NOT BECOME PART OF THE CITY.
BUT I THINK THAT I'VE BEEN HERE LONG ENOUGH TO STAND HERE AND ALSO THE IMPACT OF THE GAS AWAY PROPERTY ACROSS THE STREET.
SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, UH, AND CONSIDERATION ON THIS.
BUT I SINCERELY BELIEVE, UH, THAT THIS WILL HELP THE BUDGET.
THIS IS A LONG TERM, UM, UM, UH, TOURIST THAT STAYS WITH US, NOT A DRIVE THROUGH PERSON.
UH, AND IT BUILDS THOSE THINGS THAT I'VE HEARD HERE TODAY, THE TRAIL SYSTEM, THE OTHER PORTION ON THE CONTRIBUTION NOW TO HERE, THAT 550,000.
SO, UM, I'M ALMOST OUTTA TIME WITH THAT, BUT I WOULD JUST APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION IF YOU HAVEN'T DECIDED.
AND, UH, I THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OKAY, FRED SHIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR.
IT'S ALL THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS FRED SHIN AND I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF LIVING AT THE, UH, RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE FUTURE SITE OF THIS WONDERFUL RESORT CALLED THE RED ROCK HERITAGE FOUNDATION.
UM, AND I FEEL VERY, VERY CONFIDENT THAT BOB OLSON, WHO I THINK THE WORLD OF PERSONALLY, AND I HOPE THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE BECAUSE I THINK HE HAS DONE WHAT THE CONS HAS REQUESTED, AND I HOPE YOU FEEL THAT WAY TOO.
AND WHAT HE HAS DONE, HE HAS, THEY THE PARKING, AND HE HAS WORKED ON THAT.
HE HAS WORKED ON SEVERAL OF THE OTHER PROJECTS WITH THE BUILDINGS TO MAKE THEM SMALLER TO YOUR REQUEST.
SO I ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER THIS TO BE A FUTURE CLASSIC ADDITION TO SEDONA, BECAUSE IT WILL BE ONE THAT WE WILL ALL BE VERY PROUD OF AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION, AND I HOPE THAT WE HAVE SHOWN YOU BY MR. OLSON'S ACTION ON THE POINTS OF WHICH YOU BROUGHT UP THAT HE HAS MET THEM.
I THINK TERRY FRANKEL IS NEXT.
IF I, MY MEMORY SERVES ME, TERRY, WE'RE GONNA ASK YOU TO GO TO THE MICROPHONE THOUGH.
UH, HONORABLE MAYOR JABO, VICE MAYOR, PLU AND ESTEEMED CITY COUNCIL.
I AM TERRY FRANKEL, A 30 YEAR RESIDENT OF SEDONA.
I LIVE DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET AND ABOVE FROM THE OAK CREEK HERITAGE LODGE PROPERTY IN THE HOUSE OF SEVEN ARCHES.
I AM TOTALLY IN SUPPORT OF THIS STELLAR DEVELOPMENT, PLANNING, AND ZONING.
GOT IT RIGHT WHEN, FOR OVER THREE YEARS, THEY METICULOUSLY GUIDED THIS DEVELOPMENT AND VOTED UNANIMOUSLY FOR ITS
[02:10:01]
APPROVAL.ROBERT OLSON AND HIS TEAM HAS SINCE POLISHED THE DIAMOND.
BOB OLSON IS AN AWARD-WINNING BUILDER OF OVER 103 TO FIVE STAR HOTELS.
WITH HIS OUTSTANDING EXPERIENCE, HE HAS MOVED HEAVEN AND EARTH TO WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE THE OAK CREEK HERITAGE LODGE BEAUTIFUL, SUSTAINABLE, AND SAFE.
HE HAS A FLAWLESS REPUTATION OF BEING A WORLD CLASS BUILDER.
DURING, DURING THE PLANNING AND ZONING PROCESS NEARBY, MERCHANTS AND NEIGHBORS OVER TWO DOZEN FOLD HAVE WRITTEN LETTERS OF SUPPORT SIGNED PETITIONS AND SPOKEN IN FAVOR OF THIS DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING OUR NEIGHBOR, CHEF ME MOORE OF RENEE'S CREEKSIDE MESA GRILL,
HE COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT, BUT HE ALSO LIVES RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO US, AND HE APPROVES THIS.
ALSO, RICK ROSEN SWAG, WHO WAS, UH, THE BROKER FOR SOUND INVESTMENTS CAN'T BE HERE BECAUSE HE PASSED AWAY, BUT HE WROTE A LETTER TO YOU.
HE SAID IT WOULD BE HARD TO FIND A MORE PERFECT LOCATION FOR A NEW HOTEL IN SEDONA.
JUST AS SOME CITIZENS IN THE PAST CHALLENGED THE BUILDING OF THE HYATT OPINION POINT CVS PHARMACY, AMTE OSA, AND OTHER ICONIC DEVELOPMENTS, I PREDICT THAT WHEN IT IS COMPLETED, EVERYONE, AND YES, I MEAN, EVERYONE WILL LOVE AND ENJOY THIS SOON TO BE SEDONA TREASURE.
WE RESPECTFULLY URGE YOU TO VOTE YES TO THE OAK CREEK HERITAGE LODGE.
TERRY, WE BE FOLLOWED BY DEBORAH SHIN.
DEBORAH, ARE YOU STILL HERE? I'M HERE.
WHO WILL BE, UH, FOLLOWED BY MARY, UH, ELLO.
DEBORAH, WITH YOUR, UH, NAME AND CITY OF RESIDENCE.
HI, I'M DEBORAH SHIN AND I LIVE IN COVILLE.
I DON'T LIVE IN SEDONA, BUT I KNOW SEDONA VERY WELL, AND YOU ALL KNOW ME PRETTY WELL.
UH, I OWN SHIN HOSPITALITY CONSULTING.
I SPECIALIZE IN LUXURY HOSPITALITY SERVICES.
I'VE BEEN A MANAGER, A GENERAL MANAGER IN HOTELS FROM BEVERLY HILLS, MONTECITO, LAS VEGAS, SAN DIEGO, AND SEDONA.
THE OWNERS I'VE WORKED FOR INCLUDED S PARKER, STEVE WYNN, TY WARNER, MERV GRIFFIN, AND AL SPECTER.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, I'VE WORKED IN SEDONA OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS FROM BEING THE PROJECT DIRECTOR FOR THE FIRST RENOVATION OF LEBERTS GM OF AMARA, GM OF THE VILLAS AT SEVEN CANYONS AND GM OF SEDONA ROUGE.
I'VE WORKED WITH DEVELOPERS WHO HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN INTEGRATING THEIR DEVELOPMENTS INTO HIGH LEVEL COMMUNITIES, AND I PRIDE MYSELF BEING INVOLVED WITH PROJECTS THAT ARE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL.
THIS IS MORE THAN JUST SPENDING MONEY ON EXPENSIVE MATERIALS.
IT INCLUDES THOUGHTFUL AND FOCUSED PLANS THAT ENHANCE THEIR CITIES, CONTRIBUTE TO SUSTAINING AN UPSCALE QUALITY OF LIFE, AND RESPECT THE RESIDENTS THAT MAKE THEIR HOME IN THAT CITY.
I HAVE CONSULTED FOR OVER TWO YEARS ON RD OLSON'S OAK CREEK HERITAGE LODGE PROJECT.
I'VE SEEN THE DEDICATION ROBERT AND HIS TEAM HAVE IN FOLLOWING THE COMMUNITY PLAN, WORKING WITHIN THE ZONING QUALIFICATIONS, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, WORKING WITH THE NEIGHBORS.
THEY'VE HOSTED SEVERAL COMMUNITY INTERACTION MEETINGS TO GET THE FEEDBACK OF SEDONA RESIDENCES.
EVERY DECISION OF THEIR PROJECT PLANS INCLUDE CAREFULLY APPLIED CONSIDERATIONS, REQUIREMENTS OF THE CITY, AND CONCERNS OF ITS RESIDENTS.
I'VE IN FULL SUPPORT OF THIS DEVELOPMENT AND LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT THIS PROJECT WILL DO FOR THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THE PRESERVATION OF ORIGINAL FAUNA AND FLORA HISTORICAL STRUCTURES, AND INCORPORATING ART FROM PAST AND CURRENT LOCAL ARTISTS.
UH, MARY WILL BE FOLLOWED BY MIRIAM.
ARE YOU STILL HERE, MIRIAM? OKAY.
HI, UM, MY NAME IS MARY KYLO AND I FEEL LIKE, UM, I'M GOING TO BE, AND I'M A, A RESIDENT OF SEDONA, UH, 20 YEARS UP ON SNE HILL ROAD.
I'M RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE DEVELOPMENT.
I FEEL LIKE I'M, UM, UH, WELL, AN OLD TIMER HERE BECAUSE ACTUALLY WE BOUGHT OUR FIRST PROPERTY IN SEDONA IN THE VILLAGE IN 83.
SO I'VE SEEN A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT GO ON IN SEDONA AND AROUND THE AREA.
[02:15:01]
OLSON DEVELOPMENT IS A QUALITY DEVELOPMENT.AND I THINK THAT HIS DEVELOPMENT WILL BE AN ASSET TO MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE'LL BE FOLLOWED BY DAVID TRACY, GOOD EVENING.
START WITH YOUR NAME AND CITY RESIDENCE, PLEASE.
MY NAME IS MIRIAM WECKER AND I'VE OWNED A HOME IN SEDONA FOR 40 YEARS.
UM, I AM ABSOLUTELY, COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY OPPOSED TO THE SCALE OF MR. OLSON'S RESORT.
I HAVE A HOME RIGHT ACROSS FROM LEBERS.
THE CREEK WALK WILL IMPACT US.
THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC WILL IMPACT US.
THE CITY COUNCIL, THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE, SAID THAT WE HAVE NO EMERGENCY EXIT PLAN.
YOU PUT IN ANOTHER HUGE RESORT, WE WILL BE STUCK AT SN HILL ROAD TO GET OUT.
NOT ONLY US, EVERYBODY UP SN HILL, EVERYBODY IN THE TRAILER PARK AND ALL OF THE RESIDENTS.
YOU ALSO ARE PROPOSING A CREEK WALK THAT WILL HAVE HORRIBLE NEGATIVE EFFECTS, NOT ONLY ON US, BUT THE ENTIRE CITY.
YOU WANNA OPEN UP AN AREA TO WHAT? WE HAVE SIX, EIGHT, 10 MILLION VISITORS EVERY YEAR.
THEY'RE GONNA BE WALKING BASICALLY IN MY BACKYARD.
YOU ASKED COUNCILWOMAN IF IT AFFECTED THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND IT WILL INDEED.
WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A CREEK WALK.
AND ON HOLIDAYS ESPECIALLY, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT WALK ACROSS CONSTANTLY.
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT WALK DOWN OUR ROAD CONSTANTLY, EVEN THOUGH THAT IT IS SIGNED, IT'S PRIVATE PROPERTY, IT'S A PRIVATE ROAD, THE CREEK ITSELF IS OWNED BY THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE ALONG IT.
SO WHAT IF SOMETHING HURT? WHAT IF A CHILD GETS HURT OR DIES IN THE CREEK? AM I LIABLE? OR IS THE CITY GOING TO TAKE THAT ON? AND IF MR. OLSON WANTS TO PUMP MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF WATER OUT OF THE CREEK, SO WHAT WE'LL END UP WITH, WHICH IS A SHINING JEWEL IN THIS CITY, THE RED ROCKS AND THE CREEK, IT WILL END UP A, A TOILET BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL GO IN THE CREEK.
IF THEY HAVE THAT ACCESS, THEY WILL.
AND DURING COVID, WE HAD DOZENS AND DOZENS AND DOZENS OF PEOPLE THAT SET IN THE CREEK ALL DAY LONG.
THEY CAME ONTO OUR PROPERTY, THEY DRANK OUT OF WINE BOTTLES, OUT OF BEER BOTTLES.
AND ACCORDING TO, YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU CAN'T EVEN HAVE A PICNIC IF YOU HAVE A CREEK WALK.
AND YET, I'M SURE, I'M ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT PEOPLE WILL, AND, AND IF THE RESORT IS SMALLER, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH A SMALLER RESORT.
BUT WE ARE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY ALL OF THIS.
AND THE WHOLE ENTIRE CITY WILL BE, IF YOU TAKE THE CROWNING JEWEL OF THIS CITY, OAK CREEK AND TURN IT INTO A SLIDE ROCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY, IT'S INSANITY.
AND ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT THINK THIS IS SUCH A GRAND IDEA, THEY'RE GONNA FIND OUT.
AND AS THE, AS THE FOREST MAN SAID OVER THERE, WE DON'T WANT MORE PEOPLE IN OUR RIPARIAN AREAS.
AND THIS IS RIPARIAN DURING COVID, WHEN ALL THOSE DOZENS OF PEOPLE WERE THERE.
THE DUCKS LEFT, THE EAGLES LEFT, THE ANIMALS LEFT.
AND IT'S TAKING SEVERAL YEARS TO BEGIN TO SEE THEM COME BACK.
OKAY, DAVID, YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, NICHOLAS WOOD CITY NAME AND CITY OF RESIDENCE.
DAVID DAVID, TRACY SEDONA, RESIDENT OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD FOR 26 YEARS.
THERE ARE FOUR SYSTEMIC ISSUES WITH THIS PROJECT THAT I THINK MIGHT BE PROBLEMATIC FOR THE CITY IN THIS LITIGATION.
UH, THE FIRST ONE IS THE PLANNING AND ZONING.
COMMISSIONERS ARE APPOINTED BY COUNCIL WITH A MANDATE TO EVALUATE PROJECTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH REGULATORY DOCUMENTS, SUCH AS THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, AND NOT TO BE INFLUENCED BY PUBLIC OPINION OR OPPOSITION.
ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU FOLKS ARE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND YOU SHOULD CONSIDER PUBLIC OPINION, WHICH IN THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT IS OPPOSED TO ANY NEW LODGING.
[02:20:02]
SO THIS PUTS PRESSURE ON COUNSEL TO DENY NEW LODGING PROJECTS.APPARENTLY, TO THE EXTENT NOW OF CONSIDERING ABOLISHING THE OC DONNING ZONING DISTRICT, WHICH IN MY OPINION WOULD BE A SERIOUS MISTAKE, THIS IS GONNA BE A PROBLEM OF DISCONNECT WITH THE COURT.
SECOND ISSUE IS, IN AN APPEAL COUNCIL SHOULD ONLY EVALUATE A PROJECT USING THE SAME INFORMATION AND APPROVAL CRITERIA AS WAS USED BY PLANNING AND ZONING, COUNCIL SHOULD NOT CONSIDER NEW INFORMATION OR IMPOSE NEW CRITERIA OR DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN PROPERLY VETTED BY THE COMMUNITY AND CODIFIED IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE OR OTHER REGULATORY DOCUMENTS.
NUMBER THREE, THE PUBLIC OPPOSITION TO NEW LODGING IS BASED ON THE INCREASE IN SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
BUT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THIS MANAGED LODGING PROJECTS.
AND OUR ST THE FORMER WILL HAVE ONSITE 24 7 CONTROL OVER OCCUPANCY.
THEY'LL HAVE SHUTTLES, THEY'LL HAVE VALET PARKING, AND THEY'LL HAVE AMENITIES WHICH ARE DESIGNED TO KEEP THE GUESTS ON SITE AND OFF THE ROAD WITH THEIR VEHICLES.
IN CONTRAST, OUR SHORT-TERM RENTALS APPARENTLY HAVE NO REGULATORY LIMITS ON THE NUMBER OF BEDS OR VEHICLES PER DWELLING UNIT, WHICH OBVIOUSLY ADDS TO OUR TRAFFIC CONGESTION.
SO JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE LOST CONTROL OVER THE CONVERSION OF DWELLING UNITS TO SHORT-TERM RENTALS DOES NOT GIVE US GROUNDS TO DENY A MANAGED LODGING PROJECT THAT MEETS ALL THE RELEVANT CRITERIA.
AND NUMBER FOUR, MOST OF US BELIEVE IN LOCAL CONTROL.
SO THE TESTIMONY OF RESIDENTS WHO LIVE 24 7 IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA SHOULD BE GIVEN MORE WEIGHT THAN THE OPINIONS OF RESIDENTS WHO LIVE OUTSIDE THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
RECALL THAT THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THIS OC ZONING WAS TO OFFER ALTERNATIVES TO SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, WHICH IN THIS INSTANCE WOULD'VE RESULTED IN A GREATER NUMBER OF SHORT-TERM RENTAL BEDS AND VEHICLES, WHICH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD, WOULD OPPOSE.
SO GIVEN THE ABOVE ISSUES, I ENCOURAGE COUNSEL TO END THIS LITIGATION BY SIMPLY REAFFIRMING PLANNING AND ZONING'S RECOMMENDATION, IF THERE ARE ENOUGH VOTES TO DO SO.
BUT IF NOT, APPROVING THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WOULD BE A SECOND CHOICE.
BUT LEGAL CONTRACTS LIKE THIS SCARE ME BECAUSE THEY'RE AN OPEN INVITE TO FUTURE LITIGATION.
UH, NICK WOOD WILL BE FOLLOWED BY ANTHONY EK.
ANTHONY, ARE YOU HERE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS? MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, NICK WOOD SNELLEN WILER ONE EAST WASHINGTON STREET, AND I REPRESENT ARTIE OLSON.
UM, I'VE BEEN A ZONING AND LAND USE ATTORNEY FOR 43 PLUS YEARS.
LAST TIME I WAS HERE, I TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE IN DISTINCTION BETWEEN, UM, LEGISLATIVE DECISIONS, ADMINISTRATIVE DECISIONS.
UM, NOW I WANNA TALK ABOUT WHAT I LOVE TO DO BEST, AND THAT'S PROBLEM SOLVING.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE TO DO IS APPROACH ISSUES, FIND SOME KIND OF CONSENSUS AND AGREEMENT, AND THEN COME TO A SOLUTION, UM, A COMPROMISE, IF YOU WILL.
AND WHENEVER YOU HAVE COMPROMISE, EVERYBODY DOESN'T GET EVERYTHING THEY WANT, BUT EVERYBODY GETS SOMETHING AND IT USUALLY ALWAYS WORKS OUT PRETTY WELL.
AT LEAST THAT'S BEEN MY EXPERIENCE.
UM, THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO APPROVE THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT BECAUSE AGAIN, IT, IT SOLVES A PROBLEM AND IT ALSO RESPONDED TO THE ISSUES THAT WERE RAISED, UH, THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE.
I DO HAVE ONE CORRECTION THOUGH, IF I MAY.
UM, IN THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, IT REFERS TO COMPACT CAR PARKING STALLS.
IT'S NOT 22, IT'S ACTUALLY 11.
SO IT'S ONLY 11 COMPACT PARKING STALLS AS PART OF THE SITE PLAN.
AND WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
YOU AWARE OF THAT? MENTIONED TYPO.
ANTHONY, YOU'RE ONLY ONLY FOR QUESTIONS.
WELL, WE'LL SEE IF WE'LL HAVE QUESTIONS.
UH, GREGORY GRA SAME ONLY, ONLY FOR QUESTIONS.
BOB OLSON AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
YOU WERE MY MY GO-TO PERSON FOR THAT.
ERIC BRANT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, TIMOTHY, UH, LASORDA, UH, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNSELORS.
I'M ERIC BRAT, LIVE IN SEDONA.
UM, I WEAR MANY HATS IN THIS PROCESS BECAUSE I WAS ON PLANNING AND ZONING WHEN THE, UH, ORIGINAL, UM,
[02:25:01]
DISTRICT WAS CREATED AND SAW THE MASTER PLANNING GOING THROUGH THAT.I'VE BEEN HIRED BY THE DEVELOPERS AS BEING A LOCAL CONSULTANT TO HELP DECIPHER WHAT THINGS LIKE HERITAGE ARE.
UM, SO, UM, I DO ENCOURAGE YOU TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THE APPROVAL PROCESS, UM, WITH THE, UH, HEARING TODAY.
I ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH AND KEEP THE PLANNING INTACT, UH, FOR THE DISTRICT AND NOT, UH, ABANDON IT.
UM, SOMETHING THAT I FOLLOW, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW UP WITH WHAT DAVID HAD JUST SAID.
REGARDING, UH, THE SIZE OF, UH, RESIDENCES THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR ST.
UH, THE DISTRICT IS MOSTLY OR ENTIRELY NOT WITHIN A, UM, AN HOA.
SO ALL THE PROPERTIES COULD BE ST, THERE IS NO LIMIT ON THE SIZE OF A, OF A HOME OR THE NUMBER OF BEDROOMS WHERE, SO THAT, THAT KIND OF MEANS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S OPEN-ENDED, THE MASTER PLANNING OF THE PROPERTY ALLOWS AND OF THE DISTRICT KIND OF ENSURES THAT IF THERE IS LODGING, THAT THERE IS CONTROL AND THE MASTER PLANNING.
SO, UM, IT'S BEEN, UH, INTERESTING SEEING THIS PROCESS FROM BOTH SIDES.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH PLANNING AND THE PLANNING THAT'S BEEN DONE.
THE PLANNING, UH, AS FAR AS THE DISTRICT, THE PLANNING THAT HAS BEEN DONE TO ADDRESS THE DISTRICT'S, UH, ALLOWANCES AND, UM, TO CONTINUE AND ALLOW THAT DISTRICT TO, UH, TO EXIST IS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE OPEN SPACE FOR THE NEIGHBORS AND, UH, FOR THE CITY OF SEDONA.
UH, TIMOTHY LATA WILL BE FOLLOWED BY MICHELLE THOMAS.
UH, THANK YOU MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL TIMOTHY LATA 2198 EAST COUNTBACK ROAD IN PHOENIX.
AND I HOPE YOU, UH, YOU DID RECEIVE THE LETTER I SENT.
IT SOUNDS LIKE MAYBE THE, THE CITY ATTORNEY READ IT.
I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THIS NOTION THAT, UH, IF SOMEONE SUES YOU AS PART OF A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, YOU'RE ALLOWED TO, TO NOT FOLLOW YOUR CITY CODE.
IT IS TRUE THAT YOU CAN SETTLE THE LAWSUIT AGAINST YOU.
IT IS NOT TRUE TO SAY THAT THAT GIVES YOU THE, THE RIGHT TO NOT FOLLOW YOUR CITY CODE WHEN SETTLING THAT LAWSUIT.
I MEAN, YOU COULD APPROVE A NEW APPLICATION THAT COULD BE PART OF THE SETTLEMENT.
I MENTIONED IN MY LETTER, THIS IS A NEW APPLICATION.
I MEAN, THE BOTTOM LINE THAT THE DEVELOPER DOESN'T WANT TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AGAIN.
HE WANTS TO STEAMROLL THROUGH THE CITY CODE AND, AND GO STRAIGHT TO THIS THING THAT, THAT YOU CANNOT DO.
UH, SETTLEMENTS SOMETIMES INVOLVE MONEY.
THERE'S A, A LOT OF THINGS A SETTLEMENT COULD INVOLVE THAT WOULD NOT VIOLATE YOUR CITY CODE.
THIS RECONSIDERATION IS NOT ONE OF THEM.
IT CLEARLY VIOLATES YOUR CITY CODE, WHICH SAYS YOUR DECISION IS FINAL.
UM, BUT, UH, IT, IT JUST IN TERMS OF THE, THE LAWSUIT THAT WAS FILED, IT, IT'S, IT'S HIGHLY, I KNOW THAT THE GENTLEMAN EARLIER TALKED ABOUT FOUR POINTS.
I, I MEAN, MEAN I FILED MANY SUCH LAWSUITS, ARBITRARY AND CAPRICIOUS.
THEY'RE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANYBODY TO WIN AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT.
UM, IT'S ANY, ANY, ANY PRACTICALLY ANY SHRED OF EVIDENCE.
I THINK SUBSTAN, UH, SUBSTANTIAL CREDIBLE EVIDENCE IS WHAT THE COURTS USE.
BUT YOU JUST DON'T WIN THOSE CASES.
UH, THEIR, THEIR LAWSUIT BOILS DOWN TO THEY JUST DISAGREE WITH, WITH YOU, WITH THE FOUR PEOPLE WHO VOTED AGAINST IT.
PLANNING SAID PLANNING AND ZONING SAID YES.
FOUR OF YOU SAID NO, AND THEY JUST DISAGREED.
BUT THAT, THAT DOESN'T MEAN WHAT YOU DID WAS ARBITRARY AND CAPRICIOUS ILLEGAL.
UM, IT, IT'S, THE OTHER THING ABOUT THIS IS, YEAH, YOU KNOW, BACK IN, WHENEVER THIS WAS HEARD IN, IN JUNE, YOU COULD HAVE, YOU COULD HAVE MADE AMENDMENTS.
UM, BUT THE VOTE WAS THE VOTE.
IT WAS FINAL, AND THAT WAS IT.
THE OTHER THING ABOUT THIS, WE HAVEN'T EVEN HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THE SEDONA CITY CODE THAT TALKS ABOUT, YEAH, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE GONNA SUSPEND THE RULES, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A THREE QUARTERS VOTE.
UH, THAT GOES OUT THE WINDOW TOO.
WELL, WE'LL SEE WHAT THE VOTE IS, BUT, UM, AND I, IT'D BE INTERESTING TO TO KNOW WHAT THE CITY ATTORNEY'S POSITION IS ON THAT.
BUT THE SEDONA CITY CODE SAYS YOU GOTTA HAVE A THREE QUARTERS VOTE.
ROBERT'S RULES SAYS THIS VOTE IS, IS OUT OF ORDER UNDER THE RULES BECAUSE IT WAS, THE MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION WAS NOT MADE IN THE MEETING.
AND OF COURSE, YOUR, YOUR MINUTES ADOPT OR YOUR, YOUR CODE ADOPTS ROBERT RULES.
SO, UM, JUST A COUPLE LAST POINTS.
I I THINK THE BOTTOM LINE HERE IS YOU JUST, YOU MADE A DECISION, UH, YOU GOT SUED OVER IT.
THAT, THAT'S TYPICAL FOR, FOR GOVERNMENT.
I MEAN, YOU JUST, YOU GOTTA STICK WITH THE DECISION.
YOUR CODE REQUIRES YOU TO STICK WITH THAT DECISION OR APPROVE A NEW APPLICATION.
YOU COULD DO THAT, BUT THAT TAKES TIME.
[02:30:01]
BUT IF YOU, IF YOU SETTLE, IT'S JUST GONNA BE AN INVITATION TO MORE LAWSUITS.AND ESPECIALLY SINCE THE POSITION IS THAT, THAT IF YOU'RE SUED, THEN THE SET YOU CAN, UNDER THE NAME OF YOUR SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, YOU CAN VIOLATE YOUR CITY CODE.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
OKAY, MICHELLE THOMAS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, BRIAN MEYERS.
I AM A CITY OF SCOTTSDALE RESIDENT, BUT I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF MY GRANDPA THAT BUILT HIS HOUSE IN 82.
UM, THIS NEW REVISION OR SETTLEMENT DOESN'T ADDRESS THE ACCESS FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES OR WHERE THE EMERGENCY SERVICES WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE HOTEL IN GENERAL, WHERE THEY'LL PARK.
UM, AS FAR AS THE 22 PARKING SPOTS FOR COMPACT CARS VERSUS IT BEING A TYPO, ONE BEING AN 11, IS THAT CONSISTENT WITH THE PICTURE? BECAUSE I THINK ON THE PICTURE IT SHOWS MORE THAN 11 SPOTS.
ADDITIONALLY, THIS DOESN'T ADDRESS WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE RIPARIAN AREA.
UM, THE FOREST SERVICE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE OVERUSE OF ONE AREA AND WHAT THAT AREA LOOKS LIKE.
NOW, HOW IN 20 YEARS IT'S NOT GONNA BE ANYTHING 'CAUSE TREES AREN'T GROWING.
IF YOU LOOK AT LE BEAR NOW, IT ALREADY HAS IT HAPPENING AND THIS HOTEL IS ADDING THEIR CREEK SPOT.
AND THEN YOU GUYS HAVE THIS PLAN FOR A CREEK WALK.
SO BASICALLY YOU GUYS ARE TRYING TO ERODE WITH THIS PLAN, BOTH SIDES OF THE CREEK, THE LASTING IMPACT OF THAT.
I MEAN, THE CREEK WILL BE GONE.
NOT TO MENTION THE BRIDGE YOU'RE TRYING TO PUT OVER THE CREEK WHERE WE GET ONE GOOD FLOOD, A TREE BLOCKS THAT, UM, BRIDGE, THE WATER STOPS, AND THEN OUR HOUSES ARE GET, GET FLOODED.
SO THAT WAY THIS HOTEL CAN HAVE A CREEK WALK DAMAGING OUR PROPERTIES.
HOW IS THAT FAIR? UM, ALSO NOT AFFECTING US, WE DO OWN TO THE CENTER OF THE CREEK.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE ALL OF THIS FOOT TRAFFIC IN OUR BACKYARD.
WHO'S GONNA POLICE WHEN IT'S OPEN? WHO'S GOING TO STOP? PEOPLE FROM LITTERING? WHO'S GONNA PICK UP THE TRASH? WHO'S GOING TO STOP PEOPLE FROM GOING IN THE WATER, TAKE ON ANY LIABILITY OF SOMEONE GETTING HURT? HOW ARE YOU GONNA MAKE THAT A DA COMPLIANT? BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK ON THE SIDE OF THE CREEK, NOW IT'S UP AND DOWN.
THERE'S NO WAY A WHEELCHAIR WOULD BE ABLE TO GO OVER THAT.
SO ARE YOU GUYS GONNA BE READY FOR THE LAWSUITS FOR NOT BEING A DA COMPLIANT AND NOT BEING, YOU KNOW, ACCESSIBLY FRIENDLY? UM, THE PARKING, YOU GUYS HAVE THIS CREEK WALK THAT'S GONNA GO ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CREEK.
YOU LOOK AT ANY OTHER WATERWAY IN ARIZONA, AND IT IS PACKED IN THE SUMMER.
AND WHERE ARE THESE PEOPLE GONNA PARK IN ORDER TO ACCESS IT? BECAUSE THE HOTEL'S ALREADY MAXED OUT.
WE ALREADY HAVE PEOPLE PARKING UP SNUBBY HILL NOW, AND THERE'S NOT EVEN THAT ADDITION OF THIS WILDLY LARGE HOTEL AND THIS EXCESSIVE CREASE WALK.
ADDITIONALLY, THIS CREEK WALK STILL DOES NOT ADDRESS THE POINT FOR PEOPLE TO EVEN ACCESS THE CREEK WALK IN THE FIRST PLACE.
THE HOTEL IS GIVING AN EASEMENT, BUT THE HOTEL'S EASEMENT HAS NO ACCESS FOR THEM TO GET FROM BARE WALLOW TO THEM UNLESS THE PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH THE HOTEL'S PROPERTY.
SO IF THE HOTEL'S OPENING UP THEIR PROPERTY FOR THE ENTIRE CREEK WALK, THAT'S NOT ADDRESSED ON HERE.
WHERE ARE THE PEOPLE GONNA HAVE TO TRESPASS TO ENTER THIS, UM, CREEK WALK? SO I JUST REALLY DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY IT DOESN'T AFFECT US, BECAUSE HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF YOU HAD A PUBLIC WALKWAY IN YOUR BACKYARD? I DON'T THINK ANYONE WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, THEN THAT'S ALL I HAVE, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, I GUESS IT'S BRIAN MYERS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY STEVE NER, UH, COUNSEL AND THE MAYOR.
I'M A 30 YEAR RESIDENT OF SEDONA.
UH, I'M ALSO THE HEAD OF THE SEDONA VERDE VALLEY SIERRA CLUB.
AND I HAVE, UH, JUST, THIS WAS JUST BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION YESTERDAY, SO I REALLY HAD NOT, NOT MUCH TIME TO LOOK INTO THIS MANNER.
UH, I HAVE BEEN, I HAVE CONSULTED AND ALLOWED INPUT INTO A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS HERE IN THE AREA, INCLUDING WITH, UH, WORKING WITH HAL SPECTER AND THE CITY ON THE NEW, UH, THE NEW BRIDGE THAT WAS AT, UH, TILAK.
AND, UH, I JUST WOULD, UH, REQUEST THAT I BE CONSULTED AND ALLOWED TO HAVE INPUT INTO THE OAK CREEK HERITAGE LODGE PROJECT, UM, LAYOUT AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROJECT'S CREEK WALK CONCERNING ITS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.
I'M OPEN TO DISCUSSING HOW WE MAY, UH, ORCHESTRATE MY PARTICIPATION AND APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL'S AGREEMENT TO THE SIERRA CLUB INPUT.
STEVE EGNER WILL BE FOLLOWED BY AL ELLO.
STEVE EGNER, A LOCAL RESIDENT 25 YEARS, OWN A SMALL HOTEL, UH, IN SEDONA.
UH, THE NEW HOTEL IS AS IN WALKING DISTANCE OF MY HOTEL.
[02:35:01]
THAT BEING SAID, I STILL THINK THEY COULD BE SUCCESSFUL.UM, I, I, I SUPPORT THIS HOTEL.
I THINK THEY'VE JUMPED THROUGH A LOT OF HOOPS.
I THINK THEY'VE DONE EVERYTHING THAT THE CITY HAS ASKED.
UH, I THINK THAT I WANT TO THANK THE CITY COUNCIL FOR BRINGING THIS BACK UP AND LOOKING AT IT AGAIN.
I KNOW SOME OF THE CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE TOOK THE TIME AND THE ENERGY TO SIT DOWN AND LOOK AT THIS IN DETAIL.
I WANNA THANK YOU VERY MUCH, NO MATTER WHICH WAY IT GOES.
UM, I DO THINK WE NEED TO KEEP ONE THING IN IN MIND.
WE ONLY HAVE A COUPLE SPOTS NOW FOR HOTELS THAT THEY'RE EVEN LEFT.
UH, THIS HOTEL WILL BRING IN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN TAX REVENUE.
UH, THEY WILL PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE OF, OF LIVING IN SEDONA.
UM, I THINK THEY'RE GONNA BE A GOOD CITIZEN.
THEY WERE IN WALKING DISTANCE AT LOCKE AND THE CI AND THE CITY OF SEDONA NOW HAS A GREAT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
WE NEED TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
THEY CAN USE THIS SYSTEM TO GET AROUND AND LEAVE THEIR CARS.
I THINK THEY'RE GOOD PEOPLE AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE RECONSIDERATION.
STEVE ELLO WILL BE OUR FINAL SPEAKER OF ANY EL OH, WAIT A MINUTE.
OH, LAST, OH GEE, SOMEBODY CAME IN BEHIND BEHIND ME.
I LIKE BEING THE LAST LUKE AL CAMELO RESIDENT OF SEDONA.
UM, I HAVE NOTHING MORE TO ADD.
I AGREE A LOT WITH WHAT DAVID SAID.
AND I BELIEVE, UH, TODAY THIS, UM, ISSUE WILL BE BEHIND US AND WE CAN MOVE FORWARD ON SO MANY OTHER WONDERFUL THINGS AND PROJECTS THAT SEDONA HAS IN FRONT OF IT.
AND, UH, I JUST HAD ONE THOUGHT THAT HIT ME A COUPLE DAYS AGO THAT WHEN A GUEST STAYS AT A FINE RESORT LIKE THIS, UM, THAT'S ONE LESS HOUSE BEING RENTED.
LUKE, IF YOU WANNA SPEAK, YOU'LL HAVE TO DROP YOUR CAR CARD OFF AT THE CITY CLERK.
NO, GO OVER TO THE CITY CLERK.
GEE, YOU'VE ONLY DONE THIS ABOUT A COUPLE DOZEN TIMES.
LAUREN THOMAS IS NEXT, FOLLOWED BY LUKE SEPTON.
UM, I JUST WANNA SPEAK AS SOMEONE TALK WITH YOUR NAME AND CITY OF RESIDENCE.
SORRY, LAUREN THOMAS AND IN SCOTTSDALE.
UM, I JUST WANNA SPEAK ON SOMEONE WHO FOLLOWED THE PROCESS AND DID WHAT I WAS TOLD THAT I COULD DO AS A CITIZEN.
UM, WHEN I FIRST DID THAT AND I WAS MET AT THIS MEETING, WE WERE TOLD THAT THERE WAS OPEN MEETING VIOLATIONS AND THAT YOU GUYS WEREN'T EVEN ALLOWED TO DO ANYTHING AT THAT TIME.
UM, DESPITE THAT, US AND THE OTHER GROUP BOTH TOLD YOU GUYS WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS WRONG AND DEFICIENT IN THE HOTEL.
AND WHAT WE SAW IS THE ISSUES THAT NEEDED TO BE FIXED IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE APPROVED.
UM, DESPITE ALL OF THAT, YOU GUYS DID HEAR US AND YOU SAW THE THINGS THAT WE SAW AND YOU ULTIMATELY OVERTURNED IT.
UM, I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS THE END.
THE HOTEL WOULD ADDRESS IT AND THEN IT WOULD BE BACK INSTEAD.
UM, I WAS MET WITH A PROCESS SERVER AT MY HOUSE AND I WAS ALSO SUED.
UM, AND FROM GOING THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS, I JUST KIND OF WONDER WHAT IS THE POINT OF DOING IT IF WE'RE JUST GONNA BE MET WITH LAWSUITS AND THEN NOT GET ANYTHING OUT OF IT ANYWAY.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE CREEK WALK WHERE OUR HOMES ARE, WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO PUT FENCES UP.
WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO PUT WALLS UP.
WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING TO PROTECT PEOPLE FROM COMING INTO OUR HOUSE.
UM, INVITING MORE PEOPLE TO COME TO OUR PRIVATE AREA IS, IT'S WRONG.
UM, YOU GUYS WOULDN'T LIKE IF IT HAPPENED TO YOU, BUT IT KEEPS HAPPENING TO US.
WE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR DIFFERENT THINGS FROM THIS FOR YEARS, AND EVERY TIME WE'RE JUST MET WITH THE SAME, THE DEVELOPER, THE FEES, WHATEVER.
AND, UM, I JUST WOULD HOPE THAT YOU GUYS WOULD LISTEN TO YOUR CITIZENS.
I FOLLOWED A PROCESS THAT WAS AFFORDED TO ME AND ALL THAT I'VE GOTTEN IS A RESULT IS SUED AND HAVE SERVERS COME TO MY HOUSE.
JOANNE, YOU HAVE THE CARD, RIGHT? OKAY.
LUKE SEPTON IS THE LAST SPEAKER.
UM, YOU KNOW, FRED TALKED ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE AND STUFF.
UM, YOU KNOW, FRED, YOU'VE KNOWN HIS REPUTATION HERE IN THE COMMUNITY AND HIS INTEGRITY.
UM, WHAT HE FOUND OUT WAS HE HAD A COUPLE FRIENDS, GOOD FRIENDS OF HIS THAT KNEW BOB OLSON.
SO HE CALLED THEM TO FIND OUT WHAT KIND OF GUY THIS WAS AND WHAT HE WOULD BE UP TO.
SO, UM, THIS IS JUST NOT, UM, BUT BOB'S GREAT WORK WITH, I HAVE A LOT OF GOOD CLIENTS THAT ARE JUST FANTASTIC TO WORK WITH, AND I CONSIDER BOB ONE OF 'EM.
UM, IN FACT, UH, ONE OF THEM JUST GOT A TWO KEY AWARD.
SO IF YOU GOT, UH, THE MICHELIN STAR AWARD IS FOR RESTAURANTS.
AND I THINK THERE'S ONLY LIKE THREE IN THE STATE,
[02:40:01]
AND TWO OF THEM WERE HERE IN TOWN.ONE WAS STEVE EGNER AND THE OTHER WAS AMTE.
AND I GUARANTEE YOU BOB'S NOT GONNA LET THAT SLIDE.
SO HE, HE'LL, HE'LL WANT TO GET THAT THIRD KEY.
SO, BUT ANYWAY, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE ATTENTION TO DETAIL SERVICE THE WAY YOU'RE OPERATING, THE WAY YOU SERVICE IT TO EVEN QUALIFY FOR THAT.
AND I DON'T DOUBT HE'S GOING TO GIVE AMTE A, UH, RUN FOR IT FOR THAT.
UM, VALET PARKING AT AM BIANCA HAS HAD A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN TRAFFIC GOING ON AND OFF.
UM, IN FACT, SOME OF THE, UM, RES OR SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE STAYED THERE, THAT WAS ONE OF THEIR FAVORITE THINGS WAS THAT THEY COULD LEAVE THEIR CAR AND COULD GET OTHER PLACES REAL SIMPLY.
SO, UM, SO THE VALET PARKING WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION ON TRAFFIC.
I MEAN, THAT'S A LONG ARGUMENT, BUT THAT'S NOT PART OF THIS PROJECT.
WE JUST HAVE TO GIVE UP AN EASEMENT AS THE, THE CITY WHEN THEY GO THROUGH ANY TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT.
UM, SO, BUT, UM, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF PINS ON THE CREEK WALK.
BUT ANYWAYS, I, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT FRED'S EXPERIENCE AND HE, HE VALIDATED A LOT OF THINGS THAT I FELT TOO.
SO THANK YOU AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THAT WILL CLOSE OUR PUBLIC HEARING.
WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO COUNSEL AND WE HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
WHAT WOULD COUNSEL WISH TO TAKE A BREAK NOW OR JUST COMPLETE THE, UH, THE PROCESS.
SO QUESTIONS FOR, UH, MR. OLSON, KURT CHRISTENSEN, OUR ATTORNEY, OR ANYBODY ELSE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, I DO HAVE TWO QUESTIONS FOR OUR ATTORNEY.
THE FIRST IS, WE HEARD AN ASSERTION THAT A THREE QUARTER, UH, VOTE WOULD BE REQUIRED UP HERE IS WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THAT? UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND COUNCILOR KINSELLA, THERE'S NO THREE QUARTERS REQUIREMENT FOR THE, TO APPROVE AN AMENDMENT TO YOUR PRIOR DECISION OR TO APPROVE THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT.
IS THAT GONNA BE A MAJORITY OF THE ENTIRE PUBLIC BODY, WHICH WAS JUST BEFORE IN THIS CASE? THANK YOU.
AND MY SECOND QUESTION IS, PART OF THE PART OF THIS WOULD BE INCLUDE THE SUSPENSION OF THE COUNCIL RULES PROCEDURE THREE E 1 1 3 E 11.
UM, I, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, COULD YOU JUST SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THAT SUSPENSION PLEASE? YEAH, SO, SO MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THE, THE ACTUAL, UM, SUSPENSION OF THE RULE WOULD JUST BE THE SUSPENSION OF THE 60 DAY LIMITATION ON RECONSIDERATIONS.
UH, AND THIS IS JUST ANOTHER WAY COUNCIL CAN REVIEW THIS.
IN ADDITION TO AMENDING ITS PRIOR DECISION, IT COULD ALSO RECONSIDER IT.
CURRENTLY THE, UH, COUNCIL RULES OF PROCEDURE LIMIT RECONSIDERATIONS WITHIN 60 DAYS OF THE, UM, THE ACTION TAKEN, THIS WOULD BE LIMITED, THE 60 DAY ONE, SO THEY COULD RECONSIDER IT IN A LONGER TIME PERIOD.
NOW, AS FAR AS THE CONFLICT, UH, THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, MENTIONED BY MR. OTTA, THE, UM, THE ORDINANCE ADOPTING, UH, THAT, THAT SAYS THE ROBERT'S RULES OF PROCEDURE SHALL PERTAIN, UM, TO COUNCIL MEETINGS WAS ADOPTED IN 1988 WHEN THE COUNCIL, WHEN THE CITY WAS FIRST FORMED, AND IT'S PART OF THE SECOND AMENDMENT OF THE LAND OF, OR THE SECOND AMENDMENT OF THE SEDONA CITY CODE.
UM, THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY COUNCIL RULES OF PROCEDURE AT THAT TIME.
SO THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE USING.
THEY ONLY HAD THE ROBERTS RULES OF PROCEDURE TO HELP GUIDE THEM IN THEIR DELIBERATIVE PROCESS.
UH, IN 2003, COUNCIL ADOPTED BY ORDINANCE, THE COUNCIL RULES OF PROCEDURE.
UM, AND SO THAT SUPERSEDES, UM, THAT ONE AND, AND IN THE COUNCIL RULES OF PROCEDURE, IT'S CLEAR THAT, UH, WHILE ROBERT'S RULES CAN, WILL STILL, UH, GUIDE ONLY WHEN IT'S NOT IN CONFLICT WITH, UM, THE COUNCIL RULES OF PROCEDURE.
SO RULE FOUR OF COUNCIL RULES OF PROCEDURE STATES THAT IT, UM, SUPERSEDES IN ANY CONFLICT WITH ROBERT'S RULES.
SO FOR, FOR OVER 20 YEARS, COUNSEL HAS NOT USED ROBERT RULES AS ITS GUIDING, UM, PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE.
UH, BUT BEYOND THAT, ROBERT'S RULES HAS NO LIMITATION ON AMENDING PRIOR DECISIONS.
UM, THERE'S, THERE'S NO TIME LIMITATION COUNCIL CAN, AND, AND, AND INDEED, WHY WOULD THERE BE LEGISLATIVE BODIES? UH, DELIBERATIVE BODIES ALWAYS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVISIT PAST DECISIONS AND MAKE BETTER ONES IF THAT'S WHAT THEY DETERMINE TO DO.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS ON THIS SIDE? NO, DEREK, UH, TIMING WISE, I'M GONNA WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WHEN'S THE APPROPRIATE TIME AFTER QUESTIONS? WELL, LET'S ASK, ASK THE QUESTIONS THEN.
I THINK YOU, YOU COULD, WE COULD DO THAT.
[02:45:01]
WE, THIS WAY WE GET THAT OUT OF THE WAY.BUT THANKS FOR ASKING QUESTIONS ON THIS SIDE.
SO THE RESIDENTS BROUGHT UP THAT THEY OWN INTO THE CREEK, BUT, UH, DOES THAT INCLUDE ACROSS THE CREEK WHERE THE CREEK WALK WILL BE? ARE WE PUTTING THE CREEK WALK INTO ONTO THEIR PROPERTY? NO.
SO MAYOR AND COUNCIL, WHAT THEY INDICATED AND, AND IS LIKELY TRUE THAT THE PROPERTY LINE IS TO THE CENTER LINE OF THE CREEK.
RIGHT? UM, IT DEPENDS ON EXACTLY WHAT THEIR DEEDS SAY, WHETHER IT'S GONNA MOVE WITH THE CREEK OR NOT, OR BE SET IN STONE.
AND SOMETIMES THE CREEK MOVES AWAY FROM YOUR PROPERTY.
SOMETIMES IT COULD COME BACK, I DON'T KNOW, HAVEN'T LOOKED INTO EXACTLY WHAT THEIR PROPERTY BOUNDARIES ARE VERSUS, YOU KNOW, LAYA BEARS AND AMARO AND, AND, UM, A ROBLES ACROSS THE STREET, ACROSS THE CREEK.
UM, BUT I THINK ONE KEY POINT THERE IS THIS, THE AT LEAST STAFF'S IDEA OF THIS, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE ONE OF THE LUKE SEFTON SAID THIS, NOTHING REQUIRES COUNCIL TO BUILD THE CREEK WALK.
UM, THE MONEY'S BEING OFFERED IS GOOD FOR 15 YEARS.
IF COUNCIL DECIDES IT'S NOT RIGHT OR, OR YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE BUILT, THEN IT, YOU KNOW, THEN IT WON'T EVER USE IT.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING COUNCIL COULD HAVE A LOT MORE DISCUSSIONS ON AND PUBLIC DISCUSSION.
BUT STAFF'S IDEA OF A CREEK WALK IS NOT A SLIDE ROCK.
IT'S AN ACTUAL CREEK WALK WITH SPLIT RAILING, UM, AND SIGNS AND, AND ARGUABLY PROBABLY AN ORDINANCE PROHIBITING OFF TRAIL WALKING.
UM, AND THAT COULD BE SUBJECT TO FINES.
UH, YOU HAVE THE PARK RANGERS DOWN THERE, UM, SIMILAR TYPES OF ENFORCEMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S IS TRULY JUST A CREEK WALK AND NOT A A CREEK RECREATION AREA.
UH, SOMETHING THAT WAS MENTIONED, AND I FIRST I'M HEARING ABOUT THIS, THAT MR. OLSON IS DOING SOME KIND OF, HE'S PUMPING WATER.
DO, HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THAT? SO MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THAT WAS UH, MENTIONED IN, IN BOTH THE P AND ZI HEARING, I BELIEVE, AND COUNCIL'S HEARING IN JUNE, THEY HAVE, UM, THE PROPERTY THEY ACQUIRED COMES WITH SOME RIGHTS TO, UM, IRRIGATION RIGHTS.
UH, SO THEY CAN REMOVE, UH, WATER FROM THE PROPERTY JUST AS OTHERS ALONG OAK CREEK HAVE.
I JUST WANTED SOME IRRIGATION.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT THE CITY CONTROLS OR, OR, UM, YEAH.
GENERALLY RULES ON OR A PINES ON.
I JUST WANT, I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING MORE EXTREME THAN THAT.
IT, IT WOULD NOT BE BEYOND WHAT THEY'RE ALLOWED TO, TO DO.
UM, ONE OF THE SPEAKERS BROUGHT UP A QUESTION ABOUT THE EMERGENCY SERVICE ACCESS.
AND IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING FROM BEING THE PACKET THAT WITH THE CHANGES IN THE PARKING LOT, WHAT, AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK THE VICE MAYOR WAS, UH, CONCERNED ABOUT WAS PRIOR TO THIS CHANGE, THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH EMERGENCY ACCESS GETTING INTO THE PARKING LOT BECAUSE THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE CARS PARKED ON THE ACCESS ROAD.
THAT'S NO LONGER GOING TO BE THE CASE FROM MY UNDERSTANDING.
AND NOW THERE WILL BE ENOUGH CARS, ANO ENOUGH SPACES IN THE PARKING LOT FOR THOSE CARS TO PARK.
MAYOR, THEY'VE MOVED THOSE PARKING SPACES AWAY FROM THE DRIVEWAY AND DRIVEWAY ACCESS.
SO THAT WOULD MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR EMERGENCY SERVICE.
UH, I'D LIKE SOMEONE TO CLARIFY THE 11 VERSUS 22 PARKING SPACES, BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING NEW.
UH, IF MR. OLSON CAN COME UP OR ONE OF ONE OF YOUR DESIGNEES TO ADDRESS WHY THERE'S AN ISSUE OR A CONFLICT AB ABOUT THE COMPACT PARKING SPACES.
GREG BI ARCHITECT FOR RD OLSON.
UM, IT WAS A, A TYPO IN THAT SET THAT YOU HAVE THE PL, UH, DC CODE REQUIRES OR IS A MINIMUM OF 10% OF THE TOTAL.
THERE'S CURRENTLY PROPOSED 118, THAT'S 11.8.
WE'LL ROUND DOWN ALL 118 CAN STILL BE PROVIDED WITH JUST 11 COMPACT.
SO, SO THERE'LL STILL BE MORE PARKING SPACES NOW IT JUST WON'T BE, UH, CORRECT.
WE INADVERTENTLY SHOWED MORE COMPACT IN THAT DRAWING THAT YOU HAVE.
BUT I ASSURE YOU IT CAN BE, IT CAN MEET THE LDC AT THE 10% MAX.
AND THEN THE A DA COMPLIANT, IF WE DO EVER GO FORWARD WITH A CREEK WALK AND THEN ALSO THE CREEK WALK BRIDGE BEING BLOCKED BY DEBRIS, HOW WOULD THAT BE ADDRESSED? I, I'LL JUST THE A DA AND LET ANDY DO THE BRIDGE.
SO, UM, ONE, IT'S NOT REQUIRED AND, AND ACTUALLY THE RECREATIONAL IMMUNITY AS WELL.
SO ANYONE THAT HAS A RECREATIONAL FEATURE ON THEIR PROPERTY, INCLUDING A CREEK, IF SOMEONE WERE TO COME ONTO YOUR PROPERTY UNINVITED AND, AND USE IT AND GET INJURED, UM, STATE, UH, HAS A RECREATIONAL IMMUNITY STATUTE THAT PRE PREVENTS THE OWNER FROM, FROM BEING SUED.
UM, SO THE CITY USES THAT REGULARLY IN CITY PARKS.
SO IF YOU COME TO THE CITY PARK, YES, WE DO.
AND UNLESS WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, FAULTY PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT AND YOU GET, YOU'RE RUNNING AROUND THE PARK AND YOU GET HURT OR ON THE TENNIS COURTS OR WHEREVER, UM, THE CITY'S, UM,
[02:50:01]
PROTECTED FROM ANY LIABILITY FROM THAT.UH, AS FAR AS A DA, THE ENTIRE CREEK WALK, THE I, AND AGAIN, THIS IS SUPER EARLY IN THE, IN THE DESIGN AND PLANNING, BUT THE IDEA IS THAT THE, THE WHAT'S SHOWN HERE WOULD BE A DA ACCESSIBLE, THE UNDERPASS IS A DA ACCESSIBLE, UM, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE.
UM, THERE ARE OBVIOUSLY NUMEROUS TRAILS IN THE WORLD THAT ARE NOT ALL A D ACCESSIBLE.
UM, BUT THE IDEA IS THAT IT WOULD BE, AND THAT IT COULD BE.
UM, BUT THAT HAS NOT, YOU KNOW, FULLY BEEN LOOKED INTO AND STUDIED.
THAT ANDY, ANDY, WANT TO GO AGAIN.
SO ANY CROSSING THAT WE END UP BUILDING AS PART OF THE CREEK WALK WILL DE NEED TO BE PERMITTED.
UM, SEVERAL AGENCIES WILL NEED TO PERMIT THAT, INCLUDING THE COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL.
SO AS PART OF THEIR RE REVIEW, WE'LL NEED TO ENSURE THAT, UM, ADVERSE EFFECTS ON THE FLOODPLAIN DO NOT OCCUR.
AND IT IS POSSIBLE TO DO THAT.
WELL THAT HELPS ME THA VERY MUCH.
UH, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE, UH, I'LL ASK FOR A MOTION.
THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN VERY OFTEN.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO GO IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO WE WILL, WE NEED TO STATE THE, THE REASON FOR IT.
AND HE SAID HE NEEDS TO MAKE THE MOTION.
[9. EXECUTIVE SESSION ]
I MAKE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION SO THAT COUNSEL CONSULT WITH CAN CONSULT WITH COUNSEL, LEGAL COUNSEL FOR LEGAL COUNSEL.YEAH, I'M A COUNCIL TOO, SO, YEAH.
WE ARE NOW IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INDULGENCE.
WE'LL NOW COME BACK INTO PUBLIC SESSION.
[8.b. AB 3166 Public Hearing/discussion/possible action regarding approval of a Settlement Agreement with Olson Real Estate Group, Inc. dba R.D. Olson Development and 115 Schnebly, LLC to resolve litigation by affirming Planning and Zoning Commission’s development review approval of Oak Creek Heritage Lodge Case Number: PZ23-00004 (DEV), suspension of Council Rules of Procedure 3.E.11 on reconsiderations, and discussion regarding making the Oak Creek Heritage Area Zoning District obsolete. (Part 2 of 2)]
WITH A MOTION.ANYBODY HAVE A MOTION? A MOTION? WHAT'S THAT? NO DISCUSSION.
WELL, WE CAN MAKE A MOTION AND DISCUSS IT IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING.
SO WHY DON'T YOU MAKE THE MOTION? OKAY.
UH, I MOVE TO ONE PURSUANT TO CITY COUNCIL RULES OF PROCEDURE RULE ONE B FOUR, SUSPEND THE 60 DAY LIMITATION OF RULE THREE E 11 ON RECONSIDERATIONS TWO, APPROVE THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH RD OLSON AND THREE, AMEND CITY COUNCIL'S JUNE 25TH, 2024, DECISION TO NOW AFFIRM PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION'S.
APRIL 16TH, 2024, APPROVAL OF A DEVELOPMENT REVIEW FOR THE OAK CREEK HERITAGE LODGE, CASE NUMBER PZ 23 DASH 0 0 0 0 4 AS AMENDED BY THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF COMPROMISE AND I AM COGNIZANT OF THE COMPROMISES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE THROUGH THE SETTLEMENT, UM, TO THE ISSUES THAT WE WERE BROUGHT FORTH AT THE ORIGINAL MEETING.
HOWEVER, I AM STILL A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE THAT WE HAVE NOT RESOLVED THE TRAFFIC ISSUES THAT WE SAID WOULD BE RELATED WITH THE, UM, LDC 8.3 POINT E PARAGRAPH FIVE C CONSISTENCY WITH SEDONA COMMUNITY PLAN AND OTHER APPLICABLE PLANS, OAK CREEK HERITAGE, CFA SPECIFICALLY.
AND THAT IS THAT THE TRAFFIC IS TO BE LESS THAN THAT ASSOCIATED WITH MEDIUM DENSITY SINGLE FAMILY SUBDIVISION AT 11 AND A HALF ACRES.
IT'S APPROXIMATELY 46 HOMES, BUT WOULD MOST LIKELY BE EVEN MORE WITH FAR LESS RANDOM PATTERNS OF MOVEMENT THROUGH THE ROAD.
AND THE ROUNDABOUT, GIVEN THE NATURE OF EVENTS AND SCHEDULES, THEY HAVE CHANGES IN WORK SHIFTS, ET CETERA.
SO I I STILL AM CONCERNED THAT IT'S STILL 70 HOTEL UNITS THAT HASN'T CHANGED.
UM, IT IS STILL, UH, AS FAR AS I CAN TELL FROM THE PLAN, THERE'S STILL THE FOUR HOTEL EMPLOYEE STUDIO APARTMENTS.
WE HAVE AN UNSPECIFIED NUMBER OF HOTEL EMPLOYEES ON SHIFT TO SERVICE EVENTS.
UM, THE RESTAURANT, HOTEL POOL VALET, THE LOBBY ADMINISTRATION, HOUSEKEEPING DELIVERIES THAT ARE STANDARD AND EVENT STAGING SPECIALS, ET CETERA.
SO THERE'S STILL, TO ME THAT HAS NOT YET BEEN RESOLVED.
THE QUESTION THAT COUNSELOR FOLTZ ASKED AT THE BEGINNING WAS WHETHER OR NOT TRAFFIC WOULD BE, UM, IMPROVED BY THE CHANGES IN THE ANSWER WAS EITHER NOT AT ALL OR NOT SUBSTANTIALLY.
SO THAT, THAT WORRIES ME ALSO, UM, E OF EIGHT, UM, ON LLDC EIGHT THREE E PARAGRAPH FIVE E IS MINIMIZING THE IMPACT ON THE SURROUNDING PROPERTY OWNERS.
AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT THE TRAFFIC VOLUME.
THAT IS ONE OF OUR WORST INTERSECTIONS HERE IN THE COMMUNITY AS FAR AS I CAN TELL.
[02:55:01]
NOT HERE AS FAR AS I CAN TELL.THERE ARE NO PLANS AROUND HOW WE'RE GOING TO FIX TRAFFIC CONDITIONS AROUND SIBLEY ROUNDABOUT.
THAT IS A NARROWING OF OUR ROAD FROM TWO LANES TO ONE LANE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO GO THROUGH THERE IN ORDER TO USE THE TRAIL WHO, UM, GO IN THERE FOR LIVING PURPOSES.
THEY LIVE THERE, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO GO UP SCHLEY ROAD, UM, AND WITH THE OHVS, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF POTENTIAL TRAFFIC THAT GOES THROUGH.
UM, THROUGH THAT, THAT ROUNDABOUT.
I REALIZE THAT THIS IS ALREADY A, UM, AN F SERVICE LEVEL, UM, FROM ADOT.
UH, AND I, I THINK THAT MAKING AN F MINUS DOESN'T NECESSARILY IMPROVE THE EXPERIENCE BOTH FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR VISITORS WHO ARE AROUND IN THAT AREA.
SO I DON'T SEE THAT THAT HAS BEEN ADDRESSED EITHER BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE'RE NOT REDUCING TRAFFIC VOLUME.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THOSE, THOSE STATEMENTS.
AND, UM, THAT'S ALL I HAD TO SAY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? CAN'T SPEAK TERRY.
OH, BRIAN, I'M SORRY I DIDN'T SEE YOU.
UM, WHEN, UH, WHEN I VOTED TO OVERTURN THE P AND Z DECISION, IT WAS, UH, EXPECTING THAT WE WOULD ARRIVE AT A POINT OF, UH, A SETTLEMENT NEGOTIATION.
AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT, UH, MR. OLSON, UH, CHOSE TO TAKE THE FIRST STEP ON THAT.
AND, UM, AND, AND SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT.
AND LIKE, I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA BUILD, UH, A HOTEL ON THIS PROPERTY AT SOME POINT.
IT'S NOT A QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER THERE'S RIGHT, UH, TO DEVELOP LODGING.
BUT I THINK COUNSELOR DUNN HAS VERY ELOQUENTLY EXPRESSED MY ONGOING CONCERNS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE IS GIVE AND TAKE ASSOCIATED WITH A SETTLEMENT, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT FULLY.
BUT THE FACT THAT WE'RE NOT ADDRESSING THE SINGLE MOST OBJECTIVE REASON FOR OVERTURNING THE, UH, P AND Z DECISION, THAT BEING TRAFFICKED, UH, EQUIVALENT OR LESS TO A MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, THE FACT THAT THAT'S NOT ADDRESSED, THAT IS DEFINITELY A CONCERN FOR ME AS WELL.
I FIND THIS TO BE ALL VERY MESSY, AND I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF INCONSISTENCIES HERE.
AND I THINK WE CAN'T GO BACK TO THE PAST AND MAKE CORRECTIONS TO THINGS THAT WERE DONE YEARS AGO AND UPON WHICH PEOPLE HAVE ACQUIRED PROPERTY AND, AND, UH, RELIED ON ON ZONING.
UH, THIS IS, THIS IS THE WORST INTERSECTION IN THE CITY, BUT ANYTHING THAT GETS BUILT THERE IS GONNA CONTRIBUTE.
IT'S ALREADY AN F YOU CAN'T GET WORSE THAN AN FF MINUS, F MINUS MINUS F MINUS FOUR TIMES.
I WOULDN'T BUILD ANYTHING THERE.
REALITY IS THAT IT WAS ZONED THAT THE HOTEL ROOMS ARE LESS THAN WHAT COULD BE BUILT.
SO THEY'VE BEEN A, THE OLSONS HAVE TRIED TO WORK WITH US.
I, IT'S JUST, IT'S VERY, VERY MESSY FROM MY PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE I THINK THAT THE OAK CREEK HERITAGE DISTRICT WAS A HUGE MISTAKE, BUT I CAN'T CORRECT IT.
THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT IT.
SO YOU HAVE TO LIVE WITH WHAT YOU HAVE AND TRY TO DO THE BEST AT, AT WHAT YOU HAVE.
I APPRECIATE THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT.
I APPRECIATE THAT WE HAVE TO COMPROMISE IN THIS WORLD TO GET A, TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND SO IT'S, I'M VERY, VERY CONFLICTED, BUT I'M ALSO VERY PRACTICAL.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WE, I, I MEAN, I GUESS FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, TRAFFIC AND EMERGENCY VEHICLES WAS THE, WERE MY TWO BIG ISSUES OF WHY I VOTED AGAINST IT.
AND I DO BELIEVE THAT THE EMERGENCY SITUATION HAS BEEN IMPROVED BY TAKING AWAY PARKING ON THE ENTRYWAY.
SO NOW AT LEAST FIRE TRUCKS CAN GET IN THERE AND PEOPLE CAN GET OUT OF THERE.
WHAT DOES IT DO FOR THE BEAR WALLA RESIDENCE AND FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE ON NELY HILL ROAD, IF THERE'S A FIRE, I DON'T KNOW.
UH, WHERE WAS ALL OF THIS WHEN THIS HERITAGE DISTRICT WAS APPROVED?
[03:00:01]
WHERE WAS ALL, WHERE WERE THE PEOPLE COMING OUT THEN? IT'S BEFORE MY TIME.UH, SO IT'S, I'M, I'M HIGHLY CONFLICTED.
I WAS, I WASN'T CONFLICTED BECAUSE I THOUGHT THERE WERE A LOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS WHY WE COULD REJECT IT.
BUT NOW THERE'S ONLY ONE ISSUE FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, AND THAT'S TRAFFIC.
BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU RESOLVE TRAFFIC EXCEPT TO JUST PREVENT ANYTHING ELSE FROM BEING BUILT THERE.
AND THAT'S JUST NOT THE REALITY.
SO IT'S A DIFFICULT SITUATION.
AND I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO, ALTHOUGH THIS IS NOT RIGHT NOW IN, IN OUR MOTION TO DEAL WITH THIS DISTRICT, TO PREVENT ANYTHING FURTHER FROM BEING BUILT THERE THAT'S NOT ALREADY APPROVED, SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE OTHER PROPERTIES BUILDING HUGE HOTELS, UH, WHO, WHO ALREADY ARE NOT IN THE PROCESS.
SO THAT'S MY THOUGHTS ABOUT IT.
ANYBODY ON THIS SIDE? DEREK? UM, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE TRAFFIC, OBVIOUSLY, BUT I SHARE VICE MAYOR P PLUG'S ANALYSIS THAT OKAY, SO WHAT DO WE DO THEN? I MEAN, THERE'S NO FIXING THAT SITUATION UNLESS YOU JUST SAY, DON'T PUT ANYTHING THERE, WHICH THAT'S NOT AN OPTION.
UM, YOU KNOW, SEDONA NEEDS ANOTHER RESORT.
UH, BUT THAT'S NOT THE STANDARD.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY'VE, I THINK THE DEVELOPERS MADE A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO SETTLE IT.
AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE TO FIND AN EXCUSE TO SAY NO, I'M HARD PRESSED TO, UH, I'M HARD PRESSED TO DO THAT.
SO I I'M GONNA MAYBE BE THE FIRST TO SAY THAT I'M GONNA SUPPORT THE SETTLEMENT.
WELL, NO, THE ONLY THING THAT I WANNA SAY IS THAT WHEN THIS, WHEN THE CFA, UM, WAS UNDER DISCUSSION AND PLANNING AND ZONING AT THAT TIME, THERE WAS A LOUD PRESENT SUPPORT FOR THAT FROM RESIDENTS ALONG SEV HILL ROAD.
UM, SO I THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO, TO CONTEXTUALIZE THAT.
WHERE WERE THESE QUESTIONS THEN? EXCUSE ME.
WE'VE LISTENED TO EVERYBODY FROM THE AUDIENCE.
THIS IS REALLY OUR SHARING WITH YOU.
IT'S NOT, WE'RE NOT ASKING QUESTIONS.
I I JUST ADDED THAT FOR THE HISTORY SINCE THE HISTORY QUESTION WAS ASKED.
I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THIS, UH, MOTION.
I MADE THE MOTION, BUT I AM GOING TO SUPPORT IT.
I DO THINK THAT THERE'S BEEN A GOOD FAITH ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS QUESTIONS THAT WERE MADE, THAT WERE ASKED FROM, UM, THIS COUNCIL AT THE TIME THAT THIS WAS, UH, DETERMINED.
UH, I THINK IT'S THE RIGHT STEP TO TAKE TO SETTLE THIS.
SO IS THIS THE BEST THAT WE CAN GET? NO, BUT IT'S THE OPTION.
THE BEST WOULD BE TO LEAVE IT ALONE.
HOWEVER, THIS PROJECT NOW HAS COME A LONG WAY AND SOLVE THE ISSUES THAT I HAD WITH IT, WHICH WAS BUILDING MASS.
THEY'VE SPLIT THE BUILDINGS AND I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE ACCESS PARKING OR ACCESS TO THE PARKING, WHICH HAS BEEN SOLVED, LEFT TO ITS OWN DEVICE.
THAT PROPERTY COULD BE MANY, MANY MORE HOUSES, LARGE HOUSES, SHORT TERM RENTAL HOUSES THAT YOU CAN'T STOP.
THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE THAT, UH, AS THE VICE MAYOR SAID, IT COULD HAVE BEEN 92 ROOMS. MR. OLSON REDUCED IT DOWN TO 70.
THE FACT THAT THEY ARE REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT CAN WALK INTO THE EVENT, IF IT'S, UH, PEOPLE ARE BOOKING THE PLACE FOR A WEDDING, THERE'S A PERCENTAGE OF HOW MANY HAVE TO BE STAYING ON THE PREMISES.
IS IT GONNA BE A BIG REDUCTION? NO, IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING, THE FACT THAT THEY WILL HAVE A SHUTTLE VEHICLE TO SHUTTLE PEOPLE.
UH, WE HAVE A PRIME EXAMPLE OF THAT IS THE ANTE HOTEL.
I THINK I MENTIONED THAT DURING THE LAST, UH, MEETING THAT WORKS FABULOUSLY, BUT THEY ARE ON 89 A AND IT'S NOT THE SAME AS THAT ROUNDABOUT, BUT IT STILL WILL REDUCE VOLUME.
SO I THINK THAT THIS IS A COMPROMISE VERSUS HAVING NOTHING VERSUS HAVING MANY, MANY HOUSES THAT COULD BE, I BELIEVE FOUR, FIVE THOU, FOUR OR
[03:05:01]
5,000 SQUARE FOOT HOUSES THAT COULD BE QUITE LARGE.AND I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A DEVELOPER WHO HAS SINCE MOVED ON WITH SOME PROPERTY FURTHER UP, UH, BY THE, UH, UH, FURTHER UP HILL ROAD.
WHAT'S THAT? CREATIVE LIFE CENTER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH BY THE CREATIVE LIFE CENTER WHO WAS PLANNING ON PUTTING MANY HOMES IN THERE.
HE MOVED ON BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ZONING THERE FOR HIM TO DO THAT.
SO IT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE IF SO, I THINK THAT THIS IS A COMPROMISE FOR BOTH OF US.
SO OF COURSE I AM SUPPORTING THIS.
THANK YOU MR. MAYOR AND COUNSELORS, UH, JUST BRIEFLY, THE OTHER JO JOANNE, DO YOU HAVE THE NUMBERS? YES, MAYOR.
WERE COUNCILOR DUNN AND COUNSELOR FOLTZ? THAT IS CORRECT.
THE OTHER PART OF THE AGENDA BILL WAS DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL ON WHETHER TO PURSUE EITHER AMENDING THE OAK CREEK HERITAGE ZONING, UH, AREA, UH, OR, UH, DECLARING IT OBSOLETE.
THAT WOULD GO THROUGH STAFF RECOMMENDATION TO P AND Z AND THEN P AND Z RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL.
UH, THERE'S AN OBVIOUS DISCONNECT BETWEEN WHAT SOME OF THE RESIDENTS FEEL SHOULD BE BUILT ON THAT AREA, UH, AND WHAT CAN, UH, APPARENTLY BE BUILT THERE AND WHAT WE HAVE, UM, IF, IF THAT WERE TO GO THROUGH, JUST SO EVERYONE KNOWS THAT ANY PROPERTY CURRENTLY ZONED OAK CREEK HERITAGE, UM, AREA ZONING WOULD RETAIN ALL THE RIGHTS WITH THAT.
AND IT WOULDN'T BE, UM, WOULDN'T BE ANY CHANGES TO ANY OF THE CURRENT PROPERTIES, WHICH ARE THE OAK CREEK HERITAGE LODGE PARCELS AND THEN THE TWO OTHER PARCELS.
UM, BUT IT WOULD PREVENT ANY OTHER NEW PARCELS FROM BEING REZONED TO THAT UNLESS, UM, UNTIL IT WAS AMENDED.
OR IF IT'S DECLARED OBSOLETE, THEN NO ONE ELSE COULD EVER APPLY FOR AN, UH, REZONED APPLICATION TO THAT ZONING DISTRICT.
AND SO, YEAH, JUST WANNA KNOW IF COUNCIL SUPPORTED THAT, UH, IDEA OR NOT.
MAYOR, THIS IS ON, ON KURT'S? YEAH.
QUESTION ON KURT'S, UM, INFORMATION THERE, UH, IN THE PAST AND INTO THE FUTURE, I WILL, I WILL ALWAYS BE ASKING ABOUT PIPELINE AND WHEN WE MAKE A CHANGE, IS ANYBODY ALREADY IN THE PROCESS TO DO SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD IT YEAH.
CURRENT APPLICATIONS LOOKING AT CARRIE, CORRECT? YEAH, I HAVEN'T HEARD OF ANY TWO ON OAK CREEK HERITAGE ZONING DISTRICT APPLICATION.
UH, SO IT WOULDN'T AFFECT ANYONE, UM, CURRENTLY.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO JUST ADD ONE THING THAT I NEGLECTED TO SAY BEFORE NOT CHANGING MY VOTE, BUT THE HISTORY.
I DO FORGET IF I WAS ON PLANNING AND ZONING OR ON COUNCIL WHEN THE CFA WAS PASSED.
BUT I DO REMEMBER SAYING PUBLICLY THAT IT WAS THE FIRST CFA THAT THE COMMUNITY CAME OUT IN SUPPORT OVERWHELMINGLY IN SUPPORT.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THE BARE WALLER PEOPLE WERE INCLUDED.
I DON'T, THERE, THERE'S NO QUESTIONS HERE.
AND THIS IS MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.
BUT I DO REMEMBER MYSELF TAKING A STANCE THAT THIS WAS A, A GOOD PROCESS.
NOW I'M NOT SO SURE ABOUT THAT.
SO I WOULD SUPPORT, UH, OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S, UH, UH, SUGGESTION AND UH, I THINK IT'S TIME FOR TO LOOK AT IT AGAIN AND MAKE WHATEVER CHANGES ARE NECESSARY.
AND, AND MAYOR JOB, JUST TO UH, CLARIFY, I WOULDN'T, UH, TOUCH THE CFA NECESSARY.
JUST THE, THE ZONING DISTRICT.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE DISCONNECT IS.
FIX THE DISCONNECT IS WHAT I I'M SORRY.
THANK YOU KATHY OR PETE ACTUALLY.
SO CAN WE DO BOTH? SO CAN WE, CAN WE SAY NO MORE PROPERTIES CAN BE ZONED, BUT ALSO GO AND FIX THE CURRENT, UM, LDC INFORMATION THAT GOES WITH THE EXISTING ZONING? ABSOLUTELY.
SO THAT WE CAN TIGHTEN THAT DOWN AND MAKE IT MATCH WHAT THE CFA SAYS.
THAT DISCONNECT THAT YOU REFERENCED.
SO I MEAN, THERE'S NO MECHANISM FOR COUNSEL TO IMMEDIATELY DECLARE THAT OBSOLETE AND SAY NO ONE CAN APPLY RIGHT NOW FOR THAT ZONING DISTRICT.
BUT IN, IN EFFECT, THIS DISCUSSION AND STAFF COULD LET ANYONE KNOW COMING IN TO APPLY FOR WHETHER THAT'S BEING UPDATED.
AND IT'S NOT LIKELY THAT COUNCIL'S GOING TO GRANT ANY REZONE APPLICATIONS TO THAT RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT I WOULDN'T DECLARE OP, I WOULD, IF YOU WANTED IT JUST TO CONFORM THE CFA, THEN MAYBE NOT DECLARE OBSOLETE AND MAYBE JUST AMEND IT SO THAT IT ACTUALLY REACHES IT FULLY COMPLIES.
SO I MEAN, YOU, IF YOU DECLARE OBSOLETE, THEN YOU'RE GONNA COME WITH A NEW NAME FOR NEW ZONING TO FIX TO FIT THE CFA.
PARDON? SO WE, WE ARE, WE ACTUALLY STILL HAVE PROPERTIES THAT ARE ZONED? NO.
[03:10:01]
COULD BE.WE CURRENTLY HAVE PROPERTIES THAT ARE ZONED OAK CREEK HERITAGE CORRECT.
AND SO AND SO FOR THOSE PROPERTIES, IT WON'T AFFECT THEM.
THEY'RE GRANDFATHERED IN RECURRING ZONE.
AND SO SINCE THEY'RE GRANDFATHERED IN, DO WE ALSO WANNA AMEND THE LDC TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THEY DON'T ASK FOR A REZONE, THAT WHAT THEY BUILD MATCHES THE CFA, THAT DISCONNECT THAT WE'VE BEEN REFERENCING? AM I NOT MAKING SENSE? YES.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING STAFF CAN EXPLORE.
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR DIRECTION ON THIS TONIGHT? JUST, YOU KNOW, SOME YEAH.
NODS OR HEADS UP? UH, I THINK THAT STAFF'S HEADED THAT WAY ANYWAY, BUT IF, IF IT'S A NO, THEN WE'D PROBABLY ALLOW TO HEAR THAT NOW THEN START OUT.
BUT I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR THAT THE ONLY DIRECTION WOULD BE TO REFER THIS BACK TO STAFF TO THEN BRING IT TO PZ PLANNING AND ZONING.
YEAH, I'M NOT LOOKING FOR ANY DIRECTION ON HOW IT SHOULD LOOK OR WHAT SHAPE OR CORRECT WHAT TO DO.
IT'S, IT'S A REVISIT OF THE ZONING DISTRICT.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT P AND Z HAS THE OPPORTUNITY THAT THIS GOES THROUGH THE CHANNELS THAT P AND Z REVIEWS IT.
I WOULD MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS TO CHA TO COUNCIL.
I WOULD NOT WANNA DO ANYTHING THAT WOULD BYPASS THAT PROCESS.
WELL, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY OBJECTIONS TO THAT, SO I THINK NO.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY, FOR THE AUDIENCE, THAT WOULD GO THROUGH A PUBLIC REVIEW PROCESS TOO.
COULD YOU REPEAT WHAT YOU JUST SAID? I JUST, OH, THIS IS, I THINK THIS IS ON, UM, I WAS JUST SAYING TO CLARIFY FOR THE AUDIENCE, THAT WOULD GO THROUGH A PUBLIC REVIEW PRO, LIKE THERE WOULD BE PUBLIC OUTREACH AS PART OF THAT PROCESS AS WELL.
MOVING RIGHT ALONG, THEN WE'LL MOVE
[8.c. AB 3071 Public Hearing/discussion/possible direction regarding Development Impact Fees and the proposed Development Fee Report. ]
ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.AS YOU'RE EXITING, UH, PLEASE TRY TO BE, UH, CALM AND QUIET AND NO FIGHTING IN THE LOBBY.
I DON'T KNOW, I'LL FIGURE IT OUT.
ITEM C, AB 30 71, PUBLIC HEARING DISCUSSION, POSSIBLE DIRECTION REGARDING DEVELOPMENT, IMPACT, FEES, AND THE PROPO, THE PROPOSED, UH, DEVELOPMENT FEE REPORT.
ANNETTE SERED, CITY MANAGER, UH, TONIGHT, UM, OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, BARBARA WHITEHORN AND MYSELF FOR BRINGING BACK SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR YOU REGARDING THIS TOPIC.
AS REQUESTED AT YOUR LAST MEETING, WE DO NOT HAVE A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION TONIGHT.
UM, BUT THERE WAS A MEMO FROM BARBARA IN YOUR PACKET DESCRIBING, UH, VARIOUS SCENARIOS BASED ON WHAT WE HEARD AT THE LAST DISCUSSION, THAT THERE POTENTIALLY WAS AN INTEREST IN A PHASING INTO THE FEE.
UM, I DIDN'T PLAN TO GO IN DETAIL ON THE DIFF TONIGHT.
YOU'VE HAD MANY MEETINGS ON IT.
I THINK YOU ALL UNDERSTAND IT.
AND SO WE ARE HERE TO HELP ANSWER ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY LEFT AND TO HEAR YOUR DIRECTION.
DEREK, UH, QUESTION, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT KURT HERE TO ANSWER THIS.
UM, IF WE GO WITH THE PHASE IN, IF WE GO WITH THE PHASE IN AND WE SAY, YOU KNOW, 50%, THEN 25%, THEN THE REMAINING 25% IN THREE OR FOUR YEARS, ARE WE ALLOWED TO SLAM THE BRAKES ON THAT AFTER YES.
SO WE COULD SAY OVER FOUR YEARS IT'S GONNA RAISE TO THIS, BUT NEXT YEAR WE COME BACK AND SAY, OOH, THIS IS A MISTAKE.
WE'RE GONNA FREEZE IT AT WHAT IT IS, RIGHT THEN.
YES, I DID, UM, ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY THAT QUESTION PRIOR TO THE MEETING.
UM, IN ANTICIPATION IT MIGHT COME UP.
AND SO YES, YOU COULD, UM, GIVE US DIRECTION TO BRING BACK A PHASE IN SCHEDULE FOR THE JANUARY 14TH PUBLIC HEARING AND ULTIMATE ADOPTION.
HOWEVER, FUTURE COUNSELS CAN DECIDE, UM, IN THOSE OUT YEARS NOT TO APPLY THAT, UM, THAT AMOUNT.
THERE'S NOTHING THAT PREVENTS A FUTURE COUNSEL FROM, UM, DECIDING NOT TO IMPOSE AMOUNTS.
IT HAS A BREAKDOWN IN THE PACKAGE 1 42.
YEAH, I'VE SEEN THE, I'VE SEEN THE, OKAY.
MY QUESTION WAS, IF WE SET IT, WE SET IT AND WE SAY, OKAY, OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, WE'RE GONNA RAISE IT TO A HUNDRED PERCENT OF WHAT THE THEY RECOMMENDED.
CAN WE CHANGE OUR MINDS IN A YEAR OR THE NEXT COUNCIL CHANGE ITS MIND AND SAY, OKAY, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE DONE.
WE'RE NOT GONNA GO TO FULL AMOUNT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YOU'RE STILL NOT LOOKING FOR DIRECTION, YOU'RE JUST, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY.
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR WHICH OPTION WE APPROVE WELL, WHICH, WHICH OPTION? OR MANY VARIATIONS YOU WANT OPTIONS.
[03:15:01]
DOES HAVE A LITTLE SPREADSHEET WITH HER TONIGHT.SO IF COUNSEL HAD A DIFFERENT PHASE IN, THEY WANTED US TO LOOK AT, SHE CAN ON THE FLY, CALCULATE WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
BEFORE WE GO TO THE OPTION, I'D LIKE TO OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
SHE'S SUCH A STICKLER FOR THAT KINDA STUFF FOR PUBLIC HEARING.
IS ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO ADDRESS THIS NOW? OKAY.
WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
YOU KNOW WHERE TO GO FROM HERE.
IT'S, THERE'S A MUTE BUTTON RIGHT HERE ARE WE DISCUSSING? YOU CAN DISCUSS IF THAT'S WHAT YOU PREFER, BUT COMMENTS THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A COMMENT OF, AND IT'S NOT GONNA BE, IT'S, IT'S FINE.
UM, I, I JUST THINK GIVEN WHAT WE HEARD LAST TIME AT THE SMALL MONEY THAT ARE INVOLVED AND THE HUGE IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY, EVERY TIME WE ARE GOING TO ADD THESE, THESE THINGS INTO OUR PARKS AND OUR POLICE AND OUR, AND OUR, UM, SORRY, I HAVE ANNETTE'S THREE PS IN MY HEAD.
SO POTHOLES, UM, INSTEAD OF ROADS, UH, WHENEVER I, I THINK WE SHOULD JUST LEAVE IT AS IT IS AND UNDERSTAND THAT ALL OF THOSE COSTS ARE GOING UP AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO FUND THEM.
AND WE'RE EITHER GOING TO, TO DEFRAY TINY LITTLE BITS OF IT WITH THESE FEES.
'CAUSE IT'S, THEY'RE NOT THAT MUCH MONEY WE HEARD LAST TIME.
UM, OR WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO ALL OF IT THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO AT LEAST TAKE CARE OF THOSE THREE PS AND WE KNOW WE WANT TRANSPORTATION.
SO I, I THINK WE JUST GO WITH IT AS IT IS.
WHAT COUNSELOR DUNN JUST SAID.
I WAS THERE LAST TIME ON THIS, SO I WOULD NOT DEFER THE INEVITABLE.
I DON'T SUPPORT IN INCREASING THE FEES.
I THINK IT HAS A VERY NEGATIVE IMPACT.
COUNSELOR FURMAN SAID HE WAS QUOTED AS SAYING WE'RE
I MEAN, IF WE'RE GONNA PAY FOR ALL, I HAVE TO, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY.
THE GENERAL FUND CAN PAY FOR IT.
AND WE ARE, OUR FEES ARE BEYOND ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE ENTIRE VERDE VALLEY.
AND I JUST DON'T THINK OUR EXPENSES MATCH THAT.
SO I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA RAISE THE FEES, DEREK.
UM, WE HAVE TOOLS IN OUR, AT OUR DISPOSAL TO ENCOURAGE THE KIND OF DEVELOPMENT WE WANT.
UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, FOR MOST OF THE RESIDENTS I'VE SPOKEN TO, PEOPLE DON'T WANT MORE DEVELOPMENT IN SEDONA.
THEY THINK WE ARE ALREADY OVERDEVELOPED.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE DEFICIENCIES IN WORKFORCE HOUSING, AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO ADDRESS.
AND I THINK WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADDRESS THAT ON AN AD AD HOC BASIS.