[00:00:01]
OKAY.LET ME REMIND YOU, PLEASE TO TURN OFF ANY ELECTRONIC DEVICES, UH, CELL PHONES OR WHAT HAVE YOU, OR MUTE.
WE'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.
PLEASE JOIN ME FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
UH, THANK YOU MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ YOUR ROLL CALL? MAYOR JALO.
[3. CONSENT ITEMS - APPROVE]
CONSENT ITEMS. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE THE COUNCIL, STAFF OR THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE SOMETHING PULLED.I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE, WE'RE ALREADY PULLING B AND C FOR SOME CLARITY.
UH, SO, UH, WHY DON'T WE JUST HAVE A MOTION FOR ITEM A I MOVE TO APPROVE CONSENT.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[3.b. AB 3191 Approval of award for a professional services contract for construction material testing and special inspection of the Uptown Parking Garage to Quality Testing, LLC in the amount of $182,974. ]
TO HAVE ITEMS B AND C PULLED.SO, UH, ANDY, YOU READY TO ADDRESS THOSE? SURE.
I AM, I AM RECUSING WITH RESPECT TO ITEM B.
I HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
MY FIRM REPRESENTS QUALITY TESTING.
DO I NEED TO GO SIT OVER THERE FOR THIS ONE? UH, YES.
WATCH THAT KURT HARRIS OVER THERE.
SO I'LL JUST GO OVER A COUPLE OF THINGS VERY QUICKLY.
SO, THE AMOUNT FOR THIS CONTRACT WITH QUALITY TESTING IS WITHIN AN AMOUNT THAT WE HAD BUDGETED.
THIS IS A EXPENSE THAT WE EXPECTED TO HAVE.
IT WASN'T EXPECTED, AND IT'S NOT ADDING TO THE OVERALL COST OF THE, OF THE GARAGE PROJECT.
CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN WHY IT'S ON THE CONSENT ITEM? YEAH.
SO THIS IS A SEPARATE CONTRACT.
UM, WE, WE EXPECT EXPECTED TO NEED THIS SERVICE.
IT, IT INCLUDES, UM, SPECIAL TESTING FOR THINGS LIKE REBAR, CONCRETE, UM, THINGS BEYOND NORMAL INSPECTION, ESSENTIALLY.
THEN LET'S GO TO ITEM C, AB 31 95.
UM, SINCE, EXCUSE ME, POINT OF ORDER.
SINCE, SINCE WE SHOULD NEED TO VOTE ON THEM SEPARATELY SO THAT, UH OH, THANK YOU.
SO, CAN I HAVE A MOTION FOR ITEM B, AB 31 91.
ALL OPPOSED? OKAY, WERE UNANIMOUS.
[3.c. AB 3195 Approval of a Linking Agreement with FlexGround, LLC for rubber surfacing at Ranger Station Park Playground in an amount not-to-exceed $114,418.56.]
WE'LL GO TO C AB 31 95.UH, APPROVAL OF A, A LINKING AGREEMENT WITH FLEX, UH, GROUND LLC FOR RUBBER SURFACING AT RANGER, UH, STATION, PARK PLAYGROUND IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED, UH, A HUNDRED AND YEAH, 114, UH, THOUSAND 418.56.
AND COUNSEL, JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THIS, THIS WORK, UH, COVERED BY THIS NEW CONTRACT WAS ORIGINALLY IN THE CONTRACT WITH THE, UH, THE CONTRACTOR THAT PUT IN THE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT AT THE PARK.
WE'VE BEEN EXPECTING THIS WORK TO BE COMPLETE FOR A GOOD AMOUNT OF TIME.
NOW WE'VE ASKED THEM TO GET THEIR WORK COMPLETE WITHIN, UH, SORT OF A DEADLINE.
THEY DID NOT MEET THAT DEADLINE.
THE CITY THEN NEEDED TO STEP IN AND,
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UH, COMPLETE THE WORK THROUGH SEPARATE CONTRACTING.WE WORKED THROUGH OUR PROCUREMENT OFFICER AND, UH, OTHER STAFF TO GET THIS CONTRACT PUT TOGETHER.
AND THEY DID A GREAT JOB, UH, GETTING THIS TO TOGETHER QUICKLY SO THAT WE CAN GET THIS WORK COMPLETE IN THE NEAR FUTURE AND GET THIS, UH, THIS PART OF THE PARK BUTTONED UP AND COMPLETED WITH THE APPROVAL.
WE EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS WORK WITHIN, UH, OR GET IT STARTED WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
SO THAT WAS PART OF THE CONSIDERATION FOR, UH, SELECTING THIS CONTRACTOR, VICE MAYOR ANDY, IS THIS AMOUNT EXACTLY WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SPENT BY THE OTHER CONTRACTOR.
THE, THE OTHER CONTRACTOR HAD A, A HIGHER COST FOR THIS WORK.
SO IT IS WITHIN THE AMOUNT BUDGETED FOR THE PROJECT, BUT IT IS A, ACTUALLY A LOWER COST FOR THE WORK.
BRIAN, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? NOPE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, PLEASE.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM THREE CA LINKING AGREEMENT WITH FLEX GROUND LLC FOR RUBBER SURFACING AT RANGER STATION, PARK PLAYGROUND IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $114,418 AND 56 CENTS.
[4. APPOINTMENTS ]
FOR A AB 31 S DISCUSSION, POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE APPOINTMENT OF A TOURISM ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER, JOANNE? SURE.JOANNE COOK CITY CLERK ON JANUARY 7TH.
THE TOURISM ADVISORY BOARD SELECTION COMMITTEE INTERVIEWED FOUR CANDIDATES, FOUR OF 11, UH, FOR A SEAT ON THE TOURISM ADVISORY BOARD.
AND THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION, UM, IS FOR LINDSEY HAMMERSMITH TO FILL THE REMAINDER OF THE VACANCY.
UM, THAT IS THE TERM ENDING DECEMBER 31ST, 2025.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR JOANNE? OKAY.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
I MOVE TO APPOINT LINDSEY HAMMERSMITH TO A SEAT ON THE TOURISM ADVISORY BOARD TO A TERM BEGINNING IMMEDIATELY AND ENDING ON DECEMBER 31ST, 2025 OR UNTIL A SUCCESSOR IS APPOINTED, WHICHEVER IS LATER.
ANY OPPOSED? OKAY, WE UNANIMOUS.
[5. SUMMARY OF CURRENT EVENTS BY MAYOR/COUNCILORS/CITY MANAGER & COUNCIL ASSIGNMENTS ]
OKAY.UH, SUMMARY OF CURRENT EVENTS BY MYSELF, THE COUNCIL, THE MANAGER, OR RELATED TO COUNCIL ASSIGNMENTS.
ANYTHING VICE MAYOR YOU WANT TO TOUCH ON THAT EVENT FROM? SURE.
UH, DURING THE, UH, FILM FESTIVAL, WHICH STARTED ON SATURDAY, GUESTS WERE HERE FROM, UH, BOTH CANMORE CANADA AND SLO POLAND, UH, FOR THE SISTER CITIES ASSOCIATION.
AND ON SATURDAY THERE WAS AN EVENT HERE AT CITY HALL CHAMBERS, WHERE BOTH OF THOSE REPRESENTATIVES OF THOSE COMMUNITIES PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC.
AND IT WAS MOSTLY ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR EXCHANGES IN THE ARTS AND CULTURE, BUT ALSO THE, THE PERSON WHO'S THE DIRECTOR OF THE CANMORE, I FORGET WHAT THE EXACT TITLE IS, BUT THEIR ARTS ORGANIZATION WAS HERE, AS WELL AS THE FORMER VICE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SLO, NOW THE HEAD OF THEIR ARTS AND CULTURE ORGANIZATION IN, IN SLO.
AND, UH, AND SO THEY PRESENTED IN THEIR ARTS EXCHANGES IN THE PROCESS OF BEING FINALIZED AND WILL OCCUR NEXT YEAR.
AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT, UM, UH, ARTS AND CULTURE PRIMARILY, ALTHOUGH THERE'S SOME ON EDUCATION WITH SCHOOL KIDS FROM HERE AND CANMORE THAT'S ALREADY STARTED TO, TO BE EXCHANGED.
UH, SO IT WAS, IT WAS A GREAT, UH, PRESENTATIONS BY BOTH OF THE POTENTIAL SISTER CITIES AND THERE'S MOVEMENT IN BOTH OF THEM.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD EXPECT TO SEE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, UM, POTENTIAL FOR SISTER CITIES AGREEMENT WITH CANMORE AND A FRIENDSHIP AGREEMENT WITH YALA.
AND THANK YOU COUNCILOR KINSELLA FOR ATTENDING THE EVENT.
IT WAS NICE TO SEE A COUNCIL PERSON THERE, UH, AS WELL.
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EVENT.ANY, ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING TO SHARE? NO.
[6. PUBLIC FORUM ]
FORUM.UH, IF YOU HAVE NOT FILLED OUT A CARD FOR THE PUBLIC FORUM, NOW IS THE TIME TO DO THAT.
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH, UH, MARY, UH, WAGNER.
MAYOR, THOSE ARE THE, FOR ITEM EIGHT A NO FOR PUBLIC.
I THOUGHT YOU HANDED THEM TO ME FOR NOW.
I THOUGHT THIS WAS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, SO PHIL KLOW, CAN I GO FIRST PLEASE? UH, HE'S WITH ME.
AND THEN PHIL WOULD BE FIRST, UH, WILL BE A SET FOLLOWED.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO TALK WITH YOUR SO NAME, PLEASE START WITH THIS.
AND IF ANYONE EVER HAS HAD TROUBLE USING COMPUTERS, DE DEBRA, CAN YOU PLEASE START WITH YOUR, YOU HAD YOUR NAME.
AND WHERE YOU COME, WHERE YOU LIVE? I LIVE IN SEDONA.
AND MY, THE COMPANY I HAVE IS HIKER HELP.
I WAS HERE AT THE LAST MEETING AND I SPENT THE ENTIRE DAY WRITING MY LETTER ONLY TO HAVE IT DISAPPEAR.
AND SO I'M VERY FRUSTRATED RIGHT NOW 'CAUSE FIVE MINUTES AGO I WAS CRYING.
WE HAVE A LOT OF FRUSTRATED AND CONFUSED VISITORS HERE IN SEDONA.
PEOPLE ARE GETTING PARKING TICKETS.
CHURCH GROUPS ARE GETTING PARKING TICKETS AT SOLDIER PASS TRAILHEAD WITHOUT EVEN GETTING OUT OF THEIR VEHICLE.
THEY'RE MAKING AN ATTEMPT TO DROP PEOPLE OFF AND THEY'RE GETTING PARKING TICKETS AND TOLD TO LEAVE.
UM, I GOT A PARKING TICKET BECAUSE THERE ARE SIGNS THERE SAYING NO STANDING, STOPPING OR PARKING.
HOWEVER, AFTER SPENDING MANY, MANY DAYS OFF WORK, RESEARCHING, TALKING TO LAWYERS, UM, AND EVERYTHING IT DOES SHOW, AND HE'S GONNA EXPLAIN MORE IN THE CODE, WHICH I TALKED ABOUT LAST WEEK, THAT IT IS ALLOWED BY CITY CODE TO, TO, UH, DROP OFF OR PICK UP PASSENGERS.
UM, IN, IN DOING THAT, I AM NOT BREAKING ANY LAWS.
HOWEVER, I'M VERY UPSET AND FRUSTRATED THAT I CAN'T BE AT SOLDIER PASS TRAIL LIKE I'VE BEEN FOR FOUR AND A HALF YEARS HELPING OUR VISITORS.
PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND SUNRISE TRAIL.
I'VE TAKEN PEOPLE IN MY VAN THAT WORKED FOR THE CITY A COUPLE OF TIMES TO POINT OUT ALL THE PROBLEMS AND ALL THE WAYS THEY CAN MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR OUR VISITORS.
AND ALL I DO WHEN I'M THERE IS HELP PEOPLE TELL 'EM NOT TO PARK CERTAIN PLACES, GIVE 'EM INFORMATION ABOUT THE SHUTTLE.
I AM REALLY DOING A, A TREMENDOUS SERVICE HERE IN SEDONA AT SOLDIER PASS TRAIL AND HAVE BEEN FOR ALMOST FIVE YEARS.
AND NOW BECAUSE OF SOME PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN HARASSING ME IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AFTER ALL THIS TIME, UM, I'M GETTING PARKING TICKETS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I'M NOT COMPLAINING ABOUT THAT.
I NEVER STOP FOR LONGER THAN A MINUTE.
I LET PEOPLE KNOW AHEAD OF TIME THEY NEED TO GET OUT.
IT'S JUST REALLY CONFUSING 'CAUSE I GOT A TICKET FOR THE STATE CODE, WHICH IS NOT EVEN THE SIGN THAT'S POSTED, WHICH IS MORE INVOLVED, BUT IT DOES SAY I CAN STOP ALSO TO A LOAD OR UNLOAD.
I'VE WRITTEN TO A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE TO THE CHIEF OF POLICE, UM, AND I, I'VE GOTTEN NO RESPONSE FROM ANYONE IN THE MEANTIME.
I HAVE NO MONEY FOR MY BILLS, MY RENT, MY BUSINESS COSTS ME ALMOST 2000 A MONTH JUST TO HAVE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I WANNA HELP OUR VISITORS.
IF YOU WERE LOOK AT MY FACEBOOK PAGE, IT'S NOTHING BUT GRAND REVIEWS AND I DON'T SEE WHY I'M BEING KEPT FROM DOING SOMETHING THAT REALLY HELPS OUR VISITORS.
THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM AND NOBODY SEEMS TO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.
ALRIGHT, PHIL KLOW, AND YOU'LL BE OUR, OUR LAST SPEAKER.
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UNLESS SOMEBODY ELSE WISHES TO FILL OUT A CARD, THIS WOULD BE THE LAST OPPORTUNITY.SO, PHIL, START WITH YOUR NAME.
HOW ABOUT THIS? IS THIS WORKING? HI, MY NAME'S PHIL CHELO, SEDONA RESIDENT FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
THANKS FOR PUTTING UP WITH ME.
OH, THE CHANGES I'VE SEEN IN THE LAST THREE DECADES OF LIVING IN SEDONA.
FROM THE SLEEPY LITTLE ARTIST COMMUNITY TO AN OVERRUN INTERNATIONAL DESTINATION WITH OVERCROWDING BEING THE NORM.
I SHOWED UP IN SEDONA IN 1992, STARTED A PLUMBING COMPANY THAT WAS THE BEST OF THE BEST FOR 10 YEARS.
I WORKED WITH THE US FOREST SERVICE FOR MANY YEARS, DESIGNING AND BUILDING OUR WORLD FAMOUS TRAIL SYSTEM.
MY DAUGHTER WAS THE FIRST GRADUATING RED ROCK HIGH SCHOOL AND MY SON, CLASS PRESIDENT OF VERDE VALLEY SCHOOL IS NOW A SEDONA FIRE.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE SOLDIER PASS TRIAL, THE TRAIL'S, AN OLD INDIAN TRACE LATER USED BY THE SOLDIERS FROM CAMP VERDE TO GRAZE THEIR HORSES IN PRINCE MESA.
AND NOW AN HOA NEIGHBORHOOD WITH SOME NIMBYS WHO KNEW THE TRAIL WAS THERE WHEN THEY BOUGHT THEIR HOUSES.
MUCH EFFORT HAS BEEN SPENT TO CLEAN UP THE SITUATION OF THE COME TO USE VISITORS.
THE ACCESS OF THE TRAILS TO SHUTTLE SYSTEM AND THE SIGHTINGS ALL BEEN IMPROVEMENTS BEEN ADDED.
DEBBIE HAS BEEN HELPING OUT OUR VISITORS FOR FOUR AND A HALF YEARS TO AVOID PARKING TICKETS, UH, HELP NAVIGATE THIS NEW AND CONFUSING TRAIL ACCESS AS WELL AS WATCH OUT FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD SHE'S LEGALLY LICENSED AND INSURERS SHE'S LOVED BY THE VISITORS AND APPRECIATED BY MOST OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
ON DECEMBER 24TH, SHE WAS GIVEN A TICKET BASED ON THE ARIZONA CODE FOR STOPPING STANDING PARKING IN A PLACE THAT SHE'S BEEN USING FOR FOUR AND A HALF YEARS PREVIOUSLY OF OFFICIALLY POSTED SIGNS THAT ARE DOWN.
THERE ARE SEDONA CODES, WHICH ALLOW FOR THE STOPPING TO LOAD AND UNLOAD PASSENGERS.
OFFICIALLY POSTING A CITY ORDINANCE, BUT CHANGING IT AND USING A STATE CODE FOR TICKET PUNISHMENT.
AND WHY AFTER FOUR AND A HALF YEARS DID THIS HAPPEN AT ALL? WHAT'S DIFFERENT AND WHY DID THE POLICE NOT FOLLOW THE OFFICIAL POSTED SEDONA SIGNAGE? $150 TICKET? I MEAN, DOES THE CITY NEED THE REVENUE? I DON'T KNOW.
SO FROM MY PERCEPTION, THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME AGENTS MADE WITH THE INFO AND DIRECTIONS.
UM, IN THIS SITUATION, AT A TRAFFIC PERSON AT THE SOLDIER PASS AND TRUTH INTERSECTION WITHIN FROM ONE BASIS, YOU DON'T GET TO GO DOWN THERE UNLESS YOU'RE GONNA DROP SOMEBODY OFF OR YOU LIVE DOWN THERE.
UM, CLOSE THE PARKING AT THE TRAILHEAD.
THERE'S 14 SPACES DOWN THERE IF THERE'S NO REASON TO GO DOWN THERE, TO LOOK TO SEE IF YOU'VE GOT A PARKING SPOT, WE CAN ELIMINATE ALL THAT TRAFFIC GOING DOWN THERE TO TAKE A LOOK, ENFORCE THE POSTED CITY CODE, WHICH DOES ALLOW TEMPORARY SPARKING TEMPORARILY TO LOAD AND UNLOAD THE PASSENGERS AND CLEAN UP THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND GET ALL THOSE CONFUSING SIGNS AS THEY DON'T WORK AS BY SHOWN BY THE AMOUNT OF TICKETS.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC FORUM.
ITEM SEVEN, PROCLAMATION, RECOGNITIONS AND AWARDS.
[8.a. AB 3186 Discussion/possible action regarding approval of a property purchase agreement, with the Arizona Department of Transportation, for the purchase of a parcel located at 676 SR 179, in the amount of $998,602.50 plus closing costs and authorization of a budget transfer of funds of up to $1,010,000. (Part 1 of 2)]
TO REGULAR BUSINESS.ITEM EIGHT EIGHT A IS AB 31 86.
DISCUSSION, POSSIBLE ACTION, EXCUSE ME, REGARDING APPROVAL OF OF A PROPERTY PURCHASE AGREEMENT WITH THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR A PURCHASE OF A PARCEL LOCATED AT 6 7 6, UH, STATE ROUTE 1 79 AND THE AMOUNT OF 998,602, UH, DOLLARS AND 50 CENTS PLUS CLOSING COSTS AND AUTHORIZATION OF A BUDGET TRANSFER, UH, OF FUNDS UP TO $1,010,000.
SO I AM PRESENTING A PROPERTY PURCHASE AGREEMENT WITH ADOT, THAT'S THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE PROPERTY, LOCATED AT 6 76 STATE ROUTE 1 79.
LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ON THE PROPERTY.
IT IS LOCATED, AND I DO HAVE A MAP I'LL SHOW YOU IN JUST A SECOND, BUT IT IS LOCATED AT THE CORNER OF STATE ROUTE 1 79 AND COPPER CLIFFS DRIVE, THE SIZE OF THE PARCEL IS APPROXIMATELY 3.64 ACRES.
IT IS ZONED CO THAT'S COMMERCIAL.
ON THE HIGHWAY SIDE OF THE PROPERTY, THERE IS A STEEP ELEVATION SLOPING FROM THE HIGHWAY DOWN TO THE PROPERTY AND THEN ALONG THE CREEK.
IT'S A GENERAL SLOPE OF ABOUT 2% ALONG THE FRONTAGE, WHICH IS ABOUT 700 FEET.
UH, THE PROPERTY USE WILL BE RESTRICTED IF COUNSEL DECIDES TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE ACQUISITION.
THIS IS BECAUSE WHEN ADOT APPROACHED THE CITY TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE ACQUISITION, IT WAS UNDER THE IDEA THAT THE CITY WOULD HAVE FIRST RIGHT TO ACQUIRE IT AS LONG AS A DEED RESTRICTION
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WENT WITH THE PROPERTY, UH, RESTRICTING, RESTRICTING IT TO A SPECIFIC HIGHWAY PURPOSE.WE HAVE CONFIRMED WITH ADOT THAT THIS COULD INCLUDE EITHER A CREEK WALK, A CREEK PARK, OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
THROUGH, UM, THE ACQUISITION PROCESS, WE HAVE COMPLETED A PHASE ONE ENVIRONMENTAL SITE ASSESSMENT, WHICH HAS NOT, UH, RESULTED IN ANY CONCERNING FINDINGS.
UM, THERE'S ALSO, I WAS GONNA MENTION A LAND SURVEY THAT WAS COMPLETED BY ADOT WHEN THEY ACQUIRED THE PAR, UH, PROPERTY BACK IN 2008, WHICH WAS FOR THE WIDENING OF THE 1 79 PROJECT.
THERE'S ALSO A DITCH, WHICH YOU CAN SEE IN THIS OOPS, IN THIS PHOTO HERE THAT RUNS, THIS IS ACTUALLY DOWNSTREAM OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTY, BUT IT BEGINS AT OAK CREEK AT, AT THIS PROPERTY, AND THEN RUNS TO THE SOUTH TO THE, UM, TO THE PROPERTIES THAT THAT LIE TO THE SOUTH OF THIS AREA.
WHAT'S ALSO SHOWN HERE IS A CLIP FROM THE EASEMENT FOR THE DITCH.
WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THIS IS IT WAS DEDICATED TO A GEORGE W. JORDAN IN 1952.
I'VE ASKED NATE, UH, TO LOOK INTO THIS FURTHER OVER AT THE, UH, JORDAN HISTORIC SOCIETY OR HISTORIC PARK, AND HE'S PULLED UP SOME INFORMATION, BUT IT'S, HE HASN'T DONE A COMPLETE SEARCH ON IT YET.
THERE, THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME INTERESTING HISTORY TO THIS AREA THOUGH.
ALSO WANT TO, WHOOPS, RUN TWO OF THESE.
WANTED TO MENTION THAT WITH THE ACQUISITION OF THE PROPERTY, THE, THE FINAL USE THAT THE CITY DECIDES SHOULD GO WITH IT NEED TO BE DETERMINED.
A CREEK WALK HAS BEEN DISCUSSED, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE MAP HERE.
THE PROPERTY THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS DOWN AT THE SOUTH END HERE.
THIS IS COPPER CLIFFS DRIVE AND THIS AREA, SOBAR LANE IS HERE.
AND OF COURSE, THIS IS STATE ROUTE 1 79.
THE PROPERTY COULD BE CONNECTED TO A CREEK WALK AS SHOWN IN THE YELLOW LINE HERE, UM, VIA, UM, A MULTIMODAL PATHWAY OR SOME SORT OF PATHWAY.
THE IDEA FOR THIS IS THAT IT WOULD CONNECT TO UP DOWN UPTOWN.
UM, ALSO HUCKABEE TRAIL COULD BE CONNECTED TO, WHICH IS SHOWN IN THIS BROWN LINE HERE AND OTHER BUSINESS AREAS AS WELL.
IF, UM, AS WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET CYCLE THIS YEAR, THE BUDGET PROCESS, A STUDY COULD BE FUNDED THAT'S BEEN PROPOSED IN THE, THE TE UH, TENTATIVE BUDGET THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW, WHICH WOULD FURTHER CONSIDER USES SUCH AS A CREEK, UH, WALK OR CREEK PARK, OR JUST, UM, PRESERVATION OF THE PROPERTY COULD BE CONSIDERED AS WELL.
THIS, UH, A STUDY WOULD LOOK AT HOW THE FACILITY COULD INCORPORATE BENEFITS SUCH AS PROTECTING THE CREEK WHILE CONNECTING THE ADJACENT COMMERCIAL AREAS, INCLUDING ARTS, UH, ART INSTALLATIONS, ALL WHILE THE WALK WOULD PROVIDE A CALMING NATURAL ENVIRONMENT WITH THE VIEW AND SOUNDS OF THE CREEK ADJACENT TO IT.
THE STUDY COULD ALSO CONSIDER POTENTIAL NEGATIVE IMPACTS.
UM, WE'VE, WE'VE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC ALREADY THAT THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS AND THAT STUDY WOULD LOOK AT HOW THESE, UH, IMPACTS WOULD BE AVOIDED THROUGH CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE COULD MAKE WITH THE, WITH THE FACILITY.
WHILE THE PROPERTY IS SHOWN ON THE PROPOSED CREEK GU MAP.
AS I INDICATED, THE PROPERTY COULD BE DEVELOPED AS A PARK OR EVEN, UM, AS A PRESERVATION AREA AS WELL.
AGAIN, THIS COULD ALL BE CONSIDERED AS PART OF THE STUDY IN, UH, FISCAL YEAR 26 IF APPROVED IN THE BUDGET.
IF COUNSEL APPROVES THE PROPERTY PURCHASE, WE WOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH CLOSING ON THE PROPERTY RIGHT AWAY.
IT'S CURRENTLY WITH A TITLE COMPANY AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED.
A STUDY WOULD THEN BE COMPLETED IF APPROVED IN THE BUDGET IN FY 26 AS PART OF THAT PUBLIC OUTREACH WOULD OCCUR.
AND THIS WOULD BE IN ORDER TO GET PUBLIC INPUT
[00:25:01]
ON WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE PROPERTY, INCLUDING IF IT BECOMES A CREEK WALK OR CONNECTED TO THE CREEK WALK, IF IT BECOMES A CREEK PARK OR JUST PRESERVATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE PROPERTY IN ADJACENT, UH, CREEK AREA WOULD BE PART OF WHAT WE WOULD DO WITH THE PROPERTY AS WELL.IF THE CREEK WALK DOES MOVE FORWARD, IT WOULD BE BROKEN INTO PHASES.
WITH THE SOUTH PHASE WE'VE IDENTIFIED AS PHASE ONE.
THIS WOULD BE FROM THE COPPER CLIFFS AREA.
THE SOUTH END HERE, UP TO THE UNDER CROSSING AT 1 79.
PHASE TWO WOULD BE SORT OF THE MIDDLE AREA OF THE ALIGNMENT FROM 1 79 THROUGH THE CREEK AREA AND CONNECTING UP JUST SOUTH OF LEBERTS LANE, OR I'M SORRY, LEBERTS, LEBERTS LANE RUNS RIGHT THROUGH HERE.
AND THEN THE THIRD PHASE WOULD BE THE NORTH END, WHICH WOULD RUN FROM THIS AREA, WHICH IS NEAR THE OAK CREEK HERITAGE PARCEL UP TO THE NORTH END OF UPTOWN.
AND REALLY THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR A PRESENTATION, VERY SHORT.
WE'LL TAKE, UH, QUESTIONS FIRST BEFORE WE GO TO THE PUBLIC.
UH, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE EAST SIDE OF THE CREEK PROPERTY IS VERY STEEP AND THERE'S ACTUALLY THAT ADDITIONAL PARCEL THAT LOS ADOS OWNS.
SO THERE'S A VERY LIMITED AREA WHERE THIS LOT ACTUALLY, OR THIS PARCEL ACTUALLY, UH, BORDERS 1 79.
IF THE CITY WERE TO NOT PURCHASE THIS PROPERTY AND IT WENT TO AUCTION AND SOMEONE CHOSE TO PURCHASE IT, WHAT WOULD YOU ENVISION THE POTENTIAL USES TO BE ON THIS COMMERCIALLY ZONED PARCEL? UM, AND, AND HOW WOULD A USER ACCESS, UM, THE LAND, ESPECIALLY IF IT WERE, YOU KNOW, GOING TO REQUIRE VEHICULAR ACCESS? AND THEN ACTUALLY, IF YOU CAN ALSO DESCRIBE WHAT PEDESTRIAN ACCESS MIGHT LOOK LIKE, SHOULD WE BE THE ONES TO, TO PURCHASE IT? OKAY, I'LL, THAT WAS A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
SO THERE'S ONLY, ONLY TWO ACTUALLY.
SO LET'S ACTUALLY START WITH IF WE BOUGHT IT.
WHAT WOULD YOU ENVISION PEDESTRIAN ACCESS TO LOOK LIKE FROM 1 79 ONTO THAT PARCEL? YEAH, SO THERE, THERE ARE A FEW OPTIONS.
UM, OF COURSE IF WE WANNA MAKE IT A DA THAT'S GONNA REQUIRE CERTAIN THINGS.
UM, WITHOUT CONSIDERING A DA, YOU COULD COME IN OFF OF, UH, COPPER CLIFFS DRIVE AND THEN YOU WOULD TAKE A PRETTY STEEP DESCENT DOWN INTO THE PROPERTY.
UM, ANDY IS COPPER CLIFFS A PUBLIC OR PRIVATE ROAD? UM, IN, IN THAT ADJACENT AREA, IT'S ACTUALLY PUBLIC RIGHT THERE.
IT BECOMES PRIVATE FURTHER DOWN, BUT AT THE TOP END BY THE HIGHWAY, IT'S PUBLIC THERE.
AND IF IT WERE TO BE USED FOR PEDESTRIAN ACCESS, PRESUMABLY IT WOULD NEED TO BE MODIFIED TO INCLUDE SOMETHING RESEMBLING SIDEWALK, SUP TYPE RIGHT ACCESS ALONG COPPER CLIFFS, THEN IT WOULD, AND ANOTHER OPTION, UM, THAT WE COULD LOOK AT IN FY 26 NEXT YEAR WOULD BE THE POSSIBLE FURTHER ACQUISITION OF ANOTHER PROPERTY THAT ADOT BROUGHT TO THE CITY'S ATTENTION, WHICH IS JUST SOUTH OF THIS PARCEL.
AND IT'S RIGHT WHERE I'M SHOWING THE CURSOR HERE, ADOT RE REFERS TO THE PROPERTY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY AS PARCEL A AND THE OTHER PARCEL THAT I JUST MENTIONED AS PARCEL B HERE.
SO IF THE CITY WANTED GOOD, UM, NOT AS STEEP ACCESS, YOU MIGHT SAY, THEN UM, LIKELY WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT PURCHASING BOTH OF THOSE PROPERTIES.
AND THEN THE QUESTION AROUND VEHICULAR ACCESS, WHAT WOULD YOU ENVISION IF, UH, ANOTHER BUYER, A PRIVATE BUYER, WAS GOING TO ACCESS IT OR WANT TO HAVE ACCESS FOR A COMMERCIAL OR OTHER USE? WOULD IT BE OFF OF COPPER CLIFFS AND IS THAT EVEN FEASIBLE GIVEN THE STEEP NATURE YEAH, OF THAT ROAD? IT, IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT, I WOULD SAY, AND IT WOULD BE OFF OF COPPER CLIFFS DRIVE LIKELY, UM, ANY KIND OF DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE TRYING TO BUILD OFF OF THAT UPPER HIGHER AREA AND SORT OF CANTILEVERING INTO THE CREEK AREA.
UM, AS FAR AS POTENTIAL USES, YOU
[00:30:01]
KNOW, IT IS ZONED COMMERCIAL, SO THERE ARE QUITE A FEW USES THAT ARE ALREADY ALLOWED BY THAT PERMITTED OR BY THAT ZONING.UM, THERE'S ALSO ADDITIONAL USES THAT ARE ALLOWED BY SPECIAL USE PERMIT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT COMMERCIAL IT, IT INCLUDES A LOT OF, UH, DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT COULD BE, UH, DEVELOPED THERE.
AND THEN WHO ARE THE PROPERTY OWNERS ADJACENT ON THE WEST SIDE THEN? LIKE THE, THE HARKINS TRUST IS ONE OF THEM, I BELIEVE.
AND WHO ELSE ACROSS THE CREEK IS, UH, THE HARKINS TRUST AND THEN TO THE SOUTH DIRECTLY? THERE'S UH, AN OWNER, IT'S AN LLC.
I COULD, I COULD MENTION THE NAME OF THE LLC, BUT THAT WOULDN'T TELL YOU ANYTHING.
SO, SO THERE AND THOSE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE THEIR OWN ACCESS OFF OF WHAT? BREWER? COPPER CLIFFS ACTUALLY.
SO ANDY, IF WE WERE TO, UM, AUTHORIZE PURCHASE OF THIS PROPERTY TODAY, AT THE POINT IN TIME WHERE TITLE TRANSFERS TO THE CITY, WHAT IS OUR PROPOSED OR THOUGHT ABOUT WAY OF ENSURING THAT THIS LAND IS ALREADY TREATED AS, SAY, A PARK AS FAR AS ACCESS, PEOPLE GOING THERE, WHETHER YOU WANT THEM TO OR NOT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO MIGHT DECIDE THEY WANNA CAMP BY THE CREEK, ANY OF THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
WHAT, WHAT WOULD BE, UM, WHAT WOULD WE BE DOING AS A CITY? YEAH, AND ACTUALLY IF I COULD, I WOULD START WITH, WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY.
SO WE'VE, WE'VE ACTUALLY GOTTEN, UH, CONCERNS BROUGHT TO US FROM ADOT BECAUSE THERE'S CURRENTLY HOMELESS FOLKS AND THINGS HAPPENING ON THAT PROPERTY THAT, UH, IS NOT DESIRABLE WITH, WITH CITY ACQUISITION.
IT WOULD BECOME CITY PROPERTY AND THEN, UH, YOU KNOW, BEFORE IT'S DEVELOPED INTO POSSIBLY A PARK OR A WALK OR WHATEVER THAT MIGHT BE, WE WOULD LIKELY POST NO TRESPASSING ON THE PROPERTY AND BEGIN TO ENFORCE THAT.
UM, SO DEFINITELY WE WOULD BE LOOKING TO, UM, KEEP THAT ELEMENT OFF THE PROPERTY.
WE WOULD ALSO LOOK TO GO IN THERE AND MAINTAIN IT.
CURRENTLY IN THE STATE IT'S IN TODAY, THERE'S A DECENT AMOUNT OF FLOOD DEBRIS THAT EXISTS ON THE PROPERTY.
OF COURSE, THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR F UH, FUTURE FLOODING EVENTS OF THAT WOULD GET CARRIED DOWNSTREAM AND END UP AS A POTENTIAL BLOCKAGE, FOR INSTANCE.
SO, UH, DEFINITELY THERE'S, THERE'S A, A BENEFIT TO CITY OWNERSHIP, UM, IN BOTH MAINTAINING THE PROPERTY AND ENFORCING, UH, NO TRESPASSING ON IT.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR.
I THINK MY COLLEAGUES ASKED VERY GOOD QUESTIONS.
IS THIS, UH, PROPERTY ELIGIBLE FOR, UH, PARTIAL COMPENSATION BY RD OLSON? IT IS, AS A MATTER OF FACT, THAT'S IN THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH THAT DEVELOPER THAT THEY WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS, UH, SUCH AS THIS.
SO WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT A 10%, UH, REIMBURSEMENT OF THE COST OF, UM, PROPERTY ACQUISITION.
AND YOU'VE DISCUSSED THAT WITH THEM? ARE THEY AWARE OF IT? I I HAVE NOT, BUT MAYOR AND COUNSEL, NO, I HAVE NOT BROUGHT THAT UP.
SO THE PROVISION IN THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT ONE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GENERALLY AWARE THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT PROPERTIES, UM, AND THEN TWO IN THE, OR THE PROVISION IN THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, UH, ALLOWS US 45 DAYS TO PROVIDE THEM NOTICE AND THEN THEM A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME TO, UM, REIMBURSE THE CITY.
SO THIS WILL BE A GOOD, UH, TEST OF THAT SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT.
BUT YOU'RE CONFIDENT THAT THIS QUALIFIES? YEAH, IT STATES THAT ANY PROPERTY PURCHASED, UM, FOR, UH, UH, THE CREEK WALK PLAN IS HOW IT'S CALLED IN THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT.
AND, UH, YOUR MOTION WOULD BE HAVING YOU PURCHASE THIS FOR THE CREEK WALK PLAN.
SO ANDY, I'M LOOKING AT A DIAGRAM THAT WAS WITH THE AGENDA AND IT SHOWS A YELLOW DOTTED LINE RUNNING KIND OF ZIGZAGGING THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE PROPERTY.
IS THAT THE EXPECTED ROUTE OF THE CREEK WALK OR A, A POSSIBLE ROUTE OF THE CREEK WALK THIS, THIS LINE HERE? YES.
AND PLEASE TAKE THAT LIGHTLY BECAUSE IT IS PLOTTED WITH NO REGARD FOR PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING.
[00:35:01]
SANDWICHED IN BETWEEN 1 79 AND THIS PARCEL? THIS LAND HERE? YES.THAT'S ACTUALLY THE ODD SHAPE THAT, UH, COUNSELOR LTZ WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER.
UH, THAT'S PART OF THE LOS ABOGADOS PROPERTY.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT IT BEING SOUTH OF IT, SO, YEAH.
KURT, IS THERE A MECHANISM WHERE WE COULD BUY OUT THIS RESTRICTION IF AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE NO CREEK WALK DOESN'T MOVE FORWARD, PARK DOESN'T MOVE FORWARD.
WE DECIDE WE DON'T WANT TO KEEP THIS LAND ANY LONGER.
UH, SO LIKELY IN THAT SCENARIO, IF THE CITY DECIDED IT WAS NOT GONNA USE IT FOR THE CREEK WALK, WE'D MOST LIKELY HAVE TO REFUND THE, I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FROM THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT PERSPECTIVE? NO, I MEAN I OH, THE RESTRICTION THAT THE CITY, THE RESTRICTION THAT ADOT PUTS ON THE PROPERTY? NO.
SO THAT ONE'S, THERE IS NO WAY SO CONVERTS BACK TO ADOT.
AND SO THAT ONE WE BROADENED, IT'S FOR ANY HIGHWAY USE, SHARED USE PATH USE AND PARKING.
SO WE DID GET THAT OUT OF, UM, WHICH THEY ALL CONSIDERED KIND OF TRANSIT TRANSPORTATION RELATED.
SO THEY WERE OKAY WITH, UM, BUT THAT'S AS MUCH AS WE COULD GET OUT OF EIGHT ON THAT.
WHAT ABOUT JUST PLAIN PRESERVATION? ARE THEY GONNA ALLOW IT TO SIT? YEAH, NO, IT CAN JUST SIT, THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT THAT WE, IT'S JUST THAT THE ONLY USE IT CAN BE DONE IS FOR IF WE'RE GONNA IMPROVE IT AT ALL, IT HAS TO BE DONE FOR HIGHWAY PURPOSES.
IT CAN REMAIN FOR, UH, PRESERVATION.
AND ANDY, IF WE DON'T ACQUIRE THIS PARCEL, DOES THIS CUT OFF THE CREEK WALK AT THIS LOCATION? OR I GUESS YOU COULD SAY THAT.
IS THERE A ROUTE AROUND THIS THAT WE COULD STILL, UM, THIS PHASE WOULD BE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT.
OF COURSE THE OTHER PHASES ARE INDEPENDENT OF THIS, BUT THIS PARTICULAR PHASE WOULD BE MORE DIFFICULT.
I SPENT YESTERDAY HIKING INTO BOTH THE EAST AND THE WEST SIDES OF THIS PROPERTY,
AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT I FIRST WENT IN FROM THE WEST AND THOUGHT, OH, THIS IS INTERESTING.
AND THEN I LOOKED AT, I, I PARKED OVER BY THE ROUNDABOUT TO THE NORTH AND I WALKED ALL THE WAY DOWN TO COPPER CLIFFS, JUST LOOKING OUT THERE.
AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU HAD SAID THAT YOU, YOU THINK YOU CAN GET A, A WALKWAY UP, BUT IT SURE LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, A SUPER STEEP 800 STEP STAIR STEPPER EXERCISE AND SOME KIND OF WONDERING HOW MUCH THOUGHT STAFF HAS REALLY PUT INTO WHETHER THERE'S A VIABLE EXIT, YOU KNOW, UP TO 1 79 AND, AND THE STUFF OUT THERE.
CAN YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT WHAT WORK YOU HAVE OR MAYBE HAVEN'T ACTUALLY DONE LOOKING AT THIS YET? I MEAN, WE HAVEN'T SURVEYED IN ANY KIND OF ALIGNMENT, SO WE HAVEN'T GONE TO THAT LEVEL OF ANALYSIS FOR THAT.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, STRUCTURES CAN BE BUILT OF COURSE, THAT OVERCOME THESE OBSTACLES.
SO I HESITATE TO SAY IT'S, I DEFINITELY WOULDN'T SAY IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR SURE.
NOW THERE, THERE ARE OTHER, ONCE YOU GET INTO ACTUAL DESIGN FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS, UM, IF IT WERE PART OF A CREEK WALK, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE THERE ARE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT YOU COULD DO.
FOR INSTANCE, THE A DA ACCESS COULD COME IN FROM THE NORTH AND NOT COME IN FROM THE SOUTH.
I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD DO, BUT THAT IS A POSSIBILITY.
UM, SO YEAH, I MEAN IT'S, IT'S HARD TO SPECULATE ON ALL THE OPTIONS THERE, BUT IT DOES SEEM LIKE GAINING ACCESS IS POSSIBLE AND, AND GAINING ACCESS FROM THE NORTH ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE CREEK WOULD REQUIRE THE COOPERATION OF OTHER PROPERTY OWNERS OUT IN THAT AREA? THAT'S CORRECT.
ARE, ARE YOU WHERE ANDY, I LEARNED JUST YESTERDAY OF AN OLD CONCEPTUAL DESIGN FOR A CREEK WALK IN THIS AREA THAT WAS, I THINK ACTUALLY PRODUCED BEFORE 1 79 GOT WIDENED AND IT CAME FROM HILLSIDE AND WENT DOWN THAT WASH AND THEN DOWN INTO THIS AREA.
ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THAT OLD PLAN? I KNOW THERE WAS A PLAN DONE.
IT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN A CITY PLAN, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH A GOOD IDEA.
YEAH, I, I'M NOT SURE IF THE PLAN THAT
[00:40:01]
I'M THINKING OF IS THE SAME ONE THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO, BUT AROUND THE SAME TIME THAT 1 79 WAS REBUILT, THE SAME CONSULTANT THAT DESIGNED 1 79 WORKED FOR THE CITY AND CREATED A CREEK WALK PLAN, THAT, THAT MAY BE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.SO THIS PLAN, THE, THE ACCESS CAME DOWN THAT WASH THAT'S JUST NORTH OF HILLSIDE INTO THIS PLACE.
BUT NOW THAT, I DON'T KNOW IF THE, WHAT IS THAT HOTEL THAT'S THERE? THE BED AND BREAKFAST THERE? THE IN IT, YEAH.
YEAH, I THINK THAT'S THE NAME.
BUT YOU KNOW, THERE'S A, THERE IS A, A FLOODWAY WATERWAY ACCESS UNDERNEATH 1 79 THAT LOCATION NOW, BUT IT'S NOT REALLY FOR PEOPLE TO WALK THROUGH.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, IT'S FENCED OFF AND RIGHT.
AND TRY TRYING TO REBUILD THAT WOULD BE A MONUMENTALLY DIFFICULT TASK AS WELL, WOULDN'T IT? PROBABLY.
THEN THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO ASK YOU IS THAT YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU SAID TODAY AND WHEN I'VE TALKED TO YOU IN THE PAST OR WHEN YOU'VE TALKED TO US IN THE PAST, THAT THERE IS, IT'S COMMERCIAL ZONING ON THAT, UH, FRONTING 1 79 AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S LOTS OF ALLOWED USES, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK DOWN THERE, IT'S ALL SOMETHING WOULD HAVE TO BE CANTILEVERED OUT AND MM-HMM
IT WOULD BE A VERY COMPLEX TASK WORKING AND WE'D HAVE TO SORT OF GRANT ACT MODIFICATION TO OUR CODES TO ALLOW ANYTHING TO BE BUILT THERE.
IS THAT FAIR TO SAY? WOULD YOU PROBABLY YEAH, PROBABLY.
I MEAN, IT JUST LOOKS SO STEEP THAT IT LOOKS LIKE WE ACTUALLY WOULD HAVE SOME STRONG VOICE TO PLAY ABOUT IF WE DIDN'T BUY IT AND IT WENT TO AUCTION AND SO THOUGHT THEY COULD DO SOMETHING, WE'D HAVE A PRETTY STRONG VOICE ABOUT WHAT COULD OR REALLY COULDN'T HAPPEN.
AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION I WANTED TO ASK YOU, ANDY, IS IS THERE A TIME, IS THERE A CLOCK TICKING WITH ADOT HERE IF WE ASK THEM FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO THINK MAYBE AT THE NEXT LEVEL DOWN? I'M NOT SAYING HIRE CONSULTANTS, BUT REALLY GET OUR PEOPLE ACTUALLY TAKING A LOOK AT THIS AND UNDERSTANDING THE FEASIBILITY OF COMING UP THAT STEVE, STEVE CLIFF AND YOU KNOW, WHAT THIS MIGHT BE, AND OR ARE THE PROPERTY OWNERS ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE CREEK WILLING TO TALK TO US AT ALL ABOUT ACCESS? DO WE HAVE SOME TIME? DOES THIS HAVE TO BE DONE TODAY? THAT I'M NOT SURE OF.
I, I DID, UH, ASK ADOT TO TAKE SOME TIME AND ALLOW, UH, THE CITY TO NOT MOVE FORWARD RIGHT AWAY WHEN THIS WAS BROUGHT UP.
SO I'VE ALREADY BOUGHT QUITE A BIT OF TIME TO ALLOW THE AMOUNT OF, UH, INVESTIGATION THAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR.
AND THIS GOES BACK TO LIKE LAST SUMMER.
SO, UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE WILLING TO WAIT LONGER OR NOT.
UH, I I WILL, I JUST, I I GUESS THROW OUT THAT THEY'VE BEEN WAITING A LONG TIME.
AND, BUT I, I STILL, THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE AN OFFICIAL CLOCK.
THEY DIDN'T DO SOMETHING WHICH SET A CLOCK IN MOTION TO SAY THEY NEED AN ANSWER FOR US.
JUST FOLLOWING UP ON THAT, UM, ANDY, WASN'T IT THE INTENTION OF ADOT AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, TO GO TO AUCTION FOR THIS PROPERTY IF THE CITY YES.
DOESN'T WANT IT? SO IT WOULD, AND OKAY, SO THIS COULD AGAIN GO OUT TO ANYBODY AND IT'S ZONED COMMERCIAL, SO THEREFORE THERE WOULD BE, UM, ANY NUMBER OF ALLOWABLE USES ON THAT, WHICH WOULD MIGHT INCLUDE AC DIRECT CREEK ACCESS, RIGHT? CORRECT.
AND IF WE OWNED IT, THE CITY, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO CONTROL ACCESS, EITHER DEEM IT APPROPRIATE OR NOT, AFTER THERE WERE DIFFERENT STUDIES DONE.
AND THE, UM, YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE DEBRIS, SORT OF FLOOD DEBRIS THAT'S IN THE WATERWAY THERE AND THE ABILITY NOW THAT THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO ACCESS THAT FOR CLEANUP.
WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF US IF WE, YOU KNOW, HAVING THAT? SHOULD WE PROCEED? YEAH.
UM, AS A MATTER OF FACT, OUR, OUR INTENT WOULD BE TO WORK WITH COUNTY FLOOD CONTROLS, UM, NUMEROUS, UH, REGULATING AGENCIES IN, UH, MAKING PRESERVATION EFFORTS AND PROTECTION OF THE CREEK.
UH, I THINK CLEANING UP THE DEBRIS WOULD BE A GOOD THING FOR THE CREEK.
[00:45:01]
AND, AND CERTAINLY, UH, THAT WOULD BE OUR RESPONSIBILITY IF WE OWN THE PROPERTY AT THAT POINT.UM, I HOPE I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.
AND, AND THAT WOULD HELP PROTECT DOWNSTREAM PROPERTIES OWNED BY PRIVATE CITIZENS OF SEDONA? YES, BECAUSE WITHOUT CLEANING THAT UP, IT, IT WOULD BE CARRIED AWAY IN THE NEXT SIGNIFICANT STORM.
AND JUST ADDED TO OTHER DEBRIS BECAUSE DOWNSTREAM FROM THERE, WE'VE HAD FLOODING PROBLEMS IN THE PAST THAT I'M AWARE OF.
I HAD THE RIGHT LOCATION IN MIND RIGHT THERE.
THERE ARE AT LEAST A COUPLE OF, UH, LOCATIONS DOWNSTREAM, UH, DOWNSTREAM THAT HAVE HAD ISSUE WITH FLOODING.
SO, SO HAVING THE ABILITY TO GO IN AND CLEAN UP THIS AREA WOULD BE A FLOOD CONTROL BENEFIT? YES.
AND, AND ACTUALLY WE'VE ALREADY TALKED WITH, UH, COCONINO COUNTY, UH, ABOUT PARTNERING WITH US ON THAT IF, IF THE CITY WERE TO ACQUIRE THE PROPERTY AND THEY WERE RECEPTIVE.
AND WHAT DO YOU THINK, AND AGAIN, 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU ONLY DID THE PRELIMINARY, UM, UH, ESA, UH, BUT WHAT, ARE THERE ANYTHING THAT'S COME TO LIGHT ABOUT, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL RESTRICTIONS THAT MIGHT BE CUMBERSOME TO US OR THAT WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT BEFORE PROCEEDING OR NOT PROCEEDING? WELL, I MEAN, WE, WE KNOW ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WE HAD TO WORK THROUGH, UH, WITH THE UNDER CROSSING, FOR INSTANCE.
CERTAINLY, UM, WE WOULD EXPECT TO HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THE SAME CHALLENGES WITH, UH, ANY KIND OF DEVELOPMENT THAT HAPPENED HERE WITH, UH, ENDANGERED SPECIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I WANNA TOUCH ON A LITTLE BIT WHAT, UH, COUNCILOR KINSELLA DID, UH, AND ADD TO MY QUESTIONS.
IF UH, WE DON'T BUY THIS AND IT GOES TO AUCTION, THERE A POTENTIAL, EVEN THOUGH, AND, UH, PETE, YOU MENTIONED THAT IT'S VERY STEEP, BUT IT COULD BE A HOTEL IT AT ONE, ONE OF THE POSSIBILITIES BY ZONING.
AND I THINK THAT YOU MENTIONED THE, UH, THE HOTEL AT, ACROSS THE STREET, UH, WHAT'S THAT CALLED? UH, UMBRELLA? NO, NO, NO.
OH, THE CLIFF THAT'S BUILT ONTO A CLIFF.
IT, IT'S ALONG THE, YEAH, IT'S ALONG THE EDGE OF THE HIGHWAY.
IT CAN BE DONE AND IT, YOU KNOW MM-HMM
UH, I WOULD HAVE A PROBLEM PERSONALLY IF THAT WERE TO BE DONE, BUT OTHER THAN HOTEL, WHAT ELSE COULD IT BE THAT'S REALISTIC? NOT, IT'S NOT GONNA BE A SEVEN 11 OR, OR A CIRCLE K, BUT WHAT OTHER, BECAUSE, UH, IS IT, UH, R TWO? UH, ZONES? IT'S CO C.
SO WHAT, WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS FOR THOSE THAT OF REAL ESTATE? THERE'S A, THERE'S A LOT.
SO GIMME 10, I'LL PULL IT BACK.
UM, BECAUSE THERE'S POTENTIAL TO BE QUITE TROUBLESOME FOR ME.
I HAD THIS PULLED UP BEFORE AND ACCIDENTALLY CLOSED IT.
KURT FROM THE TABLE OF ALLOWED USES ANDY, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR? YEAH.
AND THE COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICT, YOU'VE GOT, UM, THERE, IT'S, LET'S SEE, GET DOWN TO THE COMMERCIAL.
COMMERCIAL USES, UH, KENNEL, A VETERINARY HOSPITAL, UM, INDOOR RECREATION FACILITY, OUTDOOR RECREATION FACILITY BAR, TAVERN LOUNGE, TASTY ROOM, CATERING, ESTABLISHMENT, MICRO BREWERY, MOBILE FOOD, VENDING RESTAURANT.
RESTAURANT WITH DRIVE THROUGH.
THE DRIVE THROUGH WOULD PROBABLY BE HARD ON THAT SITE.
UM, ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES, FINANCIAL INSTITUTION, UM, PERSONAL SERVICES, LAUNDROMAT, AUCTION HOUSE, GENERAL RETAIL BUILDING MATERIAL, MEDICAL MARIJUANA, NURSERY OR GARDEN SUPPLY STORE.
WELL, I MEAN IF IT'S NOT PER SPECIFICALLY ON THIS LIST, THEN IT'S PROHIBITED, BUT THE LIST IS FAIRLY LONG IN THE COMMERCIAL ZONE.
I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GONNA PUT A VEHICLE PA PLACE DOWN THERE, BUT, YOU KNOW, UH, ANYTHING JUST, UH, TOURISM RELATED, YOU KNOW, IF THEY, IF THERE'S THE MONEY THERE, THERE'S A WAY TO DO IT.
IT'S BEING, IT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE BEFORE, SO, UH, OKAY.
[00:50:02]
SO SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL FURMAN BROUGHT UP BEFORE ABOUT STAFF REVIEWING.HAS STAFF REVIEWED THIS EXTENSIVELY ALREADY? NOT EXTENSIVELY, NO.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE TALKED WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT STAFF ABOUT THE PROPERTY AND OTHER STAFF HAVE LOOKED AT IT AS WELL, BUT WE CER WE DEFINITELY HAVEN'T DONE, YOU KNOW, A DESIGN THAT'S, WE TYPICALLY DON'T DO THAT AT NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT JUST THE STAGE WE'RE AT LOOKING AT IT TO THIS POINT IN TIME, IT HAS, IT'S NOT JUST, OH, IT'S AVAILABLE BY ADOT, LET'S JUST BUY IT.
THERE'S BEEN SOME OH, YEAH, YEAH.
WELL THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING AT.
SO TO THIS POINT, ANYTHING MORE, IF WE'RE NOT GONNA BUY IT, WE WOULDN'T GO THAT STEP AND WOULDN'T RIGHT.
USE THOSE, UH, STAFF RESOURCES, UH, NORMALLY Y YEAH.
SO, YOU KNOW, THROUGH, UM, THE, THE INVESTIGATIONS THAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR, WE'VE LOOKED FOR PROPERTY LINE ISSUES, UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL ESA WE'VE GONE THROUGH, DIDN'T FIND ISSUES THERE.
WE'VE, WE'VE DEFINITELY, UH, KURT AND I HAVE WALKED ALL OVER THE PROPERTY, UH, LOOKING FOR ANY POTENTIAL ISSUES THAT MIGHT JUMP OUT.
UM, AND THEN JUST TALKED WITH PLANNING AND, UH, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT STAFF ABOUT POTENTIAL USE OF IT.
AND NO RED FLAGS HAVE COME UP SO FAR.
THAT AND MY COLLEAGUES HERE, ALL MY QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO TO THE PUBLIC.
SO I HAVE THREE CARDS, UH, AND I'LL CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE, UH, STAND UP AND THEN WALK TO THE PODIUM.
START WITH YOUR NAME AND CITY OF RESIDENCE.
UH, SO, UH, NOW WE GO MARY WAGNER.
IT WOULD BE FOLLOWED BY UH, UH, TY.
I'M, UH, MARY WAGNER AND I LIVE BETWEEN SEDONA AND PHOENIX RIGHT NOW IN PHOENIX 'CAUSE OF MY FOOT ISSUE.
UH, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS MEETING IS TO TALK ABOUT PURCHASING PROPERTY, TO START THE CREEK, WALK IN SEDONA AND MAKE IT A CREEK PARK, YET NOT ALLOWING ACCESS TO THE CREEK.
THESE SEEM TO CONTRADICT EACH OTHER.
ADDITIONALLY, IF YOU READ THROUGH THE SURVEY RESPONSES FROM THE 2024 SURVEY, SEDONA RESIDENTS DON'T WANT TO GO UPTOWN AS IT IS TOO CONGESTED.
THE CREEK WALK HAS A LOT OF ISSUES FROM DAMAGE TO THE CREEK TO POTENTIALLY BACKUP FROM FLOODS, WORK BEING WIPED OUT FROM FLOODING, HARM TO THREATEN SPECIES, AND SO MUCH MORE AS A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAS CLEANED UP THE CREEK EVERY YEAR FOR OVER, FOR AROUND 50 YEARS.
SO YOU DON'T JUST GET ONE FLOOD, YOU GET MULTIPLE FLOODS AND YOU GOT TREES AND GOT DEBRIS AND ALL THAT HAS TO BE CLEANED UP AND HAULED OUTTA HERE.
UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THE LIABILITIES THAT COME WITH THIS.
WE CLEAN TRASH OUT OF THE CREEK YEARLY.
WE ARE ABLE TO ACCESS THE CREEK, UM, WITHOUT LARGE DROPS 'CAUSE WE'RE MOSTLY JUST KIND OF LEVEL.
UM, AND IT'S A VERY MANUAL TASK AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, LIFTING HEAVY STUFF AS A NOTE FROM LIVING IN THIS AREA FOR YEARS.
WE KNOW HAVING PLANTS AROUND THE CREEK BANKS HELPS DURING FLOODING 'CAUSE IT HOLDS THE SOIL AND THE ROCK.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE ALL THAT RUSHING DOWN THE CREEK.
THESE PLANTS RETAIN THE SOIL AND HELP THE CREEK GET BACK TO NORMAL WHEN THE WATER LEVELS GO BACK DOWN.
THIS PARCEL HAS A LARGE DROP THAT INCREASES THE DIFFICULTY TO CLEAN UP THE AREA.
ADDITIONALLY, CHANGING THE FLOW OF WATER CHANGES THE PATH OF WATER UPWARDS OF THIS AREA.
AS SEEN IN THE PICTURES PROVIDED TO THE CITY.
THE CREEK IS UNRELIABLE AND CAN CAUSE LARGE SCALE FLOODING EVENTS.
THE CREEK WALK WILL AFFECT THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR BARE WALLOW WITH THE SOUND POLLUTION, WITH PEOPLE LOOKING IN OUR WINDOWS WITH EXTRA TRASH SCARING AWAY ANIMALS, BIG AND SMALL WITH TRAFFIC, WITH THE POTENTIAL OF ARSON, WITH TRESPASSING, THEFT, AND BEAR AND BURGLARY, IT WILL TAKE AWAY OUR RIGHT TO HAVE A PEACEFUL ENJOYMENT OF OUR HOMES.
WE ALREADY DEAL WITH LEVEL OF THESE ITEMS EVERY DAY WITHOUT DEDICATED PATH.
I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW MUCH WORSE THIS WILL MAKE IT.
THIS WILL DEVASTATE OUR PEACEFUL, BARE WALLOW NEIGHBORHOOD.
PLEASE DO NOT PUT AN OPEN INVITATION TO OUR BACKYARDS AND PUT US IN HARM IN ANY WAY.
THESE ARE ADDITIONAL CONCERNS.
[00:55:01]
THE LI LIABILITY THIS WOULD PUT ON THEM AS WE KILL? AND THIS IS NO EXAGGERATION.DOZENS OF RATTLESNAKES ALL THE TIME NEXT TO THE CREEK.
YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, MIRIAM.
I ALSO HAVE A HOUSE IN PHOENIX.
UH, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO EXPLAIN WITHOUT BEING THERE, AND I UNDERSTAND MAYBE SOME PEOPLE WILL BE COMING.
IT'S MUCH EASIER FOR ME TO SHOW YOU.
BUT WHERE WE'RE AT IS A LEVELED OUT AREA.
IT IS LIKE 150 YARDS OF, OF A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE POND.
AND IT DRAWS PEOPLE, IT DRAWS THE HOTEL, IT DRAWS THE PEOPLE UP THE RIVER.
THEY COME THERE, THEY SIT, THEY BRING THEIR CHAIRS OUT.
WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THAT FOR A YEAR.
BUT WHAT I AM SAYING, WHAT, AND I KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN 'CAUSE I'LL, I'LL GIVE YOU A QUICK STORY.
WHEN COVID HAPPENED, PEOPLE WERE STUCK IN PHOENIX AND EVERYWHERE ELSE, AND THEY WANTED TO GET OUT.
THEN FOR SOME REASON, THEY FIGURED OUT HOW TO GET THROUGH THE HOTEL DOWN TO OUR PLACE.
THEY CAME DOWN THERE AND, AND I WOULD SAY 15, 20 PEOPLE, COOLERS, DOGS, KIDS, DIRTY DIAPERS.
AND WE, AND THEY WOULD BRING IN BEER BOTTLES AND WINE BOTTLES AND WE'D SAY, HEY, WE WALK OUT THERE AND, AND WHAT THEY WOULD DO WOULD FLIP A SOLVE AND THROW THE F WORD AT US.
WE, WE DEALT WITH IT FOR DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY.
AND ALL IT WAS, WAS THE HOTEL LETTING PEOPLE IN THERE.
SO IF YOU DON'T THINK A WALKWAY WON'T BRING THOSE SAME PEOPLE TO US, IT'S LIKE A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN GET IN A, IN A INNER TUBE AND PADDLE AROUND AND BE WITH YOUR KIDS ALL DAY.
THEY BROUGHT IN 12, 15 CHAIRS, PUT 'EM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RIVER FOR ME TO YOU, MR. MAYOR.
I COULD TALK TO 'EM AND, AND AND, AND IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE WE JUST GAVE UP.
BUT I WAS SAYING, I WAS SAYING EVEN IF THE, EVEN IF THE WALKWAY TAKES A TURN AT THE HOTEL, THEY WILL SEE THIS AREA AND IT IS GOING TO BE THE END FOR US.
IT IT, IT IS NOT A PLACE THAT'S GONNA WORK.
AND THE OTHER THING IS, EVERYBODY'S LIVED THERE.
THE FLOODS COME THROUGH THERE.
IT'S LIKE A, IT'S LIKE A FIRE HOSE.
THE HOTELS LOST THEIR TRAIL TWO OR THREE TIMES.
THEY'VE LOST THEIR, THEIR PATIO AT LEAST FOUR TIMES.
THEY GOT A BRAND NEW ONE NOW FROM LAST YEAR, TWO YEARS AGO.
AND THEN THEY GOT ANOTHER ONE.
AND IF IT DON'T THINK, IT AIN'T GONNA TAKE YOUR, YOUR TRAIL.
IT MOVES BOULDERS THE SIZE OF WHEELBARROWS AND YOU CAN HEAR 'EM GO DOWN THE RIVER.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT YOU GOT WITH A TRAIL ON THAT C CREEK.
AND I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THEY GOTTA COME SEE IT AND MY OPINION TO SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
UNLESS SOMEBODY ELSE WISHES TO FILL OUT A CARD, NOW WOULD BE THE TIME TO DO THAT.
MY NAME IS MIRIAM WECKER LEE AND I OWN A HOME ON BARE WALLOW THAT WE BUILT 40 YEARS AGO.
AND WHEN I LOOK AT THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT YOU'RE POTENTIALLY GOING TO BUY, MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE PRESERVE IT.
PRESERVE IT FOR THIS INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL CITY WHERE VERY LITTLE IS PRESERVED.
WE HAVE BUILT HOTEL AFTER HOTEL AFTER HOTEL AND ALL WE'VE ENCOURAGED OUR TOURISTS.
THERE'S ONLY 9,000 OF US THAT ACTUALLY LIVE HERE.
AND ALL THEY DO IS WANNA TAKE AND LEAVE.
THEY WILL DESTROY OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT BECAUSE PEOPLE, WHEN IT'S HOT, THEIR CHILDREN WILL BE IN THE CREEK.
AND IT ONLY TAKES TWO MINUTES TO WALK FROM LEBER TO OUR BACKYARD.
TWO MINUTES WE HAVE BIG WINDOWS.
YOU CAN SEE RIGHT IN, YOU CAN HEAR PEOPLE TALK ACROSS THE CREEK.
UH, I'M NOT SURE WHY THE CITY WANTS A CREEK WALK, WEST FORK.
THOSE ARE PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO GO BUT TO, TO MAYBE CAUSE A FIRE LIKE IN LA TO GO UP THAT HILL FROM THE CREEK WALK.
THE WHOLE CITY WOULD BE GONE IN NO TIME.
AND YOU'RE RISKING THAT FOR WHAT THE FOUR OR FIVE OR 6 MILLION PEOPLE THAT COME HERE EVERY YEAR AND TAKE FROM US THE RESIDENTS.
THERE'S NO REASON THIS WOULD BE A BEAUTIFUL PRESERVATION.
LEAVE IT, LEAVE IT LIKE IT'S, LEAVE THE CREEK HOW IT IS.
THAT'S WHAT THE ANIMALS GO TO.
AND WHEN COVID WAS HERE, THE, ALL THAT, ALL THE ANIMALS LEFT BECAUSE ALL THE 50 PEOPLE THAT WERE COMING IN AND SITTING IN THE CREEK WERE THERE.
THE OTTERS, THE, THE DUCKS, THE HERONS, THEY WERE ALL GONE.
[01:00:01]
COMING BACK.YOU OPEN THIS UP AND YOU AND YOU, THE LIABILITY FOR THIS CITY, FOR THOSE OF US, THE 13 RESIDENTS IN BARE WALLOW, YOU WOULDN'T WANT IT IN YOUR BACKYARD.
THERE'S NOT ONE PERSON IN THIS ROOM THAT WOULD WANT THIS IN THEIR BACKYARD.
AND I DO HOPE THAT YOU WILL COME AND LOOK AT OUR PROPERTY.
I I BEG YOU TO COME AND, AND I KNOW MAYOR, YOU'VE BEEN THERE AND ANDY HAS BEEN THERE.
BUT I BEG THE REST OF YOU TO COME AND SEE WHAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND THERE ISN'T A CREEK WALK YET.
I PRAY THAT YOU REALIZE THAT THIS CITY IS WORTH PRESERVING AND THE REASON PEOPLE COME HERE IS FOR THE MOUNTAINS AND THE CREEK.
WHAT DO YOU GOT LEFT GUYS? THANK YOU.
ANYBODY ELSE WISH TO SPEAK? OKAY, SEEING NONE, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT, BRING IT BACK TO COUNCIL.
UH, DEREK, DID YOU WANNA ANYTHING TO YEAH, JUST TO, FOR YOUR FINAL COMMENTS, UM, I'M SOMEWHAT HESITANT TO SUPPORT THIS PURCHASE BECAUSE, UH, NOT ANYTHING SPECIFIC TO THIS PROPERTY, BUT I'M FAIRLY SKEPTICAL OF THE NEED FOR THE CREEK WALK.
UM, I THINK THAT THE COST ESTIMATES I'VE SEEN ARE PRETTY EGREGIOUS AND, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THE TIME, AND THAT'S, IF WE BUILT IT TODAY, WHO KNOWS WHAT IT'LL COST IF WE BUILD IT TOMORROW.
WE HAVE I THINK, PRETTY SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC OPPOSITION FROM PEOPLE IN THE AREA WHO LIVE NEAR THE CREEK AND FRANKLY DON'T WANT THEIR BACKYARDS OR VIEWS DAMAGED.
UM, AND WE DID JUST GET THE RESULTS OF THE BUDGET SURVEY.
AND IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF OPPOSITION TO ANYTHING WAS SPENDING MONEY ON THE CREEK WALK.
NOW, NOW I REALIZE A LITTLE BIT GOES ON IN SEDONA THAT PEOPLE WANT YOU TO FIX THE PROBLEMS, BUT THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO SPEND ANY MONEY.
SO I, YOU KNOW, I TAKE SOME OF THAT WITH A GRAIN OF SALT, BUT 75% OF THE RESIDENTS SAID THEY DON'T WANT US TO SPEND MONEY ON THIS.
UH, SO I, IF I'M ON COUNCIL WHEN THE MATTER OF THE CREEK WALK COMES UP, I'M GONNA BE HARD TO CONVINCE.
I JUST, I DON'T THINK WE NEED IT.
I THINK IT CATERS TO THE TOURISTS MUCH MORE THAN IT BENEFITS OUR RESIDENTS.
SO I, MAYBE I'LL CHANGE MY MIND WHEN THAT TIME COMES, BUT, UH, MAYBE NOT.
UM, THE THINGS THAT MAKE ME THINK THIS PURCHASE MAY BE A GOOD IDEA.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT PRESERVATION.
UH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO CLEAN IT UP, FLOOD CONTROL, UH, THE POSSIBILITY OF A LITTLE STANDALONE PARK THAT I COULD GET BEHIND A LOT MORE EASILY THAN THE CREEK WALK.
UM, SO I, I WANNA HEAR THE COMMENTS FROM THE REST OF THE COUNSELORS.
UH, I DON'T KNOW WHICH DIRECTION I'M GONNA GO ON THIS, BUT I DO, YOU KNOW, THIS SHOULD NOT BE, IN MY VIEW, SHOULD NOT BE SEEN AS THE FIRST STEP IN BUILDING THE CREEK WALK.
'CAUSE I THINK WE NEED TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME REALLY THINKING ABOUT THAT AND WHETHER THAT'S SOMETHING THAT RESIDENTS REALLY WANT, UH, AND WHETHER WE CAN JUSTIFY THAT COST.
I'D LIKE TO FIRST START BY ASKING ANDY ANOTHER QUESTION.
'CAUSE I HEAR A LOT OF FEAR FROM, UH, MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES ABOUT SORT OF DEVELOPMENT.
IF WE DIDN'T BUY IT, SOMEONE ELSE MIGHT DO THIS.
AND WE HAD THE LAUNDRY LIST OF THE THINGS THAT ARE PERMITTED OR MEAN, NOT ALLOWED IN OUR CODES.
BUT A QUESTION TO ANDY, IS THE OAK IS THE IN OAK CREEK, COULD THAT BE BUILT UNDER OUR CURRENT CODES TODAY? OH BOY.
YOU KNOW, THAT'D BE A GREAT QUESTION FOR SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT STAFF, I THINK.
BUT I, I THINK IT'S MORE OF A CONSIDERATION OF LONG TERM, YOU KNOW, THINGS HAPPEN OVER TIME AND MAKE THINGS EASIER WITH, YOU KNOW, NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, BUT DIRECTLY YOUR QUESTION, UH, YOU KNOW, WILL IT FIT CODE THAT I'M NOT SURE OF? AND BY MY EYE, AND I'M NO EXPERT.
WE HAVE EXPERTS IN OUR STAFF, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SOME OF 'EM ARE HERE TODAY THAT COULD ACTUALLY HELP US THINK ABOUT WHETHER ANYTHING IS COMMERCIALLY VIABLE IN THAT PARCEL.
THAT THE IN, UH, ABOVE OAK CREEK IS ON THE EASIEST BUILD SECTION OF THAT HOLD WALK.
EVERYTHING ELSE IS HARDER THAN THAT.
AND SO, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE SOME DESIRE TO PROTECT IT, I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A REAL RISK OF COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT ALONG THAT.
AND I WOULD ASK MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR SOME TIME FOR OUR STAFF TO REALLY THINK ABOUT IT INSTEAD OF JUST REACTING IN FEAR.
[01:05:01]
I THINK WE HAVE SOME TIME YET BEFORE WE REALLY NEED TO GET BACK TO ADOT AND WE CAN REALLY ANSWER THE QUESTION HERE ABOUT THAT.AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE'S NO ACCESS TO THE WEST SIDE OTHER THAN WORKING OUT A PROPERTY AGREEMENT OR TAKING SOME LEGAL ACTION AGAINST PROPERTY FOR ACCESS ON THE WEST SIDE.
AND THAT HAS TO BE THOUGHT ABOUT MORE.
UH, I, I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A RUSH.
I THINK WE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF TIME YET TO MAKE THIS DECISION.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE FEARS THAT HAVE SURFACED HERE TONIGHT ABOUT THIS THING IS JUST, IT'S GONNA BE A TOURISM BASED THING.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S TRUE.
I WOULD LIKE SOME EXPERT OPINION ABOUT THAT BEFORE I HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION.
UM, I, I SEE IT'S COMING ACROSS LIKE, I THINK A COUPLE OF ISSUES BEING CONFLATED AND I GET THAT BECAUSE WE START TALKING ABOUT A CREEK WALK.
IT'S A VISION OF AN ENTIRE, AN ENTIRETY.
BUT THIS, I THINK IT, IT, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THIS IS SOUTH SIDE OF 1 79, WHICH ALREADY IS A CONNECTION.
I DON'T, I DON'T THINK NECESSARILY, FROM WHAT I'M HEARING, THAT WHAT HAPPENS HERE IN THIS AREA, THIS SECTION SOUTH OF 1 79 ON THE CREEK, NECESSARILY DICTATES WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN UP ON THE NORTH SECTION, THE BARE WALLOW NEIGHBORHOOD OR ANYTHING.
SO I THINK FOR ME, I'M TRYING TO KEEP THESE A LITTLE BIT SEPARATE BECAUSE I DO SEE THAT THERE WOULD BE A, A CONNECTION TO 1 79, WHICH SORT OF MAKES SENSE.
THERE'S PEDESTRIAN FLOW THERE THAT'S HAPPENING ANYWAY, WE HAVE THE BRIDGE.
I MEAN, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THAT I WANNA SEPARATE NORTH OF THAT.
UM, THERE WAS A COMMENT ABOUT PRESERVATION.
I AM EQUALLY, UM, WORRIED ABOUT PRESERVATION, UH, WHICH IS, AND WE CAN'T, WE, THE CITY CAN'T PRESERVE IT IF WE DON'T OWN IT.
IT'S THEN A COMMERCIALLY ZONED LOT THAT COULD GO FOR A MULTITUDE OF USES, AND IT'S NOT FEAR THAT I'M REACTING TO WITH THAT.
I'M TRYING TO LOOK AHEAD, I'M TRYING TO BE PRAGMATIC.
I'M TRYING TO THINK OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO THE CREEK TO USES TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
UH, I THINK THAT THERE ARE SOME GOOD REASONS FOR THE PURCHASE OF THIS PROPERTY, UM, IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'VE DISCUSSED ENVIRONMENTALLY AS, AS WELL AS, UH, FLOOD CONTROL.
MAYBE THERE IS A WAY FOR CONNECTION UP TO THE POINT OF 1 79, AS I SAID, WHERE THERE'S ALREADY PEDESTRIAN USAGE ANYWAY.
UM, I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR KURT, WHICH IS WE HOLD ASSETS, WE SOMETIMES TRADE ASSETS, LIKE WE PURCHASE A PROPERTY OR WE HELD AN ASSET RECENTLY, 4 0 1 JORDAN, WE SELL THAT ASSET.
IS THERE SOMETHING, IF THIS WAS AN ASSET THAT WE WERE HOLDING, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WOULD PREVENT US DOWN THE LINE IF WE DECIDED THAT WE DID NO LONGER DID WANT THAT ASSET? I MEAN, IS THERE ANY, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S THE DOWNSIDE TO PURCHASING THIS, OWNING IT, FIGURING OUT FOR PRESERVATION FOR WHATEVER IT'S GONNA BE.
I DON'T, I, I THINK IT'S A SAFE ROUTE TO GO TO PURCHASE THIS PROPERTY.
SO COULD YOU ENLIGHTEN ME ON THAT, KURT? SURE.
SO COUNSELOR CONSOLIDATED, THE DOWNSIDE WOULD BE THE ADOT, UH, RESTRICTIONS, BUT PRESERVATION FALLS INTO THE ADOT.
SO IF NOTHING'S EVER BUILT, BUT I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT, YOU KNOW, PURCHASER, THERE'D BE THERE, IT'D BE VERY UNLIKELY THERE'S ANY OTHER PURCHASER FOR THE PROPERTY OTHER THAN IF ADOT WANTED TO BUY IT BACK, I GUESS FOR A WIDENING 1 79 OR SOMETHING.
SO I DON'T SEE THERE BEING ANY OTHER PURCHASERS IN THIS CASE, UM, BECAUSE OF THOSE RESTRICTIONS, UH, PLACED ON THE DEED BY ADOT.
AND DO THOSE RESTRICTIONS APPLY IF ADOT WAS PUTTING THIS OUT FOR PUBLIC AUCTION, WHICH THEY'VE SAID THOSE RESTRICTIONS WOULD NOT BE IN PLACE THOUGH, CORRECT? CORRECT.
SO IF IT WENT OUT TO AUCTION, THE CITY COULD BID ON IT, UM, AND LOOK AT GETTING IT DONE.
IF SO, THOSE RESTRICTIONS ONLY GO INTO PLACE, WHICH WOULD HELP PRESERVE THE AREA IF IT'S OWNED BY US AS A MUNICIPALITY, CORRECT? YES.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
UM, I, I, IT LEANS ME MUCH MORE IN THE DIRECTION OF THAT WE SHOULD PURCHASE THIS LAND AND THEN WE WILL, YOU KNOW, SEE WHAT, HOW IT FITS INTO SOMETHING LATER.
PRESERVATION BEING AN OPTION, A SOUTHERN PORTION CREEK WALK BEING AN OPTION.
THOSE ARE, AGAIN, OPTIONS TO BE EXPLORED, BUT IF WE DON'T OWN IT, WE CAN'T PROTECT IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA OF HAVING CREEK ACCESS FOR RESIDENTS, I THOUGHT IT
[01:10:01]
WAS A GREAT IDEA.UH, I WOULDN'T, I THINK THAT THAT'S AN AMAZING AMENITY TO HAVE CREEK ACCESS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE.
UM, SO I'VE BEEN A PROPONENT OF OUR BUDGET PRIORITIES, OUR COUNCIL PRIORITIES, INCLUDING ACQUISITION OF CREEK FRONTAGE.
UM, OUR COMMUNITY PLAN SPEAKS TO IT, UH, ET CETERA.
AND THEN I LOOK AT THE BUDGET SURVEY RESULTS THAT COUNSELOR FAF REFERENCED THAT SAYS 75% OF THE 828 PEOPLE WHO FILLED OUT THIS SURVEY DON'T EVEN WANT, SPEND $2 MILLION FOR, UH, PROPERTY ACQUISITION OR DEVELOPMENT OF A CREEK WALK.
THAT'S A REALLY, REALLY SOBERING NUMBER THAT I CAN'T WRAP MY HEAD AROUND OVERRIDING AND SAYING, OH, YES, LET'S GO DO THIS.
UM, WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONAL UNDERSTANDING OF, YOU KNOW, DID, DID THE COMMUNITY REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT OR NOT? I THINK THEY PROBABLY UNDERSTOOD WELL ENOUGH THAT THEY'RE SAYING, HECK NO AT A 75% CLIP.
UM, I AGREE WITH COUNSELOR FURMAN THAT, UH, I DON'T PARTICULARLY FEAR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT ON THE PARCEL.
UH, I JOINED HIM FOR ONE OF HIS TWO FIELD TRIPS YESTERDAY, AND, UH, WE WERE AT THE MORE NORTHERLY END OF THIS PARCEL.
AND FOR THE LIFE OF ME, I DO NOT SEE A COST EFFECTIVE MEANS OF CONTINUING A CREEK WALK IN THE AREA, UH, WHERE IT WOULD TRAVERSE BETWEEN, UH, LOS ADOS ON THE WEST AND IN ABOVE THE CREEK ON THE RIGHT.
I, I CANNOT IMAGINE ANY PLACE IN WHICH EITHER OF THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS WOULD BE, UH, INTERESTED IN COOPERATING, IN SEEING, UH, A BOARDWALK ESSENTIALLY BE BUILT, UH, ACROSS THE FRONT OF THEIR PROPERTY.
UM, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO OWN IT TO PRESERVE IT.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO OWN IT FOR FLOOD CONTROL PURPOSES.
IF FLOOD CONTROL IS A BIG DEAL, THEN, YOU KNOW, WHY ISN'T COCONINO COUNTY AFTER ADOT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT SINCE THEY OWN IT AND HAVE OWNED IT SINCE 2008? SO, UM, I AM LEANING TOWARDS EITHER NO OR TO COUNCILOR FURMAN'S POINT OF NEEDING MORE TIME TO CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITIES.
UH, I SEE, UH, COUNCILOR ELLA'S POINT OF, UH, NOT CONFLATING ONE PART WITH ANOTHER AREA THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD DO SOMETHING IN ONE IN THE SOUTHERLY AREA AND NOT IN THE NORTHERLY AREA.
I, THERE, THERE ARE DEFINITELY POSSIBILITIES, BUT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, COMING BACK TO 75% OF PEOPLE NOT BEING INTERESTED IN EVEN SPENDING $2 MILLION ON THIS DEVELOPMENT, THROWS A LOT OF COLD WATER, NO PUN INTENDED, ON, UH, MAKING THIS PURCHASE.
AND ANDY, YOU'VE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB OF WORKING ON THIS, AND I KNOW IT MUST BE DISAPPOINTING TOO, WHEN YOU SEE THOSE RESULTS AND 75% OF PEOPLE SAY, NO, THANK YOU.
UM, BECAUSE I'VE CERTAINLY BEEN A PROPONENT UP TO THE POINT OF SEEING THAT 75% SAY NO.
SO I, UM, I AGREE WITH COUNCILOR KINSELLA.
I THINK WE'RE CONFLATING TWO THINGS HERE.
UM, WE'RE CONFLATING THE IDEA THAT WE HAVE SAID IN MULTIPLE TIMES IN OUR COMMUNITY, LIKE TO PRESERVE IT, LAND AROUND THE CREEK TO ENSURE THAT BAD THINGS DON'T HAPPEN TO THE CREEK.
THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN THIS CREEK WALK.
AND IN THIS POINT, I DON'T EVEN THINK WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT THE CREEK WALK.
WE'RE HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE BELIEVE THE SHOULD, THE CITY SHOULD SPEND THE MONEY TO BUY THIS, THIS PORTION OF LAND THAT TOUCHES THE CREEK WITH AN IDEA OF BEING ABLE TO KEEP IT CLEAR AND TO KEEP IT CLEAN.
AND FOR ME, WHEN WE HAVE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE CREEK WALK, WELL, I'VE GOT OPINIONS ABOUT THE CREEK WALK TOO.
AND, UM, I'M NOT SURE THAT I AM IN FAVOR OF THE CREEK WALK, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT I THINK I'M TALKING ABOUT HERE TONIGHT.
WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS, SHOULD WE, THE CITY PURCHASE THIS PIECE OF LAMB, WHICH HAS A PORT PORTION OF THE CREEK ON IT FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THAT LAND, FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THAT CREEK.
WE DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING WITH IT AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
AND IT HAS, IN MY MIND, NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CREEK WALK HAS TO DO WITH MAKING SURE WE DON'T HAVE HOMELESS ENC CABINETS OVER ON THE CREEK, WHICH CAN RUIN THE, THE, WELL, THE VIABILITY OF THE CREEK, BESIDES ALL THE OTHER THINGS.
AND THEN OF COURSE, BEING ABLE TO PRESERVE IT BY PULLING OUT ANY, ANY TRASH THAT'S THERE.
ALSO, BEING MINDFUL OF THE FACT THAT SOME
[01:15:01]
OF THAT SCRUB IS ACTUALLY BEING USED AS HABITAT.AND SO UNDERSTANDING AND WORKING WITH PEOPLE, WHETHER IT'S THE FLOOD ZONES, WHETHER IT'S, UM, OAK CREEK WATERSHED, WHETHER IT'S ANY OF A NUMBER OF GROUPS THAT DEAL WITH THE CREEK AND THE WATER, UM, AND PRESERVATION OF, YOU KNOW, HABITAT, PRESERVATION OF THE HEALTH OF THE CREEK.
UM, UH, I'M ALL, I'M ALL FOR THAT.
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO SAVE A RIPARIAN AREA, WHICH WE HAVE NOT HAD IN, IN OTHER ISSUES THAT HAVE COME BEFORE US.
SO I, I ALSO NOTICED THAT THIS IS WHAT I HEARD.
I HEARD WE HAVE FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL, SHOULD WE TURN THIS DOWN TONIGHT, THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO GO TO AUCTION.
YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO GO TO THEM AND SAY, HOW ABOUT ANOTHER SIX MONTH? WE DON'T WANT IT NOW, BUT MAYBE IN SIX MONTHS.
WHAT I HEARD IS THAT WE HAVE FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL AND TONIGHT WE'RE GONNA REFUSE OR ACCEPT.
AND IF WE REFUSE, THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO GO TO AUCTION.
AM I FOLLOWING THAT CORRECTLY, ANDY? THEY, THEY DO HAVE A RIGHT TO DO THAT, YES.
UM, I REALIZE FROM WHAT, UH, LEGAL KIRK HAD SAID EARLIER THAT, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE CREEK WALK, THIS IS ABOUT PRESERVING PART OF OAK CREEK BECAUSE THE CITY WILL OWN IT, IS THAT WE MAY HAVE TO REALIZE THE FULL PURCHASE PRICE BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE OTHER AGREEMENT IS WORDED, THAT IT HAS TO BE USED FOR A CREEK WALK.
DID I FOLLOW THAT CORRECTLY, KURT? UH, YES.
SO THE PROPOSED MOTION IS TO DEDICATE THIS FOR THE CREEK WALK IN ORDER TO SEEK THE REIMBURSEMENT THROUGH THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT.
COUNCIL'S, OF COURSE, FREE TO, UH, PURCHASE IT WITHOUT THAT, UM, PORTION BEING IN IT.
AND THEN THERE WOULD NOT BE A REIMBURSEMENT, UH, MECHANISM THROUGH THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT.
AND THE PURCHASE PRICE IS STATED INSIDE OF THE PACKET.
IS THAT ASSUMING A 10% OR IS THAT FULL PURCHASE PRICE THAT STAYS THE SAME? SO, SO IT'S A FULL PURCHASE PRICE? YES.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS REALLY CLEAR TO EVERYONE.
SO I AM IN FAVOR OF PURCHASING THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY TO PRESERVE IT.
WHEN WE HAVE THIS TALK ABOUT THE CREEK WALK, THAT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CONVERSATION.
AND I HAVE PRETTY STRONG OPINIONS ABOUT THE CREEK WALK, MANY OF WHICH, UM, YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD FROM ANOTHER COUNSELOR.
UM, BUT THIS ISN'T ABOUT THE CREEK WALK.
THIS IS ABOUT PRESERVING THE CREEK.
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CLEAN IT UP.
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESERVE IT, AND IF WE DON'T TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY, SOMEONE ELSE COULD BUY IT, AND WE WILL LOSE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
NOT ONLY THAT, BY NOT PURCHASING IT, WE DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO GO DOWN THERE AND CLEAN IT UP AND KEEP IT CLEAR OF PEOPLE WHO CHOOSE TO CAMP ON THE CREEK.
SO I'M, I'M IN FAVOR OF THIS FOR THOSE REASONS.
SO I HAVE THE TWENTY TWENTY THREE, TWENTY TWENTY THREE BUDGET SURVEY ON MY PHONE THAT I'M LOOKING AT, AND QUESTION EIGHT IS SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY.
THE SUSTAINABILITY DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING AT WAYS TO EXPAND PROGRAMS AND OPPORTUNITIES, QUESTION AT HAND, UNDERSTANDING THAT WE NEED PROTECT OUR RESOURCES WHILE ALSO ADAPTING TO AND MIGRATING THE EFFECTS OF OUR CHANGING CLIMATE, OR MITIGATING, EXCUSE ME, THE EFFECTS OF OUR CHANGING CLIMATE RANKED THE FOLLOWING.
IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE FOR CITY FUNDING, THE NUMBER ONE RANKED ITEM WAS OPEN SPACE, LAND, AND CREEK PRESERVATION.
SO DEPENDING ON HOW QUESTIONS ARE WORDED, RIGHT, YOU GET DIFFERENT ANSWERS.
I DON'T THINK THE COMMUNITY HAS CHANGED ITS MIND ABOUT OPEN SPACE AND CREEK PRESERVATION.
IN FACT, SEDONA RESIDENTS UNITE HAS BEEN SENDING US FOR TWO YEARS, UH, QUESTIONS ABOUT AND, AND, UM, AND, UH, ABOUT PRESERVATION OF THE CREEK.
AND THEY HAVE ASKED US, UH, REPEATEDLY TO FIND OPPORTUNITIES TO PRESERVE CREEK PROPERTY AND INCLUDING BUYING, UH, WHATEVER BECOMES AVAILABLE.
SO I, I THINK THAT, UH, OUR COMMUNITY DOES SUPPORT, UH, PRESERVATION AND OPEN SPACE, EVEN IF THEY DON'T SUPPORT A CREEK WALK.
AND I, I SAW THOSE NUMBERS ALSO, AND I WAS SURPRISED BY THEM, BUT WITHOUT A WAY TO TALK TO THE PUBLIC AND REALLY KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY THINK A CREEK WALK IS WHAT I THINK A CREEK WALK IS, OR WE DO, WE HAVE COMMON GROUND OR NOT.
UH, I DON'T KNOW HOW, WHAT TO MAKE OF THAT, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THERE WASN'T ANYTHING ON THE LIST THAT THE PUBLIC THOUGHT WE SHOULD BE SPENDING MONEY ON SURE.
[01:20:01]
THAT SURVEY EITHER.SO, UH, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT, UH, CREEK PRESERVATION AND OPEN SPACE ARE DESIRABLE.
UH, EVEN ONE OF OUR, UH, TESTIFIERS TALKED ABOUT THAT, AND FOR THE BEAR WALLOW COMMUNITY, AND I WILL BE THERE, UH, WHEN WE HAVE THE MEETING, I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR SETTING UP THE MEETING.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT THIS, AS I TOLD THIS TO LAUREN, THIS PURCHASE OF THIS PROPERTY SHOULD BE READ AS A DECISION ON A CREEK WALK BEHIND YOUR PROPERTY.
I JUST WANNA TELL YOU, I I'M NOT COMING FROM THAT.
I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION.
AND I THINK WE'RE, THAT'S WAY IN THE FUTURE.
I APPRECIATE WHY YOU WOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT IT NOW, HOWEVER, SO I, UM, SO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I AGREE, UH, THAT THIS IS, I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT COMMERCIALIZATION.
I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT'S IN THE SHORT TERM.
PEOPLE ARE GONNA BUY IT AND TURN IT INTO SOMETHING.
UH, UH, I DON'T HAVE ANY FEAR ABOUT THAT, BUT I WOULD, I'M LEANING TOWARDS, AND NO, I'M SUPPORTING PURCHASING IT BECAUSE I KNOW ABOUT, I, I KNOW HOW THE FLOOD, THE FLOODING IN THAT AREA.
I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE CLEANED UP.
I THINK WE NEED TO GET THE HOMELESS OUT OF THERE AND, AND PRESERVE IT.
I MEAN, THIS IS OUR FIRST OPPORTUNITY REALLY, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL WHERE A PIECE OF PROPERTY HAS COME BEFORE US THAT WOULD SPEAK TO THE PRESERVATION.
AND SO I, I, I DO WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT AND KEEP THE CREEK WALK AS A SEPARATE ITEM FOR DISCUSSION WITH THE PUBLIC, SHOULD WE CHOOSE TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION IN THE FUTURE.
AND YOU WANT YOU GO AFTER I, SURE.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION TO BEAR WALLOW.
IT'S BEEN A NUMBER OF YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN DOWN THERE, AND IT'S PRISTINE.
AND I'M, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, I THINK IT'S ABOUT THREE WEEKS BEFORE MY SCHEDULE WOULD ALLOW IT, BUT I WILL BE DOWN THERE WITH YOU.
SO, UM, I WAS TAKING NOTES AS WE WERE GOING, AND I APPRECIATE, UH, I JUST GOT THE, UH, SURVEY TODAY, ACTUALLY.
WELL, YESTERDAY I GOT THIS, THE, UH, BUDGET SURVEY THAT 75% SAID NO TO THE, UH, CREEK WALK.
BUT I WAS AWARE FROM, AS THE VICE MAYOR SAID ABOUT IN THE PAST, PRESERVATION HAS ALWAYS BEEN VITAL TO OUR, UH, UH, CREEK AND OUR CITY.
I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER IF, OKAY, WE SOMEBODY, IF IT WENT TO BID, SOMEBODY BUYS IT AS THE FUTURE DOESN'T BUILD ON IT, THEY WOULD OWN IT.
WE WOULD LOSE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT AND KEEP IT CLEAN, PRESERVE IT.
I'VE HEARD IT FROM MY COLLEAGUES HERE.
PRESERVATION IS IMPORTANT TO, UH, MANY OF THEM, IF NOT ALL OF US, IF WE DIDN'T OWN IT.
I KNOW FROM DIFFERENT BUSINESSES THAT ARE ALONG 1 79 THAT HAVE SAID TO ME, THE OWNERS HAVE SAID TO ME THAT THE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, THEY'LL SEE PEOPLE COMING UP OUTTA THE CREEK, RIGHT? WHO WERE LIVING IN THE CREEK.
IF SOMEBODY ELSE OWNED THAT SECTION OF LAND, WE WOULDN'T REALLY BE ABLE TO DO ALL THAT MUCH.
BUT, UH, TY, WHEN YOU SAID YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR 40 YEARS, I THINK IT WAS, AND YOU'VE SEEN DIFFERENT THINGS HAPPEN, AND IT'S NOT BEEN ALL THAT CLEAN, THAT'S ADOT, THAT'S NOT THE CITY.
SO BY LEAVING IT WITH ADOT, WE KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO OR ACTUALLY NOT DO.
AND I THINK IT'S ENCUMBERED UPON US TO, UH, BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT LAND.
SO, UM, ID YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T KNOW WHERE I AM NOW AFTER LOOKING AT THE BUDGET SURVEY AS FAR AS THE CREEK WALK ITSELF, BUT I THINK WE NEED MORE INFORMATION.
BUT I KNOW WHERE I AM AS FAR AS, UH, BUYING THE LAND TO PRESERVE IT AND KEEP IT.
AND IF THAT CAN HELP, THE PEOPLE AREN'T BARE WALLOWED, THAT'S EVEN BETTER.
SO, UM, HOW, KATHY, YOU WANT TO, I HAVE TWO, TWO QUESTIONS.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW, TWO QUESTIONS.
UM, FIRST, JUST, AGAIN, I DON'T WANT THE TERM CREEK WALK TO SCARE ANYBODY HERE BECAUSE IT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THE MOMENT, AS WAS POINTED OUT VERY WELL BY COUNCILOR DUNN,
[01:25:01]
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS PARCEL, BUT MY QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH THE TERM CREEK WALK.DOES A CREEK WALK NEED TO BE CONTINUOUS, OR COULD IT BE A SECTION THAT'S INTERRUPTED BY A NON-REVERSIBLE SECTION AND THEN A SECTION? I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IT GOES BACK TO SOME OF THE, THE FINANCING.
AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION IS GONNA HAVE TO DO WITH THE LANGUAGE OF A RESO, WHICH THIS LEADS INTO SO MAY COUNSEL, I THINK THAT WOULD BE BEST ANSWERED IN AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, UM, GIVEN THE LANGUAGE IT CALLS FOR AND AN INTERPRETATION IN THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT.
SO I, OKAY, THEN LET ME ASK MY SECOND QUESTION, BECAUSE THEN I MIGHT MAKE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXEC TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH YOU.
BUT LET ME ASK THE SECOND QUESTION AS WELL.
THE WAY THAT THE RESOLUTION IN THE PACKET, THE SAMPLE RESOLUTION IS WORDED, SAYS, UM, IT WOULD BE PURCHASING TO SIT FOR USE TO IMPLEMENT THE OAK CREEK PLAN.
IS OAK CREEK PLAN A SYNONYM WITH CREEK WALK? YES.
SO THE, THE CREEK WALK PLAN IS, IS SOMEWHAT SHOWN BY, SLIGHTLY MODIFIED FROM WHAT, UH, MR. DICKEY SHOWED EARLIER IN HIS PRESENTATION IN THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, IT GOT CALLED THE OAK CREEK PLAN.
SO THEY ARE SYN SYNONYMS, OKAY.
UM, WITH THAT THEN, TO GET MY FIRST QUESTION ANSWERED, CAN I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THAT, TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION? I'D LIKE TO WAIT BEFORE WE DO THAT TILL DEREK SPEAKS, BECAUSE WE WANT TO HEAR MAYBE HE HAS SOMETHING SIMILAR.
THEN WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER TOPIC TO TALK ABOUT EXECUTIVE SESSION OR NOT.
UH, KURT, COULD WE ADD AN ADDENDUM TO THIS TO GET A CERTAIN SIDEWALK OR CROSSWALK CLOSED, UH, BY ANY CHANCE? UM, HAVING HEARD THE COMMENTS FROM THE OTHER COUNSELORS, I'M, I'M, MY MIND IS PUT AT EASE THAT WE'RE NOT FIRING THE STARTER PISTOL TO START OFF THE, OH, TIME TO TIME TO BUILD THE CREEK WALK.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, I BELIEVE, UNDER THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT 15 YEARS.
SO, I MEAN, I GUESS WE RUN THE RISK IF WE NEVER DO ANYTHING WITH IT, OF HAVING TO REFUND THE MONEY TO HIM AT SOME POINT.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE CAN DISCUSS IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THERE'S TWO, TWO REIMBURSEMENT OPTIONS.
WELL, HEARING THAT AND HEARING, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE OTHER COUNSELORS STAND ON THIS, UH, I'M, I'M IN FAVOR OF THE PURCHASE FORM A PRESERVATION STANDPOINT, AND FROM A, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'LL BE A PARK, MAYBE IT WILL BE THE FIRST STEP IN THE CREEK WALK, BUT THAT'S A DECISION THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN ON ANOTHER DAY.
[9. EXECUTIVE SESSION]
LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE, UH, SESSION TO, UM, DISCUSS THE, THE QUESTION I HAD POSED ABOUT THE CREEK, A CREEK WALK.CAN I, TO RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE ON LEGAL RIGHTS? OKAY.
ANY OPPOSED? OKAY, WERE UNANIMOUS.
[8.a. AB 3186 Discussion/possible action regarding approval of a property purchase agreement, with the Arizona Department of Transportation, for the purchase of a parcel located at 676 SR 179, in the amount of $998,602.50 plus closing costs and authorization of a budget transfer of funds of up to $1,010,000. (Part 2 of 2)]
KATHY, YOU ASKED TO GO INTO A LEGAL FOR, INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR LEGAL ADVICE.MY, MY, MY QUESTION WAS ANSWERED.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY OTHER FINAL COMMENTS FROM, I'M READY TO MAKE A MOTION, BUT IT'S, UM, DUNNO IF THERE'S OTHER COMMENTS.
I, I WOULD, I WOULD MAKE A COMMENT OF MY MIND, MAYOR.
MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SWAYED ME TOWARDS A PRESERVATION MINDSET FOR MOVING FORWARD.
ICE MAYOR, ANYTHING DIFFERENT? OKAY.
OKAY, PETE, ANYTHING DIFFERENT? OKAY, DEREK.
SO, SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
YOU GONNA KEEP THE MOTION THE SAME OR WE CHANGING? NO, THE MOTION WILL BE, NOT THE MOTION THAT IS IN THE PACKET.
THE MOTION IS, UH, I MOVE TO APPROVE A PROPERTY PURCHASE AGREEMENT WITH THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE PURCHASE OF A PARCEL LOCATED AT 6 7 6 SR 1 79 IN THE AMOUNT OF $998,602 50 CENTS, UH, SUBJECT TO APPROVAL OF THE PER PROPERTY PURCHASE AGREEMENT BY THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND AUTHORIZE A BUDGET TRANSFER OF FUNDS UP TO $1,010,000.
SECOND POINT OF ORDER DISCUSSION.
THAT TO BE READ AGAIN, THIS, ESPECIALLY THE, THE COGENT LINES, NOT THE OTHER STUFF.
THE, THE, THE, UM, MOTION IS VERY CLOSE TO THE ONE THAT IS IN THE PACKET.
THE MOTION, AS I READ IT, REMOVES THE LANGUAGE FOR USE TO IMPLEMENT THE OAK CREEK PLAN.
THEREBY NOT DEDICATING THIS TO THAT, BUT US PURCHASING IT, WHICH WOULD
[01:30:01]
ALLOW US TO CONSIDER ITS FUTURE USE.SO THAT IS MY MOTION, IS WHAT IS IN YOUR PACKET WITHOUT THAT CLAUSE.
WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO READ THE PROPER MOTION AGAIN? OKAY.
DO WE HAVE, KURT, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? NO.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? YES, I SECONDED IT.
OH, I DIDN'T, QUICK, QUICK, QUICK.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY, COMMENT ON THE MOTION, PLEASE.
I APPRECIATE THE CHANGE IN THE WORDING TO THE, THE MOTION AS, AS READ.
AND I THINK ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT COUNCILOR LTZ HAD SAID, GIVEN THAT COUNCIL COMMENTS HERE ARE MORE NOW ABOUT PRESERVATION OF THE ECOLOGY, ESSENTIALLY, I, I, AND I, I THINK THERE'S OPTIONS FOR US TO BE LOOKING AT AND WORKING FOR, LOOKING FORWARD, MOVING FORWARD WITH WHAT THAT MEANS AND WHO MIGHT DO IT, AND HOW WE BEST GET THAT DONE.
SO I, I THINK THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE, UH, AND I WOULD BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION.
HOW ABOUT WE TAKE A 10 MINUTE BREAK? YES, JOE WILL BE BACK AT REALLY WHAT, REALLY WE ONLY HAVE ONE MORE.
[8.b. AB 3188 Discussion/possible direction/action regarding proposed State legislation, short-term rental legislation, lobbying efforts, and State budget and their potential impact on the City of Sedona. ]
ITEM EIGHT B AB 31 88.DISCUSSION POSSIBLE DIRECTION AND ACTION.
UH, REGARDING PROPOSED STATE LEGISLATION, SHORT TERM RENTAL LEGISLATION, LOBBYING EFFORTS AND STATE BUDGET AND THEIR POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON THE CITY OF SEDONA.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, UH, AND VICE MAYOR AND COUNSELORS.
SO BEFORE YOU, WE HAVE THE LEGISLATIVE REPORT.
UH, NOT A LOT TO, WELL, I GUESS THERE IS A FAIR AMOUNT TO REPORT FROM TWO WEEKS AGO.
THE BIGGEST ONE BEING THAT LAST WEEK WAS THE, THE DEADLINE, UH, LAST FRIDAY FOR THE ANY BILL, UH, PROPOSED BILL TO BE HEARD IN THE CHAMBER OF ORIGIN.
SO HOUSE BILLS IN A HOUSE COMMITTEE AND SENATE BILLS IN A SENATE COMMITTEE.
AND SO MANY BILLS, UH, FAILED TO RECEIVE OR A HEARING IN A COMMITTEE EVEN, OR TO PASS OUT OF A COMMITTEE.
AND SO THAT, UH, ELIMINATES THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE 1800 BILLS.
UM, IN ANY LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
I DIDN'T GO LOOK EXACTLY HOW MANY, BUT IT'S ALWAYS THE VAST MAJORITY, UH, ARE, ARE DONE BY THAT DEADLINE.
AND THIS IS WHAT'S CALLED CROSSOVER WEEK, WHEN BILLS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE, UM, UH, PASSED OVER FROM THE HOUSE TO THE SENATE AND THE SENATE TO THE HOUSE.
SO, UH, OF THE BILLS THAT FAILED INCLUDED ALL OF THE THREE BILLS THE CITY SUPPORTED FOR SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
UM, SO I PUT, UM, SOME, UH, STRIKE THROUGH ON THOSE, UH, TO LET 'EM KNOW THAT THEY'RE NO LONGER ADVANCING.
THE ONLY WAY FOR THESE TO ADVANCE NOW WOULD BE THROUGH A STRIKER BILL, UM, FROM SOME OTHER, UH, BILL THAT DID PASS THROUGH COMMITTEE.
SO, UM, THOSE ARE THOSE THREE.
THE ONE THAT DID PASS WAS THE MUNICIPAL GENERAL PLAN, UM, THAT THE CITY SUPPORTED INITIALLY TWO YEARS AGO.
UM, UH, AND DIDN'T GET TO USE FOR OUR GENERAL PLAN UPDATE, UH, BUT OTHER CITIES MIGHT, AND THE CITY MIGHT BE ABLE TO AVAIL THEMSELVES OF THAT IN THE FUTURE.
AND THAT ONE, UH, PASSED, AS YOU CAN SEE, PRETTY, UH, OVERWHELMINGLY IN THE HOUSE AND IT WAS TRANSMITTED TO THE SENATE.
IT HAS NOT, UH, MOVED YET IN THE SENATE, BUT IT'S EARLY.
SO IT COULD BE SOMETIME BEFORE ANY, THE SENATE TAKES IT UP OR TAKES ANY ACTION ON IT.
SO, UM, SIMILARLY, A COUPLE OF THE BILLS THAT THE CITY HAS WEIGHED IN AGAINST, UM, ALSO FAILED TO PASS, UH, A COMMITTEE AND SO HAVE FALLEN OFF, UM, THE LIST.
AND SO I WILL REMOVE THOSE FOR THE NEXT UPDATE IN TWO MORE WEEKS.
UH, THERE'S ONLY ONE NEW BILL ON THE LIST THAT I'M PROPOSING COUNCIL TAKE A POSITION ON.
IT'S LISTED UP THERE, UM, SPONSORED BY SENATOR BULLOCK.
AND IT PROHIBITS THE CITY FROM ADOPTING ANY NEW, UM, REGULATIONS, UH, RELATED TO SINGLE FAMILY HOMES IN FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
SO, UM, JUST KIND OF A BLANKET ONE, UNLESS IT'S FOR HEALTH OR SAFETY OR TO REDUCE THE COST OF NEW HOUSING.
SO WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO UPDATE, UM, ELECTRICAL CODES, UM, UNLESS IT WAS FOR SAFETY REASONS, I GUESS.
SO MAYBE YOU COULD ALWAYS COUCH THAT IN A SAFETY REASON.
UH, BUT ANY TYPE OF, UM, SINGLE FAMILY, UM, REQUIREMENT OR SUBDIVISION OR PLANNED AREA DEVELOPMENT.
SO NO NEW REGULATIONS IN ANY OF THOSE AREAS FOR, IT'S A MORATORIUM FOR THREE YEARS.
[01:35:01]
UH, AND SO THE LEAGUE HAS WEIGHED IN AND AGAINST, IN OPPOSITION TO AS HAVE A FEW OTHER CITIES, AND I EXPECT MORE CITIES TO DO SO AS IT DID PASS, UH, LATE, UH, THE, OUT OF THE, THE SENATE REGULATORY AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY COMMUNITY, THE RAGE COMMITTEE, UM, UH, BEING ON THE SENATE CONSENT CALENDAR JUST MEANS THAT IT, UM, IT'S, IT'S BY PASSED A FEW FORMALITIES AND IT'S, UH, AWAITING, UH, A THIRD READ IN THE SENATE OR SO THE FINAL READ, WHICH WOULD THEN BE A, A LEAD TO A VOTE ON IT.SO, UM, IT HAS NOT PASSED OUT OF THE SENATE.
SO IF IT DOESN'T CROSS OVER TO THE HOUSE SOON OR PASS THE SENATE THIS WEEK, THEN IT WON'T LIKELY MOVE EITHER.
BUT I DID ADD IT FOR THE CITY'S POSITION.
UH, ANOTHER ONE OF INTEREST THAT'S KIND OF IN THE SAME POSITION IS THE SB 1517.
THE CITY, THE OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLES BILL, THE CITY HAS OPPOSED THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
UM, IT PASSED THE SENATE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AND IT ALSO, UM, I BELIEVE WAS PASSED OR PLACED ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
AND SO IT'S WAITING FOR A VOTE IN THE SENATE TO SEE IF IT CAN, UM, ADVANCE ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THE BILLS? ALRIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS? UH, THE WATER BILL.
THE FOOD TAX BILL, DID YOU MENTION THAT? UH, HCR 2021, IT WAS AMENDED TO, IT WAS A HIGHER, IT ELIMINATED ANY FOOD TAXES INSTEAD THE FLOOR AMENDMENT THAT PASSED THE HOUSE COMMITTEE LAST WEEK, OR THE HOUSE COMMITTEE OF A WHOLE, SO THE WHOLE HOUSE LAST WEEK REDUCES THAT CAPS IT AT 2%.
SO OF THE 70 SOMETHING CITIES AND TOWNS THAT HAVE A, UH, FOOD TAX THAT STILL, UM, AFFECTS UH, 50, I THINK IT'S LIKE 51 OF THEM STILL HAVE A, A 2% OR HIGHER, UM, FOOD TAX.
SO THE VAST MAJORITY WILL STILL BE AFFECTED.
THERE WERE ABOUT 20 THAT WILL NOW FALL UNDER AND ARE NO LONGER AFFECTED BY THE BILL.
THE CITY DOES IS, HAS NOT BEEN AFFECTED FROM THE GET GO, BUT IN, UM, SUPPORT OF THE OTHER CITIES, UH, WE HAVE WEIGHED IN AS AGAINST THAT BILL.
UH, VICE MAYOR ON THE BILL REGARDING MUNICIPAL COUNCIL VACANCIES, HOW IS THAT CURRENTLY DIFFERENT THAN, HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT THAN CURRENT LAW? SO THE, THE TIMING'S DIFFERENT, UM, THERE, THE ONE, THE, THAT, SO FIRST, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, IF JOE HAS ANYTHING TO ADD TO, THERE WAS SOMETHING THERE WITH HOW WE ADVERTISE IT AND THE ABILITY TO FULFILL IT.
SO, UM, IN THERE ALSO IT SAYS THE COUNCIL MUST FILL A VACANCY WITHIN 60 DAYS.
THAT'S NOT ON THERE, I BELIEVE.
UM, AND SO THE 60 DAY TIMEFRAME IS, AND HISTORICALLY WE'VE PROBABLY TAKEN A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN THAT 'CAUSE WE ADVERTISE IT, YOU KNOW, FOR UP TO 30 DAYS.
AND THEN WE SET IT FOR INTERVIEWS AND WE HOLD PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, INTERVIEWS, UM, UH, IF THEY, IF THE CAN CANDIDATES WANT, AND THEN WE, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL WILL DELIBERATE AND THEN MAKE AN APPOINTMENT.
UM, IT ALSO DOESN'T NECESSARILY REQUIRE, UH, CURRENTLY COUNCILS TO, TO THE, THE LAW.
I MEAN THE, OUR LOCAL ORDINANCE AS YOU'LL FILL A VACANCY, BUT THERE'S NO, UM, YOU KNOW, PENALTY IF YOU DON'T, RIGHT.
SO, UM, OTHER THAN, YOU KNOW, PERCEPTION WISE, THERE'S NO, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE IT'S ONLY IN, IT'S ONLY IN LOCAL ORDINANCE.
SO IF WE DON'T FULFILL IT, THEN YOU COULD LEAVE IT OPEN FOR A LONGER PERIOD.
UM, IT'S DISAPPOINTING THAT, UH, THERE WAS A LOT OF EFFORT PUT IN, AS EVERYBODY KNOWS TO HAVE THIS MEETING THIS PAST WEEK, UH, IN PRESCOTT, WE HAD, UH, MYSELF THE MAYOR OF COTTONWOOD, UH, LAKE CSU, JEROME WILLIAMS, UH, PRESCOTT WINSLOW, AND THE CITY MANAGER OF PAGE FOR TWO HOURS.
IT WAS REALLY GOOD, UM, TO GET THESE MAYORS TOGETHER.
UM, AND IN LIGHT OF THE, THE CHANGE, UNLESS THERE'S A STRIKER BILL, WHAT, UH, I HAVE BEEN ASKED TO DO IS CONTINUE GETTING MAYORS TOGETHER FOR THE FUTURE, FOR NEXT YEAR AND THIS TIME.
AND THERE WAS SOME REASONS WHY WE ONLY HAD, YOU KNOW, UH, EIGHT OF US INSTEAD OF 10.
THE ORIGINAL, UH, TWO, TWO OF THEM, UH, COULDN'T MAKE IT, BUT THERE WASN'T A LOT OF AUDIENCE THERE.
AND THE, UH, HOST WAS, UH, CHARGING $20 A PERSON, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS A VERY BAD MOVE.
[01:40:01]
SOMEBODY HAD TO PAY FOR, UH, THE VENUE.AND I'M SURE IT DIDN'T COVER THE VENUE AT, AT THE, UH, EMORY RENTAL COLLEGE, BUT THERE WERE A FEW, YOU KNOW, HICCUPS THERE.
BUT, UH, THE EVENT, UH, WAS VIDEOED.
I, I DON'T KNOW IF I GAVE IT TO JOE YET, UH, A LINK THAT YOU CAN WATCH.
OF COURSE, UH, I PROJECTED UP THE, UH, THE MAP OF OUR CITY, WHICH WAS, YOU KNOW, EXPECTED TO HAVE THE EFFECT OF PEOPLE IN AWE OR WHAT WAS GOING ON.
AND THEY ALSO HAD, UH, ZOOMED IN ON CERTAIN DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND YOU COULD SEE SPECIFICALLY I POINTED OUT MY NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAD EIGHT SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN A ROW.
UH, AND IT'S JUST GETTING WORSE, BUT WAS INTERESTING.
OTHER CITIES AND TOWNS HAVE DIFFERENT ISSUES.
IT'S NOT WORKFORCE HOUSING AND IT'S NOT CERTAINLY THAT AMOUNT OF, UH, THE, UH, THE AMOUNT OF SHORT TERM RENTALS WASN'T THE ISSUE.
BUT I'M GONNA CONTINUE AS LONG AS I HAVE SUPPORT FROM THE OTHER MAYORS AND WE'LL MOVE IT DOWNSTATE NEXT TIME AND TRY TO GET MORE PEOPLE AND MORE PEOPLE AND MORE PEOPLE.
SO, UH, IT'S A SHAME THAT BASICALLY THE SAME TWO PEOPLE, THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, ALTHOUGH IT'S A DIFFERENT SPEAKER THAN LAST TIME, JUST REFUSE TO MOVE IT FORWARD, LET IT BE HEARD ON THE FLOOR AND THEY JUST REFUSE.
AND I HAVE MY SUSPICIONS AS TO WHY THAT IS, BUT I'M NOT GONNA SAY PUBLICLY BECAUSE I CAN'T CONFIRM IT.
VICE MAYOR, WELL, IT, UH, I THINK IT WAS ACCESS AXIOS RATHER, UM, EITHER ARIZONA AGENDA OR AXIOS PHOENIX, ONE OR THE OTHER OF THOSE NEWSLETTERS.
AND THE OTHER DAY TALKED ABOUT ALL THE SHORT TERM RENTAL BILLS AND SAID THAT THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE WAS A SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROPERTY OWNER.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS ACCURATE, BUT THAT IS WHAT THEY SAID.
BUT EVEN IF THAT WERE TO BE TRUE, AND I'M NOT SAYING IT'S NOT HIS, UH, SHORT TERM RENTALS WOULD BE GRANDFATHERED.
THEY WOULD, HE WOULDN'T LOSE THEM.
UH, I, I, I UNDERSTAND WHAT IT COULD BE.
I THINK I KNOW WHY, UH, IT'S GOING ON THE RESISTANCE TO A CHANGE, BUT I CAN'T, UH, I CAN'T QUANTIFY IT WITH PROOF, SO I CAN'T DOCUMENT ANYWHERE.
SO, UH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR THIS COUNCIL AS AN UPDATE, BUT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD.
JUST NEED COUNCIL'S, UM, SUPPORT FOR REGISTERING THE CITY AGAINST THE SB 1228.
ALRIGHT, I'LL MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
NO OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THAT? I, ALRIGHT.
[8.c. AB 3066 Discussion/possible action regarding future meeting/agenda items.]
ITEM C, AB 30 66, DISCUSSION, POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING FUTURE MEETING AND AGENDA ITEMS, UH, ANYTHING MS. COUNCIL? OKAY, WE HAVE A MEETING TOMORROW AT TWO.ANNETTE, DID YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING AT ALL? NO.
[10. ADJOURNMENT]
SO THERE'S NOTHING ELSE MS. COUNCIL, THIS MEETING'S ADJOURNED.