SedonaEye.com columnist, Eddie S. Maddock, with an Eye on the Y
Sedona AZ (December 4, 2013) – As activity began to occur at the now vacant ADOT owned property at the junction of State Route 179 and State Route 89A, many eyebrows were arched in wonderment as an expression of “What the heck is going on now?”
Many are aware that the City of Sedona has an eye on that property (at the junction locals call the “Y“) to purchase with Development Impact Fees which are earmarked exclusively for the purpose of land acquisition for parks or other specific community uses.
Upon inquiry at the office of the City Manager, here’s the real deal.
The following appeared and was approved by the City Council as an item on the Consent Agenda at the City Council Meeting on November 12, 2013:
Agenda Item: 3k
Proposed Action & Subject: Approval of a request authorizing the City Manager to execute an agreement with the Arizona Department of Transportation for the temporary lease of the existing building/property at 125 West State Route 89A for the purpose of installing holiday decorations and holiday related activities (e.g. warming station, gift wrapping center) for the period of November 15, 2013 to January 15, 2014 as part of the City’s participation in the Holiday Central Sedona event.
This action was given a thumbs-up at a previous Council Meeting on September 17, 2013 by the following:
SUMMARY STATEMENT
Background: Holiday Central Sedona is public/private partnership effort between the City of Sedona, Sedona Chamber of Commerce, Sedona Main Street Program, non-profit organizations and businesses to establish a new holiday event that would build community, attract visitors and support economic development during one of the slower business periods and create a new annual tradition that would become known and valued locally, regionally and statewide.
Holiday Central Sedona is intended to compliment the Sedona community’s ongoing holiday efforts through focuses on public and private holiday decorations, building support and awareness of existing events, and creating or expanding new holiday events. Holiday Central Sedona is a month-long holiday celebration and will occur from December 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013.
On September 17, 2013, the Sedona City Council approved the use of $25,000 in discretionary destination marketing funds to support Holiday Central Sedona as product development.
The City and its Holiday Central Sedona partners have identified the existing building/property at 125 West State Route 89A as a key focal point for holiday decorations and activities given its prominent location at the intersection of State Route 179 and State Route 89A. The City’s Holiday Central Sedona partners are intending to provide the money for the two-month lease and will provide the holiday decorations. Any activities conducted in the building or on the property must be not for profit. Possible activities identified to this point include a warming station where visitors and residents can get coffee or cocoa and use the restrooms, and a gift wrapping station run by volunteers. Other uses may also be considered as the lease if approved will run the entire period of Holiday Central Sedona (December 1st to December 31st).
The City Attorney has reviewed the lease agreement and finds it acceptable.
The basic terms of the lease agreement:
Lessor: State of Arizona by and through its Arizona Department of Transportation.
Lessee: City of Sedona
Monthly Rental Rate: $500.00 for two months (11/15/13 to 1/15/14).
The balance of the lease agreement is general in nature – such as use of property, improvement and alterations, zoning, permits, maintenance of subject property, liability responsibilities, and insurance – to mention a few.
As noted above, the City’s Holiday Central Sedona partners are intending to provide the money for the two-month lease and will provide the holiday decorations. In other words, funds for the lease agreement will be obtained from the existing $25,000 or other sources derived from the partners of the event.
And so, for the moment, no, the City of Sedona has not purchased that property – but for certain it’s been tagged as an option for future consideration. And there’s still well over one million dollars left in that Development Impact Fee account with a City Council hot to trot to spend it before their terms expire.
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Think the biggest question is what is the true cost of all the City’s involvement in all the Holiday Central activities at all the various sites ….including liability insurance and skate pond and free Santa Breakfast, etc., etc., etc….and how they think the freebies will bring in tax revenue.
While I understand and agree with Eddie’s concern that the next big dumbass purchase of land by this Council, after the Brewer Road crazy vote that Mike Ward said we didn’t have the money to spend to preserve – I’m right now more concerned about how much money has my city spent to create all the free stuff and how many visitors actually utilized any of the activities….it’s called someone taking numbers on all levels.
Holiday spirit and all – no way this little town can compete with the Valley…and yet our money just keep flying out the window on everything other than Health, Safety and Welfare issues!
the irony here speaks for itself, why activity is right! thanks for the “in sight”. this city needs private investment not more city debt & with the proper oversight & zoning controls that property won’t be an eyesore or issue in private hands. leave it well enough alone council. if you have to “have it” negotiate a lease for 100 yrs at $500 a month because that’s a hell of a lot cheaper than buying it at a million plus! of course your pals won’t get to make commission off the sale…
you opened a can of worms with lisa dahl’s restaurant across from les springs & where was that community saying wait a minute? you let that restaurant go in because you LIKED lisa dahl. don’t you know she won’t be around that many years and then what? a Dominoes? a Wendy’s? les springs community is now getting a reward for pandering with a cvs.
the council ruined another stretch of highway & did it with the help of stupid residents. let’s hear a round of applause for city residents & its council of fools of fools. thank god a bridge separates us from you city idiots or you’d be ruining the canyon.
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But don’t ya know the city wants to make a sweet little park on that corner and then mess it up with activity signs. Does anyone remember the maze of signs that used to be on the slope going to Fort Hyatt? At least in those days we were forced to wait for the traffic light to change five times before moving forward. Anything on that corner planned by the city will be another disaster without funding. Speaking of, where will the money come from for the future community center on Brewer Road? Oh Lord Have Mercy.
City needs to get this piece of property. It shouldn’t be left to money grabbing capitalists but should be ours. Pay up & stop whining rich folks
Hey @Al do you live in the city? I doubt it……That is by far the ugliest property in the entire city. Even with free wrapping and hot chocolate it still remains empty. You will have be more creative if you want to have a party there. In fact the pocket parks sits empty and in my opinion a waste of taxpayers money. It is a old run down gas station by BTW.
The Council reviewed the findings of the Development Impact Study it paid TischlerBise approximately $70,000 for recently. Included in the study were Streets, Police, Parks, Drainage and an evaluation of the eligibility of including the City Hall Complex debt, BUT NOT WASTEWATER.
On Sept. 21, 2013, the City Council reviewed the findings of the Development Impact Fee Study for which it paid TischlerBise approximately $70,000.00.
Included in the study of DIF $$$ re FUTURE development impacts were Streets, Police, Parks, Drainage, and an evaluation of the eligibility of including the City Hall Complex debt. WASTEWATER WAS NOT INCLUDED!!
On the advice of City Staff, Development Impact Fees for Drainage were not recommended in the $70K TischlerBise Study.
Soooooooooo, the City Council voted 6 – 0 (Litrell/Adams) to go ahead and NOT include either Drainage or Wastewater in their “necessary public services” categories to receive DIF $$$. There will be a final meeting on this matter after 60 days have elapsed.
BTW, Parks DIF Fees were in excess of what the law allows by approximately11% at some earlier point in time. Does anyone know the details on this?
OK so the city has the money to buy this little scrap of land but same as the Brewer property, who pays for improvements? Easy for Al to point fingers. I’m inclined to agree with Julie. Does Al even live in City Limits or does he dictate his nastiness from an area that doesn’t even entitle him to vote on Sedona issues? And if by chance he is a legitimate Sedona registered voter, who is he to be so judgmental and pinpoint “rich folks” should be paying for this, that, and everything else. Obviously Al is among the overload of entitlement seekers and resents it if government doesn’t provide all of his creature comforts for free. No free ride, fella, except for the freeloaders that continue to get away with it.
Justice Paladin posted on Facebook.
Hey guys, remember we are down here at the ‘Y’ all day today and till the 23’rd doing FREE holiday gift wrapping for donations to support local charity organizations like ‘Wounded Warriors, Toys 4 Tots, Vietnam Veteran Caregivers, Meals on Wheels and many more! Also, Project OSI is hosting a table here with a collection of unique art, jewelry and other assorted gifts from Sedona locals to help support local artists having a happy holiday, as well Come down and see us guys, down at the ‘Y’ on the corner of Hart and 89A across from the HYATT sign at the round-a-bout. See you here
Maybe nasty Al has the notion that the City aka “rich people” (his perception) should buy up ALL the vacant businesses in Sedona. Wow, has he enough free time to tally the numbers?
He appears to be of a generation that never heard the concept “the best things in life are free.” But maybe he has and his interpretation is “as long as someone else is picking up the tab.”
Try taking a hike, Al, in the Coconino National Forest surrounding Sedona. It might cool your heels. Of course that, too, inadvertently does come with a price tag via Federal funding to the USFS but the financial burden is at least distributed over the entire population, perhaps with the exception of people like yourself, and not just the “rich people.” Who knows, if the truth were known maybe Mr. Great Advisor Al might just be well off enough to buy and sell most of us. Truth? Another novel concept in Sedona.
If your business plans to be open December 25 and/or January 1, please let us know so that our Call Center can share that information with Sedona area visitors and locals…
@Chamber of Commerce.
Say what you want about them but at least they are smart enough to know Sedona Eye’s their best source to get the word out. Ho, Ho, Ho (and that didn’t come from Santa Claus!)
So the great city of Sedona is committed to spending a million $$$ on destination marketing. Reading comments posted on this site from all over this great nation, isn’t it a no brainer. Sedona Eye is the answer to media exposure and obviously the C of C realizes that and yet ‘THEY’ will be the recipients of the huge payoff.
CITY HALL, WAKE UP! Spend your bucks where accountability is obvious.
Keep an EyE on the EyE!
Those of us that appreciate the dedication of the SedonaEyE.com could support them by making their name a household word and I for one send a little “jingle” their way on occasion, since without them and the early stories done by the Sedona Times, Folksville USA would not have been revealed to you.
Maybe advertising with the “EyE” will yield better results than the Chamber of Commerce.
Gary Chamberlain
FVUSA News
Cornville AZ
Vietnam Combat Veteran
I agree with you Gary The City of Sedona would get better results by working with the EyE then by advertising the region with the C of C. The C of C uses taxpayers money to promote those outside the city, making the playing field better for those outside. HO ha ha on Sedona citizens and in town hotels and business your own city hates you. They spend your taxes to hurt YOU! The COC is laughing all the way to the bank, the hit a big pay check.
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Response to Chamber of Commerce: Does my business need to be a member in order to have your Call Center promote my business?