SedonaEye.com columnist Eddie S. Maddock reminds Sedona AZ politicians and voters that the USFS continues to protect sacred lands surrounding its city limits. The renamed “Cultural Park” was once part of reservation land, traded and then redesignated by Sedona politicians for “public use.” Developers and city politicians now want to bulldoze and build government subsidized housing on this sacred land citing a “perceived” need for it, just as the Cultural Park was once itself a failed “perceived” city use plan.
Sedona AZ – Is it possible this small and beautiful dot on the universal map – Sedona, Arizona – has had any issues which have not been disputed at least to some extent?
The story of the Cultural Park has been adequately documented for years now, and yet the scenic land upon which the failed venue thrived – for a short period of time – continues to be the source for an ongoing tug of war.
The birth of the Cultural Park was largely generated by a “perceived” need to hold outdoor annual functions such as “Jazz on the Rocks,” a jazz series whose performances were successfully received and well-attended at the Sedona Posse Grounds Park: Today, Posse Grounds Park remains as the scenic area designated for most Sedona small town events such as July Fourth, however, and in time, the Cultural Park became less attractive for larger and more significant venues with its stiff competition by high-profile performances offered at the popular Cliff Castle Casino.
At one time the Cultural Park was part of the Hopi Footprints Migration Area and considered “sacred land” to the Apache, being part of an Indian reservation. The USFS continues to protect the area from Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)) requests, and doesn’t divulge where specific sites are, what was on the property and or what has been removed. Originally designated as “Open Space Preservation/Conservation” on the Sedona Community Plan Use Map, it was soon amended to “Public/Semi-public” allegedly “in order to accommodate the community cultural facilities and amenities.”
Lack of affordable housing has become increasingly a national problem. It has become a high-profile subject not only in Sedona, but the entire Verde Valley as well. Sedona united with Cottonwood apparently, jointly agreeing to hire a “housing manager” to represent both communities towards a successful approach to what was acknowledged as a “regional problem.” On November 26, 2021, Sedona hired a “housing manager.” Does Cottonwood stand “united” with Sedona and share the cost of the service performance of that employee?
Reflecting on decisions of the past, the Nepenthe housing project in the Sedona city limits was approved as “workforce/affordable” and, yet, for some reason that specific purpose must have been left out of the development agreement. Wonder why?
Hmmm . . . that’s just one example of questionable decisions contributing to the present housing “shortage.”
In addition, over the years relinquishing proposed requirements for Sedona resorts to include a certain number of on-site living areas for employees was jerked around and “alternative” promises allowed for providing off-site affordable accommodations were all too often approved – and then never enforced.
How many of “those” promised alternative affordable facilities actually exist to this day, if any? And now, fast forward to the Cultural Park presently being considered as an “investment” by the city of Sedona for – guess what – to be “rezoned to accommodate affordable housing.”
Since the issue has definitely been deemed as a “Regional” problem, will that same “Region” be required to help foot the bill for the alleged purchase of the Cultural Park by the city of Sedona?
Will the entire “Region” have the opportunity to benefit from more affordable housing considering that people do have jobs in Cottonwood, Clarkdale, Jerome, Camp Verde, and elsewhere in the “regional” Verde Valley?
Will Sedona continue to be the “cash cow” to provide affordable housing for the entire “region” because now it has a “Housing Manager” at City Hall?
Prior to 1993, the Sedona Community Plan only supported USFS land trades for public/semi-public uses, open spaces or parks; Amendments to the Community Plan have served to enable land trades to be facilitated and completed.
It’s been reported that the city-owned land across from the Sedona Wastewater Treatment Plant off West State Route 89A, locally referred to as “The Dells,” will soon be the subject of a study for potential housing on nearly 200 acres. The city of Sedona has budgeted $75,000 for the study – some of which may be done in-house. If that is in fact the case, will the cost of this endeavor be shared with “The Region?”
Because the wastewater treatment location is obviously a more centrally located area has serious consideration been given to working with the “Region” towards seeking a valid direction for solutions, including funding, for solving the “perceived” housing issue? Instead of proposing the purchase of the Sedona Cultural Park?
Why shouldn’t Sedona benefit from contributing necessary acreage as consideration for its participation in a joint venture and encourage other jurisdictions to foot the bill for development of more affordable housing on existing available land? So – it would require approval from Yavapai County. Why should that be an issue when this is also a “county” problem and doesn’t just exist within Sedona City Limits?
If Sedona can afford to purchase the Cultural Park property, why wouldn’t they consider returning it to the United States Forest Service to be maintained as “Open Space?”
Or better yet wouldn’t a National Scenic Area designation be more appropriate and also even more in compliance with the Community Plan to preserve open space?
Or maybe the situation might best be summed up with the following words as written by Toby McLeod, April 4, 2020:
“Hopi Prophecy – A Timeless Warning”
“. . . . . .having worried about an impending apocalypse, one seems to be upon us now, as a wounded Mother Earth humbles her human children. Thomas Banyacya usually warned of natural disasters like storm and earthquakes, fires and floods, lightening and hurricanes – clear signs that nature was responding to abusive, careless humans. As I reviewed the two Las Vegas talks I found that, sure enough, he warned of ‘more sickness that can’t be cured for a long time’ during an era when ‘the seasons are going to change.’ “
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) – does that ring a bell?
You remind me of what my dad said to me when I was 6 years old: “Think up a new act!”
You are probably not 6 but there may still be time for an improved new act, Sheepie.
pathetic
The most sensible suggestion came up at yesterday’s council meeting. Make this CP zoning a ballot issue as a Referendum. Let legitimate Sedona registered voters decide – camper’s paradise or what???
The idea of a temporary two-year limitation on the proposed parking lot is, IMO, utter nonsense. Allow the change and it will probably be forever. It most likely will outlive any of the council members who vote to make it happen.
Asking peons to relinquish power over God’s Sedona rocks!!!!! Won’t happen!!!!!!
City of Sedona traffic jams aka bridge between desert nowheres
How do we get to vote in city elections? Do we have to be residents or can we be short term renters?
Get a ballot from city hall, just give a city address?
The reality is Sedona is starting to look a lot like 1970s America. You remember what it was like: Not only were gas prices sky high, Carter administration rationing meant we could only buy gas on even or odd days depending on our license plate numbers. Remember? Eleven Israeli athletes were slaughtered at the Olympic Village in Munich by terrorists. Remember? Fifty-two Americans were held hostage for 444 days by terrorists in Iran. Remember? Democrat policies had brought America to its knees once again and that impacts Sedona tourism now and in the future. Remember it.
Wasnt that awesome that before Reagan was president he dealt with the Contra Rebels, and exchanged arms, and the deal was to let those hostages go after he was sworn in?…Just like a Hollywood movie? But we dont deal with hostages unless your a republican, and the rest is ugly history!
God I love the uneducated!
Read Carter’s memoirs then come back when you’re better educated. Stop reading newspapers and magazines or watching Hollywood documentaries and series, social media’s a tool and in uneducated hands a tool remains a tool to keep your kind digging ditches. Chamber is a tool that lost its usefulness couple years ago when we knew it wasn’t doing a good job. Sometimes we don’t need a tool, we need common sense.
You’re rambling makes no sense and history doesn’t bear you out, but on this day and in this time Biden has cursed the Jews to be exterminated by Muslims that he and Obama funded with billions in taxpayer dollars while Biden allowed the FBI to enter his own Catholic parishes and have his own people and churches voicing issues with abortion harassed and arrested and branded as traitors and terrorists for believing human babies are endowed with Rights, and abortion is morally and ethically wrong, while PETA gets government money to prevent animal abortions, BLM gets government money to hate white humans, illegal aliens swarming across the border get government money for breaking the laws of those gifting their money, while believers in democracy and lawfulness are met with Fascism. Biden is a President with no shame or morality while using the weak for his ambitions. Only fools believe the rich don’t pay more than their fair share to keep America humming along and only fools believe socialism is better for the poor and downtrodden. American unions are a joke, for they’re tools that have kept you voting against your own interests while teaching you to believe wrong was right. Keep voting your way, and you’ll end up with nothing.
keen observation
We have known for 20 years what Reagan did. Stop idolizing the guy that taxed Social Security, out sourced good American jobs, and busted unions!
Thanks in advance.
Clinton was the King of Outsourcing! NAFTA was Clintonian undoing of American and Clinton gave Mexico and China all our jobs. Sedona’s downfall began eith Chamber contracts.
https://youtube.com/shorts/_h2IdNJ8Y-c?si=OKUUgUQxePS2eQS_ (offsite link)
Seems you’re the one with Reagan issues bc nobody else mentioned him?
We are as serious about our freedoms as the business end of a .45. – Sen. Kennedy
Now you sure are in left field. It was the Reagan administration who created NAFTA. So when you want to complain about “liberals” you can count Clinton out as he was right of center. While the GOQP keeps moving right, taking away freedoms, but dont worry I will stick it in your uneducated eye every single time you make excuses for a pathetic party of the rich!
Everything started to crumble because of Reagan, and every other republican doubled down. Now look up what a large donor the US Chamber of Commerce is for the GOQP, then get back to me.
… NAFTA made it almost impossible for illegal drug shipments to be found. How did NAFTA affect the war on drugs? NAFTA is passed and signed into law. President Clinton signs the North American Free Trade Agreement, which results in an enormous increase in legitimate trade across the U.S.-Mexican border. The volume of trade makes it more difficult for U.S. Customs officials to find narcotics hidden within legitimate goods.
https://www.pbs.org › drugs › cron
Thirty Years Of America’s Drug War | Drug Wars | FRONTLINE – PBS
My point.
You never had a point! You dont remember Nancy Reagan say no to drugs? Selective memory, or just believe stupid right wing hate radio? You know old Rushbo with his pain killers and blaming drug addicts on all are problems?
NAFTA was “supposed” to solve Japan steam rolling our auto industry. And then to fight China….Big corporate business sold those good paying jobs and break unions so CEOs could quadruple their profits….Wake up you ignorant trolls and follow history! JFC!
What I remember is the truth and it’s not your ranting of someone saying no (not that old) but remember Michelle Obama said don’t do drugs and don’t eat alot of food than you need with her fight for smaller sized canned goods (10 oz rather than 16 and 12) and she spearheaded New York City stopping sales of supersized drinks because fat people can’t control their eating (like Oprah?) and they need government help to control themselves with Big Pharma drugs. I recall the Democrats recently tried and convicted of treason and Hillary Russian lies and framing innocents like Republican Trump and the men in Benghazi killed by her ineptness and uncaring and mistakes. Biden was raised a white racist and still is, his handlers cover it but he gets off record and then you see his dishonesty and true feelings.
Afghanistan.
China.
The Southern Border.
Israel.
The Northern Border.
Ukraine.
And more…
President Joe Biden’s broken leadership has resulted in disasters and crises at home and across the world. Inflation is causing your rent and your mortgages and your groceries and gas and everyday expenses to be out of control. Tell Sedona city hall to get a hold on the spending promises..
You forget Haiti? Yuthis in Africa? Venezuela? Peru? Colombia? Belize? Poland? Finland? Russia? Iran? Argentina? Canada farmers? Mexican cartels? Gas prices? Highest pharmaceutical prices in history? This country invaded by 20 mil illegally here humans this year and they’re unaccounted for and they’re anti American and you pay because Biden Harris goonies administration hates you. They want to kill the auto industry and they want to kill the union jobs that go with that industry cuz EV cars and their batteries don’t offer jobs except in China. Disgusting example of poor governance and idiots asleep at the wheel and the Pentagon and President didn’t miss the head of the Pentagon for several weeks. Dial it in at best.
Haiti embassy abandoned and jokes going round Haitian Embassy unable to find any body in DC willing to take its calls for help and that a former government official keeps asking “what does it matter?” .
same old same old
@olive right & shaking head knowing @meanjean right on
Worse than DC statehood? Nothing except everything like MORE states.
Muslim Democrats and big money supportive radicals plot to make DC the 51st state followed by Splitting Michigan and Minnesota states in order to create two majority Muslim states (North Michigan and South Minnesota) to balance the new influx of non Christian and non Jewish Muslim migrants will create 6 new Senate seats that will never vote Democrat or Republican and always for the new Liberty Reform Party.
One new party will have enough seats to change the entire American voting process and decide all American laws and rules. Discussions began about changing the Vice President to an opposition party candidate in fairness to balance the power of the President and Senate and House.
Democrats want to split their own party will vote for DC statehood as a guise to get black Senators and Congress support, but it’s to create a non black intolerant party, and put an end to the power of the DNC and then the Senate where they’ve amassed huge amounts of overseas funding to make this happen. Easy stripping power from blacks and whites neither too smart and are compliant.
Cultural Park to remain undeveloped further, honor it, City Council. Thank you.
Your a hoot… I don’t know where you come up with such nonsense.. Your mind must be a very scary place to live. You’re so full of fear and nonsense. Your buying every little soundbite ever thrown out there… What a sheepie!
SENATE WANTS TO REMOVE MOUNT RUSHMORE FACES, there’s lunacy for ya, while at it do removal of Yavapai Apaches from nearby rez n relocate Hopi there from black mesa n give black mesa for Dine n locate border migrants to Navajo lands cause theyre ancestors first indigenous in Americas. Damn problems gone n move blacks to NYC n Massachusetts n California n Chicago n Mississippi n DC n Oregon n Missouri. Happy days. Vote for black and brown justice. Give Cultural Park to BLM for white oppression.
Please read the above post from @Phx… the same applys to yourself
applies (note spelling for future) to Sedona
DO YOU WANT A HOMELESS CAR PARK ALLOWED AT THE CULTURAL PARK?
LET THE SEDONA RESIDENTS DECIDE!
SIGN THE REFERENDUM PETITION TO PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT.
Petition available for signing at EMPIRE NAILS, 140 Coffeepot Drive, Suite E105, in West Sedona, near Basha’s on FRIDAY MARCH 29 from 9AM to 4PM and on SATURDAY MARCH 30 from 9AM-4PM.
More info at https://sedonavotes.com/ (offsite link)
Tell us about circumventing Arizona laws and Federal regulations countering signed agreements and covenants and easements and gift clauses on that property before we start a class action lawsuit against Council and Mayor and Staff. It’s being done by communities in California and Oregon and begins with FOIA requests.
in 2024 signing petitions online is simple and easy and more effective, your site needs to collect petition signatures then turn them in, find somebody who knows what they’re doing with that site
Take it to the homes of voters and stop sitting around waiting for people to come to you! Act like Democrats!
Call Biden. He’ll make sure we pay for our homeless camps aka Cultural Park. He said so. He never lies.
Biden also said he’s going to make sure our government pays for Francis Scott Key bridge disaster in Baltimore except he forgets it’s an interstate highway bridge and it’s already covered by our taxes. Maybe he should demand Indonesian government pay for the bridge disaster its ship caused? After all that ship is insured? It took 7 years to rebuild the Skyway Bridge when a ship took it out. Clearing steel from the depths of the water to redesigning a new one to modern safety codes is not a quick fix even if wanted. President Biden will be long gone by then, but give him a vote getting free campaign ad promising another impossibility.
Check out https://sedonavotes.com/ (offsite link)
Good idea. How many homes have you visited? How many signatures have you gotten?
Sedona Politicians Act Without Intelligence Again
Bathrooms, Showers, Heat for winter months, car exhaust, drugs, criminals and crime, mental health workers, close to school and danger to community. Did I skip anything like Sedona doesn’t have the medical or jail facilities for these mental ill vagrants????? Absolutely no pets or children!!!!!
Don’t know where this came from before receiving it and if you need credit say it by writing and asking and be sure to know we applaud your effort to spread light in a tricky subject. Namaste.
Here goes it people:
(Begin unsigned)
Unfortunately for residents, homeless wanderers have overrun the Democrat-controlled city over the past several years. As a result, residents have fled the downtown area to escape from open-air drug use and muggings by violent homeless repeat offenders.
In October 2022, former Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler (D) declared a “humanitarian catastrophe” over the city’s dirty and unsafe homeless encampments because of the severity of violent crime and drug use in over 700 homeless encampments that spread over Portland while Wheeler was mayor.
Oregon voters exacerbated the crisis when they legalized hard street drugs in November 2020 with Ballot Measure 110, requiring police to give drug users a citation and referral to health services instead of arresting them and charging them with a crime. The results were so destructive the state voted again to re-criminalize drugs during the current legislative session.(end unsigned)
God bless our peace makers.
You are wrong. Referendum petitions cannot be done online. Next time, before making a fool of yourself, go to the Arizona Secretary of State’s website and read how referendum petitions are done.
Nope you didnt skip a thing! Just another hateful, ignorant rant from a bigot! You nailed it, dont forget to get that Trump bible for $60!
to Vegas or Texas
Bull
follow rules in politics & lose
Nada belief Ds abide those rules when shipping millions of illegals to harvest votes. Get the Effing names and don’t worry how the election fools won’t challenge fhem bc they might be Ds.Lmao
NO HOMELESS PERIOD
Mental health facilities needed to put homeless in with paid for treatment options. That’s what needs to be done not some skanky car park enabling aborrent behaviors that don’t work for them. Crapping on the ground endangers our water supplies and drug use spirals into criminal behaviors.
guaranteed success when target audience is transfolk creeples and women