Sedona Cultural Park Western Gateway to Sedona

The City of Sedona is planning build 483 market rate housing units on the cultural park land ignoring the historical heritage of this stunning land and disregarding their own vision statement.

Please visit Preserve Cultural Park – Sedona Votes learn more and sign the petition to preserve this historic land.

I began my journey researching land in Sedona in the 1990s. Then, during 2021-2022, I immersed myself in uncovering the historical details. It was quite an intense experience, starting from scratch and delving into various aspects including BLM, land patents, US Forest Service land trades, as well as county, court, city, and financial records related to the Sedona Cultural Park.

The city of Sedona possesses this list along with the relevant documents. The narrative is supported by an article from former mayor Rob Adams, which was submitted to Sedona blogs. This article has been featured in several Sedona News Blogs, and Sedonaeye continues to host it online at https://sedonaeye.com/eye-on-sedona-cultural-park/.

This article mirrors most of the following:

1. The land was designated as “Open Space Preservation/Conservation” owned by the US forest service. In 1993, the Sedona Cultural Park land was designated as “Open Space Preservation/Conservation” on the Sedona Community Plan Land Use Map.
2. The Forest Land Exchange happened because they thought the City of Sedona would be good Stewards of the land, keeping the open space, access to trailheads, and mineral pit.
   Decision Notice and environmental assessment docs outline public facility (approved by cc and reviewed by city’s planning zoning, public involvement)
3. At that time in 1993, the Sedona Community Plan only supported USFS land trades for public/semi-public uses, open spaces, or parks. Land use Sedona Community Plan 1998
4. In the Forest service “Decision Notice” the Sedona Cultural Park proposed Master Plan the development of the land would be under the guidance of the City of Sedona’ s Planning and Development process.
5. In 1995 the Sedona City Council passed and adopted Ordinance No 95.-13 in favor of the proposed Sedona Cultural Park aligning with the Forest Service wishes.
6. In 1996 a referendum ordered by petition of the people, Voted for the Cultural Park.
7. The City of Sedona was awarded two Heritage Fund Grants in the amounts of $586,000 and $444,200 over one million dollars from the State of Arizona to further develop the Sedona Cultural Park.
8. According to the Forest Service letter dated September 7, 2021 “Cultural/Heritage information (archaeological information) isn’t releasable under the Freedom of Information Act, as it is sensitive information… those reports cannot be released to you.” 1 new site, 1 other site, 7 other. They still won’t release.

I had the honor of walking the land with the Hopi Tribe. This is special land, and we should not destroy it. There are documented artifacts found on this land, this was native land.

Here are some false facts being spread.

• The city doesn’t plan on employee or workforce housing. The word “housing is being used to trigger a yes for workforce housing.
  • The city hasn’t enforced the mandated housing imposed on the lodging industry. The lodging industry has flipped most of them to sellable rooms.
  • The lodging industry has also flipped long-term-rentals into short-term rentals calling them “overflow rooms”.
  • Brick and mortar businesses especially those in hospitality know that employees choose to live outside the city limits. Low wages, seasonal hours, short hours, better livability, and more affordable housing outside city limits. For over 30 years this has always been the case. I owned and operated multiple businesses; The Sedona businesses employees came from primarily Cottonwood. It’s a 20-minute drive, schools are better, childcare and housing at least 50% less in costs. There are many city business owners and business managers who choose to live outside. Also, they get more for their money. Around 2013 a city hotel and I did a number crunch. They reported approximately 200 employees which had only 2 employees living in the city of Sedona. Enchantment has employee housing units in Cottonwood. This is standard for those in Hospitality. Workers live in more affordable locations especially in high real estate locations.
  • Hotels like Enchantment provide employee housing in Cottonwood.
  • The City of Sedona pays the City of Cottonwood to shuttle employees to Sedona from Cottonwood.
• The Sedona Cultural Park property never a “City dump” The city past council person Jessica Williamson is spreading false information calling the cultural park a dump. She knows that is not true. This is how they behave. “Jessica Williamson-The Cultural Park was a city dump. That’s a fact.”

Source: Decision Notice page 1 exact wording “The original exchange proposal was modified to exclude a portion of the close landfill.” Attached is photo of source document.

City of Sedona Vision Statement Video
https://youtu.be/E1E-YmxsOEw?si=ZPQslfzO_Z-sfm1h

Content in Vision Statement video

“The vision that the citizens have for the future of their city is to be a city that is constantly vigilant book and the preservation of its natural beauty, scenic vistas, Pristine environment and cultural heritage to be a city that retains its small town character and creates its man-made improvements and strict harmony with nature to be. A city that is animated by the arts, who lives with a spirit of volunteerism to help achieve our common goals.  Is to be a city that offers equal opportunities for all and fosters a sense of community to be a city that welcomes and accommodates all of its visitors and future residents with a spirit of fellowship to be a city. That retains and enhances a strong vital economy, which preserves existing lifestyles without exploiting the natural beauty. And finally to be a city that lives up to the challenge and proper stewardship of one of the Earth’s great treasures.”

These are simply just a few of the reasons we should preserve the Sedona Cultural Park land.