Why the Cultural Park Land Should Not Be Destroyed

SEDONA CULTERAL PARK – HOUSING NEEDS
Why the Cultural Park land should not be destroyed
Donna Joy
Email sent to council

I strongly am opposed to any housing at the Sedona Cultural Park – Western Gateway.

Sedona doesn’t need and it can’t be proven the need for any more market-rate housing.
Typical for high real estate locations those in the need of more affordable housing live in outlying areas. Nearby cities, towns and outlying unincorporated areas attract a much wider population pool as the census shows us. Cottonwood and Camp Verde populations are growing, and have larger households than Sedona. The median home value is under $300,000, while Sedona median home value is $708,400. The US census shows Camp Verde has the highest homeownership, higher than Sedona! source: US census

The City of Sedona own employees choose to primarily live outside the city with a maximum of 15% that could possibly live in the city. Source: City records employee count by zip code. One city employee’s income is much higher than Sedona median household income of two $67,374. Yep, one city employee makes more than double than the average Sedona resident. source: US census

Even after pouring millions upon millions into the Sedona Chamber and the City Council “Tourism First Agenda” the City of Sedona has not grown nor has tourism grown. The only things that have grown are the city budget, city employees – salaries, and the Chamber’s and their members profits and salaries.

Tourism First Agenda
City of Sedona Population & Tourism
1997-population 9,760 Tourism = 3.5m
2020-population 9,684 Tourism = 3.5m
Source: Sedona Community Profiles

This is one of the many reasons the City of Sedona needs performance metrics.

The City sanctioned “Housing Advisory Work Group” retired in 2021 any recommendations are no longer valid. The grassroots “Housing Assessment Advisory Work Group” took over the housing mission driving integrity – trust out and deeply widening the gap between the residents and city. Source: City email Kegn email, Emails from grassroots group.

The toxic emails from City Housing manager sent to the entire grassroot housing members including elected officials, city manager Osburn and other staffers are reason enough to reject any proposals from staff.

Toxic City of Sedona Email Calling the residents nimby

Adding Ms. Boone comments “Nimby’s”, “short-sighted, selfish bullies”. This toxic behavior which was embedded into the Sedona Community Plan calling the residents “NIMBY COWS” shows us the city is weaponizing the staff against residents. These toxic negative attitudes at city hall carry down to every department. Resulting in a false community plan. The residents should recall the plan and demand a do over. Source: City of Sedona “Plan Sedona Housing & Lane Use Community Forum” presentation 4/19/2023 at West Sedona elementary school.

Slide of City of Sedona “Plan Sedona Housing & Lane Use Community Forum” presentation 4/19/2023 at West Sedona elementary school. City video Plan Sedona Housing & Land Use Community Forum 4/19/23

Then to learn that the grassroots “Housing Assessment Advisory Work Group” was masquerading as the city sanctioned group increased my concerns and came across as a fraudulent presentation with the city logo on each and every slide. I was at the meeting and nowhere did they say this was a ‘grassroots group” making the recommendations for housing and land use.

These concerns became even more highlighted with Ms. Boone emailed the city manager Osburn on 3-12-2024 alerting her that neither staff or the group members saw or approved the “White Paper Housing Paper, created by the “Sedona Housing Advocacy Group” submitted by Linda Martinez. Wow a third housing group. Ms. Boone asked Osburn to tell you this critical information. Did she? Linda Martinez’s other email stated she wanted the housing white paper to be approved by council before the community plan was. Source: City emails, City housing paper approved by City Council.

Then when I reviewed and researched the grassroots “Housing Assessment Advisory Work Group” membership distribution, I found that the 27 members composition was packed with NGOs, PACs, Business interests, city staff and elected officials, many having a conflict of interests I dug deeper. Finding that the City of Sedona funded $2,688,522 between 2024-2025 to members of this group for their non-government groups is appalling. To see these members get legal advice is beyond words. It is unfair, unbalanced, and secretly working against the residents. Source: city emails, city accounting reports

In order for me to understand any subject matter, I need information, records and data driven information. I put public record requests at the city beginning on July 30, 2025. Only to be even more disappointed, the city has been playing games and my request still hasn’t been completed.
In one case the staff messaged the documents were there but they weren’t! I had to ask over and over until Mr. Jakim finally made them visible. “Sorry, the visibility was not available to you. Try now.” In the case of finance records the request was placed on 8-11-25. On September 3rd I had to call to get them. I asked what the delay was, Mr. Jakim answered he hadn’t released them, but would now. The records show the finance department generated a set of reports on 8-19-25 and another set on 8-26-25. But they weren’t released until 9-3-2025. I am still waiting for records requested in July and the beginning of August! My requests all said they would be fulfilled within days!

The city council management style and public policy isn’t acting in the best interest of the public, and lacks accountability and transparency. This is how a politically charged city government works. Making it impossible for city employees and residents. What a mess Ms. Spickard got. I have so much empathy and sorrow for the residents, city employees and Ms. Spickard. You are destroying Sedona. It is horrible, I am crying while writing this.

Aerial Photo Sedona Cultural Park 1984

This next portion is the historical research I’ve done on the Cultural Park. I have all the source documents and checked with City Attorney Mr. Christianson a few years back over the phone. He stated he had them all. The below list was shared with the current city manager and staff.
Research bullet points:

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.
The Forest Land Exchange only happened because the forest service thought the City of Sedona would be good Stewards of the land, keeping the open space, access to trailheads, and mineral pit. This location was selected because it was in the city limits.
Decision Notice and environmental assessment documents outlines the Sedona Cultural Park as open space public facility (approved by city council and reviewed by city’s planning zoning, public involvement)
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
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.
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.
In 1996 a referendum ordered by petition of the people, Voted for the Cultural Park.
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. The State grant was for the Sedona Cultural Park however the SCP had discontinued operating, so the city welcomed the funding.
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.” Nine archaeological sites. The Forest Service still won’t release this information.

You took money you knew was a heritage site. The city council voted over and over prohibiting housing until the excess of a million dollars of State Heritage grants were old enough to be forgotten. I haven’t forgotten.
I strongly oppose any housing on the Sedona Cultural Park Western Gateway. Attached is a photo of a dining table size aerial photo from 1984 of the Sedona Cultural Park land. The 1964 aerial photo is also very cool. and I have more.
Enough is enough. The behavior of elected officials throughout years has deliberately undermined the residents and put many in harm’s way. They have misled and spread lies on social media about the city bed tax calling it a “pass thru tax”. They went after residents who stood up calling them names along with their chamber members buddies and continued down this road.
You have forgotten the residents are your stakeholders not the NGOs, business interests, PACs, corporations, city employees and those who the city enriches and pays. You’ve stacked the deck with high paid special interests against the small business and residents.
Donna Joy Varney

05-23-1967 ERZ-2-103 Sedona Cultural

Shared on Sedona Backfire on Facebook

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Sedona Cultural Park Western Gateway to Sedona

Donna Joy

August 2, 2025

The City of Sedona is proposing to develop the Sedona Cultural Park to 483 Housing units forgetting the history heritage of this beautiful land and ignoring their own vision statement.

Continue Reading Sedona Cultural Park Western Gateway to Sedona