We are opposed to the construction of the proposed Cultural Center at Posse Grounds Park for the following reasons:

Environmental

This property was proactively cleared of smaller plants in mid-Fall, 2007 just before the “area of construction” was outlined and a pole denoting height of structure were installed. Twenty large mature pinions and junipers and almost as many large (5’) native shrubs (Manzanita, live Oak) would have to be removed for the construction further degrading the site. Although the “Friends of Posse Grounds Park, Inc.” (“Friends”) have maintained that the trees could be transplanted; checking with local arborists suggests that the transplant success rate even under the best conditions would be far less than 50%. This Park is also already overused and overbuilt with 16 playing fields, West Sedona elementary school, a teen center, skate park, dog park, community swimming pool and popular hiking trails - and insufficient parking (less than 140 parking spaces). It is also not directly accessible from a major highway (as the first Center was) without first traversing contiguous neighborhoods.

City of Sedona money mismanagement; lack of city skills; and coercive behavior toward residents:

● The City has an obvious lack of skills to oversee, maintain, and run such a venue; we note the failure of the City to properly manage and ensure the Heritage Fund grant funds before its release to a non-profit organization responsible for building and operating the Sedona Cultural Park, and subsequent bankruptcy of the non-profit resulting from the City’s lack of oversight – notably Public money mismanagement.

● The “Friends” and the City have demonstrated their lack of proper planning for this second venue with particular attention to residents’ concerns (increased traffic volume, parking, noise, safety, etc.).

● The City’s Public-Private agreement with the “Friends” only has the “Friends” responsible for raising the construction funds and does not include the above costs of conducting traffic, parking, noise, safety, etc. studies (which would by necessity be required of other private projects) – thus sticking the City with a further bill besides the agreed-to oversight, planning, and maintenance of the eventual City facility.

● The City has demonstrated lack of forthrightness to the Public on the financial matters related to AZ State Parks Grant, especially the repayment of the monies to the Heritage Fund if a suitable substitute plan is not put forth soon.

● Not only has the City been dangerously undemocratic in colluding with the “Friends” to quickly push this entertainment center through without planning and public discussion, it is setting a bad precedent (to the community) in reversing City Council’s February 12, 2008 decision without notice. Those of us who are not living near the Park feel the same behavior demonstrated toward this project could just as likely happen with proposed projects anywhere in the City; this City’s disregard for its residents must be stopped.

Although this situation is not Arizona State Parks’ fault and is a deficit of Sedona’s Planning and Zoning Process, we feel that we cannot support this particular project in this location. We may support the funds transfer to another more appropriate site for a Cultural Center. The City must be more open in its planning processes and involve the entire public (not just residents who live nearby) early on in this planning.

Short history of present site for Cultural Center

In late 2004 a proposal for an entertainment stage was presented by the "Friends,” which preserved the environment of the Park. In Spring, 2005, neighbors surrounding the Park agreed to a small outdoor stage proposal whereby the wooden stage would be rebuilt and a small number of people could be accommodated on adjoining property to attend day-time performances, as presented by the the former Director of Community Services.

Suddenly, in late 2007 the public hears that the bandstand plan has evolved into a geodesic dome where capacity has more than tripled in size and impact from the original proposal. No findings were ever made on the impact of the increased traffic volume, noise and parking issues that the "new" plan creates before approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission on December 4, 2007.

In January, 2008 Sierra and representatives of the HOAs in the area requested and received public record documents which traced the history of how Posse Grounds Park was transformed into the recent target of the second hastily produced Sedona Cultural Center proposal. The Club’s curiosity was aroused when the City manager suggested that some of the AZ Heritage Finds monies could be transferred to this venue after his previous vociferous denial of any connection between the two venues.

The City (meaning all of the people managing the initial Project and those who followed) failed to honor the 1996 agreements, which gave $586,600 of Arizona State Parks Heritage Funds for the ORIGINAL 3000-5000 capacity Cultural Park near Yavapai College. The City gave $586,600 to the non-profit organization (Sedona Cultural Park, Inc.) to operate and maintain the Cultural Park without securing the grant. This first Cultural park project existed for only three years before declaring bankruptcy in 2003 and with it went the money. Negotiations with the present developers, Fitch Industries, are still on-going.

Only during a March 2007 State Parks Foundation visit did State Parks discover that the Cultural Park was no longer in operation and the outdoor recreation park was fenced off even though the rest of the grant money ($44,000) had been spent to complete hiking trails. The Grant Agreement stipulated that the outdoor park was to remain open to the public for 25 years, and if the venue closed the City had to return the money, or transfer it to another project of equal or greater value. The State Parks Foundation graciously agreed to allow the City of Sedona to transfer the already expended funds to another project, the Barbara Antonsen Memorial Park and Pavilion.

However, the City failed to inform residents of this development. From the internal documents we obtained we saw that there was a push to solve the “problem” by quickly suggesting transfer to another project. Hence all the recent rush since June 2007 to push the Cultural Center to Posse Grounds Park and stifle any dissent.

The residents filed an appeal to the Planning and Zoning December, 2008 decision. At the February 12, 2008 City Council Meeting Sierra and the Appellants publicly exposed the recent shenanigans by City operatives (although none of the minutes from this meeting appear on the City’s website). City Council voted to allow staff to “1) Direct staff to develop a management/operations plan for Barbara Antonsen Park, 2) Develop secondarily a plan for the entire park and 3) Work with all parties through the appeals process to determine a time frame or to resume the appeal.”

Six days later, the City apparently reversed its motion because the “Friends” requested that the Appeal go forward. The Appellants were informed of this when they attempted to formalize in writing their willingness to work with the “Friends” and the Director of Parks and Recreation (coincidentally, the minutes from the December 4th Planning and Zoning Commission meeting have disappeared from the City’s website too). It has also been verified by a City staff representative that the “Friends” regularly conduct their meetings in City Hall. The present Mayor (after the public exposure of the history of this second entertainment center proposal by us at the 2/14/08 City Council meeting), Pud Colquitt, had as one of her campaign platforms “to get the Heritage Grant monies transferred to the Barbara Antonsen Memorial Park.” Her campaign treasurer is none other than Marie Brown, former Parks Director (under whose watch the original Cultural Park failed) and one of the leaders of the non-profit “Friends”) promoting the new cultural center construction at Posse Grounds Park.

We advise State Parks (and City Council) to remember that the 2005 ‘small bandstand plan’ is the only Plan the homeowners agreed to. Pushing such a large project in an inappropriate location to save repaying the already spent $630,000 is reprehensible of the City and is forcing residents to pay this money twice in loss of property values, increase in insurance rates and city tax dollars.

Sierra Club Sedona-Verde Valley Group
Marlene Rayner, Chair

Related article: Sierra Club opposes Barbara Antonsen Memorial Park in Sedona (part 2)

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