Letter to the Editor: Support Sedona Parking Garage

By Steve Segner —

Sedona,AZ — Dear Fellow Citizens of Sedona,

On November 15th, a significant vote will take place within our city council—one that holds immense importance for the future of our beloved Sedona. The subject of this vote is the long-awaited uptown parking garage.

This garage has been in the works for over two decades, and it’s a project that has faced its share of delays. One contributing factor to these delays is the arrival of new council members who may not be fully aware of the historical context and the pressing need for this facilityTo ensure that everyone is well-informed and up to speed on the matter, a new study was commissioned by the current city council and funded by the city itself. This study has conclusively recommended the construction of the parking garage at the selected uptown location. The report can be viewed HERE

https://www.sedonaaz.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/50209/638339055169204052

Having been a resident of Sedona for over twenty-five years, I have witnessed and participated in countless parking discussions over the years. It is my firm belief that approving the garage is the next logical step to complete our parking and transportation plan.

Furthermore, it’s essential to consider the broader context: our “Sedona In Motion” community transportation system requires the garage to operate effectively. With the recent traffic study also recommending the garage, there is now a solid foundation of data supporting its construction.

A “no” vote on this project can only be interpreted as a vote against our local businesses and of our tourism industry. The previous city council had approved the plan, purchased the necessary property, and agreed to connect Forest Road to 89A in preparation for this project. However, the parking segment of the plan was put on hold by the current council.

Sedona’s long-term interests are best served by having a clear, unwavering commitment to projects that are vital to our growth and sustainability. A start-and-stop approach, driven by the whims of a few city council members, is not in our city’s best interest.

In light of my more than two decades as a Sedona resident, I wanted to share this historical perspective to ensure that both the council and our fellow citizens have the knowledge they need to make an informed decision regarding the upcoming vote.

I urge you all to consider the facts, the studies, and the broader implications for our city’s future when making your choice on this crucial matter.

Thank you for your time and your commitment to the well-being of our beautiful city.

Supporting the construction of an uptown parking structure in Sedona is a significant step toward addressing the traffic and parking challenges in the area. Here are several compelling reasons to support this initiative

To send an email to all the city council on this subject, click HERE

https://www.sedonaaz.gov/your-government/departments/city-clerk/council-commissions-committees-boards/city-council/contact-the-entire-city-council

By supporting the construction of an uptown parking structure, Sedona can take a significant step towards addressing traffic congestion, improving safety, and enhancing the overall experience for both residents and visitors.

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Sean Smith on November 6, 2023 1:31 pm

I appreciate how your history in Sedona has informed your thinking on the need for a parking garage, how the inertia over such a long time creates an impetus to just get it passed, and how businesses need our support to maintain a vibrant economic core in Uptown. I’m very much for supporting all businesses in Sedona!

But there is an alternative that gives hope for a solution at a fraction of the spend, with the same outcomes of reducing circling, increasing safety (by less circling) on our roads and helping businesses. That alternative should be tried first.

The alternative is the use of wayfinding technology which places sensors in parking stalls feeding a management system that updates digital displays indicating where free spots are. This technology was considered by the city in the past but not chosen, as I understand it, because it was immature technology.

The technology has come a long way from when the city first reviewed it and decided against. There should have been another look at this technology as part of the latest study. Alas, as far as I can tell this was not considered anew. That to me is a significant hole in the latest study.

Such technology is far cheaper than a garage, shown in research by Sedona Residents Unite (https://sedonaresidentsunite.com) and concludes that long term maintenance issues have been addressed (battery life of sensors). And use cases in other cities are now available to draw from. We need to explore this technology further before deciding to build a garage.

Maybe this technology doesn’t fit in Uptown. I’m certainly no expert. I just feel the experts (city staff, consultants) should weigh in on the current iterations of this technology before we decide to spend millions and millions on a garage structure that brings other considerations citizens may take issue with, such as aesthetics and cost.

Until then, we should decide to do a surface lot on Forest Rd, done in such a way that a garage structure can be built later, if either demand takes off above projections, and/or wayfinding technology can not move forward or is installed and fails on it’s promises, or just doesn’t work for reasons specific to Uptown.

Again, I’m for supporting businesses. Nothing in a wayfinding system hurts businesses, and it is WAY LESS COST, and almost no visual impact aside from some digital signs. I’ll admit the garage helps a few extra businesses on the south end of Uptown by reducing walking distance.

There also have been concerns about safety with the garage- I’m not sure I buy that argument fully, but the log jam of people trying to leave the garage is something that should be understood more. But maybe that issue can be punted as at the end of the day as there are still only two ways out of Uptown (three once Forest Rd is punched through), so what does it matter if the cars are concentrated in one spot? I have to give that it might be better to have them stacked in a garage than coming from many smaller lots. But to me garage or no-garage cancel each other out on the safety question.

What is comforting to me in all of this- a no-vote for a garage doesn’t box us into any corners! We can move forward to meet ever growing demand for parking. We can build a surface lot now, try some technology tomorrow, and still approve a garage once the forecast for demand exceeds the then current capacities.

I understand cash is king. It will only get more expensive to build in the future. We’ve seen the estimates for a garage jump substantially. Keeping our powder dry in investments while we do iterative solutions (surface lot, wayfinding tech) does run the risk of construction costs rising faster than the rate of return on investments. But we do gain the possibility of a downturn in the business cycle working in our favor in the future, should it become clear the next step is a garage.

So at the end of the day, of all the pros and cons I’ve heard, it comes down to a vote of whether or not to risk having to pay more later for a garage that isn’t truly needed now (Uptown see 85% capacity only 50-60 days a year), and might not be needed for many years or decades if cheaper alternatives deliver the same benefits.

3 Comments

Kathy Howe on November 6, 2023 8:08 am

Steve, thank you for this piece! I’ve lived in Uptown since 2006 and yes, we have begged for this garage to be built. I hosted a neighborhood gathering years ago where my Uptown neighbors (7 of my neighbors attended) filled out an information form which explained our reasons for wanting a parking garage for the visitors.

The location is perfect for the visitors to be able to park and walk all the way to Hillside. To think that visitors will walk from the parking lots at the other end of Uptown is just not reality and it’s why they are seldom filled. Just drive down any of the streets near Forest Rd and you will see street parking that shouts congestion and a need to have the parking structure located at Forest Rd.
Sean Smith on November 6, 2023 1:31 pm

I appreciate how your history in Sedona has informed your thinking on the need for a parking garage, how the inertia over such a long time creates an impetus to just get it passed, and how businesses need our support to maintain a vibrant economic core in Uptown. I’m very much for supporting all businesses in Sedona!

But there is an alternative that gives hope for a solution at a fraction of the spend, with the same outcomes of reducing circling, increasing safety (by less circling) on our roads and helping businesses. That alternative should be tried first.

The alternative is the use of wayfinding technology which places sensors in parking stalls feeding a management system that updates digital displays indicating where free spots are. This technology was considered by the city in the past but not chosen, as I understand it, because it was immature technology.

The technology has come a long way from when the city first reviewed it and decided against. There should have been another look at this technology as part of the latest study. Alas, as far as I can tell this was not considered anew. That to me is a significant hole in the latest study.

Such technology is far cheaper than a garage, shown in research by Sedona Residents Unite (https://sedonaresidentsunite.com) and concludes that long term maintenance issues have been addressed (battery life of sensors). And use cases in other cities are now available to draw from. We need to explore this technology further before deciding to build a garage.

Maybe this technology doesn’t fit in Uptown. I’m certainly no expert. I just feel the experts (city staff, consultants) should weigh in on the current iterations of this technology before we decide to spend millions and millions on a garage structure that brings other considerations citizens may take issue with, such as aesthetics and cost.

Until then, we should decide to do a surface lot on Forest Rd, done in such a way that a garage structure can be built later, if either demand takes off above projections, and/or wayfinding technology can not move forward or is installed and fails on it’s promises, or just doesn’t work for reasons specific to Uptown.

Again, I’m for supporting businesses. Nothing in a wayfinding system hurts businesses, and it is WAY LESS COST, and almost no visual impact aside from some digital signs. I’ll admit the garage helps a few extra businesses on the south end of Uptown by reducing walking distance.

There also have been concerns about safety with the garage- I’m not sure I buy that argument fully, but the log jam of people trying to leave the garage is something that should be understood more. But maybe that issue can be punted as at the end of the day as there are still only two ways out of Uptown (three once Forest Rd is punched through), so what does it matter if the cars are concentrated in one spot? I have to give that it might be better to have them stacked in a garage than coming from many smaller lots. But to me garage or no-garage cancel each other out on the safety question.

What is comforting to me in all of this- a no-vote for a garage doesn’t box us into any corners! We can move forward to meet ever growing demand for parking. We can build a surface lot now, try some technology tomorrow, and still approve a garage once the forecast for demand exceeds the then current capacities.

I understand cash is king. It will only get more expensive to build in the future. We’ve seen the estimates for a garage jump substantially. Keeping our powder dry in investments while we do iterative solutions (surface lot, wayfinding tech) does run the risk of construction costs rising faster than the rate of return on investments. But we do gain the possibility of a downturn in the business cycle working in our favor in the future, should it become clear the next step is a garage.

So at the end of the day, of all the pros and cons I’ve heard, it comes down to a vote of whether or not to risk having to pay more later for a garage that isn’t truly needed now (Uptown see 85% capacity only 50-60 days a year), and might not be needed for many years or decades if cheaper alternatives deliver the same benefits.
@Sean on November 7, 2023 6:25 am

Im sick of the city paying for parking spots in uptown! That isnt a solution to lack of parking!
And for all the others who say its to tall, you know by code it can be 5 feet taller? So anyone building a home could make it 5 feet taller than this structure, without input from any of you….Think about that!