By Jean Jenks, Sedona Resident
(October 19, 2017)
To: Sandy Moriarty; John Martinez; John Currivan; Tom Lamkin; Jon Thompson; Joe Vernier; Scott Jablow
Subject: The Multifamily High Density Major Plan Amendment allowing more than 12 DU/AC and the law
Hello Mayor Moriarty and City Council:
I realize this Community Plan Major Amendment on zoning is a text amendment only.
Stated in the City of Sedona Publicity Pamphlet that voters received prior to the March 11, 2014 election: “Future property zone changes must be consistent with the Community Plan.” The COMMUNITY PLAN Introduction stated: “Although the Plan is not a rezoning ordinance, zoning regulations must be consistent and conform to the Plan, and zoning is a key tool in its implementation.” The August 23, 2017 Red Rock News stated the Community Plan “serves as a guideline for new development and rezoning projects.”
As part of the Plan, voters voted for multifamily median and high density zoning of from 4 to 12 dwelling units per acre. Since there is no Multifamily High Density designation allowing for more than 12 dwelling units per acre in the Plan, conformity as well as lack of consistency are both issues that challenge the proposed rezoning’s legality. And how can a rezoning tool for more than 12 dwelling units per acre be an unknown when zoning is a key tool in the Plan’s implementation? As I see it this definitely contravenes and thus invalidates the Major Plan Text Amendment.
Please note that the Community Plan is a guide, nothing more. Here are the official results for the 2014 Community Plan election I received from the City Clerk: 6,495 Registered Voters; 2,484 Total Votes cast; 1,530 “YES;” 954 “NO.” Ergo, only 23.6 percent of the Registered Voters voted “YES.” Had voters known of the density increase beyond 12 dwelling units per acre–perhaps 20 or more–I do not believe they would have approved the Plan. So much for the Plan being a guideline.
* * * * * *
I question the legitimacy of the Planning and Zoning Commission’s recommendation for approval of the text amendment. I spoke during the P & Z Public Hearing on September 19, 2017, quoting the above Publicity Pamphlet language and providing the Community Plan election stats. I said: “The Major Plan Amendment was not only illegal, but it is unrealistic and unsafe.” (My point of view.)
Sometime after the Public Hearing was closed, Chair Losoff said to Mike Raber: “There was a concern this may be illegal. Do you want to address that?” Although I had stated: “The Publicity Pamphlet the electorate received for the March 11, 2014 Community Plan Election states, and I quote: ‘Future property zone changes must be consistent with the Community Plan. There is no Multifamily High Density designation allowing for more than 12 dwelling units per acre in the Plan’ “, amazingly Mike Raber said “I’m not aware of what the person was talking about”….”I’m not aware of what he was specifically referring to.” As is well known, Mike Raber is not an attorney but a high-powered City planner. The City Attorney was silently sitting at one of the tables in front of the P & Z dais. I was dumbfounded and pissed. Several minutes later another P & Z Commissioner stated: “I would be in favor of a cap….I think the citizens–a good percentage of them–are very concerned about changing from 12 units per acre which they voted for to a higher limit, so I would be in favor of capping it at 20.”
During the break former Vice Mayor Mark DiNunzio, in attendance at the Public Hearing, came to my seat. I don’t remember his exact words, but in effect Mark stated his opinion that P & Z had disregarded the facts.
Sincerely,
Jean Jenks
Sedona AZ
7 Comments
Wow Jean Jenks:
Your post is almost 7 days old and not one comment one way or the other. Last night was the city council meeting and not one person came out to take your side. Maybe that will tell you something.
The takers showed up at the Council meeting which is usually the case now days since residents are persona non grata under City “management.” John Currivan opposed the major plan amendment and requested a citizen survey but was ignored.
Tom Lamkin was okay with a density of 350 units per acre, but said he would go with 50. No cap was placed on the zoning when there’s already a serious problem with bumper to bumper traffic as well as with disposal of excess effluent at the WWTP.
The 45-unit low cost apartment complex the Council approved Wednesday (at 89A/Pinon Dr) wants more sewer rights than permitted under the adopted Sewer Master Plan (Ref: Oct. 25, 2017 RRN), and this is only the beginning since the major plan amendment zoning is going City-wide. No, the increase in traffic of 299 trips per day from the upcoming 89A/Pinon Dr project was not considered in the Transportation Master Plan.
Steve Segner spoke and predicted high-density, high-rise apartments for the masses in Sedona’s future. Over one dozen pro-comments were posted to my article on the Sedona Eye.
Jean :Said.
Steve Segner spoke and predicted high-density, high-rise apartments for the masses in Sedona’s future. “Over one dozen pro-comments were posted to {my article} on the Sedona Eye”.
Jean, you do not post articles, articles are in new papers,places that have researched news and facts, and people that comment have names….. You are just a hack.
Yes,Jean,by people with no “names” the same looser that always post.
Oh, Jean you are so funny, you did not go the meeting, you did not speak up ,you just go on line after the fact and cry.
Not one person spoke against the density change, and I said I trust future city councils to do the right thing,the city council should have options, and yes some day we may want and need a high rise.
Jean, you said”Tom Lamkin was okay with a density of 350 units per acre”, Jean, Tom had his tong freely planted in his cheek, with this response you just quoted what you wanted to make him look bad. Hack job.
City grow, city change and people now want smaller more affordable housing.
Cronies, vested interests and takers frequent City Council meetings these days so I don’t attend.
Most residents don’t buy the sham allegations and BS from Steve Segner.
BTW, in his October 27, 2017, 2:42 pm comment on the Sedona Eye Steve says: “Look at the list of people that posted on the EYE last week [posting impossible per Steve]….You will see the Sedona EYE is just a hate group of 15 to 20 [BS and defamatory].”
Look at the list of people that posted on the EYE last week [posting impossible per Steve]….You will see the Sedona EYE is just a hate group of 15 to 20 [BS and defamatory].”
I posted tis so you could understand Jean post: and see the list.
this is the list of all the well resected people that post on the sedona eye
You will see the Sedona Eye is just a hate group of 15 to 20
Survey Says What Cities Want to Hear says:
Tom – Sedona Refused Online Survey? says:
Picture worth a thousand words says:
are u kidding? says:
J. Rick Normand says:
Eddie Maddock says:
Norma says:
Cotter says:
West Sedona Dave says:
Joan, VOC says:
Jim says:
The Thought Proctologist say
Tony T says:
David Schwartz says:
No Surprise Here says:
Ted says:
Rich collister says:
why don’t they use real names I do ? steve segner
I take Jean’s side. The powers that be including those on the Lodging Council want to grow the city at the expense of the residents. Pure greed blinds them, so they don’t see they are destroying the “small town chararcter” and charm of Sedona. And then angry men try to bully concerned citizens like Jean because she doesn’t tow the party line and support the misbegotten vision of Sedona as a ritzy resort town, and because she doesn’t like how the City Council is rezoning to allow greater population density. The original Community Plan stated there would be no rezoning and a main goal was traffic reduction. Rezoning means more biuldings/residences, hence more traffic. More smoke and mirrors by the City and the powers that be. Stop the bullying. Allow people to express their opinions without being attacked by those of different opinions. Is it that hard to be civil?
Concerned Sedona Resident had the wonderful “Selling Sedona” series posted on Sedona Biz, no real name given. Some commenters on the Biz and the Sedona Eye are disgusted with the angry attacks and BS they receive from Steve Segner of the Lodging Council.
https://sedona.biz//editorial-and-opinion/selling-sedona/