Letter to The Editor: Urgent Action Needed to
Save El Rojo Grande Ranch

December 7, 20185 Comments1 Min Read

5 Comments

Joan Shannon on December 10, 2018 10:51 am

I implore Sedonans to write all the Yavapai County Supervisors opposing this development. Yavapai County asked Sedona City Council what they thought so the held a special meeting for Randy Garrison, Yavapai County and the developers of the property in escrow contingent on re-zoning to speak. The developer contradicted himself several times and was not even slightly credible neither was Randy Garrison. The developer tried to present the project as being for affordable housing yet they will be very expensive and yearly rental fees for the lots exceptionally high. First he said the owners could add to the work force of Sedona but, when confronted by the City Council reminding him the owners would be 55 plus he backtracked. When confronted with the huge amount of traffic it would incur for Sedona he contradicted himself and said that most of the owners would stay home during the week and leave only on weekends. WHAT??? The writer of the above article is of the family who currently owns the property, they were told it would not be developed and left rural as it is now with improvements. They were lied to as was the Sedona City Council which voted as extremely opposed to the project, just an opinion as it is not in City limits but, the developer was not at all well received. Please all of you reading this article above write to the Yavapai County Supervisors opposing the project. Just imagine driving to Cottonwood and seeing 600 mobile homes in that glorious setting. Let us not allow the beauty of the area to be eviscerated. Thank you.
Joan Shannon
Sedona
Susan Pitcirn on December 11, 2018 9:31 am

This is a very important matter and all Sedonans who oppose continued overdevelopment of this special region (which I think is most of us) need to speak up quickly!!
- Sue Alexander on December 11, 2018 1:50 pm
  
  WE HAD PLANNED TO PURCHASE THIS PROPERTY when our funds became available, and were greatly saddened to learn it sold to a developer.
  
  We viewed this property as a special place that deserved to be treated in a way that would serve ALL OF THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY for their appropriate use and enjoyment. We believe it is time to think beyond the bottom line.
  
  OUR PLAN was to engage input from the community in order to strategize its most appropriate use to all. Although it was premature to request input prior to our ability to purchase, some ideas that have come forth include and can combine the following compatible uses:
  
  ART: Public sculpture garden with art/craft classes available for kids of all ages
  
  CAMP: “Day” camp outings for children and elderly with focus on nature, art, music and creativity
  
  FIELD TRIP DESTINATION for individuals, families and small groups
  
  ANIMALS: A place for people and horses to interact in a therapy sense
  
  NATURE: Wheelchair accessible paths through beautiful grounds.
  
  MUSIC: Small, intimate recitals
  
  GENERAL SPACE USE: Weddings, Reunions, Meeting rooms for business day-use and small seminar usage.
  
  We remain interested in purchasing this land from the current owner if/when this might be possible and arranged.
  - Christine Adams on December 17, 2018 11:12 am
    
    Sue, the land has not been sold, it is currently in escrow and is in the
    “pending- taking back- up offers” category
    You can still submit a back up offer to the listing agent
Susan Pitcairn on December 11, 2018 1:54 pm

Where are these zoning meetings being held, Dec. 20 and Jan. 17?

THE MOMENT IS UPON US

Dear Sedona,

The moment is upon us. The time for a united effort to shift the focus back to our community is now.

The ability to thrive in our community, our environment, our workforce, and the tourist industry, is entirely possible because we have all the resources needed for success.

Still, we need a council that isn’t afraid to ask the hard questions, that makes decisions based on data and facts, and through discussion, rather than moving and voting in group unison as they so regularly do.

This is my home. I have been a part of the Sedona community for 28 years. I witnessed the road debacle, the lack of planning, the city circumventing the local businesses ability to thrive, while making choices to expand the local government and be in direct competition with private industry.

I am a unique candidate because unlike the incumbents, I don’t believe the government should expand in size, nor in operations, nor would I attempt to micromanage every aspect of our community.

City government should stay in its lane and allow the competitive market of local private industry to prosper. And it should defend our community from corporate takeover and infiltration of our town.

I do not agree that we should sign onto International Building Codes and regulations by signing Sedona up to the ICC. It is imperative that we remain a sweet, rural community.

Where are the arts? Where is this organic thriving element that we allege to be animated by. Where is our culture? Where is our community?

The discord between the decision making process and the desires of the community have never been more clear. It has been nearly a decade in the making.

It is time for a new era of energy to take charge. An energy that is reflective in the ability to succeed rather than be trapped in out of date consciousness.

It has been a great honor meeting with each of you. I hear your concerns over the insane and out of control spending and I echo them. A budget of $105,000,000 in a town of 9700 residents is completely unacceptable. A parking structure (that looks like a shoe box) originally slated to cost 11 million, now projected to cost 18 million, is incomprehensible. Especially, considering there is no intention of charging for parking.

For those who are concerned that I lack the political experience within our established system- that is precisely what Sedona needs… Not another politician, but instead a person who understands people, who listens to the voices within the community, and who will act in service on their behalf with accountability, for the highest good of Sedona. What I am not, will prove to be an asset as I navigate the entrenched bureaucracy with a fresh perspective. Business as usual, is over.

Creative solutions require new energy.

Every decision that is made by our local government, must contemplate Sedona first.

Does this decision benefit the residents?
Does this decision benefit the local businesses?
Does this decision actually help the environment?
Will this decision sustain benefit in the future, or will it bring more problems?

What we have now is a city government that expands to 165 employees for 9700 residents. Palm Desert has 53,000 residents and 119 city employees. Majority of our city department heads are not even in town. I find this problematic.

Efforts towards championing in and courting new solutions for our medical needs are imperative. We are losing our doctors. We must encourage competition with other facilities rather than be held hostage by NAH, who clearly have their own set of dysfunctions.

We must remember that so many move to Sedona for its beauty, hiking, and small town charm. Bigger, faster, and more concrete does not, in broad strokes, fit the ethos of Sedona.

The old world must remain strong here in balance, as that is what visitors want to experience. Too many have noted that Sedona has lost its edge and charm.

As Mayor I will preserve the rural charm of our community, and push back against the urbanization that is planned for Sedona.

As mayor I will make it a priority to create opportunities to support our youth. After school healthy, enriching programs should be created for our kids, and available to the Sedona workforce regardless of residency and regardless of school they belong to.

As Mayor, I will create an agenda to deliberately embody the consciousness of our collective needs here, allowing private industry to meet the needs of our community rather than bigger government.

I hope to have your vote on Aug 2nd. I am excited and have the energy to take on this leadership role with new eyes, community perspective, and the thoughtful consciousness that reflects all ages of the human spectrum.

Thank you deeply for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Samaire Armstrong

Armstrong vs. Jablow: The Main Event
Ready to Rumble
By Tommy Acosta
In the Blue Corner stands Scott Jablow and in the Red Corner of the ring stands Samaire Armstrong, ready to rumble to the bitter end in their fight to become the next Sedona mayor. Jablow weighs in with 1,137 primary election votes (36.13%) under his belt, having wielded his advantage as sitting Sedona City Council vice-mayor to his favor. He brings his years of serving in that capacity into the fray and waged a solid fight in his campaign to make it to the run-off. Armstrong, however withstood a blistering smear campaign from the other opposing candidates and their supporters to make it to the final bout with 967 votes under her belt (30.73%), an amazing feat for a political newcomer. Unfortunately, for the other two candidates, Kurt Gehlbach and sitting mayor Sandy Moriarty, neither put up enough of a fight to make it to the championship bout. Read more→

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Letter to The Editor: Urgent Action Needed to Save El Rojo Grande Ranch

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Letter to The Editor: Urgent Action Needed to
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