City Council Recap

Below are the highlights of November City Council meetings and some decisions that may interest you:

• On Nov. 12, 2024, Councilors Derek Pfaff, Holli Ploog and Kathy Kinsella were sworn-in to serve four-year terms by our Magistrate Judge, Paul Schlegel. Scott Jablow was sworn-in to serve another two-term as Mayor. The new Council selected Holli Ploog to continue as Vice-Mayor.
• On Nov. 12, 2024, City Council approved an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between the City of Sedona and the Arizona Department of Transportation for the Shelby Drive Shared Use Path Phase II project. An IGA will provide $500,000 in state funding toward the construction costs of the project. The shared-use Phase II pathway will go from Sedona Recycles to 89A. Construction is expected to begin in fiscal year 2026.
• On Nov. 12, 2024, City Council conducted a Public Hearing regarding proposed revisions to the Sedona Land Development Code, and approved allowances for full kitchens for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs).
• On Nov. 12, 2024, City Council heard Tourism Program updates including the results of the summer marketing campaign, branding concepts, and winter marketing campaign concepts and strategies. Council approved the new program’s new brand: Stay Inspired and accompanying logo. They also approved the $127,500 Redefine Desert destination marketing campaign which will run during this Winter. Additionally, a contract amendment for marketing firm DVA, in an amount not-to-exceed $516,000.00, was approved for additional marketing services.
• On Nov. 13, 2024, City Council heard a quarterly update on Sedona in Motion (SIM) projects including results of the traffic control testing conducted during peak season weekends in 2024. During the testing, traffic control operations were in place to evaluate the effectiveness of recently completed SIM projects including the Pedestrian Crossing at Oak Creek, as well as to gain data for future projects. While results indicate some improvement in congestion reduction, once other improvements are complete, such as the Forest Road Connection Project and the potential “Y” improvements, significant congestion improvements are expected. Also, an update was presented on the soon-to-be public traffic modeling dashboard which will display current congestion conditions and will track improvements to traffic as new SIM projects are completed.
• On Nov. 26, 2024, City Council held another Public Hearing regarding Development Impact Fees and the proposed Development Fee Report. Development Impact Fees are one-time charges applied to any new residential and/or commercial construction, in order that new growth will pay its fair share of infrastructure improvements needed to provide municipal services, and to ensure that existing residents are not unduly burdened to pay for improvements and services needed to accommodate new development. Development Impact Fees were last updated in 2019 and are required by statute to be updated every five years. Council directed staff to bring back options for tiered rate increases for consideration at the Dec. 10 Council meeting and incentives for multi-family housing development for consideration at a future Council meeting.
• On Nov. 26, 2024, City Council reviewed the draft results of the Sedona Homeless Needs Assessment. This assessment helps explain the link between lack of affordable housing and homelessness, identify the impacts and extent of homelessness in our area, identify potential strategies to address homelessness and provide cost analyses of these strategies. Council has an interest in taking a regional approach to address this issue and directed staff to invite Catholic Social Services, Sedona Area Homeless Alliance, Yavapai and Coconino County, and other engaged agencies in future discussions. This conversation, including a review of a draft Sedona Strategic Plan, will continue at the Jan. 29, 2025 Council meeting.

Did You Know

• … that the Sedona Shuttle Connect and Sedona Shuttle Trailhead Routes services will be operating every day from December 19 -29 (except Christmas Day) from 6:30 am - 6:00 pm? View the schedule.

Rumor Mill: Forest Road Connection Project

When City staff estimate project costs, there are several phases. First, in the budget process an estimate is created based on what we know at the time, prior to designing the project and with an early concept, sometimes 18 months before the project development would start. We use these concept estimates based on current similar project comparisons. Then the project is designed, where the details of the project are determined, and challenges are identified. Then after a competitive bidding process, contractors review the design and the site and provide a bid based on their estimate of how much it will cost, understanding the many assumptions built into the project. They do their best to predict what the underground geologic conditions will be, how much excavation will cost, what the utility work should include based on surveying, etc. But, still there are many assumptions made. Then finally, once a contract is prepared for an agreed cost, City Council has to decide if cost increases through this process are acceptable.

For the Forest Road Connection Project, the costs significantly increased from when the original construction contract was brought to City Council at $10.7M (in 2022) and now, several costs increase later, at $13.2M as it nears completion. Add land acquisition costs at $2.2 million, design and misc. costs, and the project will be completed at just over a total of $17.5 million. Several factors need to be considered to understand this increase.

Construction for the project started after COVID, as we saw construction labor, material, and real estate acquisition costs meteorically rise; inflationary labor cost increases; costly supply chain issues; and statewide construction demand issues that overall made building in Sedona more expensive. Add onto these geologic discoveries that could have only been made after the fact; utility conflicts, relocation and costly delays; and retention structures that were discovered to be required, and you have a project that no one could have predicted would cost this much.

City Council believes in the value of this project, as this is the first connection/bypass route built in many years in Sedona, and a critical element for Uptown residents to not have to go through the “Y”.

Events

• The first ever Verde Valley Electric Vehicle Ride and Drive event is coming up on Sunday, Dec. 15 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Posse Grounds Park. Register today!

News

• The road realignment portion of the Dry Creek Road Shared-Use Path Project is now complete! The City will now continue constructing Phase Two of the shared-use pathway project that runs from the Two Fence Trailhead to just north of Gringo Road.
• The City is currently hiring for multiple positions! Learn more and apply to join our team!
• The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) awarded the City of Sedona and its Financial Services Department the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the City’s fiscal year 2025 budget. This is the twelfth year the City has received this award.
• The City will be performing pavement rehabilitation operations throughout city streets over the coming month. This work will help pavement life and improve road quality for Sedona motorists. The project consists of crack seal operations along various roadways throughout the City, learn more here.

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