Red Rock Village rezoning:
Another out-of-town developer asks for way too much, offers way too little in return

By Marlene Rayner

Here we go again – summer in Sedona brings absurd Community Plan and City Code amendment proposals, along with “community meetings” – timed for exactly when many residents are away!

Last summer, a city-initiated Community Development Code change to increase residential density and height rules, under the guise of “affordable housing,” was soundly rejected by the community. Residents are beginning to see the pattern here.

Architect Stephen Thompson fields some pretty angry questions; area residents made it clear that they are not happy about the enormous increase in density proposed by the rezoning request.

The latest strategy to do the same, in what the city calls a special planning area, is the “mixed-use” development proposal and rezoning request for the 14.3-acre proposed “Red Rock Village,” in the West Sedona SR89A corridor. This private commercial/residential project proposes outrageous density and height changes for Sedona, using subterfuge.

This property, fronted by Windsong Trailer Park, is bordered by SR 89A, Madole Rd. and Tranquil Ave. (residential single family homes), as well as commercial and residential properties located on Andante Dr.

Doug Huberman (developer of the adjacent Safeway Shopping Center), is proposing to develop California-style (Phoenix, too!) urban expansion in Sedona. Before I go any further, let me say that residents surrounding this area (including myself) expected and would support and applaud good development in this area, supportive of local residentís needs (as also stated in the Community Plan). Further, we all would like to see the Windsong area upgraded.

The developer held two dismissive and poorly organized community meetings (July 14, July 28), and insulted the intelligence of the majority of the very small, community-affected audiences. Less than 10 percent of the 360 Sedona residents within 1,000 feet of the project attended the meeting, which was held at a time when many residents are predictably out of town, or just leaving work.

From the beginning, it was obvious at the meetings that City Development staff has spent much time working with the architect and developer. The architect and developer presented the ìneedî to increase height and housing density in order to make the Red Rock Village project profitable for themselves – and the housing “affordable.”

Explaining the unexplainable - Doug Huberman, developer

The developer’s density pitch is “over the top” for Sedona. It consists of 20-30 units per acre (depending on the acreage used for calculation) versus the city’s highest present limit of 12 units per acre for “mixed-use zoning.”

The height proposal is unconscionable, as they have asked for approval of three- and four-story buildings with penthouses topping out at 18-feet higher than the substantial knoll on Madole Rd.!

Imagine this massive development thrust upon West Sedona – 70,000 sq. feet of first floor commercial development, 180 residential units, three- and four- story buildings with underground garages, crammed into less than six-acres. Plus, the proposed multiple huge church buildings (a sanctuary, school, multi-use building, administrative housing, a 30-foot tall cross, an expansive parking lot), all placed in adjacent residential neighborhoods. In total, more than 750 parking spaces are slated for this project.

What about the displaced Windsong Trailer Park residents and the workers who gather there for day work?

And get this – the nearly 15-acre development completely surrounds one homeowner, who will not sell out (hurrah for him!).

This “mixed-use proposal” supposedly was conceptualized cooperatively with the Wesleyan Church. It should be noted here that churches do not need special zoning and can be located in any zone.

The church should be ashamed for colluding in this project. Where are their ethics in this matter if they do not need the zoning? What are they getting out of this “deal?”

The entire property is essentially a land-locked parcel, with only one entrance/exit on SR 89A for at least 180 new residents, plus the commercial traffic, and also the proposed 350-member church and its daily school traffic.

Of course, the developer avoided the entrance/exit issue, by suggesting that by connecting through miniscule Tranquil Ave., and shunting traffic through the Safeway Shopping Center (between McDonaldís and Cafe Jose), it would create alternate routes for the residential/commercial traffic and the church/school attendees ñ thus, obliterating Tranquil Ave. and Andante Dr. residences, and further complicating lower Rodeo Rd.

In addition, the project swallows up much of Madole Rd. and will force Madole residents to drive through the “Red Rock Village” to enter and exit their homes.

In order for the developer to proceed with this plan, a rezoning of the entire parcel to ìmixed-useî is required, due to significant density and open-space issues with the City Development Code. This rezoning to mixed-use must not be allowed to succeed! Besides its detriment to the Community Plan, if the project falls apart, we are still stuck with the rezoning (and massively increased density).

Although designated a ìspecial planning areaî on city maps, significant community benefit is needed to justify such substantial up-zoning – and none is visible here (other than the removal of Windsong).

Currently, only 4.15-acres are zoned commercial (those fronting SR 89A). Huberman owns 2.65 of these acres (Windsong Trailer Park), plus two residential properties purchased in 2007 (one acre total, just west of Madole Rd.). Washington-Federal Bank owns the other 1.5 acres (the former AmeriGas location).

The rest of the 14.3-acre parcel is zoned RMH-10, one residential or manufactured home on approximately 0.23 acres (about four single-family residential units per acre). Similarly, the immediate surrounding properties are zoned for residential, single-family homes (up to four units per acre).

Such a huge, mixed-use development, along with the proposed church development is more than this area can endure.

There are multiple problems with such a rezoning proposal, including but not limited to:

• Density issues (20-30 units/acre vs. current zoning of four units/acre),

• Height issues (three- and four-story buildings),

• The enormous church complex,

• A massive parking lot on a neighborhood street,

• Lighting,

• Interference with the existing view corridors for nearby residents and from SR 89A,

• The massive traffic issues,

• Safety issues with the use of Tranquil Ave. and the Safeway Shopping Center as alternate routes (where traffic safety concerns already exist since the opening of Probuild),

• Blasting/drilling for underground garages,

• Complete obliteration of native vegetation on nearly all the site,

• And finally, the development control for that entire parcel that local residents give up with the mixed-use zoning designation.

Many of us came from places already destroyed by this kind of development. We have seen it happen elsewhere. Those of us who chose to live in this beautiful small town (not urban!) did so for environmental reasons, including convenience and walkability, as well-stated in the Sedona Community Plan.

We trusted Sedona’s “buffer zones” protecting residences from commercial development, and that the adjacent residential zonings would remain preserved according to, again, the environmentally sensitive-sounding Sedona Community Plan.

This “Red Rock Village” proposal doesnít come close to anything any sensible Sedona resident would approve of. The rejection of the ìaffordable housingî Code Amendment last year should have put the city on notice that residents want a different view from City Hall. It appears here that now the plan is to push through sneaky increases in density and height proposals, property by property.

Huberman should be strictly limited to any building on his 2.65 commercial property, alone or in a deal with the bank property. This limits his development to commercial, plus a considerable number of residential units (with proper open space and two-story development), and without the church parking lot or alternate traffic patterns. The development should not surround the single homeowner (noted earlier) on that side of Madole. Road access should be centrally planned to the back (church) property, and maintained on Madole Rd. and to that single homeowner.

The entire nine-acre church property should remain zoned as RMH-10, since a church does not need any zone change to build. We have no guarantee a church will actually be built there. The pastor has suggested a five-to-20-year time frame. Remember, once the zoning is changed from RMH-10 to “mixed-use,” it is “up-zoned,” and could allow further future commercial encroachment into “residential spaces.”

The precedent here for long-term city development is huge. Make no mistake, approval of this kind of ìproperty dealî to underhandedly increase density and height may be common elsewhere, but it is only the second such deal here (including Fitchís Cultural Park development, which still remains in escrow). This proposed project is a “Trojan Horse,” bearing and obfuscating huge future implications for increasing density and height in Sedona.

Because of the potential damage to Sedona residents now and in the future, and the resentment we feel at another round of community opposition, we have a petition stating our community opposition to any zoning change for these properties, and to demand a ìsuper majorityî vote should the project get to a vote at Planning & Zoning and at the City Council.

A super majority vote requires a five-out-of-seven vote from a deliberating body, versus a simple majority (which requires four out of seven). This petition also delegates a few people (people who collected the signatures or their authorized representatives) to present the petitionersí opposition at, including but not limited to, any and all Sedona work sessions, meetings, public hearings, discussions, and gatherings coming from the Sedona Planning and Zoning Commission, Sedona Community Development, and the Sedona City Council.

A copy of the petition is available by email. Please feel free to call (203-0340) or email me (marlenerayner@yahoo.com). Someone can come by for your signature, if we havenít already called or knocked on your door.

Act now; Sedona’s future is on the line.

Articles of interest:

The role of the Sedona City Council: Rulers or Representatives?
What is the role for our City Council? To rule us, or to represent us?
By Paul Chevalier

Thinking About Sedona
Losing our right to vote
By Paul Chevalier

The role of the Sedona City Council:
Rulers or Representatives?

What is the role for our City Council? To rule us, or to represent us?

By Paul Chevalier

This issue should have been settled by the American Revolution. The Declaration of Independence established a new form of government for us, where citizens’ rights were placed before the governmentís rights.

Almost 150 years ago, President Abraham Lincoln, at Gettysburg, Penn., rewrote in his own words the promise made to the people in the Declaration of Independence. All of us memorized those words when we were children. Our government is to be a government “of the people, for the people, and by the people.”

What has happened to that social contract between local government and citizens in Sedona? What has happened to the promise government made to represent us?

In so far as possible, it has been extinguished in Sedona. Our council has taken on the role of ruler, ignoring, whenever possible, citizen rights that our founding fathers insisted were inalienable.

This harsh judgment of our council is not made lightly. It is supported by numerous undemocratic decisions made by the majority of our existing City Council members. Here are three examples of those appalling decisions:

1). The majority of the members of this council borrowed $18 million – without voter approval – through a bond, mainly to build an unwanted and unnecessary sewer connection.

The city government does not know how to pay this $18 million back without raising our taxes. This council has (unnecessarily) financially damaged the people of Sedona, especially citizens on fixed income. If these council members had more respect for us, and were less narcissistic, they would have wanted the electorate to vote on this bond issue. The benefit of any public vote is that more vital information would surface, and, therefore, it is likely that sounder decisions would be made.

2). The majority of this council is pursuing having ADOT place 76 (or more) 30-foot-high light poles along 89A, in West Sedonaís business district. Why? Because years ago, three people in the proximity of a neighborhood bar were run over at night; one was lying in the road when it happened.

The bar across from Circle K is long gone, and there have been no more accidents at night anywhere near that area. It does not take a brain surgeon to figure out the real cause of those night accidents.

The majority of the people of Sedona vehemently oppose these lights. Seven hundred people signed petitions in protest. A study, prepared by a citizen committee hand-picked by the city government, also said ìNOì to the street lights. Residents have filled the council chambers at numerous council meetings and dozens of residents have spoken or tried to speak in opposition to these street lights.

Public support for the these lights has been low, and so the majority of the council talks about its supporters as being a silent majority. That is a ridiculous statement.

Center medians are the best safety improvement we could make in the West Sedona area if we really want to address safety. Center medians inhibit accidents, both during the day (when almost all occur), as well as at night.

Understandably, our council recognizes that it does not have the money to build center medians now.

We accept that. That does not mean – just to do something – that street lights should be put up.

There is pitiful, little evidence to support the safety value of street lights. The additional fact that the majority of the residents of Sedona vehemently oppose these street lights is also irrelevant to most of this council.

Any council member who believes that his job is to represent the people, would have listened to the majority of the people and voted against the street lights. Only two council members did show us that respect: Mayor Rob Adams and Councilman Cliff Hamilton.

But John Bradshaw, Nancy Scagnelli, Pud Colquitt, and Dan Surber did not accept the overwhelming evidence of the peopleís opinion. Instead, they invented a silent majority as a justification for their votes.

These were two bad decisions that took away our rights, but the worst decision was still to come.

3). The most egregious of all the council decisions was made just two months ago, when council members Bradshaw, Colquitt, Scagnelli, and Surber refused to allow the people of Sedona to choose the replacement for the remaining two years of retiring council member Marc Sterlingís term, in 2010.

Instead, these four council members will pick a kindred spirit to fill this seat (without a vote by local citizens). You can be sure they will pick a person who will agree with these four council members, who will support their views on the issues, and who will support their governing philosophy for the next three years.

It is rumored that Bradshaw will give up his council seat in December 2009, to run for mayor in 2010. If this happens, then, no doubt, the council, once again, will deny us the right to vote for the replacement of his council seat in 2010.

They will pick the person who will agree with them.

At that point, the present majority in the council will only have to win two seats in 2010, in order to continue controlling the council until mid-2012. As a result, only two of the four people in control of our government will have been elected by the people. 

The most sacred democratic principle of our government is the right of the people to choose their own representatives. This council is taking that right away. This to me is the last straw. They have to be stopped. We have a chance to stop them in 2010.

In 2010, we need to elect at least three people to the council who believe in democracy. We need candidates who will support a code of conduct that acknowledges the rights of the residents of Sedona.

The code of conduct must include a commitment from council candidates to seek out and follow the will of the majority of our residents on all important community issues.

Our important community issues include support for the National Scenic Area, an alternative route, and the issue of street lights on Hwy. 89A. Such important community issues should rightfully be decided by the majority of the people of Sedona and then, once decided by the citizens, the councilís job should, rightfully be, to implement the majorityís decision.

The council members who oppose letting the majority of their constituents make the important community decisions, argue that the council has better information on which to make decisions than the rest of us. 

This is a weak argument. In reality, when an important issue is presented to this community, citizens with expertise or keen interest in the issue do research and present facts and studies to the council and local citizens that go far beyond any research the city government has done.

In addition, we must remember that council gets its information almost exclusively from our city staff. While staff may try to present the facts objectively, we need to also remember that the council, not the people, is the boss of the city staff. Our last city manager reversed his opposition to borrowing money for the Chapel sewer project after it became apparent that the council wanted to go forward with the project.

Some issues are so important to our community that no handful of council members should make the final decisions for us. This is our city – we have equal rights. Any candidate that does not agree to this principle is too self-involved and narcissistic to represent us. We should not trust any council member who distrusts us.

In our next election, letís carefully question the candidates and accept only straight and clear answers. Letís only vote for those who believe in the rights of the people to make the decisions on important community issues. 

We have been disappointed too often in the past by pleasant-sounding candidates who make vague promises. This time, letís only vote for people who clearly commit that on important issues, they will follow what our majority decides.

Articles of interest:

Red Rock Village rezoning:
Another out-of-town developer asks for way too much, offers way too little in return
By Marlene Rayner

Thinking About Sedona
Losing our right to vote
By Paul Chevalier

Devi Yoga

Start to relax and listen to your body…
… stretch out and stay awhile

by Rhonda Palance

Let’s face it, you came to Sedona to relax.

Whether you live here, just moved here, or you’re simply soaking in the red rocks for a couple of days or hours, you came here to slow down … take the load off your feet, and the weight of the world off your shoulders … reconnect with who you really are … de-stress.

Well, if you’re familiar with yoga, you can skip down a paragraph or two, because you already know what I’m going to say.

There is no quicker way to decelerate … ease up … chill out … clear your mind, and rejuvenate, than with the wonderful art of yoga.

Whether it’s the quiet and sacred space to revive in, the peace and clarity in your mind, or the amazing feeling in your body, yoga’s got a way of inducing a beautiful, peaceful calm.

Sedona is lucky to have one of the most comfortable, friendly, and well-instructed studios you’ll fine anywhere, Devi Yoga, on Coffee Pot Dr., in West Sedona.

The first time I decided to try a class there, I must admit I was feeling nervous and somewhat intimidated. However, recent life events had left me holding way too much stress, and both my family and my doctor let me know I had to do something to help myself. So, I overcame my resistance and just went for it. I am so grateful for that life altering choice that I had made.

I began with the ìmild… practice, as I gently wanted to find out what I was getting myself into. When I first arrived, all my reservations began to fade away. The beautiful studio space carries such a peaceful and serene atmosphere.

At the front desk is Soni Gangadean, the owner – she knows just what to say!

She encouraged me to relax, enjoy, listen to my body, and to have fun exploring the practice … and to rest whenever I needed to. I felt assured that I could be myself, and that there was no spirit of competition, comparison, or pushing too hard in the studio. So the journey had begun.

Before we began the movement, Soni sets the stage for our practice. She reminds us to ìsimply breath deeply,ì unplug from the external world, and begin to sink inside ourselves for rejuvenation, restoration, and recharge. She explains that the practice is just as much for peace of mind, emotional freedom, and spiritual strength, as it is for physical health and well being. She encourages us to relax, step out of the way, and allow the yoga journey to guide us back to an overall sense of well being … our natural state.

This is fun ñ and relaxing!

As the practice progressed, I found myself feeling more and more light, peaceful, clear, and alive. Soni kept reminding us that the key is to ìsimplyì be as you are now, and enjoy the practice that will increase exponentially the ability to thrive within our lives – to start just where we are – and to use this precious time and space to take a clear and direct path to higher ground. It wasn’t until the practice was over that I truly understood what she meant by that.

After moving through a delicious flow of yoga postures and reminders about all the emotional, mental, and spiritual benefits to receive, it all began to make sense to me. I had been disconnected from my inner self, and that was creating outer stress in my life. I actually felt like I had come home and had already begun to reclaim my power and my true self.

All throughout the day, I began to notice that years of back pain began to alleviate. I noticed things that would normally cause me stress simply did not get the best of me. I noticed a sense of aliveness I had not felt in quite some time. I felt peaceful and connected, and I knew I had begun my journey through healing, and would soon be able to focus on flourishing in my life.

Several mild classes later and feeling completely free of my stress, I decided to muster up the courage to try the ìspicy… version of the practice.

Once again, I was reminded to play, have fun, and not to push too much or be harsh or judgmental of myself in any way. I decided to take that advice and to just go for it. I had no idea how invigorating and fun it would end up being.

Once again, I was encouraged to only do what felt right, and above all, to be kind to myself. I was so inspired by the strength, balance, and grace that can develop from the spicy practice.

I also realized, in a practical way, that I had discovered what might just be the best possible form of preventative medicine for my body. This practice will reverse the effects of aging, detox and rejuvenate my vital organs, boost every system – including immunity and metabolism, strengthen every bone and muscle, and above all, release the thing that creates the most damage to the body… stress! The effects are obvious, as my family and doctor are no longer worried about me!

I asked Soni where she got her training, and who her yoga guru was. First, she told me about how she stumbled across ìvinyasa flow… yoga, while living in the jungle of Costa Rica, trying to heal from years of damage to her body from teaching aerobics back in the day, as well as enduring years of emotional turmoil. The practice helped her heal so deeply on so many levels she knew she found her calling … to help others do the same.

Then, she told me how her grandfather was a yoga teacher who migrated from India during the 1950s to help bring yoga to the West. He was the personal teacher to the Arizona governor at the time, and actually helped name Carefree, Arizona. Her father is a world-renown global crusader for the awakening of humanity into the New Age, and is currently spearheading many global initiatives with very well known leaders of the spiritual community.

Soni has been teaching almost daily in Sedona for the past eight years. She makes sure to step aside and allow the gift from her lineage to pour through her … ever fresh and new every day. As for a guru, Soni jokingly says that all that means is ìgee you are you,… that the key is cheering people on to finding the light within themselves.

Soni is not the only teacher at Devi Yoga. Sean Cooke has been teaching there for years, having completed the one and only teacher’s training course held at Devi Yoga so far. He has become an amazing teacher, with much to offer, and also an invaluable support for the studio over the years.

Nathan, Soni’s brother, is now back teaching, after taking time to focus on his budding music career. An aspiring musician, Nathan is reconnecting to the naturally magnificent yoga teacher that flows through him, by way of lineage of the Gangadean family. His style is compassionate and valuable to reaching deeper and more subtle levels of the awareness of living in the moment.

Sedona is also lucky to have Geoffrey Taylor, a well known and gifted teacher of yoga, returning to the studio to teach classes earlier in the morning, later in the evenings, and on the weekend, to support those whose schedule does not coincide with the class times that Soni and Nathan, both raising young children, are able to offer. Geoffrey’s style is the perfect complement to the other classes, as he is masterful at helping with the form of each posture.

Also, Pilates and yoga work well together. A practice great for core strength and form, Mona is offering Pilates classes throughout the week to enhance your yoga practice. And for those much needed adjustments and healing sessions, Dr. David Milgram, magical chiropractor, is at the studio every Wednesday, and drop-ins are welcome.

So, I wanted to let people know about this hidden Sedona treasure that has been so life-changing for me, and many others. I hinted to Soni to reach out to people who are going through the same ambivalence that I felt before I started, to encourage people to commit for at least two weeks so they can try the different styles, times, and teachers – and get through the initial challenges of awakening your body and senses.

In response, she is offering an introductory two weeks of unlimited classes for $25. People can now experience for themselves if yoga can be life-changing for them without a heavy financial commitment.

Now more than ever, it seems people need support in healing and opening to their true potential.

Devi Yoga is located at 215 Coffee Pot Drive, in West Sedona. You can reach Devi Yoga by phone, (928) 203-4046.

So there it is. See for yourself!

It’s an All-Star Jam Fundraiser
at Sedona Performer’s Guild’s
Sedona Studio Live

by Rhonda Palance

Eric Zang, Suzie Schomaker, and Chrish Spheeris

In what may be the finest gathering of musical talent in Sedona’s colorful history, the Sedona Performer’s Guild is holding a spectacular all-day, all-night, jam-fest fundraiser, Sunday June 7, at SPG’s beautiful new performance space, Studio Live, in West Sedona.

In its short history, Studio Live has already earned a reputation as the most intimate, comfortable, and accessible venue in Northern Arizona. The sound is excellent, the professional stage lighting is delightful, and there isn’t a bad seat in the house.

If you haven’t gone to a show there, this is a great time to start.

The fundraiser will take place in two sets, each with a separate $10 entry fee. Beginning at 1 p.m., the music kicks up on the outdoor stage, behind the Studio Live theatre.

The beautiful, garden-oasis concert setting is the work of Studio Live’s neighbor, Creative Flooring Designs, and its owner David Harvey, who has produced dozens of shows there in the past decade.

With red rock waterfalls, a beautiful green lawn, and a myriad of colored flowers, it’s hard to tell who’s having more fun, the performers or the audience.

“It’s the most beautiful place in Sedona to see a show,” smiles Harvey, while he straightens a row of flowers.

The daytime set includes performances from Jake Payne, Damodara Giazzon, Busker Eaton, Sedona’s Gospel Fire Allstars, David Harvey, Jimmy Mack, Mango Men Trio with Fitzhugh Jenkins, Eddie Barattini, Zirque Bonner, and poet Mikel Weissel.

The evening set begins at 7 p.m., and moves inside onto Sedona Live’s cozy stage.

The night’s lineup features Ralf Illenberger, Eric Miller, Chris Spheeris, Suzie Schomaker, Porangui & Eric Zang, ZAZU, and poet Christopher Fox Graham.

The Sedona Performer’s Guild has been gaining momentum with a building membership (of a hundred or so performers!), generous volunteers, and supportive local businesses and donors.

“It’s amazing how many people have come together and contributed time, materials, or money,” said Harvey, who is a member of the Guild’s board, along with Schomaker, Spheeris, Bonner, Nathan Trujillo, Jim DeGeorge, and Lisa Rhodes.

The most powerful element of the Guild is its membership, which represents the whole range of Sedona performers, from musicians to actors to graphic artists and videographers. It includes the names of very popular musicians, plus many you’ve never heard of. Everybody’s in.

Studio Live is located at 215 Coffepot Dr., just up from Bashas’ shopping center, in West Sedona.

For advance tickets, visit the venue at 215 Coffee Pot Drive (next to Devi Yoga and Creative Flooring), or you can go to Golden Word Books and Music. Or call, 282-0549.