Consideration and Approval of Contract: Flowers Program Services Contract with Foxglove Gardening.
 

1. Approve a new Contract with Foxglove Gardening, an Arizona Corporation, for a total amount not to exceed two hundred thousand dollars and zero cents ($200,000.00) annually for labor and supplies for flowers and shrubbery in planters, hanging baskets, and wine barrels to beautify the Downtown, Southside, and 4th Street Gateway to Sunnyside.  The contract price is one hundred fifty thousand forty-five dollars and sixty-six cents ($150,045.66) for May 2026–April 2027.  The amount not to exceed will allow for cost increases due to change in scope or upon renewal. The contract is renewable four times.
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents. 

Continuing the Flower Program’s current scope, which began as a pilot flower and enhanced landscaping project in 2020, this is a new contract with Foxglove Gardening as the result of a formal competitive bid.  The full scope of the project includes:

Downtown:

• 44 Hanging Baskets
• 4 Large Moveable Rectangular Planters
• 3 Large Planters in Aspen Alley (summer); relocated to Leroux and Birch (winter)
• 16 Wine Barrels (Heritage Square)
• Large Permanent Planters in Heritage Square

Southside:

• 14 Hanging Baskets
• 5 wine barrels

Fourth Street Gateway:

• 2 Large Planters

Contractor provides:

• Plant materials, plant design and species selection as appropriate for sites, fertilizer as needed upon planting, soil for pots and hanging baskets, and mulch (as needed) for planting sites.
• The Flower Program is a year-round project, with warm weather plantings of flowers and greenery and fall/winter plantings of blue spruce trees (that are also part of the Holiday program). Contractor labor includes the ongoing maintenance and upkeep of the plantings, including watering, weeding, monitoring for pests or damage, and replacing damaged plants as needed. All plant trimmings or other debris are discarded off-site.

The Flowers Program adds beauty to Downtown, the Southside and the 4th St. Gateway. A 2019 study by Bloomberg found that the more beautiful a city is, the more successful it is in attracting jobs and residents, bringing in more income. The project also helps attract customers to local businesses. The project has high visibility; recent data from Placer AI shows that about 5.8 million visitors came to the historic core (Downtown and the Southside) in 2025. Finally, the project has received positive feedback from our community and business-owners alike, with the Downtown Business Alliance saying “Downtown Flagstaff’s Flower Program is a simple, visible way we show pride in our community and care for our streets today while cultivating a vibrant downtown for the future”.
 

Project Name: Flowers Program

Account Number Budgeted: 051-07-211-0825-5-4290 - $25,000; 051-07-211-0825-5-4355 - $110,000 and 051-07-212-3419-5-4433 - $15,045.66

Cost: Not to exceed $200,000.00 annually; $150,045.66 for first year (May 2026–April 2027)

Funding Source: Bed, Board, and Beverage Tax - Beautification Fund

Funding is available for this contract in the Council approved 5-year plan for the Beautification Fund.  The Beautification Fund is support by voter approved Bed, Board, & Beverage tax revenue and may only be used for purposes of Beautification.

The first contract in 2021 received BPAC approval and was under the threshold for council action.

The first contract renewal in 2022-2023 was brought to Council on 1/18/2022.

Council voted to approve of an increase in cost for the FY25 contract renewal for Foxglove Gardening  on 04/15/2025.

The Beautification and Public Art Commission approved the budget for the program each year from FY21 through FY26. FY27 approval is scheduled for April 13, 2026 meeting.

1. Council may request changes to the contract, such as eliminating or reducing the number of floral displays, which may delay implementation of the Flowers Program to June or July 2026 at a minimum.
2. Reject the contract and give direction to staff. This will prevent the Flowers Program from going forward in May 2026 – April 2027.

The City of Flagstaff implemented a pilot flower and enhanced landscaping project in FY21 in Flagstaff’s historic core and built on this project in FY22-FY26. Successful years of implementation have led the project to grow significantly in scope from initial plantings in Downtown and expanded to include Southside and the 4th Street Gateway.

The original Downtown, Southside, and Fourth Street Gateway Contract (Contract No. 2021-90) was dated April 27th, 2021.  Only Foxglove Gardening responded to the Request for Informal Proposal. This contract was amended by the Contract Renewal dated April 7, 2022: with a second Amendment dated February 21, 2024: and a Third Amendment dated November 12, 2024, which was a minimal amendment to remove the hanging basket brackets when the poles received their refresh of municipal green paint.

A formal bid process for a new contract/vendor begun in 2025 and the City received one submission from Bird Eye Consortium d/b/a Foxglove Gardening. A selection panel composed of City Staff and members of the Beautification and Public Art Commission voted in favor of the selection of Foxglove Gardening, and scored a total of 485 out of 500 points. Recommendation to City Council to approve the contract with Foxglove was passed by the Beautification and Public Art Commission on February 9, 2026.

Livable Community:

• Provide amenities and activities that support a healthy lifestyle
• Create a welcoming community through partnerships, resilient neighborhoods

Robust and Resilient Economy:

• Support and strengthen a robust, diverse, and sustainable economy
• Enhance relationships between the development community, the City, and Flagstaff residents

Goal CC.5. Support and promote art, science, and education resources for all to experience.

Goal LU.1. Invest in existing neighborhoods and activity centers for the purpose of developing complete, and connected places:

• Policy LU.1.1. Plan for and support reinvestment within the existing city centers and neighborhoods for increased employment and quality of life.
• Policy LU.1.2. Develop reinvestment plans with neighborhood input, identifying the center, mix of uses, connectivity patterns, public spaces, and appropriate spaces for people to live, work, and play.

Goal LU.3. Continue to enhance the region’s unique sense of place within the urban, suburban, and rural context.

Goal LU.11. Prioritize the continual reinvigoration of downtown Flagstaff, whose strategic location, walkable blocks, and historic buildings will continue to be a vibrant destination for all.

Goal NH.2. Look to downtown Flagstaff as the primary focal point of the community character.

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