Others present:  City Manager Greg Clifton; City Attorney Sterling Solomon.

Written comments calling for a reduction of the Police Department budget were submitted by the following and read into the record:

• Meredith Brown
• Jermaine Barkley
• Austin Leggett
• Dr. Lori Poloni-Staudinger
• Michael Sloan
• Desiree Perez
• Carla Roybal
• Natalie Ann Lampros
• Katie Stitzer
• Lydia Bailey
• Katherine Hyland
• Jason Henrie
• Ryan Drendel
• Rebecca Prizznick
• Wesley Koweek
• Becca Lynch
• Dawn Dyer
• Angimar Rodriguez
• Sommer Koweek
• Melanie Hildebrandt
• Garrison Garcia
• Nick Rathbone
• Zoe Klein
• Levi Stallings
• Katharina Christman
• ZachAry LaVizzo
• Lori Glaspie
• Rudy Preston
• Christian Tai Udovicic
• Will Peters
• Joshua Tokioka
• Katie Preston
• Tempest Juliet
• Katharina Christman
• Mandy Gebler
• Audrey Kruse
• Khalif Durham

Written comments in support of maintaining the Police Department budget were submitted by the following and read into the record:

• John and Pamela Grantham
• Christine Scheartz
• Emily Merrill
• Bob and Polly Philpott
• Karen Burdorff
• Craig and Jennifer Bearchell
• Brooke Gabriella-Ahrendt
• Jim Kuhn
• Robin Prema
• Dr. Anthony Rosales
• Daniel Hiel
• Dustin Windle
• Ann Ingram
• Frank Patton Jr
• Alexis Garcia
• Ray Pohl
• Stephanie Griffiths
• Tom Boughner
• Laura Kavanaugh
• Gillian and Clint Bleeker
• Merle Henderson
• Barb Waddell
• John Rohrer
• Ann Montgomery
• Linna Krumwied
• Lyle Schwartz
• John Hahle
• Cindy Smith
• Greg Troast
• Alan Purchase
• Justin Youngman
• Bonnie Bouschet
• Amy Casali
• Phil Maycumber
• Tim McCullough
• Amanda DeRosa
• Jill Saville
• Janelle Maycumber
• Marilynn Van Wagner
• Janet Mars
• Barbara Young
• Dan Anderson
• Monite Vergel de Dios
• Mrs. A. Finney
• Mark Golliher
• Debbie Cutlip
• Claudia Schroeder
• Melissa Talboom
• Becky Daggett
• Misty Ridenhour
• Senator Sylvia Allen
• Justin Paul Vergel de Dios
• Steve Hanson
• Paul Richardson
• Matt Frederick
• Misti Warner-Andersen
• Wendy Kuhn
• Jackie Keesling
• Sharon Geile
• Melinda Lieber
• Melissa Edel
• Rachael Mews
• David Anderson
• Dan Edel
• Sarah Whitney
• Chaleenah Shearon
• Wallace and Sharon Duncan
• Cindy Harris
• Jerry Smiley
• Glenn Tamblingson
• Joshua Wear
• Jo Anne and Harvey Mickelson
• Todd Crone
• Jeff Contreras
• Jonathan Armus
• Reggie Plett
• Laura Spier
• Julie Smith
• Bethany Boness
• Bernadette Jokkel
• Marilyn Canteloupe
• David Coyne
• Debra Cobb-Blair
• Marj and Sam Mcclanahan
• Ash Patel
• Claudia Sangster
• Marc Twidwell
• Kaye Anderson
• Haley Harris
• Michele Eisenberg
• Dan Hakes
• Nancy Ross
• Angel Dittberner
• Scott and Marge McPeak
• Scotty and Laura McPeak
• Larry Lang
• Berenise Short
• Nikki Sharp
• Dr. Alice Christie
• Sheryl Dawson
• Jamie Mowbray
• PJ Way
• Cody Half-Moon
• Joy Staveley
• Jason Dittberner
• Dr. Amy Fleishman
• Gene Simon
• Molly Greenwald
• Charles Kincheloe
• Sarah Shafor
• Julie Hanson
• Christine Baca
• Daniel Raper
• Stacey Wittig
• Holly Chatelain
• Paul Turner
• Kevin Stephens
• Debra Cole
• Sharon Tewksbury-Bloom
• Tim Galloway
• Rich Beecroft
• Karla Ivey
• Paula Yulish
• Lisa Chester
• Glenn and Breanna Leest
• Eula Weaver
• Clay McCauslin
• Pastor Daniel Williamson
• Jimmy Kleinhenz
• Becky Cullum
• Laini DeVore

A written comment from Colette Kessler was read regarding concerns about reduced funding for Community Housing Services.
 
A written comment from Deborah Harris was read regarding Black Lives Matter.
 
A written comment from Steve Finch was read regarding concerns about the proposed budget not reflecting the pandemic recession.
 
A written comment from Gillian Bleeker was read regarding disappointment about the cancellation of the Fourth of July parade.
 
A written comment from Darren Bingham was read that urged Council to support a declaration for a climate emergency and for HB 763.
 
A written comment from PJ Way was read that expressed concern about the reporting on COVID information as well as disappointment regarding the cancellation of the Fourth of July parade.
 
A break was held from 6:45 p.m. through 6:55 p.m.

Councilmember Odegaard requested information about the property tax and its intended use.
 
Vice Mayor Shimoni expressed interest in reviewing the Police Department budget, emphasizing the need for community input and broader guidance. Councilmember Whelan agreed that more discussion was needed on the budget but not as part of the current budget on June 16, 2020.
 
Councilmember McCarthy stated that he did not see a need to change the Police Department budget but requested a discussion on how the Police Department handled misconduct. He requested clarification on the Housing budget at the next meeting.
 
City Attorney Solomon mentioned updates to Item 9K and stated that it would not reopen the e-bike discussion but rather clarify the language.

Solid Waste Section Director Todd Hanson and Sustainability Specialist Dylan Lenzen provided a PowerPoint presentation that covered the following:
 
OUTLINE
RETHINK WASTE PLAN
SOLID WASTE FUND UPDATE
RECESSION PLAN IMPACTS TO PROGRAMMING
RECYCLING INSPECTION EFFORTS
MATERIALS RECOVERY FACILITY (MRF)
COMPOSTING EFFORTS
NAU OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY
COMPOST BACKGROUND
COMPOST COLLABORATION
NEXT STEPS
DISCUSSION AND FEEDBACK
 
Councilmember McCarthy inquired about monthly curbside pickup and the separation of bulk waste types to recycle lawn waste. Mr. Hanson stated that it was helpful to separate organic material for recycling and noted that large branches were suitable, but pine needles were not. During high volume times, separation was less efficient, though staff tried to separate when possible.
 
Councilmember Odegaard asked Mr. Lenzen about Flagstaff's recycling rate. Mr. Lenzen reported that the recycling rate remained around 13%, despite a decrease in waste last year, and noted that the national recycling market struggles with high contamination rates.
 
Councilmember Whelan asked about long-term composting plans. Mr. Lenzen explained that the agreement helped prepare the city for future collection needs, potentially leading to the development of a city compost system. Parks Manager Amy Hagin mentioned that they were also exploring compost use in parks.
 
Council expressed support for staff to pursue an intergovernmental agreement with NAU.

The Downtown Business Alliance (DBA) was invited to discuss the issue of utilizing public spaces for business support and physical distancing. Mr. Clifton noted that they were in the early planning stages. Partial street closures and other modifications were being considered based on examples of COVID-19 adaptations from other cities.
 
DBA Executive Director Terry Madeksza highlighted how 30-40 cities used public spaces creatively to support businesses and physical distancing, and advocated for similar policies in Flagstaff to use sidewalks, parking lots, and other public spaces.
 
Councilmember Aslan supported the idea, citing pandemic-inspired creativity. He suggested broadening the approach to include patios and private parking spaces. Councilmembers McCarthy and Salas also supported the idea, with Salas sharing examples from El Paso and Denver and suggested a temporary waiver of fees.
 
Councilmember Whelan supported making downtown more user-friendly and walkable. She inquired about including the Southside community, which Ms. Madeksza confirmed was involved.
 
Councilmember Odegaard supported the initiative but emphasized the need for consistent permitting and phasing with the reopening plan. Vice Mayor Shimoni supported pedestrian-only streets but raised concerns about public safety, enforcement of social distancing, and business capacity. Ms. Madeksza stated that they would rely on consultants and encourage businesses to follow CDC guidelines.
 
Mr. Clifton stated that plans would evolve over time and there would be a need for additional Council check-ins and direction. Economic Vitality Director Heidi Hansen discussed outreach efforts, including posters and window clings for businesses.
 
A written comment from Terry Madeksza was submitted in support of alternatives that allowed businesses to expand their capacity with outdoor spaces.
 
A break was held from 8:53 p.m. through 9:00 p.m.

Zoning Code Manager Dan Symer provided a PowerPoint presentation that covered the following:
 
HIGH OCCUPANCY HOUSING (HOH) ZONING CODE TEXT AMENDMENT.
BACKGROUND
WHY DID THE CITY ADOPT THE HOH PLAN?
PROPOSED ZONING CODE CONCEPTS FROM THE HOH PLAN
PROPOSED ZONING CODE CONCEPTS
PURPOSE OF WORK SESSION
COMMON TERMS REFERENCES
AFFORDABLE UNIT EXEMPTION
TYPES OF HOHD AND MHOD DEVELOPMENTS
PROPOSED DEFINITIONS
SINGLE-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A SINGLE-FAMILY HOHD
 
Councilmember McCarthy asked about a lot size over 10,000 square feet with 20 bedroom and 20 baths being considered HOHD. Mr. Symer stated that the 10,000 square foot limitation was derived by an analysis of type and size. Homes with adequate parking were to scale with homes on adjoining properties that still met development standards. This meant that as a home got larger, it would require a larger lot for parking. Based on previous discussions with Council, Mr. Symer was directed to not pursue lots greater than 10,000 square feet, due to a large number of houses that would be required to obtain a Conditional Use Permit (CUP).
 
Councilmember McCarthy expressed concerns about a hypothetical building in his neighborhood requiring parking for ten cars and opposed moving forward with the current plan. Vice Mayor Shimoni and Councilmember Whelan shared similar concerns, particularly about parcels over 10,001 square feet. Councilmember Whelan inquired about sanitation units, and Mr. Symer explained efforts to prevent developments from circumventing the code.
 
Councilmember Odegaard raised concerns about land use and parking ratios.
 
Councilmember Aslan mentioned confusion and the potential for developers to exploit loopholes. Councilmember McCarthy found the definition clear but problematic and expressed strong opposition.
 
TWO-UNIT/DUPLEX DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A HOHD
 
Councilmember Odegaard questioned the effectiveness of tandem parking and asked how parking issues would be addressed. Mr. Symer explained that tandem parking had been removed from the code. Councilmember Whelan proposed limiting the maximum number of bedrooms to three, with a CUP required for more. Mr. Symer explained that while there was a demand for four-bedroom units, it was not significant.
 
Community Development Director Dan Folke explained that the lot size component was to prevent all single-family homes with more than five bedrooms from requiring a CUP. He emphasized the need to calibrate lot sizes for historic neighborhoods to avoid CUP requirements for larger single-family homes.
 
Mayor Evans emphasized that codes applied to the entire city, not just specific neighborhoods. Current Planning Director Tiffany Antol offered that the code classified homes exceeding eight bedrooms and bathrooms differently and ten or more occupants triggered different requirements. She noted that large homes, especially in areas with 10,000+ square foot lots, were mostly owner-occupied.
 
Councilmember Whelan asked if the larger homes were used as short-term rentals. Ms. Antol indicated that the majority were owner-occupied, and that the homes were fairly common on larger lots over 10,000 square feet.
 
THREE-UNIT/TRIPLEX DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A HOHD
DEVELOPMENT SITE CONTAINING FOUR OR MORE DWELLING UNITS WOULD BE CONSIDERED A HOHD AND MHOHD
MAP
PROPOSED ZONES
 
Councilmember Whelan stated that she appreciated the adjustments to the CUP and parking requirements. She felt that the adjustments would aid in mitigating the impact of large dwelling units in historic neighborhoods.
 
EXISTING ROOMING AND BOARDING DEVELOPMENTS
 
Vice Mayor Shimoni raised concerns about a recent development on a larger parcel which leased by the room and that did not trigger current provisions. Mr. Symer explained that High Occupancy Housing recommendations applied only to activity centers, those outside of an activity center would operate as a traditional apartment complex.
 
REQUIRED MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM DWELLING UNIT TYPES
 
Councilmemebr McCarthy highlighted two scenarios: student housing, where costs decreased with more bedrooms around a common area, and multi-family housing, which became very expensive with four bedrooms. Both scenarios impacted costs differently.
 
Councilmember Whelan reiterated the goal of creating units adaptable to community needs as the markets fluctuated. She suggested that regulation might involve a simpler text amendment process if changes were necessary. Councilmember Odegaard saw this as an opportunity to define multi-family housing more clearly.
 
Vice Mayor Shimoni supported requiring a minimum number of studios and one-bedroom units to meet community demand. He pointed out that student housing developers most often maximized four-bedroom units and built the rest as three-bedrooms to increase room-by-room leasing and higher rents.
 
TIME FRAME
 
Mr. Symer explained that the plan was to return to Council after the summer break for final discussion and presentation of the ordinance. The goal was for the ordinance to become effective in October, 2020. Public Hearings with the Planning and Zoning Commission were scheduled to accommodate the desired timeline.

Moved by Mayor Coral Evans, seconded by Councilmember Austin Aslan to postpone the remaining items on the agenda to the meeting of June 16, 2020 and start the meeting at 1:00 p.m.

Vote: 5 - 2

NAY:

Councilmember Jamie Whelan
Councilmember Jim McCarthy