Terry Madeskza addressed Council to express her gratitude for the partnership with the City for holiday celebrations and spoke about upcoming events downtown.
 
Dawn Rodriguez addressed Council regarding flooding issues and about box bridges.  

Beautification, Arts and Sciences Manager Jana Weldon provided a presentation that covered the following:

• Airport Parking: Art Design
• Agenda
• Project Background
• Procurement Background
• Artist Selection
• Artist Selection: Past Work
• Community Focus Group Participation
• BPAC Recommend Art Concept
• Community Stakeholders are currently vetting text
• Art Concept Name
• Safety Review
• Response and Discussion

Councilmember Sweet, who is the Council liaison to the Beautification and Public Arts Commission, spoke about the Commission’s work with this project.
  
Vice Mayor Daggett asked if the text in the presentation exists with the artwork. Ms. Weldon stated that the text would be present in the medallions. Vice Mayor Daggett expressed her gratitude to BPAC.
 
Councilmember McCarthy suggested creating a one-page handout for people at the airport who would like to learn more about the history of Flagstaff and the artwork. Ms. Weldon stated that Economic Vitality is looking at creating a color brochure that would be housed at the airport.
 
Councilmember Shimoni expressed his appreciation of the project and the approach. He asked about the medallions and the text. Ms. Weldon stated that the text is still being vetted and is not finished. Councilmember Shimoni added that he would like to see the Indigenous Commission included in projects like this in the future. He also asked if anyone who was Hopi participated. Ms. Weldon stated that the artist was in contact with a Hopi artist. Councilmember Shimoni suggested posters to promote the art at the airport and to put QR codes on the brochure. Economic Vitality Director Heidi Hansen stated that Discover Flagstaff has taken over the airport marketing and that they will have an installation at the airport to promote the Coconino Walk that will have QR codes available. Councilmember Shimoni asked if there will be an informational piece outside with the walk. Ms. Hansen answered that there will be an installation in the terminal as well.
 
Councilmember Aslan expressed his excitement as well. He suggested that he would like to see an augmented reality addition associated with this project. He also asked if there would be any artwork added to the sheep tunnel and if the artist vision could be considered in that spot as well.
 
Councilmember Salas expressed her gratitude. 

Public Affairs Director Sarah Langley, State Lobbyist Todd Madeskza, and Federal Lobbyist Bob Holmes provided a PowerPoint presentation that covered the following:

• Agenda
• Intergovernmental Affairs Program
• Federal Landscape
• Proposed Federal Legislative Priorities
• Economy
• Rio de Flag Flood Control Project
• Transportation and Infrastructure
• Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)
• Water Infrastructure
• Rural Broadband
• Flagstaff Pulliam Airport
• Amtrack
• Community/Social Infrastructure
• Affordable Housing
• Immigration Reform
• Veterans
• Gun Violence
• Census
• Environment
• Grand Canyon Protection
• Uranium Transport Standard
• Forest Health
• Carbon Fee & Dividend Legislation
• Environmental Funding and Partnership
• Endangered Species Act

Vice Mayor Daggett emphasized the need to focus on affordable housing, particularly in areas the City has declared emergencies, such as climate and housing. She also mentioned the low number of housing vouchers for veterans and expressed a desire to increase them.
 
Councilmember Shimoni called for a greater emphasis on affordable housing and support for LIHTC, as well as more funding and attention to multi-modal transportation.
 
Mayor Deasy agreed that multi-modal transportation should be a major priority.
 
Councilmember Salas suggested adding a focus on economic development support, specifically in workforce development, apprenticeship, and training, potentially through the IIJA.
 
Mayor Deasy noted that Carbon Fee & Dividend Legislation was too narrow and should be a subcategory. He also inquired about Early Childhood Education and its future in local municipalities, with Mr. Holmes mentioning its inclusion in the Build Back Better plan and potential local matching funds if the state doesn't provide them.
 
Councilmember Shimoni highlighted the importance of partnerships with tribal communities and asked about federal advocacy to strengthen these connections, noting a $12 billion funding opportunity in the IIJA for counties.
 
Councilmember Aslan suggested incorporating the Carbon Fee Dividend under a broader category and raising the issue of voting rights in the City’s lobbying efforts.
 
Councilmember McCarthy supported the overall priorities, particularly around voting rights.
 
Mayor Deasy confirmed that voting rights were already part of the state legislative priorities and suggested including them in federal priorities if needed.           

• State Landscape

Mr. Madeskza discussed the timing of the legislative session, noting that 2022 is an election year with the governor's race and several state elections. Many are pushing their key issues to the forefront, and next week there will be a hearing focused on the 2020 election. The legislative margins are tight, with about a third of legislators being new, and polarized, hyper-partisan attitudes are complicating the process. Additionally, unexpected revenue of $2 billion will lead to debates on how to allocate it, which will delay the session. Issues like tax cuts, a court decision on budget bills, water legislation, and election-related bills will have lasting policy implications.
 
Councilmember Shimoni asked about major topics candidates will focus on, to which Mr. Madeskza mentioned elections, voter fraud accusations, and hyper-partisanship. There is also buzz around short-term rentals (STRs), with discussions about their impact on the housing market and communities, particularly "party houses."
 
Councilmember McCarthy highlighted that the Council unanimously agrees on the housing problem and asked if the legislature recognizes housing as a statewide issue. Mr. Madeskza confirmed that the rest of the state is beginning to realize housing is a significant concern.

• Proposed State Legislative Priorities
• Preserve Local Decision-Making
• State Shared Revenues
• Short-Term Rentals

Councilmember McCarthy inquired about tax implications for second homeowners and whether the City could provide a tax advantage for primary residences. Mr. Madeskza explained that addressing this would require a major rewrite at the state level. He mentioned that county assessors are proposing a bill to introduce additional taxes for people owning two homes, and that it would be a multi-year process. He recommended keeping an eye on it and potentially starting a more formal process.

• Forest Health
• Transportation
• Affordable Housing
• Rural Broadband
• Criminal Justice Reform & Diversion Programs
• Arizona Corporation Commission
• Environmental Funding and Partnership
• Elections
• Tourism

Mayor Deasy emphasized that inclusion and requiring affordable housing in new developments should be a priority. He also raised concerns about state-level rules that could hinder climate action and adaptation, and about a cap on school district spending, which could result in FUSD losing $12 million unless the state intervenes. Mr. Madeskza suggested supporting school districts by lending the City’s voice.
 
Councilmember McCarthy asked about redistricting, and Mr. Madeskza noted that it's a political, not policy, process.
 
Councilmember Shimoni discussed state-level LIHTC funding for affordable housing developers, and Mr. Madeskza offered to help get involved in the discussion. Shimoni also advocated for reducing partisanship in the legislature and suggested Flagstaff support inclusionary housing and voting rights.
 
Councilmember McCarthy strongly supported Shimoni’s stance on reducing partisanship.
 
Councilmember Salas expressed her gratitude and suggested adding workforce development, including job training and apprenticeship programs, to the City’s priorities.
 
Vice Mayor Daggett echoed concerns about local control, particularly around affordable housing and short-term rentals (STRs). She called for more tools to create affordable housing, such as inclusionary zoning, and emphasized strengthening relationships to push for legislative changes.
 
Councilmember Shimoni supported Councilmember Salas’s comments on workforce development.
 
Councilmember Aslan expressed support for the ideas discussed and mentioned the importance of the Arizona Corporation Commission, dark skies initiatives, and public education funding.
 
Council took a break from 4:58 p.m. through 5:18 p.m.

Zoning Code Manager Dan Symer and Neighborhood Planner/Historic Preservation Officer Mark Reavis provided a presentation that covered the following:

• Southside Character Overly – Citizen Petition Request
• Purpose of Work Session
• City Council Questions
• Location
• Background
• Southside Community Plan
• Regional Plan
• Southside Community Plan
• Southside Subareas
• Why Now?
• Objectives
• Enactment
• Initiation
• Recommended Work Plan Priorities
• Questions to Consider

Mayor Deasy asked if there is anything in the character overlay that is fundamentally different than what is in the Southside Community Plan. Mr. Reavis stated that it fits in with the southside plan and the values they have there for the design standards.
 
Councilmember Salas asked if there was any feedback from the Southside Community Association. Mr. Reavis stated that the association has endorsed the overlay.
 
Councilmember McCarthy asked about the implications for future development. Mr. Reavis stated that the direction would be to preserve the one to one and half stories.
 
Vice Mayor Daggett asked if it was a matter of timing. Mr. Symer stated that the questions are two-part and that staff would have to come back with information to initiate the required applications and that the overlay would be a part of the Southside Community Plan implementations.
 
Councilmember Shimoni stated that this is a difficult question especially when considering sustainability, but that he is supportive of the neighborhood. Mr. Reavis addressed sustainability for Councilmember Shimoni. He spoke about how intact neighborhoods are good for sustainability and referenced a good source on the subject.
 
Mayor Deasy asked about the support of 51% of property owners. Mr. Symer stated that there is one vote per lot. Staff cannot proceed without that support.
 
Councilmember McCarthy asked about the map and if the other areas are anticipated to also want an overlay. Mr. Symer addressed this question by talking about the Southside plan and the historic preservation elements. There will be a whole new zoning in this area specific to the Southside.
 
Council supported both initiating the required applications to create the proposed character overlay and they supported including the character overlay in the scope of services.
 
Mr. Symer summarized that staff will initiate the required applications and if they get enough support, they will over forward with the Character Overly.

Traffic Engineer Jeff Bauman and Chair of the Transportation Commission Julie Leid provided a presentation that covered the following:

• Woody Way Gate
• Vicinity Map
• Presidio Development Agreement
• Presidio Current Agreement
• Citizen Petitions
• Cut Through Analysis
• What to do with Woody Way?
• Transportation Commission Recommendation
• Mitigation Considerations
• Summary of Mitigation Proposal

Councilmember McCarthy inquired about the crosswalks and the two other intersections, which Mr. Bauman clarified would be at both ends of Woody Way. Councilmember McCarthy also expressed confusion about the suggestion to remove all parking on Woody Way, to which Mr. Bauman explained that while traffic volumes should remain unchanged, the public has repeatedly requested it.
 
Vice Mayor Daggett asked if other neighborhoods experience similar through traffic volumes. Mr. Bauman confirmed that University Avenue has two to three times the traffic volume, Linda Vista has four to five times, and Mount Pleasant has slightly less but concerns about speed. While 900 vehicles per day is higher than ideal for residential streets, many roads have more.
 
Vice Mayor Daggett also raised concerns about raised crosswalks and snowplowing, to which Mr. Bauman confirmed that Public Works is willing to install them, though they would slow emergency and public works vehicles. She asked if other treatments, like school zones, could further reduce speed, but Mr. Bauman clarified that school zones have strict criteria, and raised crossings would be the focus for addressing speeding.
 
Councilmember Shimoni asked about the cut-through traffic volume in La Plaza Vieja, to which Mr. Bauman replied that no study has been conducted there, though traffic on Clay Avenue is much higher.
 
Public Participation:

• Brian Lee Wilson
• Cynthia Daiker, resident of Presidio
• Kim Tittelbaugh, on behalf of the presidio Homeowners Association
• Andrew P
• Mike

Comments included:

• Supporting the recommendations from the Transportation Commission
• Supporting raised crosswalks
• Increasing accessibility
• Some concerns of false senses of security with the gates
• opposed to having Woody Way open

Mayor Deasy asked how many parking spots are on Woody Way. Mr. Bauman stated there are ten spots.
 
Councilmember McCarthy stated there are often two trucks parked there, but he has never seen more than two vehicles parked on the street.
 
Councilmember Aslan stated that he is open to closing the gate. The research is very helpful.
 
Councilmember Shimoni thanked staff and the commission, noting his perspective on parking had changed. He also asked Mr. Bauman about extending the curb and traffic circles. Mr. Bauman explained that traffic circles were not recommended due to the need for very small ones.
 
Councilmember McCarthy recalled that 15 years ago, the Council decided to open Woody Mountain Way after construction, which influenced homebuyers in the Presidio neighborhood. He emphasized that the streets were not closed in La Plaza Vieja despite cut-through traffic, and roundabouts were added to manage traffic flow. He supported the Transportation Commission’s recommendations, particularly raised walkways to slow traffic.
 
Councilmember Salas expressed her gratitude to the Transportation Commission and staff and supported all recommendations, emphasizing that Woody Way is a public roadway.
 
Councilmember Sweet thanked Councilmember McCarthy for providing historical context and expressed support for the recommendations, requesting updates as needed.
 
Vice Mayor Daggett inquired if there was a breakdown of traffic counts on both roads, and Mr. Bauman provided additional data. Vice Mayor Daggett asked whether the current design would be approved if Boulder Point and Presidio were proposed today and whether multiple connections would be preferable. Vice Mayor Daggett supported the Transportation Commission’s recommendations and also requested updates.
 
Mayor Deasy expressed concerns that closing the route would bring the issue back to Council but supported the Transportation Commission’s recommendations, including placing boulders in front of homes.
 
Councilmember Aslan appreciated the Transportation Commission’s input and suggested that if parking is removed, it should be in the curves and allowed in the middle of the space as a mitigation measure. He also proposed reviewing the code to ensure meaningful action.

None.

Councilmember Salas stated that later that week was the Sunnyside Holiday Cookies Festival.
 
Councilmember Sweet wished everyone Happy Holidays.
 
Mayor Deasy stated he had a good discussion with the Army Corps of Engineers and BNSF.
 
Councilmember Shimoni stated that he is joining Streets Director Sam Beckett for a plow ride along soon. He also stated he met with President Cruz regarding housing on campus, minimum wage, and other topics. He is excited for NAU’s future.

The Work Session of the Flagstaff City Council held December 14, 2021, adjourned at 7:17 p.m.