ADDITIONAL ATTENDEES:  
Michelle McNulty, Planning Director 
Tiffany Antol, Zoning Code Manager 
Genevieve Pearthree, Climate Analyst 
Jennifer Mikelson, Housing Planning Manager 
Tia Hatton-Tenny, Commission Staff Liaison, and Sustainability Coordinator II 
McKenna Hanson, Minute Taker 

1. LASS/CAP Code Concepts: Michelle McNulty, AICP, Planning Director Tiffany Antol, AICP, Zoning Code Manager 

Genevieve Pearthree, AICP, Sustainability Analyst Jennifer Mikelson, Housing Planning Manager 

Staff sought direction on the draft Land Availability and Suitability Study and Code Analysis Project (LASS+CAP) Code Concepts Reports to identify the focus of the next phase, which includes refining the core development standards, incentives, and concepts into more detailed, actionable recommendations for either specific code amendments or further analysis. 

Michelle McNulty started the presentation by giving the City of Flagstaff Climate Goals commission a brief overview of the code. 

Ms. McNulty stated the goals are to reduce the community's need for affordable housing by half over the next 10 years by evaluating the impact of at least six thousand low to moderate-income Flagstaff residents. 

LASS examines the suitability of available land to determine opportunities and barriers to housing development.  

She described the LASS's current state: The team is evaluating code concepts to address the highest priority barriers. The study is being conducted through the lens of housing and climate emergencies and aims to achieve goals to address these.  

Ms. McNulty reviewed the study scenarios: One that supports housing and climate outcomes but wants more affordable housing, not just overall housing production. The Commission wants to focus on the elements of the scenarios, not the scenarios themselves.  

Ms. McNulty explained that feedback from various members of this Commission, the Housing Commission, and other commissions will be compiled to inform the next rounds of presentations. The goal is to have a town hall-style meeting in June involving our City Council and members of this Commission. 

Questions discussed with the Commission through this presentation: 

Question 1: Can people take sustainability and affordability incentives simultaneously?  

· This could be done, but it makes it really complicated.  

· Sustainability standards and affordable housing would need to be maximized. 

More vehicle miles traveled should have higher sustainability features and more parking.

Question 2: Density  

· There will be a need for a mix of uses to make places more walkable.  

· Although the goal is to increase density everywhere, we will concentrate on high density along business corridors. 

· One suggestion given was to prioritize affordable housing density in low VMT (vehicle-miles traveled) areas, followed by the market rate in low VMT areas.

Question 3: FAR  

The Commission supports managing the intensity of residential land uses with a tool like floor area ration (FAR) caps.

Question 4: Parking  

· The Commission supports reductions in general. 

· There was support for strategic elimination of standards in some circumstances. 

· The focus was on downtown, busy areas, and high traffic corridors. 

· They noted the need to address on-street parking simultaneously (parking districts, demand-based pricing, etc.).

Question 5: Menu of Sustainability Options  

· There was support of a menu of sustainability options and TDM (Transportation Demand Management).  

· But, there was concern about these options becoming barriers. 

· There should be an ‘other’ option to provide additional options and create more flexibility. 

· The group wants to make the process easier/more streamlined as much as possible.

Question 6: Reduced Street Widths  

· Yes, the Commission supported, and expressed a need to consider street parking.

Question 7: Winter Parking  

· The Commission supported trying to develop a strategy to replace the current winter parking ordinance, if those have worked in other places.  

· There was support for Odd/Even parking limitations for big winters and prohibiting on-street parking during declared snow emergencies. 

2. Working Group Update 
Tia Hatton Tenny, Staff Liaison/Sustainability Coordinator  

Ms. Hatton Tenny reviewed the upcoming networking and commission event on March 27th. She will need additional support and will email more details. Ms. Hatton Tenny stated that she would have an RSVP form.  

The year’s project period will include the final report survey in March, and three requests have come in for an extension.

One school's request depends on construction schedules, so they are waiting on those timelines for Flagstaff Junior Academy. Ms. Hatton-Tenney strongly suggests granting this extension because the timelines are really out of the school's hands. Flagstaff Community Fridges also requested an extension to figure out the data and provide more results to the Commission. 

The Peaceful Valley Permaculture project has requested an extension because funds have also been expended, and they are struggling to provide the results they want due to nature and dry conditions. Therefore, they request a one-year extension.

Commissioner Lammie asked if their funds have been expended and cannot be recovered. Ms. Hatton-Tenney explained that they have indeed already been expended, and especially within the first year of these projects, they are likely not expected to produce many results yet. For this reason, it makes sense to extend, particularly for projects subject to Mother Nature.

Ms. Hatton-Tenney summarized her recommendations. She suggested approving an extension for Flagstaff Junior Academy to around September 2025. Depending on their construction, she recommended a six-month extension for Flagstaff Community Fridges to collect more data. She also recommended a year extension for Peaceful Valley Permaculture to continue their project.

Chair Wolkowinsky suggested talking to these groups about an FY23-24 event in March and to hear how things are going.

A movement to approve all the extensions was made by Vice Chair Metzger, and seconded by Commissioner Lammie.

There was a vote on the motion to approve all extension requests; all said aye. 

Reminder to sign-up for our monthly newsletter if you aren't already signed up. Tons of upcoming events!

NSG Discover Stroll: Pathways to Sustainability, Thursday, March 27, from 5:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. at Market of Dreams.

Given this is at the same time as the regular meeting, the Commission decided to find a new time for the next meeting in March.

All agreed to reschedule the Sustainability Commission meeting for the 3rd Thursday of March rather than the 4th Thursday. Chair Wolkowinsky supported evaluating different times and suggested the third week of March. Ms. Hatton-Tenney mentioned that a survey was sent out for participants to fill out available times.

The next meeting will be held on Thursday, March 20th, 2025, from 4:30 P.M. to 6:30 P.M.

Ms. Hatton-Tenney said she will follow up with an email about moving the meeting to the third Thursday of March.

Commissioner Konkel stated that she is part of a fundraising community for an event to learn about what a local non-profit (High-Country Adaptive Sports) is about; she said she would send an invite to Ms. Hatton-Tenney.