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NOTICE AND AGENDA

OPEN SPACE COMMISSION
MONDAY
AUGUST 26, 2024

HYBRID MEETING
FLAGSTAFF AQUAPLEX
AND MICROSOFT TEAMS
1702 N FOURTH STREET
4:00 P.M.

Call to Order

Roll Call

NOTE: One or more Commissioner may be in attendance through other technological means.

Chair Bruce Applin
Vice Chair Jacqueline Thomas
Commissioner Mary Norton (P&Z Liaison)
Commissioner Bruce Fox

Commissioner Chelita Runbeck
Commissioner Lina Wallen
Commissioner Nat White
Councilmember Representative: Deborah Harris

Land Acknowledgment
The Flagstaff Open Space Commission humbly acknowledges the ancestral homelands of this area's Indigenous nations and original stewards. These lands, still inhabited by Native descendants, border mountains sacred to Indigenous peoples. We honor them, their legacies, their traditions, and their continued contributions. We celebrate their past, present, and future generations who will forever know this place as home.

Approval of June 24, 2024 Minutes

Public Comment
At this time, any member of the public may address the Commission on any subject that is not scheduled before the Commission on this day. The Arizona Open Meeting Law prohibits the Commission from discussing or taking action on an item which is not listed on the prepared agenda. Commission members may, however, respond to criticism made by those addressing the Commission, ask staff to review a matter, or ask that a matter be placed on a future agenda. To address the Commission on an item that is on the agenda, please wait for the Chair to call for Public Comment at the time the item is heard.

Business Items

John Wesley Powell (JWP) Project Update

Staff Recommendation: (Discussion Item) JWP Team will provide an update on the status of the JWP Project.

Land Availability and Suitability Study and Code Analysis Project (LASS+CAP) Project Update and Discussion

Staff Recommendation: (Discussion Item) This is an update on the status of the Land Availability and Suitability Study and Code Analysis Project.

Schultz Creek Open Space Access and Trailhead Planning

Staff Recommendation: (Discussion Item) This is an informational update and discussion item on the Schultz Creek Access and Trailhead.

Reports and Updates

Council Representative Report, Council Representative Deborah Harris

Planning and Zoning Commission Representative Report, Representative Mary Norton

Open Space Management Report, Robert Wallace and Sylvia Struss

PROSE Monthly Newsletter - July 2024

Informational Items To and From Commissioners and Staff

Potential Future Agenda Items

10.

Adjournment

CERTIFICATE OF POSTING OF NOTICE

The undersigned hereby certifies that a copy of the foregoing notice was duly posted at Flagstaff City Hall on August 21, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. This notice has been posted on the City's website and can be downloaded at www.flagstaff.az.gov.

Dated this 21 day of August, 2024.

____Cathy Guetschow ____________
Cathy Guetschow, Administrative Specialist

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact Cathy Guetschow (cguetschow@flagstaffaz.gov) at least two business days prior to the scheduled meeting time to enable the City to make reasonable arrangements.

Open Spaces Commission

DATE:

08/26/2024

SUBJECT:

Approval of June 24, 2024 Minutes

STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Executive Summary:

Attachments

Approval of June 24, 2024 Minutes

Form Review

Form Started By: cguetschow

Started On: 08/21/2024 10:32 AM

Final Approval Date: 08/21/2024

Open Spaces Commission

6.A.

Co-Submitter:

Rebecca Sayers, Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Events Director

From:

Robert Wallace, Open Space Supervisor

DATE:

08/26/2024

SUBJECT:

John Wesley Powell (JWP) Project Update

STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Staff Recommendation: (Discussion Item) JWP Team will provide an update on the status of the JWP Project.

Executive Summary:

This update to the Open Space Commission will include the latest information on the JWP alignment, the status and re-scoping of the Specific Plan, and a discussion on the anticipated timelines for project design and construction.

Information:
Connection to PBB Key Community Priorities/Objectives & Regional Plan: Sustainable, Innovative Infrastructure Utilize existing long-range plan(s) that identify the community's future infrastructure needs and all associated costs Environmental Stewardship Actively manage and protect all environmental and natural resources Council Goal 2017 – 2019 - Transportation and Other Public Infrastructure Deliver quality community assets and continue to advocate and implement a highly performing multi-modal transportation system. Council Goal 2017 – 2019 - Environmental and Natural Resources Actively manage and protect all environmental and natural resources Region Plan Goal – Environmentally Sensitive Lands Goals and Policies Goal E&C.7. Give special consideration to environmentally sensitive lands in the development design and review process. Team Flagstaff Strategic Plan – Priority 3 Deliver outstanding services through a healthy environment, resources, and infrastructure. Has There Been Previous Council Decision on This: The JW Powell Extension Project has been before City Council nine times in the past seven years. •25 October 2016 (Council Work Session) - Discussion on Infrastructure and Public Facilities Planning and Engineering in the John Wesley Powell Boulevard area. •6 February 2018 (Council Meeting) - Award of contract to Peak Engineering for design and planning services. •24 April 2020 (Council Budget Retreat) - JW Powell Blvd Extension discussed during the Capital Programming update. •27 October 2020 (Council Work Session) – Land Use Framework and engineering design update shared for the original alignment. •5 October 2021 (Council Meeting) – Project update and Change Order 4 approved by Council. •31 March 2022 (Five-Year Summary Retreat) – JW Powell Blvd Extension discussed in project prioritization. •22 April 2022 (Council Budget Retreat) – JW Powell Blvd Extension discussed during the Capital Programming update. •28 June 2022 (Council Meeting) – Council direction sought on proposed alignment for new roadway. •7 July 2022 (Council Meeting) – Council finalized proposed alignment for new roadway. •30 May 2023 (Council Meeting) – Project update and discussion on Specific Plan and Scope of Change Order 5. Background/History: On 20 February 2018, City Council approved the contract with Peak Engineering, Inc. for the John Wesley Powell Area Specific Plan Study to develop a Specific Plan to guide the future private development of public infrastructure, utilities and public facilities (schools, fire/police stations, libraries, parks, etc.). In November 2018, voters approved Proposition 419 which allocated a proportional share of funding for roadway and bike and pedestrian improvements along the future John Wesley Powell Boulevard extension. On 27 October 2020, City Staff and the JW Powell Design Team presented an update to the City Council regarding the current design work and the Land Use Framework. On 28 January 2021, the JW Powell Design Team conducted a corporate meeting with the small-parcel property owners and consequential one-on-one meetings with small-parcel property owners who requested to meet regarding specifics of their respective parcels. Starting in May 2021, the JW Powell Design Team has begun to meet with the large-parcel property owners individually. On 28 June and 7 July 2022, City Council, along with copious community input, selected the final alignment for the new JWP roadway extension. The final alignment shifts the alignment to the west and out of the South Fourth Street corridor.

Attachments

No file(s) attached.

Form Review

Inbox

Reviewed By

Date

Assistant Parks/Recreation Director

Amy Hagin

08/15/2024 02:28 PM

Form Started By: Robert Wallace

Started On: 08/15/2024 02:19 PM

Final Approval Date: 08/15/2024

Open Spaces Commission

6.B.

Co-Submitter:

Rebecca Sayers, Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Events Director

From:

Robert Wallace, Open Space Supervisor

DATE:

08/26/2024

SUBJECT:

Land Availability and Suitability Study and Code Analysis Project (LASS+CAP) Project Update and Discussion

STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Staff Recommendation: (Discussion Item) This is an update on the status of the Land Availability and Suitability Study and Code Analysis Project.

Executive Summary:

Project Overview:

Flagstaff's growth in population, coupled with a housing crisis that has limited housing choice and affordability and a climate crisis that is disrupting weather patterns and threatening communities, has exemplified the need to better plan and coordinate internally and externally. The City's housing emergency, as well as the increased threats of wildfire, flooding, drought, and other climate impacts, has presented a vital need for Flagstaff to better understand the extent of land that is available in Flagstaff for housing development, the barriers that exist to developing new housing, and the changes that can be made to the City's development code and processes to encourage and increase the supply of new housing while recognizing the City's Carbon Neutrality Plan goals. This work supports several City housing and climate goals in the City's 10-Year Housing Plan, Carbon Neutrality Plan, and other documents while acknowledging the tensions between other community assets and values.

The Land Availability and Suitability Study and Code Analysis Project (LASS+CAP) is a multipronged initiative to address critical long-term planning and resilience needs. There are two components to this project: the Land Availability and Suitability Study (LASS) and the Code Analysis Project (CAP).

The purpose of the LASS is to understand what land is available within the Flagstaff city limits and peripheral areas for development and redevelopment/infill and the barriers that exist.
The Code analysis portion of the project will analyze City codes applied to development projects and will identify what works well and identify the barriers to meeting the City's housing and climate goals and policies.

The LASS and the CAP are being completed concurrently. The LASS is a land inventory study to identify what lands are left to develop or redevelop as residential and identify the opportunities and/or barriers for their development or redevelopment. While the LASS includes both private and publicly owned lands, the study does not make commitments or obligations for any of the parcels identified, rather this is a data snapshot to understand how much land is potentially available to meet our residential needs. Any private property owner whose property has been included in the inventory is welcome to reach out to staff to discuss the project in more detail. The CAP is a code analysis looking at all development codes and processes to ensure all are working towards our housing and sustainability goals. While being done concurrently, the LASS is a standalone document representing technical data from a point in time that will inform the CAP project, as well as the Regional Plan Update, regarding scenario planning and policy setting.

This effort is being completed in partnership between Community Development's Planning and Development Services and Housing Sections, the Sustainability Division, and the Transportation Engineering Section. It will provide a much-needed base for high-level coordination between numerous other City Divisions/Sections, such as Fire, Building Safety, Economic Vitality, Water Services, PROSE, in addition to the primary City partners, and Mountain Line.

Land Availability and Suitability Study
The draft LASS report was completed using the following methodology:

Establishing a preliminary buildable land inventory for the City of Flagstaff and peripheral areas in the project's study area;
Determining which areas are buildable by applying screening criteria to the study area based on environmental constraints; and
Identifying and assessing "opportunity sites" from the resulting net buildable land inventory. These are sites that present unique opportunities for the creation of housing.

Through the Land Availability and Suitability Study, the consultant has established the following key findings about Flagstaff's land availability:

Flagstaff and the peripheral areas that make up the LASS area contain approximately 8,125 acres of vacant land spread across 2,242 parcels. Of this land area, approximately 6,735 acres are residentially zoned.
The study area also contains approximately 5,399 acres of underutilized land spread across 1,822 parcels. These lands contain minimal structures that have a low enough improvement Full Cash Value (FCV) to suggest that economic forces could encourage their redevelopment for a greater or higher value use, such as housing.
In total, the study area contains approximately 7,062 acres of vacant buildable land and approximately 4,865 acres of underutilized buildable land. These lands represent the lands most likely to develop or redevelop in the future.
Approximately 13% of the vacant land within the study area is environmentally constrained by stream corridors, wetlands, steep slopes, and floodplain or floodways. These lands may not be conducive to development or redevelopment, including for housing.
The most common environmental constraints in Flagstaff are steep slopes and floodplains and floodways. This analysis considered steep slopes as any slope 25% or greater, which impacted nearly 7% of the study area's land. However, Flagstaff currently regulates development on slopes 17% or steeper through the Resource Protection Overlay, which represents a significant barrier to housing development on sites that may be able to support development. As the LASS+CAP project team continues to evaluate code section modifications that, if implemented, could result in greater residential yield, the steep slope provisions of the Resource Protection Overlay may offer such an opportunity.
Floodplain and floodway areas impact over 4% of the study area land. It is likely that this number will be reduced through the eventual construction of the Rio de Flag Flood Control Project. Nonetheless, the floodplain and floodway within Flagstaff currently present a significant challenge to the development of housing in the study area's vacant parcels.

In general, Flagstaff has a significant amount of buildable land within its city limits and in its immediate periphery that can be used for the development of housing. However, much of it will require being rezoned to a higher density zoning designation and is lacking the necessary infrastructure to support higher density development.

It is expected that this analysis will help inform both the CAP and the Regional Plan update by identifying the areas that could most benefit from additional density and infill, among other changes that could positively impact housing yield. For example, the CAP may recommend zoning code or development review process changes that impact the density allowed in different zoning districts or when Water Sewer Impact Analysis (WSIA) or Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) is required. Some observations of note include:

Currently, only individual Opportunity Site redevelopment on the smallest of downtown or Southside sites may not trigger WSIAs, and even then, this only applies if existing infrastructure appears to be sufficient to meet new development needs. Any larger developments will all require WSIAs.
Currently, most of the higher opportunity level sites will require TIAs. Developers in the community have noted that this can be a lengthy and expensive process with difficult-to-predict mitigation. Changes to how the City manages traffic information and TIA processes could improve the likelihood and affordability of more significant housing development projects.
Some of the largest sites that may become entirely new development areas tend to be zoned Rural or Estate Residential, which leads to very spread-out development that only serves high income groups. Whether these sites are currently owned by other public entities or private owners, the next steps in Table 25 of the LASS report recommend the City investigate ways to help encourage at least some areas within these large sites have higher density.

The draft LASS document will help provide specific locations and examples of where significant housing opportunities exist and therefore serves as a resource for considering when, where and how future code amendments, zone changes, collaborative development planning and master planning efforts will make the most impact in the City.

Code Analysis Project – Code Diagnostic
The Code Analysis Project is a multiphase project that will identify code barriers, provide opportunities to remove barriers, and recommend code revisions that will support the achievement of the Flagstaff Carbon Neutrality Plan and Housing Plan goals. The Project will be completed through three deliverables including a code diagnosis, exploration of concept code changes, and then a final report with recommendations. All phases of this project will be presented to supporting Commissions (Planning & Zoning, Housing, Sustainability, and Transportation). This three-prong approach will allow staff in conjunction with City Council to identify smaller code changes that may be processed prior to the final recommendations. The draft Code Diagnostic is the first deliverable in the Code Analysis Project which is attached for Commission and Council review.

The scope of the Code diagnosis, concepts, and recommendations addresses the following codes and any other identified affected codes, standards, policies, or plans as identified by the City:

Fire Code
Engineering Design Standards and Specifications for New Infrastructure
Zoning Code
General Plans and Subdivisions
Public Ways and Property
Building Regulations
Transportation Impact Analysis Manual
Incentive Policy for Affordable Housing

Additionally, an Equity and Displacement Vulnerability Assessment was conducted to assist with identifying code barriers. The consultants prepared a demographic and spatial analysis of the city to assess which neighborhoods are more vulnerable to the potential negative impacts of code changes in accelerating gentrification and residential displacement.

Each code barrier was reviewed as follows:

Relevant Goal/Policy: Identify all the relevant goals/policies that the code provision presents as a barrier to meeting.

Magnitude and Impacts: Evaluate the magnitude of the barrier and discuss the specific impact it has on the ability of the City to meet its policy goals. The Consultant Team will coordinate to use a consistent method for evaluating the magnitude of a barrier. The magnitude of the barrier may vary depending on the policy goal. If so, that variation will be identified. The barriers were graded on the following scale:

Critical Barrier: Code provisions that render it physically or economically infeasible to develop a project that contributes to the City's housing and/or climate goals. These code provisions generally are barriers independent of other standards or requirements and apply broadly to many types of developments or locations.
Major Barrier: Code provisions that significantly reduce the feasibility of developing a project that contributes to the City's housing and climate goals. The degree to which these provisions are barriers may be contingent on other standards or requirements and the barrier may apply to a narrower range of development types of locations.
Minor Barrier: Code provisions that may have a limited negative impact on the feasibility of developing a project that contributes to the City's housing and climate goals. The degree to which these provisions are barriers may be contingent on other standards or requirements and the barrier may apply to a narrower range of development types of locations.

Please note that the attached draft does not adequately address the cascading climate barriers identified in the Key Outcomes for each code barrier identified. Additional work is necessary to refine how the climate barriers identified in the Carbon Neutrality Plan will be addressed in the final draft of this report.

Co-Benefits: Identify areas, where relevant, reducing or removing a code barrier may have co-benefits or synergistic impacts on both housing and climate goals.

Tensions: Additionally, identify any potential tensions or trade-offs between policy goals that may arise as part of the assessment of code barriers. The consultant team identified two types of conflicts:

Housing/Climate Tensions: Removing the barrier would advance one of the City's two primary goals but may constrain the ability to meet the other policy goal.
Tensions with Other Policy Goals: Removing the barrier may have a negative impact on the City's ability to meet other policy goals. For example, reducing minimum parking requirements may reduce the cost of housing development, but may also impact neighborhood livability.

Feasibility of Alternatives: The consultant team, along with staff, will determine and discuss whether there are alternative regulations or standards that are reasonably feasible for the City to implement. Feasibility includes physical, legal, or economic feasibility. Specific alternatives will not be proposed at this stage.

By including all the above information for each code barrier, the City Council will be able to make more informed decisions and prioritize the most critical barriers to achieving housing and climate goals.

Project Outreach
These draft reports and a presentation were presented to the larger city staff steering committee, and the Housing, Sustainability, Transportation, and Planning and Zoning Commissions. At the time of this staff report, only feedback from the Steering Committee meetings was available and is discussed in the attached memo (Attachment A). Additional feedback from the respective commissions and Council will be incorporated into the draft reports before finalizing.

Information:
A link to the draft reports and appendices can be found here: https://www.flagstaff.az.gov/4888/Land-Availability-Suitability-StudyCode-

Attachments

No file(s) attached.

Form Review

Inbox

Reviewed By

Date

Assistant Parks/Recreation Director

Amy Hagin

08/15/2024 02:38 PM

Form Started By: Robert Wallace

Started On: 08/15/2024 02:24 PM

Final Approval Date: 08/15/2024

Open Spaces Commission

6.C.

Co-Submitter:

Rebecca Sayers, Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Events Director

From:

Robert Wallace, Open Space Supervisor

DATE:

08/26/2024

SUBJECT:

Schultz Creek Open Space Access and Trailhead Planning

STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Staff Recommendation: (Discussion Item) This is an informational update and discussion item on the Schultz Creek Access and Trailhead.

Executive Summary:

The city owns a 20-acre parcel at 3620 W Schultz Pass Rd. Flagstaff, AZ 86001, APN: 30047004. This parcel is currently zoned as Public Open Space. As a result of burn scars from the 2022 Pipeline fire and resulting flooding, the city modified the property to create three retention basins to slow the floodwaters into the Rio de Flag and capture debris coming down the mountain. When those detention basins were completed, a trail connection was redeveloped in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service to provide access to the Schultz Creek trail system. The detention basin staging area now acts as trailhead parking for residents and visitors. This is the main parking and access point for Schultz Creek Trail. During the summer, parking is typically at capacity on weekends. Despite the new parking area on city property, users continue to park on the neighboring privately held parcel, APN: 30047005C, the "Y". City staff has been working with the property owner to determine a solution that would permit continued use of the "Y" while alleviating parking on private property. This effort has included discussion of a property trade that would enable the city to obtain a portion of the privately held property in return for a portion of the City-owned property.
https://www.coconino.az.gov/219/Geographic-Information-Systems-GIS

Attachments

Location Map

Form Review

Inbox

Reviewed By

Date

Assistant Parks/Recreation Director

Amy Hagin

08/19/2024 11:35 AM

Form Started By: Robert Wallace

Started On: 08/15/2024 04:03 PM

Final Approval Date: 08/19/2024

Open Spaces Commission

7.D.

DATE:

08/26/2024

SUBJECT:

PROSE Monthly Newsletter - July 2024

STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Executive Summary:

Attachments

PROSE Monthly Newsletter - July 2024

Form Review

Form Started By: cguetschow

Started On: 08/21/2024 10:37 AM

Final Approval Date: 08/21/2024