Sep 05, 2023 City Council Meeting

>> DID YOU DO THAT JUST TO MAKE ME LAST? [LAUGHTER]

>> I SAID THE BEST ARE LAST.

>> THIS THURSDAY SYMMETRIC PLAN EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING AND I MIGHT MENTION JUST TO TIE INTO SOME THINGS WE JUST HEARD IN THE LAST 10 MINUTES THAT ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING IS I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A DAY OR A WEEK, BUT GETTING PEOPLE TO TRY TO SEE IF THEY CAN NOT DRIVE THEIR CAR FOR A WEEK OR A FEW DAYS AND USE PUBLIC TRANSIT, WALK, BICYCLE AND THAT'S AN INTERESTING THING THAT TIES INTO WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU AND I TOO GAVE A LENGTHY UPDATE LAST WEEK, SO I HAVE NOTHING.

LET'S MOVE DOWN TO APPOINTMENTS.

[A. Consideration of Appointments: Commission on Inclusion and Adaptive Living STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: Make four appointments to terms expiring March 2026. ]

SEE WHO'S FIRST.

COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE, WE'RE MAKING FOUR APPOINTMENTS TO THE COMMISSION ON INCLUSION AND ADAPTIVE LIVING AND ALL TERMS EXPIRE MARCH 2026.

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE TO THOSE WHO APPLIED AND IT WAS VERY CLEAR THAT ALL FOUR OF THE APPLICANTS THIS TIME AROUND HAVE A CLEAR VALUING OF INCLUSIVENESS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

I WAS PARTICULARLY COMPELLED BY THE WORK OF MY APPOINTEE AND ENCOURAGE THE REST OF COUNCIL TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE WELCOME HERE ORGANIZATION THAT'S DOING WORK HERE IN FLAGSTAFF.

THEY HAVE A STRONG FOCUS ON INCLUSIVITY AND ACCESS FOR ALL IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH IS DEFINITELY A WORTHWHILE CONVERSATION FOR US TO CONTINUE ENGAGING IN.

WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE SUSAN BARRINGTON TO AN APPOINTMENT TERM EXPIRING MARCH 2026.

>> THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? A SECOND.

[NOISE] ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

>> ANY OPPOSED? THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS.

I CAN GO TO THE NEXT PERSON.

EVEN IF IT'S ON THE AGENDA AS COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS?

>> THAT IS COMPLETELY UP TO YOU AND COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS, IF SHE WANTS TO DIFFER, YOU BET.

>> LET'S GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER SWEET.

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE KEITH BECKER TO A TERM EXPIRING MARCH 2026.

>> SECOND.

>> ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?

>> AYE. ANY OPPOSED? NEXT UP IS ME.

I WILL NOMINATE MICHELLE EISENBERG FOR A TERM EXPIRING MARCH 2026.

>> SECOND.

>> ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?

>> AYE. ANY OPPOSED? WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE A BREAK?

[00:15:02]

LET'S TAKE A FIVE-MINUTE BREAK.

[NOISE] WE ARE GETTING STARTED.

AGAIN, WE ARE STILL ON ITEM NUMBER 6A.

WE HAVE ONE MORE APPOINTMENT TO MAKE TO THE COMMISSION ON INCLUSION AND ADAPTIVE LIVING, AND I BELIEVE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS HAS A NOMINATION.

>> YES, I DO AND I JUST WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO EVERYONE ABOUT THAT.

I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE RUSSELL RANDALL FOR A TERM ENDING, WHICH YEAR DID YOU SAY?

>> MARCH 2026.

>> SECOND.

>> ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?

>> ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. MOVING DOWN TO CONSENT ITEMS.

[7. CONSENT ITEMS All matters under Consent Agenda are considered by the City Council to be routine and will be enacted by one motion approving the recommendations listed on the agenda. Unless otherwise indicated, expenditures approved by Council are budgeted items.]

ALL MATTERS UNDER THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL TO BE ROUTINE, AND WILL BE ENACTED BY ONE MOTION, APPROVING THE RECOMMENDATIONS LISTED ON THE AGENDA.

[00:20:01]

UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED, EXPENDITURES APPROVED BY COUNCIL, ARE BUDGETED ITEMS. WE HAVE ITEMS A THROUGH H.

ARE THERE ANY ITEMS THAT ARE COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD LIKE TO PULL OUT AND DISCUSS SEPARATELY? ALL RIGHT. YES.

>> I DIDN'T WANT TO PULL IT, BUT I DID WANT TO JUST HIGHLIGHT ITEM F, JUST BECAUSE IT'S APROPOS TO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT WITH THE UPDATE ON THE TENURE HOUSING PLAN.

JUST NOTE FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT IT'S PROVIDING OVER $900,000 AND RPA FUNDING FOR HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROJECTS, THAT INCLUDE STARTER HOMES, HOMELESS OUTREACH, HOUSING SUSTAINABILITY, HOUSING STABILITY, AND EVICTION PREVENTION PROGRAMMING. THANKS.

>> THANKS FOR DOING THAT. CAN I HAVE A MOTION?

>> MAYOR, I MOVE TO APPROVE ALL OF THE CONSENT ITEMS. ITEM 7 A THROUGH H.

>> DO YOU HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?

>> AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. MOVING DOWN TO ITEM 8A.

[A. Public Hearing, Consideration and Possible Adoption of Ordinance No. 2023-21: A public hearing, consideration and adoption of an Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Flagstaff, extending and increasing the corporate limits of the City pursuant to the provisions of Title 9, Chapter 4, Arizona Revised Statutes, by annexing approximately 1.82 acres of land located at 2445 S. Woody Mountain Road, which certain land is contiguous to the existing corporate limits of the City of Flagstaff, and establishing city zoning for said land as Rural Residential (RR); providing for severability, authority for clerical corrections, and establishing an effective date. (Liv Timber Sky Annexation) STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: At the September 5, 2023 Council Meeting: 1) Hold public hearing At the September 19, 2023 Council Meeting: 2) Read Ordinance No. 2023-21 by title only for the first time 3) City Clerk reads Ordinance No. 2023-21 by title only (if approved above) At the October 3, 2023 Council Meeting: 4) Read Ordinance No. 2023-21 by title only for the final time 5) City Clerk reads Ordinance No. 2023-21 by title only (if approved above) 6) Adopt Ordinance No. 2023-21]

THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING ITEM AND THERE IS NO ACTION THIS EVENING.

ONLY A PUBLIC HEARING, SO I AM GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

DO WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM STAFF? THEN IF THERE'S ANY PUBLIC COMMENT AFTER THAT, WE WILL TAKE IT AND THEN IF COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THAT THEY NEED ANSWERED, WE CAN DO THAT AS WELL.

HELLO AND WELCOME.

>> HELLO. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

GOOD AFTERNOON, ALEXANDRA PICHON, CURRENT PLANNING MANAGER.

I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THE LIVE TIMBER SKY ANNEXATION.

THIS IS A REQUIRED PUBLIC HEARING TO MEET STATE STATUTE, AND WE'RE GOING TO JUST BE FOCUSING ON THE ANNEXATION.

YOU'LL GET TO SEE ME AGAIN NEXT WEEK FOR WORK SESSION, THE FOLLOWING WEEK FOR THE FIRST READ OF THE ORDINANCE FOR THE ANNEXATION AND A REZONING.

THEN TWO WEEKS LATER, YOU WILL GET TO SEE ME AGAIN FOR THE SECOND READ OF THOSE ORDINANCES, AS WELL AS THE PLAN IS A RESOLUTION FOR A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.

WE'LL START TONIGHT NICE AND EASY ON THE ANNEXATION.

VINTAGE PARTNERS AND LIVE COMMUNITIES ARE REQUESTING TO ANNEX APPROXIMATELY 1.82 ACRES.

THIS IS LOCATED AT THE CORNER OF WOODY MOUNTAIN AND WEST 66.

AT THE SAME TIME, CONCURRENTLY, THEY'RE REQUESTING A REZONING OF THE ENTIRE PARCEL.

ONLY A CORNER OF IT IS ACTUALLY IN THE COUNTY.

HERE YOU CAN SEE THAT PROJECT SITE.

TO THE NORTH OF THIS AS OUR PUBLIC WORKS YARD.

TO THE WEST, IS THE TIMBRE SKIES SUBDIVISION, TO THE SOUTH SKY COTTAGES SOMEWHAT RECENTLY CAME IN FOR A REZONING, AND TO THE SOUTHEAST IS THE PRESIDIO DEVELOPMENT.

HERE I OUTLINED THE PARCEL IN QUESTION IN RED, AND THEN I DREW THIS BLUE LINE WHICH INDICATES THE COUNTY AREA.

YOU COULD SEE IT WRAPS AROUND THE PUBLIC WORKS YARD AND HANGS DOWN AND HITS THIS LITTLE CORNER WHICH IS ZONED G. I'M POINTING AT THIS SLIDE.

[LAUGHTER] THAT LITTLE CORNER IS ZONED GENERAL UNDER THE COUNTY.

THIS IS THE AREA THAT WE'RE REQUESTING TO ANNEX IN, TO MAKE THAT PARCEL WHOLE.

I WENT AHEAD AND INCLUDED SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT.

THAT'S NOT REALLY A CONSIDERATION SO MUCH WHEN WE'RE ANNEXING BUT JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION AND ANY QUESTIONS,

[00:25:01]

INFORMATION FOR THE PUBLIC.

THEY WILL BE REQUESTING ONCE IF THIS GETS ANNEXED, IT'LL COME IN UNDER OUR RURAL RESIDENTIAL ZONING AND THEN THEY'LL HAVE TO DO A REZONING REQUEST TO REZONE THE ENTIRE PARCEL TO HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL, WITH THAT RESOURCE PROTECTION OVERLAY.

THEIR INTENT IS TO DEVELOP MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL AND THEN ASSOCIATED PARKING AND AMENITIES FOR THAT DEVELOPMENT.

>> COULD YOU SPEAK BRIEFLY, SO MANY PARCELS WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS ARE RURAL RESIDENTIAL AND ACCORDING TO ALL THE PLANNING THAT THE CITY HAS DONE WITH THE RESIDENTS OF FLAGSTAFF, THAT IS NOT A DESIRABLE ZONE TO HAVE IN THE CITY LIMITS, ARE YOU ABLE TO EVEN SPEAK TO THAT BRIEFLY?

>> I'M WILLING TO GIVE IT A SHOT.

[LAUGHTER] RURAL RESIDENTIAL IS A VERY LOW DENSITIES ZONE.

PREVIOUSLY, I BELIEVE IT WAS REFERRED TO AS THE HOLDING ZONE.

IT WAS THE IDEA THAT YOU WOULD BRING IN MORE RURAL PROPERTY FROM THE COUNTY DESIGNATED AS RURAL RESIDENTIAL, WITH THE IDEA OF EVENTUALLY REZONING IT TO SOMETHING WITH MORE POTENTIAL, MORE DENSITY.

RURAL RESIDENTIAL, I BELIEVE HAS A DENSITY RANGE OF LIKE ONE UNIT PER ACRE.

IF WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE TROUBLE OF PROVIDING CITY INFRASTRUCTURE, WATER, SEWER, IT MAKES A LOT MORE SENSE AND A LOT MORE EFFICIENCY TO HAVE A GREATER DENSITY THAN THAT ONE UNIT IN ACRE.

THIS TALKS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT PROPOSED DENSITY.

IN COMPARISON TO WHAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, THAT ONE UNIT AN ACRE, THE HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL WOULD ALLOW BETWEEN 10 AND 29 UNITS AN ACRE SO, A BIG DIFFERENCE THERE.

I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO MUCH INTO THIS BECAUSE WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE REZONING IN THE FUTURE, BUT THIS DEVELOPMENT IS PROPOSING 214 UNITS, AND THAT GETS US A DENSITY OF ABOUT 16.45 UNITS AN ACRE.

JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION, I BROKE OUT THE UNIT TYPES.

THESE ARE VERY TRADITIONAL UNIT STYLES, ONE, TWO AND THREE BEDROOM, NOT THIS RATIO OF ONE BEDROOM PER BATHROOM.

A LOT MORE OF WHAT I CONSIDER A TRADITIONAL HOUSEHOLD TYPE DESIGN.

THE SITE PLAN REVIEW WAS APPROVED BY STAFF ON JUNE 30TH OF THIS YEAR, SUBJECT TO THAT DIRECT TO ORDINANCE REZONING.

I'VE INCLUDED SOME PROPOSED FLOOR PLANS JUST SO YOU COULD SEE THE TYPES OF BUILDINGS THEY'RE PROPOSING.

THIS IS A THREE-STORY BUILDING.

IT INCLUDES GARAGES ON THE BOTTOM FLOOR AND 24 UNITS.

I WENT AHEAD AND HIGHLIGHTED THEM IN RED ON THAT SMALL SORT OF PLAN OVER THERE ON THE RIGHT.

THIS IS THE ELEVATION OF THAT.

VERY TRADITIONAL FLAGSTAFF LOOK OF THE PITCHED ROOVES, THE STONE VENEER, THE SIGHTINGS.

THIS IS ANOTHER BUILDING TYPE.

IT'S JUST A SMALLER VERSION OF WHAT WE SAW BEFORE.

THREE STORIES, ONLY 12 UNITS.

THESE ELEVATIONS.

THEN BUILDING TYPE THREE HAS A GARAGE.

THE GARAGE IS ON THE FIRST FLOOR AND THE UNITS ON THE SECOND.

THERE'S FIVE OF THESE AROUND ON THE WEST EDGE OF THIS, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE.

THE ANNEXATION REQUEST IS TO ANNEX APPROXIMATELY 1.82 ACRES.

IT'S A PORTION OF A PARCEL, 112-01-712, WHICH IS 13.01 ACRES.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WHEN THIS PROJECT STARTED AND THEY FIRST PUT IN AN APPLICATION, IT HAD A DIFFERENT APN NUMBER.

[00:30:03]

PRIOR TO JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, IT HAD THIS 019P APN NUMBER.

YOU WILL NOTICE INCONSISTENCIES THROUGHOUT THE ATTACHMENTS AND THE REPORTS BECAUSE, IN THE BEGINNING, WE WERE DEALING WITH ONE APN, IT SWITCHED HALFWAY, AND I JUST NEED TO GO THROUGH AND CONSISTENTLY MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT THE SAME APN.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME? YES. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE SAME PIECE OF LAND, THE SAME REQUEST.

IT'S JUST THAT SWITCH IN THE APN.

WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT ANNEXATION OR WE HAVE REQUIRED FINDINGS AND THEY HAVE TO DO WITH COMPLIANCE WITH STATE STATUTE, COMPLIANCE WITH OUR REGIONAL PLAN, AS WELL AS COMPLIANCE WITH OUR IMPACT ANALYSES THAT WE DO.

FINDING NUMBER ONE IS CONFORMANCE WITH ARIZONA STATE STATUTE.

IT SETS UP CRITERIA FOR WHAT PROPERTIES MAY BE ANNEXED, THE REQUIRED PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES, AND SETS UP WHAT ZONE THAT PROPERTY WOULD COME INTO THE CITY UNDER.

FINDING NUMBER TWO IS CONFORMANCE WITH OUR REGIONAL PLAN.

OUR REGIONAL PLAN HAS A COUPLE OF POLICIES THAT DIRECTLY TALK ABOUT ANNEXATION.

ONE IS THAT SHOULD BE ANNEXED PRIOR TO THE PROVISION OF CITY SERVICES OR THAT WE HAVE A PRE ANNEXATION AGREEMENT.

THE OTHER HAS TO DO WITH OUR URBAN GROWTH BOUNDARY THAT WE WANT TO FOCUS ON ANNEXING PROPERTIES WITHIN THAT GROWTH BOUNDARY.

OUR THIRD FINDING IS CONFORMANCE WITH CITY CODE.

WE LOOKED AT A TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS, WATER, SEWER, STORMWATER, SCHOOLS, AND FIRE.

FOR THE TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS WAS DATED JUNE 9TH.

IT WAS ACCEPTED BY CITY STAFF AND APPROVED BY A DOT ROUTE 66 ALONG THE NORTH.

THIS IS ACTUALLY A DOT JURISDICTION.

TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS.

I'LL PROBABLY GO INTO THIS MORE WHEN WE GET TO THE REZONING.

BUT IT HAS TO DO WITH PROVIDING TURN LANES, EXTENDING THE MEDIAN ON WOODY MOUNTAIN ROAD AND PROVIDING FEES AND LOU TOWARDS THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL.

THERE WAS A WATER AND SEWER IMPACT ANALYSIS DONE BACK IN 2013.

THE WATER SEWER IMPACT ANALYSIS GOT WAIVED ON SEPTEMBER 20 OF 2022.

RIGHT NOW, I BELIEVE THEY'RE REQUIRED TO DO A 12 INCH OFF-SITE SEWER MAIN.

A LOT OF THIS WILL BE COVERED WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.

WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH WATER SERVICES ON WHAT THEY'LL BE REQUIRED TO DO.

THE STORMWATER ANALYSIS WAS DONE.

THEY DID A DRAINAGE IMPACT ANALYSIS THAT WAS PREPARED ON AUGUST 30TH.

NO OFFSITE STORMWATER IMPROVEMENTS ARE REQUIRED THERE.

THEY HAVE ON-SITE RETENTION TO MITIGATE THE INCREASE OF RUNOFFS FROM THE NEW IMPERVIOUS SURFACE.

SCHOOLS. THERE WAS NO ANTICIPATED EFFECT ON THE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT.

FOR FIRE, IT'S SERVED BY FIRE STATION ONE, WHICH IS DOWN THE ROAD TO THE EAST ON THOMPSON.

AND IT'S CLOSE ENOUGH, IT'S WITHIN THAT DESIGNATED RESPONSE OR THE DESIRED RESPONSE TIME.

AS FAR AS CITIZEN PARTICIPATION, THE APPLICANT HELD TWO NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS, ONE IN THE BEGINNING OF DECEMBER AND THEN ONE AFTER THE HOLIDAY RUSH OFF.

THEY DID ONE IN FEBRUARY.

18 PEOPLE ATTENDED THE FIRST ONE FOUR ATTENDED THE SECOND.

STAFF HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS TODAY.

THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MADE A RECOMMENDATION THAT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FINDINGS THAT WE FORWARD THE ANNEXATION REQUEST TO THE CITY COUNCIL WITH A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL.

TONIGHT, AS I SAID, WE'RE JUST HOLDING THE PUBLIC HEARING.

[00:35:03]

SEPTEMBER 19TH, WE'LL DO THE ORDINANCE, AS WELL AS THE REZONING ORDINANCE.

THEN OCTOBER 3RD, WE'LL DO THE SECOND READ AND THE DA.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

I BELIEVE THE APPLICANT WAS GOING TO BE JOINING US ONLINE, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE A PRESENTATION OR ANYTHING.

DOES THE APPLICANT HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? I DON'T SEE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT.

WE'VE GOT SOME QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL.

THEN IF IT TURNS OUT THAT THE APPLICANT DOES HAVE SOMETHING THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO ADD, WE CAN TAKE THAT AFTER QUESTIONS.

COUNCIL MEMBER MATTHEWS AND VICE MAYOR.

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. SOME OF THIS IS JUST TO BRING ME UP TO SPEED ON HOW THIS ALL WORKS.

BUT MY FIRST QUESTION IS, WHY DID WE WAIVE THE WHISTLE?

>> I BELIEVE THAT THE WHISTLE WAS WAIVED.

THAT IS A DECISION MADE BY WATER SERVICES, NOT PLANNING, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT A PREVIOUS WHISTLE WAS DONE FOR A VERY SIMILAR MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT ON THIS SITE.

THAT STAFF DIDN'T SEE THE NEED TO REDO ALL THAT WORK, THAT IT WOULD END UP WITH THE SAME RESULTS OF WHAT WAS REQUIRED.

KEEP IN MIND THIS AREA TO AS SEEN A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT.

THERE'S A LOT OF NEW PIPES IN THE GROUND.

I THINK IT WAS DEEMED UNNECESSARY AT THE TIME TO REDO THAT.

>> MY NEXT QUESTION IS, IS THERE A POPULATION NUMBER THAT THEN CHANGES THE NEED TO ADD ANOTHER FIRE STATION BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT DOWN THERE? IS THERE A BENCHMARK TO, ONCE WE GET X AMOUNT OF MORE HOUSES, WILL HAVE TO ADD THAT? IS THAT A FORMULA THAT'S OUT THERE?

>> NOT SURE. THAT WOULD BE A QUESTION FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY LOOKED AT THIS AND THAT THEY DETERMINED IT WAS NOT NECESSARY AT THIS TIME.

BUT THEORETICALLY, I THINK THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE A POINT WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED WE NEED MORE COVERAGE, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT POINT HAS BEEN REACHED.

>> THEN I'VE HAD A LOT OF COMMUNITY COMMENTS TO ME PERSONALLY ABOUT ALREADY THE NEED FOR A LIGHT SIGNAL.

I'M TOLD THAT BECAUSE IT'S ADOT THAT THEY DETERMINE THAT.

I'VE STRUGGLED WITH OUR TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY PROCESS.

WE'RE ALLOWING THESE HOUSES TO BE BUILT.

ALREADY PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THAT AREA FEEL THAT IT'S GETTING MORE AND MORE DANGEROUS TO CROSS TRAFFIC TO TURN INTO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.

CAN YOU JUST SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ON THAT? DO WE HAVE ANY SAY IN PUTTING THAT TRAFFIC SIGNAL LIGHT IN?

>> MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT ENGINEERING STAFF, OUR TRAFFIC SECTION, WILL WORK WITH APPLICANTS TO DETERMINE THE SCOPE OF ANY TRAFFIC ANALYSIS THAT'S DONE.

THEY'RE BASICALLY LOOKING AT WHAT IS YOUR PROJECT AND HOW GREAT IS THE BUBBLE OF IMPACT OF IT.

THEN THAT STUDY IS DONE.

IT IS INTERESTING.

FLAGSTAFF GETS TO DEAL WITH ADOT QUITE A BIT.

ADOT HAS JURISDICTION RIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF TOWN.

IS VERY MUCH A NUMBERS STATISTICAL VIEW AS OPPOSED TO EXPERIENTIAL.

I THINK I DEAL WITH A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO THEIR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF SITTING THROUGH MULTIPLE TRAFFIC LIGHTS OR FEELING FRUSTRATED AND UNABLE TO MAKE A LEFT TURN IS VERY VALID.

BUT THAT TENDS TO NOT HAVE SUCH A ROLE IN THE TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS, WHICH CAN BE A LITTLE FRUSTRATING.

I KNOW IT LIKE THE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS, THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST RECURRING COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT AND WANTING A TRAFFIC LIGHT.

[00:40:03]

THE DEVELOPER HAS EXPRESSED, I WOULD LOVE TO JUST BUILD IT AND PUT IT IN BUT ADOT HAS DETERMINED THAT IS NOT YET WARRANTED.

I BELIEVE ONE OF THE ANALYSES I SAW I THOUGHT IT WAS PUTTING IT AT APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS, BUT THEY'LL RE-EVALUATE IT ON A REGULAR BASIS TO DETERMINE AT WHAT POINT IT IS WARRANTED.

YOU KNOW WHAT? FOR A LOT OF YOUR QUESTIONS, I FEEL LIKE MAYBE WE CAN ANSWER MORE OF THOSE QUESTIONS WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ORDINANCE AND I CAN HAVE STAFF HERE.

YOU CAN HELP ANSWER SOME OF THOSE MORE SPECIFIC TECHNICAL QUESTIONS.

I'M NOT JUST A TRAFFIC ENGINEER. [OVERLAPPING] [LAUGHTER]

>> I APPRECIATE THAT. IT IS JUST SO THAT THEY'RE PREPARED.

ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I'VE RECEIVED DIFFERENT RESPONSES TO IS IN OUR JURISDICTION, I USED TO BE ON A CITIZEN ADVISORY COUNCIL AND A TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY DICTATED IF THE DEVELOPER HAD TO PUT IN INFRASTRUCTURE, STREETLIGHTS, WIDENING, TURN LANES.

I'VE BEEN TOLD TWO DIFFERENT ANSWERS ON WHETHER WE ACTUALLY REQUIRE OR WE JUST DO THE STUDY TO FIND OUT THE IMPACT.

WHEN WE COME BACK TO DISCUSS THE ORDINANCE, I'M GOING TO ASK THAT QUESTION AGAIN.

IT MAY NOT PERTAIN DIRECTLY TO THIS DEVELOPMENT IF ADOT THEN HAS THE FINAL SAY IN IT, BUT I THINK WE ALL SUFFER WITH THE TRAFFIC CONGESTION THAT WE HAVE IN TOWN AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE AT LEAST CLEAR IN MY MIND.

DO WE REQUIRE THE DEVELOPER TO PUT IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO HANDLE OR NOT GET THE DEVELOPMENT IF THE TRAFFIC IMPACT IS TOO SEVERE? THAT IS SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE ANSWERED, NOT FROM YOU, BUT JUST HAVE THEM BE PREPARED. THANK YOU.

>> VICE MAYOR AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY.

>> JUST REAL QUICK. I'M SORRY IF I MISSED THIS, I ASSUME THE COUNTY HAS A ROLE TO PLAY OR A PROCESS THEY GO THROUGH TO SURRENDER THIS LAND.

I WANT TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.

GET YOUR SENSE OF WHERE THEY'RE AT AND BEING AMENABLE TO THIS.

JUST REALLY LOOKING AT THAT MAP, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN PULL IT BACK UP WHERE YOU OVERLAID BOTH THE PARCEL IN QUESTION [OVERLAPPING] ARE THE BOUNDARIES.

IS IT WORTH A CONVERSATION ON LOOKING AT THAT MORE GENERALLY, GOING TO THE TOP OF THAT BLUE LINE AND JUST CUTTING ACROSS SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE THIS WEIRD LITTLE FINGER OCCURRING THERE? JUST A QUESTION WORTH CONSIDERING SINCE WE'RE ALREADY IN THIS.

THEN TALK TO ME AGAIN ABOUT THE EXPENSE THAT WOULD BE INCURRED BY THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF FOR THIS AND HOW MUCH OF THAT SPECIFICALLY WOULD BE TRANSFERRED TO THE APPLICANT.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT HOLDING A BILL FOR THIS AS IT WERE.

MAYBE JUST WALK ME THROUGH THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.

>> THE STATE STATUE THAT I REFERENCED FINDING ONE TALKS ABOUT A PROCESS, AND PART OF THAT PROCESS IS A NOTIFICATION OF CERTAIN POSITIONS IN THE COUNTY.

THE COUNTY HAS BEEN MADE AWARE OF THIS.

STAFF REACHES OUT, GIVES THEM THAT, THE APPLICATION, SO THEY'RE AWARE THAT THE PROPERTY OWNERS REQUESTING ANNEXATION.

WE WORK WITH THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS.

THEY'VE NOT EXPRESSED ANY CONCERNS OVER THIS ANNEXATION.

HOPEFULLY, THAT ANSWERS THAT PART.

AS FAR AS EXPANDING THE AREA OF ANNEXATION, AS MUCH AS I'D LOVE TO DO THAT, WE TEND NOT TO ANNEX OTHER PEOPLE'S PROPERTY.

WE LET THE PROPERTY OWNERS COME TO US WITH THEIR ANNEXATION AND WE'VE CERTAINLY TALKED TO PROPERTY OWNERS ABOUT, IF YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBORS ALL GET TOGETHER YOU COULD SAVE TIME AND MONEY OF THE APPLICATION IF YOU ALL JOINED FORCES.

IN THIS INSTANCE BECAUSE THERE ARE MULTIPLE PROPERTY OWNERS IT WOULD BE UP TO THEM TO DECIDE TO ANNEX OR NOT.

I WOULDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE ANNEXING SOMEONE ELSE'S PROPERTY.

>> I'M GOING OFF OF MY MEMORY OF THE AREA WHICH IS ADEQUATE BUT MAYBE NOT DETAILED SPECIFICALLY.

[00:45:01]

IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE ARE PROPERTY OWNERS.

THIS ISN'T JUST FELLOW COUNTY FOREST THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

>> CORRECT. YES.

>> THAT HELPS CONTEXTUALIZE THINGS A LOT FOR ME.

THEN JUST I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A PROCESS OF SALE AND PURCHASE AND WHERE THE DOLLARS AND CENTS COME OUT AT THE END OF THAT, OR IF THIS IS JUST SOMETHING THAT'S ENTIRELY OCCURRING ON PAPER AND IT DOESN'T REALLY INVOLVE REAL ESTATE, FROM THE SENSE THAT I'M EXPRESSING.

>> I BELIEVE THAT THE DEVELOPER CURRENTLY OWNS THE PROPERTY.

AS FAR AS COST TO THE CITY, ARE YOU THINKING DEVELOPMENT COSTS?

>> NO, I'M THINKING REAL ESTATE BUT YOU'VE ALREADY CORRECTED MY UNDERSTANDING THERE. I THINK I'M GOOD.

>> OKAY.

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST HAD A LITTLE FOLLOW-UP TO MS. MATTHEW'S QUESTION ABOUT TRANSPORTATION PLANNING.

I MENTIONED BEFORE THAT THIS THURSDAY METROPLAN, WHICH IS THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ORGANIZATION FOR THIS AREA, NOT JUST THIS AREA BUT THE GREATER FLAGSTAFF AREA.

ANYWAY, ON THE AGENDA IS TO TALK ABOUT PLANNING ACTIVITY FOR THIS CORRIDOR.

THE IDEA OF STOPLIGHTS TO NO STOPLIGHTS, I'M SURE WILL COME UP DURING THAT.

THAT COVERS THAT POINT.

I HAD SOME GENERAL COMMENTS.

CAN I MAKE THOSE NOW TOO? WE HEAR A LOT OF TALK ABOUT WALKABILITY, BICYCLE ABILITY, MASS TRANSIT ABILITY.

THIS PROJECT IS VERY HIGH DENSE.

WELL, THAT HIGH DENSITY PROMOTES WALKABILITY AND GETTING OUT OF CARS.

IN THAT REGARD, I'M REALLY GLAD TO SEE THIS COME ALONG. THANK YOU.

>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND AT THIS POINT I AM GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

>> ACTUALLY, A MARATHON BECAUSE THE PUBLIC IF THEY HAVE ANY COMMENT BEFORE WE CLOSE THE HEARING.

>> OKAY. WE STILL HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMENT, CORRECT?

>> NO, MAYOR, WE HAVE FORGOTTEN NO REQUESTS.

>> SO NOW I AM CLOSING.

>> GOOD.

>> THE PUBLIC HEARING. THANK YOU.

>> MOVING DOWN TO ITEM NUMBER 9, DISCUSSION ITEMS. ITEM A IS THE INTRODUCTION OF A RATE STUDY TEAM FOR THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF WATER,

[A. Introduction of Rate Study Team for the City of Flagstaff Water, Reclaimed Water, and Wastewater Cost-of-Service, Rates and Fees Study STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: Staff are available for questions and would like input from City Council on the process, outreach plan, and any other related questions.]

RECLAIMED WATER AND WASTEWATER, COST OF SERVICE RATES AND FEES STUDY.

>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

AUDREY YOUNG, WATER RESOURCES MANAGER AND TONIGHT, WE'RE EXCITED TO INTRODUCE TO YOU OUR TEAM FOR THE EMBARKING ON OUR RATE STUDIES.

THIS IS A LONGER TERM STUDY WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT A YEAR FROM NOW ADOPTING ANY CHANGES TO RATES OR FEES.

OUR CITY TEAM IS PRETTY BROAD.

IT INCLUDES A NUMBER OF FOLKS IN WATER SERVICES, BUT ALSO OUR FINANCE TEAM, RICK TARTA AND BRANDIE SZUDA, AS WELL AS SARAH LANGLEY ON COMMUNICATIONS.

JUST AS IMPORTANT GETTING THE FINANCIALS CORRECT IS TO THIS STUDY IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT THROUGH OUR CITY COUNCIL AND WATER COMMISSION.

WITH THE INTRODUCTION TONIGHT, STANTEC WILL PRESENT THE PROCESS FOR THE STUDY AS WELL AS OUTREACH PLAN AND A TIMELINE AND WE WOULD LOVE YOUR FEEDBACK NOW IS TIME.

IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS OR QUESTIONS, LET US KNOW AND WE'RE AT THE START OF THIS MARATHON.

WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO CAROL MOLESKY, OUR PROJECT MANAGER WITH STANTEC AND SHE'LL TAKE IT FROM HERE.

>> THANK YOU, AUDREY. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.

I HOPE THAT YOU CAN HEAR ME OKAY.

>> WE CAN.

>> EXCELLENT. THANK YOU.

AS AUDREY MENTIONED, WE'VE EMBARKED ON THIS RATE STUDY.

AS YOU COULD SEE FROM YOUR SCREENS, THIS IS A WATER, RECLAIMED WATER AND WASTEWATER COST OF SERVICE RATES AND FEES STUDY.

I'D LIKE TO START BECAUSE I HAVE ALL OF MY TEAM MEMBERS HERE ONLINE.

WE'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OURSELVES AND TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OURSELVES.

[00:50:01]

THEN I'M GOING TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR PROCESS AND THE CURRENT MILESTONE SCHEDULE.

THEN WE WILL BE HAPPY AND LOVE TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT YOUR QUESTIONS.

I'M GOING TO START WITH ME AS YOU KNOW, MY NAME IS CAROL AND I AM THE PROJECT MANAGER ON THIS STUDY AND I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH AUDREY AND SHANNON JONES AND RICK TARTA AND OTHER MEMBERS OF YOUR TEAM FOR QUITE AWHILE HERE.

MY BACKGROUND IS IN AGRICULTURAL AND RESOURCE ECONOMICS. I'M AN ECONOMIST.

I'VE BEEN WORKING IN THE FINANCIAL ANALYSIS FIELD FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS.

I'M CURRENTLY LOCATED IN CLEVELAND, OHIO BUT I MADE MY START IN COLORADO AND NEW MEXICO.

I WORK ON RATES STUDIES, FIELD STUDIES, EVERYTHING TO DO WITH WATER, WASTEWATER, RECLAIMED WATER, STORMWATER ACROSS THE NATION.

I'M REALLY THRILLED TO BE WORKING WITH YOUR TEAM OF GREAT PEOPLE AS WELL AS MY TEAM AND I'D LIKE TO TURN THIS OVER TO OUR PROJECT DIRECTOR, ANDREW BURNHAM.

>> THANKS, CAROL. IT'S A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL, MY NAME IS ANDREW BURNHAM AND I'M SERVING AS THE PROJECT DIRECTOR FOR THE STUDY.

AMOUNT OF TEMPE, FLORIDA LIKE CAROL HAD BEEN SPENDING OVER 20 YEARS DOING UTILITY RATE STUDIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY FOR MUNICIPALITIES OF ALL SHAPES AND SIZES, FROM COMMUNITIES WITH 800 CUSTOMERS TO COMMUNITIES LIKE NEW YORK CITY WITH 800,000 CUSTOMERS.

I'VE TAKEN ON LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES WITH THE AMERICAN WATERWORKS ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATED WITH MANAGEMENT IN WEIGHT-RELATED ISSUES.

I LEAD THE MANAGEMENT LEADERSHIP DIVISION FOR AWWF, AM THE CHAIR WHICH OVERSEES THE RATES AND CHARGES COMMITTEE IN THE PUBLICATIONS OF RATE-MAKING MANUALS FOR LARGE AND SMALL SYSTEMS AS WELL AS FINANCING.

THIS IS VERY MUCH NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART AND SPEND A BETTER PART OF MY CAREER.

I'M INVESTING A LOT OF TIME TRYING TO HELP INNOVATE IN THE INDUSTRY AND BRING BEST PRACTICES TO ALL THE COMMUNITIES WE WORK WITH.

I FIND MYSELF DOING A LOT OF WORK IN ARIZONA THESE DAYS NOT ONLY WITH YOURSELF BUT ALSO WITH MANY COMMUNITIES.

WE BRING THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS IN TERMS OF NATIONAL PRACTICES AND UNDERSTANDING AND BENCHMARKING BUT ALSO WHAT'S GOING ON LOCALLY THROUGH OUR WORK WITH COMMUNITIES LIKE PHOENIX, QUEEN CREEK SURPRISE, TIM P, AND OTHERS.

LOOKING FORWARD TO ENGAGING WITH YOURSELVES AND THE COMMUNITY IN THE CONDUCT OF THE STUDY AND THIS POINT, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO TIM TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HIMSELF AND HIS ROLE IN FACILITATING THAT.

>> THANKS, ANDREW, AND GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. I'M TIM HANCOCK.

I HAVE ABOUT 33 YEARS OF BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE AND PLANNING FROM URBAN PLANNING ALL THE WAY THROUGH PUBLIC OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT.

I'VE HAD THE GREAT PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH ANDREW AND SEVERAL OF HIS TEAMS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY ON EVERYTHING FROM RATE STUDIES TO CREATION OF STORMWATER UTILITIES AND SO FORTH.

OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS, I'VE INCREASINGLY FOCUSED ON MY PRACTICE ON SUPPORTING LOCAL STATE AND FEDERAL CLIENTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY ON PROJECTS SUCH AS THIS.

REALLY MAKING SURE THAT THE OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT PLATFORM THAT IS CREATED IS BOTH MEANINGFUL AND INFORMATIVE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND SO I THINK YOU'LL HEAR ME SAY THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, OUR GOAL IS TO INFORM AND EDUCATE, AS WELL AS TO GAIN FEEDBACK AND WORKING WITH SARAH LANGLEY AND A LOT OF YOU ARE VERY TALENTED STAFF.

I LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING THAT FORWARD AND I WILL TURN THINGS OVER FOR INTRODUCTIONS TO ROB MCCANDLESS.

I WAS AT FORGIVING YOU KNOW, WARNING ROB.

[OVERLAPPING]

>> HEY, I'M ROB MCCANDLESS.

I AM BASED OUT OF TEMPE, ARIZONA STANTEC OFFICE DOWN HERE AND I'VE DONE MOST OF MY CAREER IN ARIZONA'S MATTER OF FACT, ONE OF MY FIRST PROJECTS AS A WATER AND WASTEWATER ENGINEER WAS ON RIO DEFLECT WATER RECLAMATION PLAN WHEN IT WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

I'VE CONTINUED TO DO A LOT OF WORK.

I'M CURRENTLY THE STANTEC NATIONAL WATER REUSE PRACTICE LEAD.

I DID ONE OF MY RECENT PROJECTS A FEW YEARS AGO WAS ALSO FOR LOOKING AT ADVANCED TREATMENT FOR CITY OF FLAGSTAFF AND I WILL TURN THIS OVER TO ZAC.

>> THANKS, ROB AND GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS ZAC KOCH.

I'M AN ANALYST ON THE PROJECT AND I'VE BEEN WORKING AT STANTEC FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS NOW.

I'VE DONE MULTIPLE RATES STUDIES IN THE AREA IN ARIZONA AT TEMPE, QUEEN CREEK SURPRISE, AND ALSO SOME GREAT STUDIES IN SOUTHWEST COLORADO AND I'M SUPER THRILLED TO BE WORKING WITH THE CITY AND GETTING THIS RATE STUDY MOVING ALONG AND FINISH SO THANKS.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS AUDREY BARBER.

I'M UP IN WASHINGTON.

I'VE BEEN WITH ZANTAC FOR ABOUT A YEAR.

I'M ALSO AN ANALYST ON THE PROJECT, SO I WORKED REALLY CLOSELY WITH ZACK AND CAROL ON THE DATA SIDE OF THINGS AND I'M LEARNING A LOT.

>> THANKS, EVERYONE, AND I ASK THAT TIM GETS US STARTED ON THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THANK YOU.

[00:55:05]

THE RATE STUDY THAT WE HAVE STARTED IN MAY HAS QUITE A FEW STEPS.

I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'VE SEEN THE OVERVIEW OF THE SCOPE THAT YOU'VE ASKED US TO WORK ON, BUT WE HAVE STARTED WITH THE STUDY ORIENTATION, OF COURSE, AND PUBLIC OUTREACH PLANNING.

PUBLIC OUTREACH IN THAT FIRST TASK BUBBLE ENCOMPASSES THE WHOLE PLAN, SO YOU'LL SEE THAT THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE STUDY.

WE'RE CURRENTLY NEARING COMPLETION OR AT LEAST THE DRAFTING OF TASK 2, THE 10-YEAR FINANCIAL PLANS.

WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING WITH YOU ABOUT THIS STEP IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

BUT THIS IS WHERE WE'VE BEEN SPENDING MUCH OF OUR TIME AND A LOT OF YOUR STAFF HAVE COMMITTED MANY HOURS TO WORKING THROUGH THESE QUESTIONS ON FINANCIAL PLANNING AND COSTS, ETC, FOR WATER SERVICES.

WE ARE STARTING ON TASK 3, THAT COST-OF-SERVICE ANALYSIS TASK.

THEN WE'LL MOVE ALONG TO RATE DESIGN AND THEN TASK 5 SHOWS THAT THERE'S A RATE MODEL.

WE DON'T JUST DO THE STUDY AND LEAVE YOUR REPORT AND WALK AWAY.

YOUR STAFF WILL HAVE A MODEL TO USE GOING FORWARD FOR FUTURE PLANNING AND FUTURE SCENARIOS.

WE'LL BE PREPARING REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS ON RECOMMENDED RATES.

THAT'S THE WHOLE SPAN OF THE STUDY OVER THE NEXT YEAR THAT AARON MENTIONED AND I'D LIKE TO DIG A LITTLE BIT MORE INTO THE DETAILS OF THIS STUDY.

THE RATE STUDY PROCESS, ANSWER THREE BASIC QUESTIONS.

HOW MUCH DOES WATER SERVICES NEED TO RECOVER FROM ITS CUSTOMERS? THIS IS CALLED REVENUE SUFFICIENCY OR FINANCIAL FORECASTING.

WE MAKE SURE THAT THIS ANALYSIS ACHIEVES YOUR FINANCIAL POLICIES FOR THE WATER SYSTEM, THE WASTEWATER SYSTEM, AND THE RECLAIMED WATER SYSTEM.

WE'RE FOCUSED ON THOSE THREE UTILITIES.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SUSTAINABLY AND EQUITABLY FUNDING YOUR SYSTEM NEEDS.

THE SECOND QUESTION IS FROM WHOM DO WE GET THIS REVENUE? THIS NEXT SET OF TASKS IS A COST ALLOCATION TASK.

WE DON'T MAKE THINGS UP.

WE USE THE AMERICAN WATERWORKS ASSOCIATION AND THE WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION TO GUIDE OUR PROCESSES.

SO WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT ALLOCATING COSTS AND DETERMINING WHICH CLASSES OF CUSTOMERS CAUSE WHICH COSTS AND HOW TO TRANSLATE THAT INTO RECOVERING COSTS FROM THOSE CUSTOMERS.

THEN FINALLY, HOW DO WE COLLECT THE REVENUES THAT ARE NEEDED? THIS IS THAT LAST STEP, THAT GREAT DESIGN STEP, WHERE WE DEVELOP SIMPLE, EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE RATE DESIGNS FOR EACH OF THE THREE SYSTEMS. WE WANT TO BALANCE MULTIPLE OBJECTIVES THROUGH THIS RATE DESIGN PHASE.

YOU'LL HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH THAT AS WE GO THROUGH SOME OF THE STEPS AND THE QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE FOR YOU.

ON THE NEXT SLIDE, WE LIST SOMETHING THAT HAS REALLY DRIVEN YOUR NEED FOR THIS RATE STUDY THAT WE UNDERSTAND AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THIS RATE STUDY.

THESE POLICIES STRATEGIES WERE DEVELOPED GREAT STUDY AND THESE CAME FROM YOU AND FROM WATER COMMISSION MEMBERS AND STAKEHOLDERS THAT WE UNDERSTOOD, WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT ADDRESSING SPECIFIC STRATEGIES.

STRATEGY 1 HAS TO DO WITH IMPLEMENTING WATER AND WASTEWATER RATES AND CHARGES THAT ARE ILLEGAL, FAIR, EQUITABLE THROUGH THAT COST-OF-SERVICE STUDY.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT OUR PRIMARY DRIVER IS HERE.

STRATEGY 2 DEALS WITH DEVELOPING THE LONG-RANGE FINANCING PLAN TO DETERMINE THE FUNDING NEEDS OF EACH OF THE SYSTEMS. THAT'S WHAT I MENTIONED IS WHERE WE'VE BEEN SPENDING MOST OF OUR TIME LATELY.

STRATEGY 3 IS TO ESTABLISH THOSE FEES THAT COVER THE COST OF SERVICE AND TO MAKE SURE THAT REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS ARE MET, AS WELL AS ALL THE OTHER REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE NEEDED ON A DAY TO DAY, AN ANNUAL BASIS.

THEN STRATEGY 4 DISGUST, FORWARD THINKING, OR NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOW RATES AND PRICING STRATEGIES CAN HELP ACHIEVE THE GOALS OF THE UTILITY.

WE KNOW THAT I MENTIONED, WE'RE USING BUY THE BOOK METHODS.

HOWEVER, WE FOCUS ON YOUR UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS, YOUR CUSTOMER'S UNIQUE NEEDS, AND THE CITY'S UNIQUE GOALS AND DESIRES.

THERE IS SOME FLEXIBILITY THERE.

WE WILL BE CREATIVE BUT NOT ILLEGAL.

BUT WE WILL BE MAKING SURE THAT WE ADDRESSED YOUR NEEDS THROUGH THIS WHOLE STUDY.

LOOKING FORWARD, WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING WITH YOU FREQUENTLY THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.

THIS SCHEDULE SHOWS QUITE A FEW DIFFERENT STEPS, SO WE STARTED AT THE TOP IN MAY OF THIS YEAR.

YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE ARE SOME STRETCHES OF TIME WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE MEETING MONTHLY.

WE'LL BE MEETING MONTHLY WITH UPDATES TO THE WATER COMMISSION, WE'LL BE MEETING MONTHLY WITH YOU.

TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK, KEEP YOU UPDATED ON EACH OF THESE TASKS AND EACH OF THE PHASES OF THESE TASKS.

THE ORANGE AREAS REPRESENT PUBLIC OUTREACH AND OPPORTUNITIES TO GAIN STAKEHOLDER INPUT.

[01:00:06]

WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE'RE WORKING FOR THAT ORANGE AREA, THAT'S BY ITSELF.

THAT IS YOUR RETREAT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO COME TALK WITH YOU FOR ABOUT A HALF DAY AND TALK YOU THROUGH A LOT OF THE DECISION POINTS DURING THIS RATE STUDY, SO THAT'S OCTOBER 12TH.

YOU'LL GET TO MEET US AND WE'LL GET TO MEET YOU IN PERSON AND, YOU'LL GET TO MEET US IN PERSON.

THEN AFTER THE TECHNICAL ANALYSIS IS DONE APPROXIMATELY AROUND JANUARY OF NEXT YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO BE WRITING REPORTS AND CONDUCTING MEETINGS WITH YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN LINE WITH YOUR GOALS AND NEEDS OVER THE REMAINDER OF THE STUDY SO THAT YOU COULD ADOPT OR APPROVE THE RATES THAT YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH AND THEIR APPROACHES YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH AND GET THEM IMPLEMENTED BY SEPTEMBER OF 2024.

WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO TIM.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CAROL, AND IF THERE WAS ANY ERROR AND SWITCHING TO SLIDES TOO FAST, THAT'S ON ME.

I'M THE SLIDE GUY BECAUSE CAROL IS IN-BETWEEN THINGS RIGHT NOW AND IF SHE HAS TO STEP AWAY, SHE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE AT LEAST DIDN'T STOP THE PRESENTATION.

I WILL OWN ALL OF THE MISTAKES.

CAROL GETS CREDIT FOR ALL THE THINGS THAT GO WELL.

BUT JUST WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE COMMUNICATION PLAN ELEMENTS, WHAT THEY ARE, HOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE DELIVERED.

ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE'VE BEEN DOING AND WORKING WITH YOUR STAFF IS MAKING SURE WE HAVE A CONFIRMATION OF THE MESSAGING ELEMENTS.

WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT YOUR UTILITY IS FOCUSED ON? NUMBER 1, FIRST AND FOREMOST IS KEEPING IT CLEAN.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT MEANS TO MEET OR EXCEED THE REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS? ONE OF THE THINGS I EXPLAINED TO RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITIES ALL OVER THE US IS WE'VE BECOME SO ACCUSTOMED TO TURNING THE FAUCET ON AND WATER COMING OUT.

WHEN DOES 99.999% SUCCESS RATE? WE TAKE CERTAIN THINGS FOR GRANTED, BUT KEEPING THAT WATER FLOWING IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF NOT JUST FOR YOUR RESIDENCES, BUT BUSINESSES AS WELL.

THE HIGH QUALITY OF WATER IS KEY AND THAT'S SOMETHING YOU'VE SEIZED ON AND DONE A VERY GOOD JOB WITH.

IT'S NOT SO MUCH THAT HIGH-QUALITY WATER ISN'T ATTRACTANT, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.

BUT IF YOU HAVE POOR QUALITY WATER, YOU CERTAINLY ARE GOING TO BE KNOWN FOR IT.

WE WANT TO MAINTAIN THAT HIGH QUALITY OF WATER THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY FOR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES.

RECLAMATION IS INCREASINGLY A PRIMARY FOCUS AREA OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AND COMMUNITIES.

AGAIN, THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF IS DOING VERY WELL IN THIS AREA, BUT CAN WE ALWAYS DO BETTER? ABSOLUTELY. RECLAIMING WATER FOR TOMORROW AND TREATING IT AS THE RESOURCE THAT IT IS AND AS WELL AS INVESTING INEFFICIENCY.

THIS IS THE FOCUS OF YOUR STAFF TO MAKE SURE A LOT OF YOUR PROGRAMS THAT ARE SET UP ARE MAKING THE MOST OUT OF EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO AND SO THE EFFICIENCY IS KEY.

ALL THESE MESSAGES BUILT INTO A COMMUNICATION PLAN, AND AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE WANT TO USE THE COMMUNICATION PLAN TO EDUCATE AND INFORM THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF THE STUDY.

CURRENTLY YOUR STAFF IS WORKING WITH SOME STAKEHOLDER MAPPING.

YOU'VE GOT SOME GREAT BASE MAPS BUILT BASICALLY OUT OF RECENT EVENTS AND OCCURRENCES.

WE'RE GOING TO BE CREATING A PROJECT SPECIFIC WEBSITE CALLED CLEAN WATER FLAGSTAFF.COM.

THAT WEBSITE WILL BECOME THE PRIMARY COMMUNICATION PORTAL, SO AS THINGS WERE DEVELOPED IN THE STUDY, THEY CAN BE MADE PUBLIC VERY EASILY, VERY QUICKLY.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO WADE THROUGH ANY CITY DIRECTORIES AND GO STRAIGHT TO THE WEBSITE, POSE A QUESTION AND WE'LL GET THAT TO THE APPROPRIATE PEOPLE.

THAT WEBSITE BECOMES THAT KEY COMMUNICATION PORTAL.

THE OTHER THING WE HAVE AND CAROL HIT ON THIS AS THE REGULAR UPDATES TO COUNCIL AND WATER COMMISSION MONTHLY, IF NOT MORE FREQUENT AND ON TOP OF THAT, WE WILL HAVE FACT SHEETS, COLLATERAL MATERIALS, AND WE'LL ALSO BE DOING ADDITIONAL OUTREACH MEETINGS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

ONE OF THOSE IS COMING UP THIS MONTH.

YOUR STAFF IS HOLDING SMALL GROUP ROUNDTABLES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO GATHER INFORMATION AND INPUT.

BY THE WAY, DON'T JUMP ON THAT CLEANWATERFLAGSTAFF.COM ADDRESS JUST YET, WE SECURED THE DOMAIN NAME FOR YOU.

WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING WITH YOUR STAFF OF BUILDING THAT WEBSITE.

THESE ARE ALL THE ELEMENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE PART OF THE COMMUNICATION PLAN THAT AGAIN, IS DESIGNED TO EDUCATE AND INFORM, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY TO TAKE SOME THINGS THAT CAN BE VERY TECHNICAL AND BRING THEM TO THE CONVERSATIONAL LEVEL.

YOU'VE GOT A FANTASTIC STAFF THAT I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH SO FAR.

I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THEM.

AS WE DEVELOP THIS, AND WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT BACK OVER TO EITHER CAROL OR ANDY.

I THINK WE ARE TO A POINT NOW WHERE WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS OR INPUT THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

>> THANK YOU, TIM AND WE WOULD WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS OR FEEDBACK?

>> COUNCIL MEMBER MATTHEWS.

>> THANK YOU THERE. I THINK I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO GET UP TO SPEED HERE A LITTLE BIT.

OUR WATER DEPARTMENT IS AN ENTERPRISE FUND, CORRECT? I DON'T REMEMBER IT OR BUDGET RETREAT THAT IT WAS RUNNING IN THE RED.

[01:05:03]

CURRENTLY WE'RE COVERING OUR SERVICES OR WAS IT.

[LAUGHTER] I'LL WAIT FOR RICH TO ANSWER THAT BEFORE I GO ON.

>> THERE WE GO. HELLO, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

RICK TAYLOR, MANAGEMENT SERVICE DIRECTOR.

WE ALWAYS BRING FORWARD A BALANCED BUDGET.

SO THEY DID HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET THIS YEAR AND A BALANCED FIVE-YEAR PLAN.

BUT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT THEY STILL NEED THAT AREN'T FUNDED AND THERE'S SEVERAL THINGS THAT ARE FUNDED WITH ONE-TIME MONIES THAT ARE REALLY OPERATIONAL COSTS THAT SHOULD BE AN ONGOING BASIS.

THEY ARE HAVING REVENUE STRAINS TO THE OPERATING EXPENSES THEY HAVE CURRENTLY.

DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?

>> YES. RIGHT NOW WITH COST OF LIVING UP HERE AND INFLATION, I JUST FEEL LIKE WE CAN HAVE A BIG WISHLIST AND THESE ARE ALL THE THINGS WE COULD REALLY DO WONDERFUL IF WE HAD ALL THIS STUFF AND HOW MUCH OF IT IS CRITICAL AND ARE WE GOING TO PASS THAT ONTO THE RATE PAYERS? I JUST TRIED TO BE SENSITIVE TO THAT BECAUSE WE'VE INCREASED SOME RATES ON SOME OTHER STUFF AND WE'RE JUST REALLY PRICING PEOPLE OUT OF OUR CITY.

I'VE GOT SOME MAJOR CONCERNS ABOUT.

THE END RESULT I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE INCREASED RATES [LAUGHTER] AND MAYBE IT'S ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO KEEP THE QUALITY OF WATER AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO, BUT I'M JUST WONDERING HOW WE DETERMINE WHAT'S REALLY NECESSARY AND WHAT'S A BIG WISHLIST THAT IF WE COULD JUST AFFORD IT AND YOU HAD ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD, HOW COULD WE PAY FOR ALL THIS.

I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE THAT I JUST FEEL A LITTLE UNEASY ABOUT IT.

>> I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND GET OUT OF THIS PROCESS.

I DON'T KNOW IF CAROL WANTS TO SPEAK TO IT MORE, BUT WE'RE GOING TO BRING YOU WITH SOME CONCEPTS AND IDEAS OF WHAT RATES COULD FUND AND WHAT WE CAN DO AND WHAT WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO DURING THIS RATE STUDY.

BUT IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO LEASE TO DO THE RATE STUDY, TO GET IN MIND AT WHERE YOU'RE AT WITH YOUR SERVICES, YOUR REVENUES THAT ARE BEING BROUGHT IN.

WHETHER COUNCIL ADOPTS THE RATES OR RECOMMENDATION, THAT'S GOING TO BE UP TO YOU AS A COUNCIL SOME TIME NEXT LATE SPRING OR EARLY SUMMER.

WE'LL HAVE A BALANCE OF THAT CONVERSATION.

>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY.

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. I MIGHT JUST CASUALLY MENTION THAT THE LAST TIME THIS RATE STUDY WAS DONE, I WAS ON THE WATER COMMISSION.

I WAS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS THING.

I DISTINCTLY REMEMBER THAT THE CONSULTANT WE HAD AT THE TIME AND THE CITY STAFF AND THE WATER COMMISSION, AND THEN EVENTUALLY THE COUNCIL, WERE ALL VERY INVOLVED IN THE INTERESTING PROCESS.

AARON, I'LL ASK YOU A QUESTION.

I HEARD THE PHRASE ADVANCED TREATMENT.

AT SOME POINT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADDRESS OUR CHEMICALS THAT ARE IN OUR DRINKING WATER.

CHEMICALS THAT ARE EMERGING CONCERN, ESPECIALLY IN OUR RECLAIMED WATER MORE THAN OUR DRINKING WATER.

I KNOW OTHER CITIES IN ARIZONA HAVE ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE, BUT WE HAVE NOT YET.

SO, AT SOME POINT, I THINK COUNSEL IS GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT ISSUE WITH A LOT OF INPUT AND GUIDANCE FROM STAFF WHO ARE MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THAT ISSUE.

COULD YOU COMMENT ON THAT? THANK YOU.

>> SURE. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY, THAT WE KNOW THAT THAT IS A POLICY TOPIC THAT WE'LL WANT TO BE DISCUSSED.

OUR TEAM IS TALKING ABOUT THAT TOPIC AMONG OTHERS AND HOW WE WORK THROUGH THAT.

IT MIGHT GET TO COUNCIL MEMBER MATTHEW'S POINT OF WHAT ARE THE FUNDAMENTAL THINGS THAT WE'RE FUNDING AND THEN WHAT ARE THESE ADDITIONAL THINGS? THE IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER IS WE'RE MEETING AND EXCEEDING WATER QUALITY STANDARDS RIGHT NOW SET BY THE STATE.

SO THAT IS GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND, BUT WE WILL GET THERE AND TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION DURING THE RATE STUDY.

>> AARON, CAN YOU SPEAK BRIEFLY TO THE OUTREACH THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO? WE KNOW THAT THE STORM WATER RATE DISCUSSION, TO SOME MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY IT FELT LIKE THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT IT WAS BEING UNDERTAKEN.

SO CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT?

[01:10:02]

>> I WOULD LIKE TO MAYOR.

I'M NOT THE EXPERT.

I THINK WE HAVE EXPERTS EITHER ONLINE OR WITH SARAH LANGLEY WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO TALK TO THAT WITH A MORE UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON OUR PLAN.

>> HELLO, TIM HANCOCK AGAIN, I KNOW SARAH IS COMING UP AND I DON'T WANT TO PREEMPT HER, BUT SARAH, DO YOU WANT TO KICK THINGS OFF AND I'LL FILL IN AS NEEDED?

>> OKAY, THERE WE GO. THANKS TIM FOR HOPPING ON.

I THINK YOU GAVE A REALLY GREAT OVERVIEW, VERY HIGH LEVEL OF THE OUTREACH PLAN THAT WE HAVE IN THE WORKS.

I BELIEVE A COMMUNICATIONS PLAN IS ALSO BEING DRAFTED RIGHT NOW.

THAT WILL BE REALLY USEFUL AND PUTTING SOME MORE MEAT ON THE BONES AND ADDING SOME DETAIL IN TERMS OF WHO WE'RE GOING TO REACH OUT TO, HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO IT AND WHEN.

BUT I THINK TIM WOULD ECHO THIS, THAT WE'RE REALLY GOING TO USE ALL THE TOOLS THAT ARE BUILT ON THIS ONE.

WE'VE RECOGNIZED THAT IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT TO REACH OUT TO EVERYONE THAT WE CAN.

I THINK SHANNON ANDERSON SAID, COMMUNICATE OFTEN AND COMMUNICATE EARLY.

THAT'S WHAT'S REALLY GOING TO DRIVE OUR OUTREACH ON THIS ONE.

TIM, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD?

>> REALLY JUST BUILDING ON THAT.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE TRY AND DO ON A STUDY OF THIS NATURE, IS WE LOOK FOR WHAT I CALL THE PUBLIC INTERSECTION POINTS.

WHERE IS INFORMATION GOING TO BE COMING FORWARD IN THIS STUDY THAT WILL LAND IN THE PUBLIC SPACE? THEN WE WANT TO MARRY UP SOME TYPE OF EVENT OR SOME TYPE OF AN OUTREACH COMPONENT THAT STAY SLIGHTLY AHEAD OF THAT.

THE SURPRISES ARE THE ENEMIES IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR.

WE WANT TO DO OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE OUT IN FRONT OF INFORMATION BEFORE IT LANDS IN THE PUBLIC SPACE AND WE'LL BE WORKING WITH YOUR STAFF TO DO THAT.

YOUR STAFF DOES A REALLY GREAT JOB AND ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY.

WE LOOK TO SUPPORT AND GROW THAT FOR THIS PROCESS.

SO STAY TUNED.

THE COMMUNICATIONS PLAN WILL DETAIL SOME OF THAT.

BUT THE THINGS I WANT TO REALLY BRING OUT IS, NO MATTER WHAT COMMUNICATION PLAN YOU DEVELOP, NO MATTER WHAT PLAN YOU DEVELOP, YOU NEED TO BE FLEXIBLE.

SO AS WE GO FORWARD, IF WE FIND THAT THERE'S A GIVEN TOOL THAT IS REALLY HAVING GREATER REACH THAN OTHERS AND WE WANT TO EXPAND ON THAT AND PULL BACK ON SOMETHING ELSE, WE WANT TO MAINTAIN THAT FLEXIBILITY AS WELL.

BUT WE WILL BE STARTING WITH A FAIRLY SOLID COMMUNICATION PLAN COVERING AS MANY ASPECTS AS IS REASONABLE.

>> COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS.

>> CAN YOU JUST REMIND ME WHEN YOU SAID THE WEBSITE WOULD GO LIVE OR DID YOU SAY WHEN IT WOULD GO LIVE?

>> NO, MA'AM. WE DO NOT HAVE A LIVE DATE YET.

WE JUST SECURED THE DOMAIN NAME AND ARE PUTTING THAT TOGETHER.

SO DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH REITERATION PROCESS WE GO THROUGH, IT CAN BE AS SOON AS A COUPLE OF WEEKS, IT CAN BE AS MUCH AS FOUR WEEKS OUT.

BUT SOMETIME IN THAT TIME FRAME WE EXPECT IT TO GO LIVE.

PREDOMINANTLY BEFORE WE SEE ANYTHING REALLY COMING OUT OF ANY SUBSTANCE OR VALUE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO REVIEW, WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WEBSITE IS UP AND ACTIVE.

>> THEN MY NEXT QUESTION MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO ANSWER, BUT TRY ANYWAY.

AS WE KNOW, EVERYONE IS NOT CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET AND SO EVEN THOUGH WE WILL PUT THINGS ON OUR WEBSITE, HOW ARE THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE NOT CONNECTED IN SOME WAY EITHER THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO INTERNET OR THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO USE THE INTERNET FEATURES OR WHATEVER.

IS THERE A PLAN TO DO SOMETHING FOR THOSE FOLKS BECAUSE I'M ALWAYS CONCERNED ABOUT US ALWAYS WANTING TO PUT EVERYTHING ON THE WEB AND EVERYBODY DOESN'T DO THAT.

CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT?

>> YES, MA'AM. ACTUALLY THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

IT'S ONE THAT WE INCREASINGLY GET IN THE COMMUNITIES WE WORK IN.

SOME OF THE THINGS WE LOOK AT ARE, FOR EXAMPLE, WE WANT TO LOOK AT THE BROAD BAND SATURATION RATE BY AREAS WITHIN THE CITY.

BY GATHERING THAT INFORMATION WE'RE MANY TIMES ABLE TO FIND WHAT WE WILL CALL UNDER-SERVED AREAS THAT MAY NOT HAVE AS READILY ACCESSIBLE INTERNET CAPABILITIES AS OTHERS.

THAT'S WHERE WE BEGIN TO TARGET, FOR EXAMPLE, IN-PERSON MEETINGS.

WE ALSO WANT TO LOCATE THOSE IN-PERSON MEETINGS ALONG EITHER TRANSIT LINES OR IN HUB AREAS WHERE IT'S EASIER TO GET TO BY FOLKS THAT MAYBE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A DISADVANTAGE WHEN IT COMES TO TRANSPORTATION.

THE COMMUNICATION PLAN ISN'T JUST ABOUT PUTTING FORTH INFORMATION IN A VARIETY OF PLATFORMS, IS MAKING SURE THAT EACH OF THOSE PLATFORMS WILL SPEAK TO A DIFFERENT SEGMENT OF THE COMMUNITY THAT MAY FIND DIFFICULTY REACHING IT OTHERWISE.

SO YES, MA'AM.

WE WILL PUT THAT FORWARD IN THE COMMUNICATION PLAN AND THEN LIKE I SAID, WE'RE ALWAYS OPEN TO ADJUSTMENTS.

SO IF WE FIND THAT THERE'S A PART OF THE COMMUNITY THAT JUST ISN'T REALLY SHOWING UP OR DOESN'T SEEM TO BE CONNECTING, WE CAN TAILOR AND SHIFT AS NEEDED.

I HOPE THAT AT LEAST ADDRESSED YOUR QUESTION FROM A HIGH LEVEL.

>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, COUNCIL? THANK YOU SO MUCH AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO VERY REGULAR UPDATES.

[01:15:02]

THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, AND THANK YOU, STAN TECH.

WE'LL MOVE ON. SEE YOU SOON.

>> THANK YOU. BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 9B, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A 10-MINUTE BREAK.

WE ARE READY TO GET STARTED BACK UP.

WE'RE ON ITEM 9B.

[B. Progress report regarding the 10-Year Housing Plan and bond fund program implementation STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: Informational only]

THIS IS PROGRESS REPORT REGARDING THE 10-YEAR HOUSING PLAN AND THE BOND FUND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION.

>> WELCOME.

>> IT HAS A RED LIGHT NOW.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. SARAH DARR.

THE PLEASURE OF SERVING AS THE HOUSING DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF.

TODAY IS ACTUALLY THE 23RD ANNIVERSARY OF ME STARTING WITH THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF.

[APPLAUSE] IT WAS THE DAY AFTER LABOR DAY.

IT FLOATS AROUND. MIGHT NOT BE THE ACTUAL DAY, BUT IT WAS A TUESDAY AFTER LABOR DAY.

I'M STILL NOT ASKING MYSELF WHY. I'M STILL GOOD.

BUT NO, I'M NOT. IT'S ALL GOOD.

WITH ME TODAY IS JUSTYNA COSTA, ASSISTANT HOUSING DIRECTOR.

ON THE FAR SIDE IS JANE MIKELSON, WHO'S OUR HOUSING PLANNING MANAGER.

IF I DON'T HAVE THE DETAILS YOU NEED, I'M GOING TO PUNT TO THE A TEAM SITTING OVER HERE.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US FOR THIS QUICK UPDATE AND OVERVIEW.

WE WERE LAST BEFORE YOU, IT WAS SOME VALENTINE'S DAY WITH YOU, SO JUST OVER SIX MONTHS AGO AND SINCE THEN, WE'VE MADE QUITE A BIT OF PROGRESS, WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU ON THE 10-YEAR PLAN UPDATE.

WE'LL GO OVER THE BOND PROGRAMMING UPDATE, A VERY QUICK FUNDING ADMINISTRATION UPDATE, AND THEN SOME COMING ATTRACTIONS.

AS A QUICK REMINDER, TENURE HOUSING PLAN, WE DID A 2022 PROGRESS REPORT AND AN 18 MONTHS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, WHICH TAKES US FROM JANUARY 2023 TO JUNE 2024.

IF YOU'LL RECALL, THIS WILL BE THE ONLY 18 MONTHS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.

NEXT YEAR WILL BE IN FRONT OF YOU IN JUNE WITH AN ANNUAL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.

SUPER QUICK UPDATES ON TENURE HOUSING PLAN.

WE HAVE THE FOLLOWING GRAPHIC ON OUR WEBSITE WHICH IS BEING UPDATED QUARTERLY AS WE SEE PROGRESS IN THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS IMPACTED BY HOUSING PROGRAMS, MARKET RATE UNITS BROUGHT ON AND AFFORDABLE UNITS CREATED OR PRESERVED.

THESE MOST RECENT UPDATES WERE ON AUGUST 14TH, EXCUSE ME, AND GO THROUGH JUNE 30TH.

WE DO HAVE SOME GREAT STAFF WHO KEEP TRACK OF ALL OF THESE NUMBERS AND SIT DOWN AND MAKE SURE THE METRICS AS WE DEFINED THEM IN THE IMPLEMENTATION PLANS, ETC, ARE THE SAME METRICS THAT WE'RE USING TO REPORT ON AN ONGOING BASIS.

OVERVIEW OF THE STRATEGIES, WITHIN THAT 18-MONTH IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, HIRE AN INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT TO REVIEW CITY CODES, PROCESSES, FEES, ETC.

THIS IS UNDERWAY.

COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR PROVING OUR CONTRACT, I BELIEVE ON JULY 3RD WITH DOWL.

IT'S A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAM LED BY MICHELLE MCNULTY WITH STAFF FROM HOUSING AND SUSTAINABILITY BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE LENSES THAT THIS CODE ANALYSIS AND LAND AVAILABILITY AND SUITABILITY IS BEING CONDUCTED THROUGH.

ADDITIONAL STAFF FROM PLANNING ENGINEERING AND A NAPE TO REPRESENTATIVE MAKE UP THE CORE TEAM WORKING ON THIS PROJECT AND MOVING IT FORWARD.

I BELIEVE THERE'S AN UPDATE FOR THIS ONE SCHEDULE ON HALLOWEEN.

IT WON'T BE SCARY.

IT WILL BE EXCITING.

THAT ONE'S UNDERWAY.

CREATE 5.3 WAS EXPLORE ADDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS AN ALLOWED USE IN PUBLIC FACILITIES PF ZONE.

THIS IS ALSO UNDERWAY.

OUR FABULOUS TIFFANY ANTOL, OUR CODE ADMINISTRATOR HAS INCORPORATED THIS INTO A CODE AMENDMENT PROCESS THAT SHE HAS UNDERWENT THIS POINT IN TIME.

I BELIEVE IT WILL GO TO THE HOUSING COMMISSION THIS FALL, MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH THE VARIOUS STEPS ON ITS WAY TO YOU.

[01:20:03]

CREATE A DEDICATED TEAM WITHIN PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES SPECIFICALLY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS.

THIS ONE IS COMPLETED.

HOWEVER, THE PROCESS CHANGE, THERE WAS A RECHARTERING OF IDS RIGHT AFTER THE 10-YEAR PLAN WAS ADOPTED, AND SOME OF THAT LANGUAGE HAS CHANGED.

WE'RE KEEPING THE STATED GOAL THE SAME SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO CREATE THAT TRANSPARENCY.

BUT WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS THROUGH FORMALIZING THE ROLE OF OUR HOUSING ANALYST PREVIOUSLY, JENNIFER MICHELSON, WITHIN THAT IDS REVIEW PROCESS AND MAKING SURE THAT THE TEAM THAT'S WORKING ON WHICHEVER AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT, SHE'S INVOLVED WITH, AND WE'RE ABLE TO MOVE THROUGH THE PROCESS SMOOTHLY.

>> CAN YOU GIVE US A 20-SECOND SUMMARY OF WHAT THE IDS PROCESS LOOKS LIKE OR 25 SECOND?

>> YES, I CAN.

THE IDS PROCESS IS AN INTERDEPARTMENTAL GROUP THAT MEETS AND GOES OVER DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES, THINGS THAT MIGHT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE ENTITY THAT TURNED IT IN.

THINGS THAT ARE GREAT AND DON'T NEED TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE ENTITY THAT TURNED IT IN, AND SO HAVING HOUSING AT THAT TABLE CAN BE CRITICAL TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT CONVERSATION HAPPENS EARLY AND OFTEN, NOT LATE AND RARELY.

THAT WAS THE NON-PLANNED UNDERSTANDING OF IDS.

>> THAT WAS FANTASTIC. THANK YOU.

>> YEAH, I GOT IT OKAY.

>> DAN, WHAT WAS THIS? [LAUGHTER]

>> I'M NOT A PLANNER IF THAT'S WHAT THAT WAS.

[LAUGHTER] THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

I REALIZED I JUST STARTED USING ACRONYMS WITHOUT DEFINING THEM, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE WORK HARD NOT TO DO.

CONNECT 2.3 WAS IDENTIFIED AS EXPLORING AND REVIEWING MEMBER COMPOSITION OF OUR HOUSING COMMISSION AND HOUSING AUTHORITY BOARD TO MAKE SURE DIVERSITY IS REFLECTED.

STAFF HAD A GREAT MEETING WITH LEGAL AND THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE TO CONSIDER A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THIS COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED.

YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED ON RECENT APPLICATIONS THAT ARE COMING TO YOU FOR DIFFERENT COMMISSIONS AND APPOINTMENTS, IS THAT THERE IS A SPECIFIC QUESTION ON THOSE APPLICATIONS.

NOW THAT IT SAYS THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF IS COMMITTED TO INCREASING DIVERSITY IN EVERY BOARD AND COMMISSION, HOW DO YOU CONTRIBUTE TO THIS? OF COURSE, WE CAN'T CONTROL THAT MAKEUP OF WHO APPLIES AND WHO DOESN'T APPLY BUT WE ARE ASKING THAT DIVERSITY QUESTION.

WE FOUND THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, THIS WILL SHOCK YOU, BUT REMARKABLY HELPFUL AND OPEN-MINDED AND LOOKING AT DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THIS WILL WORK, NOT JUST FOR OUR HOUSING BODIES, BUT OVER FOR OUR OVERALL COMMISSIONS IN MAKING SURE THAT THAT DIVERSITY GOAL REMAINS CENTER POINT TO DO WHAT IS GOING ON.

>> THAT'S GOOD QUESTION THERE.

>> YES, MA'AM.

>> DO YOU FEEL THAT- BECAUSE THIS IS ONE OF THE COMMISSIONS WHERE WE DEFINE THE TYPE OF OCCUPATION THAT WE WANT TO FILL EACH SEAT, DO YOU FEEL THAT THE OCCUPATIONS THAT WERE ORIGINALLY OUTLINED WHEN THE COMMISSION WAS CREATED STILL ACHIEVE WHAT WE NEED THEM TO ACHIEVE, OR WOULD YOU RECOMMEND CHANGING IT UP AT ALL?

>> YOU'RE ASKING REALLY FUN QUESTIONS TODAY, MAYOR.

NO. AT THIS POINT IN TIME I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND CHANGING IT.

WE MAY NEED TO TWEAK A COUPLE OF PIECES OF IT.

WE HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING A DEVELOPER SEAT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF LOCAL DEVELOPERS UP HERE AND VERY FEW LIVE WITHIN CITY LIMITS.

WE'VE HAD SOME CHALLENGES FILLING SEATS.

WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT DIFFERENT WAYS WE CAN LOOK AT- OR THE DEFINITION OF A DEVELOPER VERSUS A BUILDER IS THAT TYPE OF THING.

WE ACTIVELY CHAT WITH FOLKS AS WE MEET THEM.

LIKE, WERE YOU AWARE THAT THE HOUSING COMMISSION AND YOUR EXPERTISE COULD BE REALLY VALUABLE? I LOVE THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GET FROM THE HOUSING COMMISSION BECAUSE WE HAVE LOVELY VARIOUS VOICES AND VERY FEW ON THERE WHO WOULD EVER HESITATE TO SPEAK UP.

WE DO HAVE SOME HEALTHY CONFLICT THAT TAKES PLACE.

HEALTHY DEBATES, I WOULD SAY OF FOLKS WHO ARE LIKE, WELL, I DON'T QUITE SEE IT THAT WAY.

I THINK WE'RE GETTING GOOD FEEDBACK. WE REALLY ARE.

WE WILL THINK ABOUT YOUR QUESTION AND COME FORWARD WITH A PROPOSAL IF IT'S NOT WORKING.

[01:25:10]

THIS SLIDE IS UPDATED SINCE I TURNED IT IN LAST WEEK, WE WERE TO EXAMINE AN UPDATE IF NEEDED, THE FLAGSTAFF, [INAUDIBLE], PARTICULAR HOUSING LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY PLANS.

THE ONE FOR THE HOUSING SECTION.

IT SAID UNDERWAY NEARLY COMPLETE.

I WAS TOLD TODAY I WAS WRONG.

IT'S ALWAYS MY FAVORITE MOMENTS.

IT'S ACTUALLY COMPLETED.

WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ENDED 8:31.

WE HAD NO PUBLIC COMMENTS SUBMITTED.

SINCE THEN OUR STAFF HAS BEEN TRAINED.

ADRIANA FISSURE IS THE STAFF PERSON WHO WAS IN CHARGE OF THIS, AND SHE WAS RIGHT ON TOP OF THOSE DATES.

I BELIEVE I SAW AN EMAIL THIS AFTERNOON TO GET IT POSTED ON THE WEBSITE.

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY PLAN WAS COMPLETED EARLIER IN THE YEAR, EARLY SPRING, SPRING, AND SUMMER AND SO THOSE BOTH ARE COMPLETED.

SOME OF THE ONGOING STRATEGIES IN THE 18-MONTH IMPLEMENTATION PLAN; CREATE A HOUSING NAVIGATOR OR ADVOCATE POSITIONS, OUR PROGRESS, OUR THIRD YEAR OF ONETIME FUNDING.

WE HAVE A LOVELY NAVIGATOR WHO DEDICATES HER TIME.

SHE HAS THE CORRECT SKILL SET IN ORDER TO WORK WITH SOME OF OUR MOST CHALLENGING FOLKS WHO ARE NOT ALWAYS ABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY IDENTIFY HOUSING.

SHE ALSO WORKS WITH OUR SPECIALTY VOUCHERS LIKE OUR EMERGENCY HOUSING VOUCHERS, WHICH ARE WORKING TO TRANSITION PEOPLE OUT OF HOMELESSNESS INTO HOUSING.

IMPLEMENT A PUBLIC OUTREACH CAMPAIGN.

THIS IS LONG BEEN A STATED PIECE OF SOMETHING THAT WE WORK ON THAT WE'RE NOT VERY STRONG AT.

WE'RE NOT VERY STRONG AT IT BECAUSE WE HAVE SPENT DECADES WITHOUT ENOUGH MONEY AND REALLY LONG WAITING LISTS.

YOU DON'T PARTICULARLY ADVERTISE WHEN YOU HAVE REALLY LONG WAITING LISTS AND NOT ENOUGH RESOURCES TO OFFER THE COMMUNITY.

HOWEVER, WE'RE REALIZING THROUGH THE 10-YEAR PLAN PROCESS, ETC.

THAT WE NEED TO TELL OUR STORY BETTER.

THEN WE ARE WORKING WITH CVB TEAM TO CREATE AN OVERALL OUTREACH CAMPAIGN.

IN THE MEANTIME, WE HAVE OCTOBER.

EVERY YEAR IS HOUSING AMERICA MONTH.

WE HAVING SOME PARTICULAR LOCAL OUTREACH DURING THAT TIME PERIOD.

THEN WHAT WE REALIZED WHILE WE'RE HAVING SOME OF THESE CONVERSATIONS IS IT'S NOT NECESSARILY ALL ABOUT ONE CAMPAIGN.

IT'S NOT NECESSARILY ABOUT, OH, GUESS WHAT? WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THIS? IT'S REALLY ABOUT MAKING THAT MESSAGE CONSISTENT.

IT'S ABOUT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF LOCAL MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES WHEN THEY'RE OFFERED TO US.

PURSUING THEM WHEN THEY'RE NOT, THAT TYPE OF THINGS.

HERE WE'VE LISTED JUST A FEW OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS.

THERE ARE SOME LOCAL THINGS.

WE'VE ALSO BEEN REQUESTED SEVERAL TIMES TO SPEAK STATEWIDE ON WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH A 10 YEAR HOUSING PLAN AS WELL AS THE BOND FUNDING.

WE RECEIVED AN AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING INITIATIVE FOR THE 10-YEAR HOUSING PLAN, ETC.

THERE IS ANOTHER AWARD THAT WILL BE ANNOUNCED LATER THIS WEEK THAT WE'VE BEEN ASKED NOT TO SPEAK TO.

BUT THERE'S ANOTHER ONE COMING.

WE ALSO HAVE BEEN CONTACTED FROM SOME OUT-OF-STATE FOLKS.

ADRIANA DID AN INTERVIEW WITH THE ASHEVILLE WATCHDOG, [LAUGHTER] FOR AN INTERVIEW ABOUT THE 10-YEAR HOUSING PLAN AND THE HOUSING EMERGENCY.

WE ARE GETTING SOME NATIONAL NOTICE FOR WHAT WE'VE PROPOSED, WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND SOME OF THE WAYS THAT WE'RE DOING IT.

WE ARE VERY CAREFUL TO SAY IN THOSE MOMENTS THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING WORKS FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND THAT THESE ARE VERY COMMUNITY-BASED PLANS.

WE'RE HAPPY TO SHARE WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WOULD LOVE TO HEAR IN RETURN WHAT YOU'RE DOING AS WELL.

I REALLY APPRECIATE STAFF'S WILLINGNESS TO STEP UP, SPEND SOME TIME AFTER HOURS, FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK, ETC.

TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES TO TELL OUR STORY.

TO NOT STARTED YET IN THAT 18-MONTH PLAN.

WE STILL HAVE A YEAR BEFORE THAT.

WELL, NOW 11 MONTHS BEFORE THE END OF THAT TIME PERIOD.

ONE IS ACQUIRE AND REHABILITATE ALREADY BUILT PROPERTIES.

THIS ENDED UP BEING A CATEGORY WITHIN BOND FUNDING.

THIS ONE WE'RE TACKLING SOME OF THE OTHERS FIRST, WHICH I WILL COVER NEXT.

TO CREATE AND MAINTAIN AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING IMPACT STATEMENT.

THE INTENT OF THE STATEMENT IS TO COME IN AS DEVELOPERS, BUILDERS TURN IN PLANS TO, ARE YOU TEARING DOWN HOUSING UNITS? HOW MANY HOUSING UNITS HERE YOU'RE CREATING? IF YOU'RE TEARING DOWN HOUSING UNITS, ARE THEY OCCUPIED? WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THE PEOPLE WITHIN THEM, ETC.

I BELIEVE THIS AFFORDABLE HOUSING IMPACT STATEMENT CAME OUT OF OUR EQUITY GROUP.

[01:30:06]

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WILL BE COORDINATED AS WE LOOK AT THE CODE CHANGES, THE INCENTIVE POLICIES, ETC. WITH DOWELL.

THE INTENT IS NOT TO ADD ANOTHER BURDENSOME STEP FOR THE DEVELOPER, BUT RATHER TO MAKE IT AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A BETTER HANDLE ON WHAT THOSE DEVELOPMENTS ARE DOING WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.

RIGHT NOW WE CAN GO TALK TO THE PLANNER AND PLANNER IS LIKE, YES, THIS AND THIS AND THIS.

BUT THERE HAS NOT BEEN YET A CONSISTENT, EASY WAY TO ACCESS THAT DATA.

THIS WAS ONE OF THE STRATEGIES COMING OUT OF THE 10-YEAR PLAN I WAS PARTICULARLY EXCITED ABOUT.

THAT'S THE END OF MY 10-YEAR PLAN SLIDES.

ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I JUMP TO BOND? ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS PORTION?

>> I HAVE A QUESTION.

I'M AWARE OF A APARTMENT DEVELOPMENT AND WE HAD A MEETING TALKING ABOUT THIS, THAT IT'S COMING TO THE END OF ITS LIHTC FUNDED, WHICH IS LOW-INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT FUNDED AFFORDABILITY.

BOND FUNDS WERE SOME OF THEM ANTICIPATED FOR WORKING ON A PROJECT SUCH AS THIS OR IS THAT WHAT WE MEAN BY AN ACQUIRE AND REHABILITATE ALREADY BUILT PROPERTIES?

>> MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. IT IS NOT.

THAT ACQUIRE AND REHABILITATE ALREADY BUILT PROPERTIES FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

WELL, IT COULD FIT WITHIN THERE AND THE OTHER CONVERSATIONS SURROUNDING THIS WAS ADAPTIVE REUSE.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN OUR COMMUNITY WE ARE FACING SOME OF THE TAX CREDIT PROPERTIES ROLLING OFF OF THEIR AFFORDABILITY TIME PERIOD.

THERE'S A STATE PROCESS WHERE THE STATE PUBLISHES THAT THESE ARE FOR SALE ESSENTIALLY.

THEY HAVE TO BE OFFERED FOR SALE THROUGH AN ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING PROCESS FOR A YEAR.

THE ASKING PRICE FOR THE TWO PROPERTIES IS $22.2 MILLION.

THAT'S NOT A TYPE OF MONEY WE'VE EVER HAD ACCESS TO.

OUR ENTIRE BOND PROGRAM WAS 20 MILLION.

IT IS SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN TALKING WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES ABOUT WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS COMES UP.

SOMETIMES YOU SEE THEM PURCHASED, SOMETIMES THERE'S A DEVELOPER THAT IS INTERESTED IN PRESERVING THE AFFORDABILITY, ETC.

THESE TWO DEVELOPMENTS WERE SOME OF THE FIRST BUILT IN OUR COMMUNITY BEFORE WE STARTED, BEFORE MY TENURE, BEFORE WE STARTED ASKING FOR 30-YEAR COMMITMENT OF BUILDINGS COMING INTO OUR COMMUNITY VIA THE LIHTC PROGRAM.

ALSO THE STATE IS NOW INCENTIVIZING A LONGER TIME PERIOD.

THE DRAFT QAP, WHICH IS THE APPLICATION DOCUMENT FOR LIHTC, THIS YEAR GIVES EXTRA POINTS IF YOU GO TO 50 YEARS.

THERE IS AN UNFORTUNATE PIECE OF SOME OF THESE ROLLING OFF.

WE DON'T KNOW WHO MIGHT BUY THEM, WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY WILL STILL MAINTAIN ACCEPTING SECTION 8 VOUCHERS AND PROVIDING REASONABLE RENTS.

WHEN WE FIND OUT WHO'S PURCHASING THEM, WE WILL CERTAINLY MEET WITH THEM, MAKE THEM AWARE OF OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS, ETC., AND TALK ABOUT ANY WAYS THAT THEY WOULD BE VOLUNTARILY WILLING TO ASSIST WITH OUR LOCAL MARKET.

THE OTHER PIECES THAT OFTEN THESE COMPLEXES ROLLING OFF OF THEIR LIHTC COMPLETION, ARE REACHING THE END OF THEIR USEFUL LIFE.

RENTAL PROPERTIES HAVE A SHORTER USEFUL LIFE FOR MULTIPLE REASONS AND WE WILL OFTEN SEE THEM PURCHASED AND OR WE WILL NOT.

OUR RESEARCH ABOUT OTHER COMMUNITIES AS WE SEE THEM PURCHASED AND REHABILITATED INTO SAFER MORE STABLE PROPERTIES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

>> THANK YOU. VICE MAYOR HAS A QUESTION.

>> SARAH. THANK YOU. LOOKING FORWARD TO AN ONGOING CONVERSATION ABOUT ALL THIS AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HARD WORK YOU AND YOUR TEAM TIRELESSLY PUT INTO WHAT IS REALLY A CRITICAL CONVERSATION.

I DON'T WANT TO SPEND TOO MUCH TIME ON THIS, BUT I DO THINK IT'S AN APPROPRIATE PLACE TO JUST CREATE SOME SPACE AND TO KEEP IT PART OF THE CONVERSATION.

WE HAVE TWO CRISES THAT ARE DECLARED FOR THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF.

THAT IS HOUSING AND CLIMATE.

I THINK WE'RE IN A REALLY GOOD PLACE INTERNALLY IN THE CITY HOW WE THINK ABOUT THOSE TWO THINGS AND HOW WE TALK ABOUT THEM,

[01:35:06]

AND HOW THEY'RE SYNERGISTIC, AND HOW IT'S A NON-COMPETITIVE SITUATION.

I THINK OUT IN THE PUBLIC THE NARRATIVE IS A LITTLE BIT MORE CONFUSING AND CONFUSED.

NOT PICKING ON ANY PARTICULAR PERSON OR A CONVERSATION HERE, I'VE BEEN HEARING IT A LOT FROM A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.

THE CONVERSATION GETS WHITTLED DOWN TO WHAT I WOULD CHARACTERIZE AS THIS IS AT SOME LEVEL A ZERO-SUM GAME.

WE HAVE TO ROB PETER TO PAY PAUL.

IT'S A COMPETITIVE THING AND I TRY TO REJECT THAT NARRATIVE WHEN I HEAR IT CROPPING INTO THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S TO THE EXTENT THAT IT MAY EVEN BE ACCURATE IN THE SPECIFIC DETAILS OF EACH OF HOW WE'RE TACKLING OUR CRISIS.

I DON'T THINK IT'S HELPFUL FOR THE CAUSES THAT WE HAVE.

WANTED TO GIVE YOU JUST A MINUTE OR TWO TO SPEAK ABOUT THAT AS PART OF THE STRATEGY AND THAT AS PART OF THE PLAN, HOW THE CITY IS SHAPING A NARRATIVE WITH THE PUBLIC.

THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD, 100% BEST FOOT FORWARD ON BOTH OF THESE TOPICS.

WE DON'T WANT TO GET CAUGHT INTO A TRAP OF ARGUING ABOUT WHICH ONE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE OTHER, ETC.

KEEP YOUR COMMENTS MORE SPECIFIC TO HOW THIS SLIDES INTO THE PLAN AND ACTION DELIVERABLES ON THAT FRONT.

>> MAYOR, VICE MAYOR.

I KNOW YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED SAY GOOD QUESTION, BUT REALLY GOOD QUESTION.

WE HAVE A GREAT WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH SUSTAINABILITY.

THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT, IT HAPPENED ON PURPOSE.

HOUSING STAFF WILL LIKELY ROLL THEIR EYES WHEN I SAY OUR GOAL IS AND NOT OR.

THERE WILL BE PLACES WHERE IT IS OR WHERE ONE WINS OUT, IF YOU WILL, OR ONE IS MORE FITTING FOR WHATEVER THE DISCUSSION IS THAN THE OTHER.

BUT OUR TRUE AGREED UPON GOAL IS THAT WE FEED EACH OTHER, THAT THEY ARE SYMBIOTIC.

THERE THE WORD JUST LEFT MY HEAD SO WE CAN WORK TOGETHER.

WE CAN ACCOMPLISH THE THINGS THAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH THEM AT THE SAME TIME.

WE HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON FIGURING OUT SOME OF OUR PIECES.

SUSTAINABILITY WAS INVOLVED.

I SAY THAT WITH A SMILE BECAUSE THEY WERE GREATLY INVOLVED IN THE CREATION OF THE TENURE HOUSING PLAN.

WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT AS WELL IS THAT THE PIECES THAT WE HAD AGREED UPON WORKING BETWEEN THE TWO AND THE TENURE HOUSING PLAN WERE LIFTED AND PUT INTO THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED AFTER THE HOUSING PLAN.

WE ARE WORKING ON COMMON GOALS.

ONE OF THOSE IS THAT CODE ANALYSIS OF WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE.

WE DO NOT NECESSARILY WANT THE COMPETING INCENTIVES BECAUSE THEN WE'RE HAVING PEOPLE CHOOSE AND THEN MAYBE CRITICIZING THEM FOR NOT DOING THE OTHER.

WE WERE WORKING TO TAKE A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

IN FACT, WE JUST HAD AN INTERVIEWING FOR STAFF.

I'LL MENTION IN A MINUTE LAST FRIDAY.

ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WAS A CITIZEN COMES UP TO YOU IN A PUBLIC MEETING AND SAYS, HOW CAN THE CITY HAVE TWO? ARE THEY NOT COMPETING.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THE CITIZEN? IT WAS FUN TO HEAR THE ANSWERS.

WE HAD ONE REALLY GOOD ANSWER.

WE HAD ONE ANSWER WHERE WE'RE LIKE, CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE MORE? WE'RE PAYING ATTENTION TO IT.

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING IT UP BECAUSE THE MORE TIMES WE ARE ABLE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION IN THE COMMUNITY THAT BOTH OF THESE THINGS ARE ADDRESSABLE AND THAT THEY ARE COMPLIMENTARY TO EACH OTHER IS GREAT.

WHILE AT THE SAME TIME ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE TIMES WHERE THEY JUST ARE COUNTER-INTUITIVE AND WE'RE WORKING TO MINIMIZE THOSE.

HOWEVER, WE WILL GET THERE AT TIMES.

I CAN'T COME UP WITH EXAMPLES BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW YET WHERE THEY ARE, BUT SOMETHING LIKE REDUCING UTILITY COSTS WORKS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, EFFICIENT UTILITIES WORKS FOR SUSTAINABILITY, ETC.

WE KEEP A REGULAR CONVERSATION GOING WITH SUSTAINABILITY.

>> THANK YOU, SARAH. I JUST WANTED TO CARVE OUT A LITTLE BIT OF SPACE FOR THAT.

I THINK WE'VE GIVEN IT THE ATTENTION IT DESERVES.

IT JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP THAT TOPIC IN THE FRONT ON THE PLANNING LEVEL AND THE ACTIONABLES AND THE DELIVERABLES AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.

[01:40:01]

WE CAN'T CONTROL WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS SAYING OR WHAT THE NARRATIVES ARE OUT THERE, BUT WE CAN HAVE A PLAN TO REDIRECT PEOPLE'S THINKING AND THE NARRATIVES AROUND HOW THESE THINGS MOVE FORWARD IN TANDEM.

THANK YOU.

>> ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY.

>> COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS.

>> I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX A LITTLE BIT.

WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

WE'VE MOSTLY BEEN TALKING ABOUT BUILDING MORE HOUSING.

CORRECT? WE HAVE A LOT OF HOUSING AND FLAGSTAFF ALREADY.

NOT THAT IT'S ALL AFFORDABLE, BUT WE HAVE A LOT.

WE HAVE A LOT OF RENTAL PROPERTIES IN FLAGSTAFF.

SOMETIMES AT NIGHT WHEN I WAKE UP AND I CAN'T SLEEP, I THINK CRAZY THOUGHTS.

I THINK HAS ANYBODY EVER TALKED TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE RENTAL PROPERTY TO REALLY SIT DOWN AND HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR COST OF HOUSING AND HOW WE HAVE A HOUSING EMERGENCY, AND THAT THIS IS ALL OF OUR PROBLEM.

IF WE ALL DON'T TRY AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO SOLVE IT, ALL OF US ARE GOING TO SUFFER.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S EVEN SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO.

BUT WE SOMETIMES MAKE THE ASSUMPTION THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT WE HAVE A HOUSING EMERGENCY AND THAT WE HAVE A PLAN, BUT SOMETIMES PEOPLE JUST GOING ON WITH THEIR LIVES AND THEY'RE NOT THINKING THAT THIS HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH ME.

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THAT? I SEE THAT NEXT TIME I WOULD LIKE EVERYONE TO SUBMIT THEIR QUESTIONS AND BEFORE WE START.

[LAUGHTER]

>> NO KIDDING. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

MAYOR-COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS, THAT HAS OCCURRED TO US.

WE DO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ARIZONA MULTI-HOUSING ASSOCIATION.

THEY'VE BEEN REALLY BUSY LEGISLATIVELY IN THE PAST YEAR.

WE HAVE NOT HAD AS MANY SIT-DOWNS AS I WOULD LIKE.

WE ARE SECTION 8 STAFF, OUR HOUSING VOUCHER STAFF TALK TO LANDLORDS EVERY DAY.

TALK ABOUT THIS IS WHAT THE VOUCHER IS WORTH AND THESE ARE WHAT OUR HOUSING PRICES ARE AND THIS IS THE STRUGGLE THAT PEOPLE ARE FACING.

WE ARE DOING ON A MORE INFORMAL BASIS, ON A REGULAR BASIS AS PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WORK TO FIND PLACES TO TAKE THOSE VOUCHERS.

THERE IS A DIFFICULT PART OF THAT POPULATION FOR US TO REACH, AND THAT IS THE ONESIES TWOSIES, THOSE ARE THE, I OWN ONE RENTAL PROPERTY OR TWO RENTAL PROPERTIES.

THERE USED TO BE A GROUP CALLED IROCK, WHICH WAS THE INDEPENDENT RENTERS, INDEPENDENT LANDLORDS THE SEERS FOR A COUNCIL, AND WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MEET WITH THEM AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM.

THEY HAVE NOT BEEN MEETING FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE INDIVIDUAL PIECES, INDIVIDUAL LANDLORDS HAS BEEN HARDER.

HOWEVER, WITHIN THE 10-YEAR PLAN, YOU WILL SEE STRATEGIES TALKING ABOUT EXPLORING A RENTAL REHABILITATION PROGRAM, TALKING ABOUT ADDITIONAL LANDLORD OUTREACH, THAT TYPE OF THING.

THOSE SIMPLY ARE NOT IN THE 18TH-MONTH IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, BUT I BELIEVE ARE SLATED FOR NEAR FUTURE, ESPECIALLY SOME OF THOSE EDUCATION PIECES.

WE WILL KEEP THAT IN MIND, HOPING TO CALM YOUR MIND WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

WE'LL TAKE NOTE OF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THAT AS WELL.

>> WELL, THANK YOU, MAYOR. MY COMMENTS TIE INTO THE VICE MAYOR'S COMMENTS.

WHEN I WAS READING THE PACKET, I READ THAT ZONING LAWS ARE GOING TO LOOK AT TO SEE IF WE CAN CUT COST.

COST SAVINGS IS THE PHRASE THEY USED I BELIEVE.

THE POINT I WANT TO MAKE IS THAT THERE'S TWO COST-SAVINGS.

ONE IS LIKE, THE DAY YOU COMPLETED AND GET YOUR OCCUPANCY CERTIFICATE.

BUT THE ONE THAT REALLY MAKES MORE SENSE IS THE LONG-TERM COST.

I'LL JUST GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE AND I'VE SAID THIS AT COUNCIL A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN I BUILT THE HOUSE THAT I'M IN NOW, I SPENT JUST A COUPLE OF $100 EXTRA IN UPGRADING MY INSTALLATION.

MY HOUSE HAS ALWAYS STAYED COOL IN THE SUMMER.

I'VE NEVER BEEN HOT IN MY HOUSE IN THE 18 YEARS I'VE LIVED IN IT.

BUT MY NEIGHBORS WHO TOOK THE STANDARD INSTALLATION AND SAVED LIKE $200 OR 300, WHATEVER IT WAS.

[01:45:02]

THEIR HOUSES WERE ALL HOT.

WHAT DID THEY DO? THEY WENT OUT AND SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS. I DON'T NEED AN AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM.

THE MAJOR POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE IS THAT THERE ARE SHORT-TERM COSTS AND LONG-TERM COST, AND WE NEED TO TAKE BOTH INTO ACCOUNT.

SOMETIMES SPENDING A LITTLE BIT MORE DURING INITIAL CONSTRUCTION CAN SAVE HORRENDOUS AMOUNTS OF MONEY IN THE LONG RUN.

LOWER UTILITY BILLS, NOT HAVING TO BUY AIR CONDITIONERS, ETC.

LONG-TERM VERSUS SHORT-TERM. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTIONS AND GREAT DISCUSSION.

MOVING ONTO BOND UPDATE.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO START OUT WITH, WE ARE THE FIRST ONES IN ARIZONA TO UNDERTAKE ACTIVITIES LIKE THIS WITH GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS THAT ARE NOT INFRASTRUCTURE AND CONSTRUCTION.

WE DON'T HAVE A MODEL TO FOLLOW.

WE'RE HARVESTING MODELS FROM OTHER STATES, ETC.

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO ARIZONA LAW, I'M SURE YOU'RE FAMILIAR.

THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS DIFFERENT HERE.

WE ARE WORKING TO DO THE APPROPRIATE RESEARCH AND DUE DILIGENCE TO ENSURE SUCCESS WITH THE MONIES THAT WERE BEING ENTRUSTED WITH.

I WANT TO THANK YOU AND THE COMMUNITY FOR THE PATIENCE AS WE WORK TO DO THIS THE RIGHT WAY TO ENSURE THAT LONG-TERM SUCCESS.

IT ISN'T ALWAYS FAST, AND HOUSING STAFF IS ASKING LEGAL AND PROCUREMENT AND FINANCE QUESTIONS THAT NOBODY EVER DREAMED THAT ANYONE WOULD ASK.

WE HAVE HAD GREAT GREAT PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR INTERNAL SUPPORT SYSTEMS, AND I WISH WE HAD A MODEL, I WISH WE HAD A PLUG AND PLAY.

WE DON'T, SO WE'RE WORKING ON IT.

IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO BE FIRST.

WE WERE THE FIRST MUNICIPAL LAND TRUST.

WE WERE THE FIRST INCENTIVE POLICY, WE WERE THE FIRST DOING THIS.

THAT'S ALWAYS FUN AND EXCITING.

BUT IT'S CALLED THE BLEEDING EDGE FOR A REASON, AND THAT'S BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT'S PAINFUL TO GO THROUGH IT.

WE GET CALLS FROM COMMUNITIES ALL OVER THE STATE.

CAN WE SEE YOUR INCENTIVE POLICY? CAN WE SEE HOW DO YOU DO YOUR LAND TRUSTS? WELL, WHAT IS THIS LIKE? LIKE, HOW DID YOU DO THAT? BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN THE LEADER IN MANY HOUSING PIECES.

THIS IS NOT A PAT MYSELF ON THE BACK.

THIS IS A PAT OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR ORGANIZATION ON THE BACK, OUR CITY COUNCILS ON THE BACK.

WE HAVE SEEN THAT SOME OF THE TRADITIONAL TOOLS JUST AREN'T WORKING UP HERE, AND GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE WITHIN LEGAL BOUNDARIES DIFFERENT THINGS AND WAYS THAT WE CAN APPROACH THESE CHALLENGES.

BEFORE WE JUMP INTO AN UPDATE ON THE HOUSING BOND PROGRAMS, QUICK REMINDER ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE HOUSING COMMISSION.

IN THE 2018 BOND ELECTION PROCESS THE COMMUNITY WAS VASTLY CONCERNED ABOUT WHO WOULD OVERSEE THESE BOND FUNDS.

YES, CITY COUNCIL IS THE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY, BUT WHO IS GOING TO PROVIDE OVERSIGHT? IN 2018, WE LISTED A LIST OF THE TYPES OF PROFESSIONS AND PEOPLE THAT WOULD SIT ON A BODY OVERSEEING BOND FUNDS.

WE WERE ENVISIONING A BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

AFTER THAT BOND INITIATIVE IS NOT AN INITIATIVE BECAUSE IT'S NOT SIGNATURES IS A BOND MEASURE.

THINGS CHANGED. WE LOST BY 747 VOTES AND I TOOK THAT AS, WE DON'T LIKE THE DETAILS VERSUS, WE REALLY DON'T WANT TO DO THIS.

IN-BETWEEN THOSE YEARS, ONE OF THE THINGS CITY COUNCIL DID WAS CREATE A HOUSING COMMISSION WITH VARIED SPECIFIC MEMBERSHIP OR FOLKS.

IT'S A 13 MEMBER COMMISSION, AND SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL ADDRESSED IN THE ORDINANCE CREATING THE HOUSING COMMISSION WAS SPECIFICALLY THE WORDING PROVIDE OVERSIGHT OF ANY FUNDS APPROVED BY THE ELECTORATE FOR HOUSING PURPOSES.

AFTER THE BOND PASSED, WE SAT DOWN WITH LEGAL AND SAID, SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WE KNEW WHAT IT MEANT, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WE'RE ENCAPSULATING ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT PIECES AND CAME UP WITH THE TYPE OF WORDING, THE HOUSING COMMISSION'S ROLE IS TO REVIEW AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL.

CITY COUNCIL IS FREE TO DO WHATEVER THEY CHOOSE TO DO.

THE HOUSING COMMISSION HAS TAKEN THIS ROLE SERIOUSLY.

THEY TOOK CREATING THE BOND RECOMMENDATIONS VERY SERIOUSLY, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE PLACES I REALLY LOVE HAVING THEM MULTITUDE OF VOICES AVAILABLE ON THE HOUSING COMMISSION BECAUSE WE ARE SEEING DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW COMING FORWARD.

WHILE WHAT I'M GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT IS RECOMMENDATIONS OR WHERE WE ARE IN PROCESSES, PLEASE KEEP IN MIND EVERYTHING COMES TO YOU FOR APPROVAL.

[01:50:04]

THE FIRST PROGRAM THAT WE TACKLED WAS INCENTIVIZING PRIVATE SECTOR TO INCORPORATE AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING INTO NEW DEVELOPMENTS.

THIS WAS NOTED AS FIVE MILLION OF THE 20 MILLION INVESTMENT.

PRIOR TO MAY OF THIS YEAR, WE MET WITH LEGAL AND PROCUREMENT AND FINANCE, WE DID A BUNCH OF RESEARCH AND AT OUR MAY HOUSING COMMISSION MEETING, ESTABLISHED A WORKING GROUP OF HOUSING COMMISSION MEMBERS TO WORK WITH OUR FABULOUS JEN MICHELSON, VET THE IDEAS, BOUNCE THINGS AROUND.

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? UTILIZING THE GUIDANCE WE RECEIVED FROM LEGAL PROCUREMENT AND FINANCE.

THAT GROUP MET THREE TIMES IN JUNE AND JULY, AND CAME UP WITH A SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROGRAM CRITERIA, ELIGIBILITY, ETC.

THEY MET ON OCTOBER 28TH TO REVIEW THE WRITTEN DOCUMENT, DRAFT WRITTEN DOCUMENT THAT JEN HAD PUT TOGETHER THAT WE HAVE NOW SENT TO LEGAL FOR REVIEW.

BUT IT WAS ONLY ON AUGUST 30TH, SO LEGAL, THEY JUST GOT IT.

WE'VE HAD LOTS OF INTEREST FROM THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY.

WE'VE HAD DEVELOPERS CALL AND SAY, HOW DO I ACCESS ALL FIVE MILLION.

WE'VE HAD DEVELOPERS CALL AND SAY, WE SAW YOUR BOND PROGRAM AND NOW WE'RE THINKING ABOUT DOING A PROJECT IN FLAGSTAFF.

HOW MUCH MONEY COULD WE HAVE? THERE'S FIVE MILLION, WHICH SOUNDS LIKE A BIG NUMBER AND STILL YOU START COUCHING IT IN DEVELOPMENT, AND THEN IT'S A MUCH SMALLER NUMBER, AND IT WAS INTENDED TO LEVERAGE OTHER FUNDING SOURCES, ETC, IN ORDER TO ASSIST IN BRINGING ADDITIONAL AFFORDABLE UNITS TO THE COMMUNITY.

WE ANTICIPATE BRINGING THE DRAFT DOCUMENT AFTER LEGAL REVIEW TO THE HOUSING COMMISSION IN SEPTEMBER.

YOU'LL SEE HERE THAT WHEN THE SCHEDULE WAS CREATED AND PRESENTED TO THE HOUSING COMMISSION IN MAY, WE WERE THINKING WE'D BE BACK TO THE COMMISSION IN OCTOBER.

WE ARE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, WE THINK, BARRING LEGAL TELLING US WE'RE INSANE, WHICH HAS HAPPENED, BUT I DON'T THINK THIS TIME IT WILL WE WILL BE IN FRONT OF THE HOUSING COMMISSION IN SEPTEMBER.

THAT PUTS US IN FRONT OF YOU.

IN OCTOBER WE PADDED THE SCHEDULE, COUNCIL, BECAUSE WE'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE, AND IF WE MISS THE BOAT AND WE WERE GETTING MEANINGFUL FEEDBACK THAT NEEDED TO BE INCORPORATED, WE WANTED TO HAVE THE TIME TO DO IT.

RIGHT NOW WE'RE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.

WHEN IT COMES TO HOUSING COMMISSION, AND WE GET THAT FEEDBACK, WHEN IT COMES TO YOU, AND WE GET THAT FEEDBACK DEPENDING ON WHAT IT IS, WE THINK WE CAN FINISH EARLY, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WEREN'T CORNERING COUNCIL AND WE WEREN'T CORNERING THE HOUSING COMMISSION WHERE THE SCHEDULE SAYS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DONE IN OCTOBER.

WE WANTED TO GIVE SUFFICIENT TIME FOR THE COMMENT PERIODS THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT, AND BEING ABLE TO INCORPORATE YOUR FEEDBACK.

YOU'LL SEE IN COMING ATTRACTIONS IN A MOMENT THAT THIS ONE IS ON ITS WAY TO YOU.

THE SECOND ONE WE'RE TACKLING IS EXPANDING THE HOMEBUYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

WE DO, AS YOU KNOW, HAVE THE CHAP PROGRAM, THE COMMUNITY HOMEBUYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, ALREADY IN PLACE.

THE INTENT IS TO MIRROR WHAT IS SUCCESSFUL IN THAT PROGRAM WITH THE BOND FUNDING, BUT TO CREATE A SEPARATE PROGRAM FOR THE BOND FUNDS SO THAT WE ARE ABLE TO TRACK ACCOMPLISHMENTS, WE ARE ABLE TO FIGURE THINGS OUT WITH THE BOND FUNDS.

WHAT WE'VE LEARNED WITH THE CHAP PROGRAM IN THE PAST 18-24 MONTHS IS THAT OUR MARKET CONDITIONS HAVE CHANGED QUITE A BIT BY MARKET CONDITIONS, I MEAN, LOOKING AT BOTH INTEREST RATES, THE CHANGES IN OUR AREA MEDIAN INCOME, THE HOUSING PRICES THAT CONTINUE TO CLIMB, ETC.

WE WERE NOT SEEING THE PROGRAM BEING UTILIZED IN THE WAY IT WAS INTENDED TO OR BEING AS EFFECTIVE AS IT AS WE WANTED IT TO BE.

IT'S INTENDED TO SERVE THOSE ALSO ABOVE 80% OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME.

WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS THE WAY THAT WE HAD IT SET UP, IT WAS SERVING ONLY THOSE UNDER 80% AREA MEDIAN INCOME BECAUSE THEY HAD TO HAVE ANOTHER FUNDING SOURCE IN ORDER TO MAKE IT WORK.

WE DID SOME NUMBER CRUNCHINGS.

WE WORKED WITH OUR CONTRACTED PROVIDER WITH THIS HOUSING SOLUTIONS, CAME UP WITH SOME DIFFERENT WAYS.

LET'S LOOK AT THIS. LET'S LOOK AT THAT.

WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH LEGAL.

WE'RE SCHEDULED FOR AN EXECUTIVE SESSION WITH YOU ON SEPTEMBER 26TH.

WHY AM I TALKING ABOUT GENERAL FUNDS? I'M TALKING ABOUT GENERAL FUNDS BECAUSE THERE'S SOME MONEY LEFT IN THAT CONTRACT, AND OUR INTENT IS TO TEST THE PARAMETERS WITH THOSE GENERAL FUNDS AND SEE IF WE'RE HITTING THE MARK BEFORE WE INTRODUCE BOND FUNDS TO IT, WHERE WE KNOW THERE'S A MUCH HIGHER DEGREE OF COMMUNITY ACCOUNTABILITY, AND FOLKS WATCHING.

[01:55:04]

WE DON'T WANT TO GET IT WRONG.

WE DON'T WANT TO CREATE A HOUSING BOND DOWN PAYMENT PROGRAM AND THEN COME BACK IN SIX MONTHS AND BE LIKE, WELL, WE'D REALLY LIKE TO ADJUST THIS.

WE SAW THIS REALLY AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A PLATFORM WHERE WE CAN TRY OUT SOME OF THESE NEW DYNAMICS AND THEN LAUNCH A BOND PROGRAM THAT IS SET UP FOR SUCCESS, AND LONGER-TERM.

THERE WERE TWO ELEMENTS OF THE THE BOND THAT WE RECOGNIZE AS LONGER TERM.

ONE IS RE-PURPOSING EXISTING AVAILABLE BUILDINGS INTO RENTAL UNITS.

WE'VE BEEN LOOKING IN OUR SPARE TIME FOR BEST PRACTICES AROUND THE COUNTRY FOR ADAPTIVE REUSE.

WHAT WE'RE FINDING FOR ADAPTIVE REUSE RIGHT NOW IS THERE ARE SCABS OF OFFICE BUILDINGS IN DENSE DOWNTOWNS THAT ARE BEING TURNED INTO HOUSING.

WE'RE NOT FACED WITH THAT CHALLENGE OF A DYING DOWNTOWN, SO WE'RE LOOKING BROADLY FOR OTHER EXAMPLES.

THE OTHER TWO THAT WE ARE TACKLING, THE INCENTIVES AND THE HOME-BUYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM UPDATE SEEMED LIKE LOWER HANGING FRUIT AND SEEMED LIKE MORE DEMAND IS THERE ESPECIALLY IN THE DEVELOPMENT PIECE.

FOR THAT, WHILE KEEPING AN EYE ON THE RE-PURPOSING OF SOMEBODY CAME AND KNOCKED ON THE DOOR AND SAID, HEY, HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT WE WOULD THINK ABOUT.

THEN LONGER-TERM IS REDEVELOPING CITY-OWNED HOUSING TO CREATE ADDITIONAL RENTAL UNITS.

THIS WILL BE COUPLED WITH REDOING OUR PUBLIC HOUSING.

THIS IS A MUCH LARGER PROJECT, I COPIED THIS LANGUAGE STRAIGHT TO THE FEBRUARY PRESENTATION, ANTICIPATE 2-5 YEARS.

WE'RE WORKING ON PUTTING PIECES INTO PLACE THAT WE CAN MOVE INTO THIS DIRECTION. WE'RE NOT THERE YET.

>> SARAH.

>> YES. GOT A QUESTION ABOUT THAT.

IT IS A HUGE PROJECT.

DO YOU ANTICIPATE CONTRACTING OUT WITH SOMEONE TO MANAGE THAT PROJECT OR BRINGING ON ADDITIONAL STAFF? HOW DO YOU THINK THAT THAT GETS DONE? I JUST HAVE A HARD TIME IMAGINING THAT ANY ONE OF YOU HAS SPACE IN YOUR SCHEDULES TO OVERSEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

>> THANK YOU MAYOR. ACTUALLY SCHEDULES AND/ OR BRAINS AT THIS POINT IN TIME, AND YES, MOST COMMUNITIES ACCOMPLISH THIS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A PRIVATE DEVELOPER.

SOMETIMES A FINANCIAL ANALYST.

NOTE THAT OUR FINANCE STAFF IS NOT FABULOUSLY SKILLED AND THEY WORK VERY WELL, BUT THIS IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT GAME.

YES, WE ANTICIPATE BEING ABLE TO DO THAT.

HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY IN THE GAME AT THIS POINT IN TIME WILL GIVE US A DIFFERENT POSITION TO NEGOTIATE.

OUR PUBLIC HOUSING IS NOT IN CONDITIONS WHERE WE HAVE TO DO THIS.

THERE ARE COMMUNITIES WHERE THEIR PUBLIC HOUSING IS CONDEMNED.

OUR PUBLIC HOUSING IS NOT CONDEMNED.

IT IS AGING AND IT IS EXPENSIVE TO MAINTAIN, BUT WE'RE NOT IN A SPOT WHERE WE MUST DO IT.

WE'RE IN A SPOT WHERE IT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL, WHICH GIVES US SOME PLANNING TIMELINES.

NO, WE WILL NEED ADDITIONAL HELP, WE ARE PLANNING ON ADDITIONAL HELP AND THERE ARE A FEW DIFFERENT MODELS WE'VE DISCUSSED WITH BOTH PROCUREMENT AND LEGAL, JUST SEE WHICH ONE WOULD WORK THE BEST GIVEN WHERE WE ARE.

I WOULD LIKE 18 NEW STAFF MEMBERS, PLEASE.

NO. IT MAKES SENSE TO BRING ON, CONSULTANT TO BRING ON A DEVELOPMENT PARTNER IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THIS BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T NEED THAT LONG TERM.

OTHER ASSOCIATED ACTIVITIES.

COMMUNICATION. WE GOT THE MESSAGE LOUD AND CLEAR.

IT'S COMING AT ME FROM EVERY DIRECTION. IT'S COMING AT ME.

WHEN I WALK DOWN THE STREET, IT'S COMING AT ME FROM COLLEAGUES, IT'S COMING TO ME, FROM MANAGEMENT, IT'S COMING TO ME FOREVER.

NOT FOREVER, BUT FROM EVERYONE THAT WE MUST DO A BETTER JOB GETTING THIS MESSAGE OUT.

WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON, WHAT WE'RE ACCOMPLISHING.

THE PAST SIX MONTHS HAS BEEN A HECK OF A LOT OF RESEARCH AND THERE'S NOT A TON TO SHARE WITH THAT.

WE HEAR YOU.

WE TYPICALLY HAVE NOT BEEN GOOD AT THIS, SO WE'RE ASKING FOR HELP.

WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR OTHER DEPARTMENTS, WE'RE MEETING WITH SARAH LANGLEY AND HER TEAM IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON, WHERE WE ARE WITH IT, WHY IN THE WORLD IS IT TAKING SO LONG? WE'RE AT IT WHAT IS TODAY? THE FIFTH? WE'RE AT 10 MONTHS, SINCE THIS WAS APPROVED.

THAT FEELS LIKE A LONG TIME FOR FOLKS TO US.

IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE DRINKING FROM A FIREHOSE AND WE'RE WORKING LOTS OF HOURS.

TO START MY COMMITMENT TO YOU THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO BETTER IN COMMUNICATING THAT MESSAGE.

WE WILL BE IN FRONT OF COUNCIL, NOT EVERY SIX MONTHS,

[02:00:01]

NOT EVERY WEEK WITH A MORE REGULAR UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THIS STUFF.

SOMETIMES THIS STUFF DOESN'T MOVE QUICKLY AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO SAY THAT HERE'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO.

WE ARE GOING TO PUT A SPECIFIC CORNER IN OUR NEWSLETTER FOR CALLING OUT WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE BOND FUNDED ACTIVITIES, GETTING THEM UP AND RUNNING AND THEN CARRYING THROUGH LONG-TERM WITH THE RESULTS THAT THEY'RE PRODUCING.

IN ADDITIONAL TO THE REGULAR COUNCIL UPDATES, WE'RE REACHING OUT TO SOME OF OUR PARTNERS TO SAY, HOW CAN WE BEST PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION THAT IS DIGESTIBLE BY THE BODY YOU SERVE.

WE HEAR YOU, WE'RE GOING TO DO BETTER.

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING WILLING TO POINT OUT BECAUSE NO ONE HAS SAID, NO ONE HAS COME TO US IN A SUPER NEGATIVE ACCUSATORY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? EVERYONE HAS SAID, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE HEARING.

WE KNOW YOU GUYS ARE WORKING REALLY HARD.

HOW CAN WE SHARE THAT MESSAGE BETTER? EVERYONE HAS COME WITH THE INTENT OF SUCCESS, NOT THE INTENT OF SINKING, AND WE SEE THAT AND WE KNOW THAT AND WE APPRECIATE IT.

I REALLY NEED TO GIVE KUDOS TO LEGAL PROCUREMENT, FINANCE, HOUSING STAFF, MY BOSS, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, ETC.

BECAUSE WE ARE ASKING HARD QUESTIONS.

WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE THINGS OUT AND NOBODY'S FIGURED OUT IN ARIZONA BEFORE AND SO THEY'RE REALLY TOLERANT.

THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN TOLERANT WHEN WE COME UP WITH CRAZY IDEAS.

BUT NOW OUR IDEAS ARE JUST A LITTLE BIT CRAZIER AND SO IT'S BEEN GREAT TO HAVE THAT GUIDANCE.

THE OTHER THING IS BRANDING.

WE HAVE RECOGNIZED A NEED TO BRAND HOUSING BOND SOMEHOW.

MANY OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE HOUSING BOND ARE GOING TO BE HIDDEN FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

IT'S NOT A BRIDGE YOU CAN DRIVE ON.

IT'S NOT GOING TO BE SOMETHING LIKE THE AQUA PLEX THAT YOU CAN POINT TO.

THERE GOING TO BE HIDDEN WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

THEY'RE GOING TO BE BENEFITING INDIVIDUAL RENTERS OR HOMEOWNERS, ETC.

WE ARE RECOGNIZING THE NEED THAT WE NEED TO CREATE A BRAND ISN'T MY FAVORITE WORD, BUT THE PROCESS OF CREATING A DISTINCT IDENTITY FOR A PROJECT OR A BUSINESS IN THE MIND OF YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE AND CONSUMERS, WHERE FOLKS CAN LOOK AT SOMETHING AND BE LIKE, OH, THAT'S A BOND FUNDED PROGRAM VERSUS, OH, LOOK, THE BRIDGE'S DONE.

WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING IN THAT DIRECTION.

THAT'S THE END OF MY HOUSING BOND UPDATES.

BEFORE I MOVE ON, ARE THERE QUESTIONS?

>> COUNCIL MEMBER SWEET THEN COUNCIL MEMBER MATTHEWS.

>> THANK YOU AND THANKS FOR THE UPDATE.

I'M STILL A LITTLE CONFUSED ON THE WORKING GROUP, THE COMMISSION AND HOW THAT ALL COMES BACK TO COUNCIL.

CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT A LITTLE BIT?

>> I SURE CAN. THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER SWEET FOR THE QUESTION.

WE STARTED WITH A SMALLER, WITH A WORKING GROUP OF INTERESTED HOUSING COMMISSION MEMBERS THAT HAD SPECIFIC EXPERTISE IN THE AREA TO COME UP WITH RECOMMENDATIONS AND VET IDEAS BEFORE IT WENT BACK TO THE FULL HOUSING COMMISSION.

THAT DRAFT DOCUMENT, ONCE VETTED BY LEGAL, WILL GO TO THE FULL HOUSING COMMISSION FOR REVIEW AND FEEDBACK FROM THE FULL COMMISSION.

THEY MIGHT TELL US GO BACK.

THEY MIGHT TELL US, WE DON'T LIKE THIS OR WE DO LIKE THAT.

THEN ONCE THEY HAVE AGREED AND MADE A RECOMMENDATION ON THIS IS WHAT WE RECOMMEND THIS PROGRAM LOOK LIKE, IT WILL COME TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.

>> THANK YOU. [NOISE] I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE PROCESS AND THE TIME AND EFFORT ON THIS AND I KNOW YOU ALL ARE WORKING HARD.

I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, DO WE HAVE ANY SHOVEL-READY PROJECTS THAT ARE READY TO GO THAT ARE GOING TO FALL OFF THEIR TIMELINE BECAUSE OF THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW?

>> MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBER SWEET, IT DEPENDS ON YOUR DEFINITION OF SHOVEL-READY.

BUT IN HOUSING LAND, SHOVEL-READY MEANS WE'RE READY TO TURN DIRT OR WE HAVE EVERYTHING IN PLACE WE NEED TO DO TO MOVE FORWARD.

WE HAVE NOT BEEN IN TOUCH WITH A DEVELOPER THAT IS AT THAT STAGE OF MOVING FORWARD.

WE ARE HIGHLY SENSITIVE TO THE TAX CREDIT APPLICATION PROCESS THAT IS TYPICALLY DUE THE FIRST WEEK OF APRIL, AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR PROCESS LINES UP WITH THAT SO THAT ANYBODY INTENDING TO USE THIS AS LEVERAGE FOR LIGHT TECH IS ABLE TO DO SO, ETC.

WE'VE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH MULTIPLE DEVELOPERS.

WE HAVE NOT HAD SOMEBODY WHO HAS EVERYTHING DONE AND IS READY TO TURN DIRT IF ONLY.

[02:05:06]

>> CAN I ASK ONE STEP FURTHER, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT IS ALMOST SHOVEL-READY? BECAUSE WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT WE HAVE SOME PROJECTS IN THE WORKS THAT ARE NEEDING SOME ASSISTANCE AND WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE PART OF IT.

>> YES, AND SO ARE WE.

I THINK THE PIECE TO THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THERE'S A WORK SESSION NEXT WEEK WHERE WE CAN PIN DOWN THOSE DETAILS OF WHERE THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE ARE STILL MANY PLANNING STEPS TO GO THROUGH BEFORE IT WOULD BE SHOVEL-READY.

>> I APPRECIATE THAT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT WEEK AND HEARING MORE OF THE PROCESS. THANK YOU.

>> COUNCIL MEMBER MATTHEWS.

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. SARAH, YOUR DEPARTMENT WORK SO HARD AND I REALLY APPRECIATE.

I'VE KNOWN YOU GUYS FOR A REALLY LONG TIME FROM MY PAST AND ACTUALLY CURRENT LIFE.

I APPRECIATE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT COMMUNICATION BECAUSE AS WE ALWAYS EXPERIENCE, NO MATTER IF IT'S HOUSING OR WHAT THE OTHER SUBJECTS ARE, IT'S ALL ABOUT PUBLIC PERCEPTION AND WHAT THEY DON'T KNOW, THEY MAKE UP IN THEIR MINDS AND THAT'S THE TRUTH THAT THEY COME TO.

I REALLY APPRECIATE HEARING THAT WE CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER IN COMMUNICATION.

BUT IT'S NOT ALL, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT IT'S NOT JUST HOUSING THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR HOUSING CRISIS.

I HEAR I WENT WITH THE MAYOR, THE MORRISON INSTITUTE PUT ON BY ASU AND WE'RE AT THE LEAGUE OF TOWNS AND CITIES AND TOWNS, OR HOW THEY SAY IT.

EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT THE HOUSING CRISIS IN ARIZONA AND NATIONWIDE.

A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION ABOUT TAX CREDIT HOUSING IS ONE OF THE LEADING REMEDIES FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING.

I'VE ALSO HEARD A LOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT FLAGSTAFF MAYBE BEING ONE OF JUST A FEW CITIES THAT REQUIRE A SITE PLAN BEFORE WE ALLOW GRADING, WHICH IS CHALLENGING FOR TAX CREDIT DEVELOPERS BECAUSE OF THEIR SHORT TIMEFRAME IN GETTING THINGS TURNED AROUND.

I THINK EVERY SESSION I WENT TO IN THE VARIOUS PRESENTATIONS BOTH AT ASU AND DOWN IN TUCSON, THEY TALKED ABOUT ALSO A ZONING FOR MULTIFAMILY IS THE BIGGEST ISSUE PREVENTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT OUR ZONING AND OUR CODES, AND OUR PROCESSES, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALLOWING FOR MULTIFAMILY FOR HIGHER DENSITY.

IT'S EASY TO PUT THE BURDEN ON HOUSING, BUT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUCCESS OR THE FRUSTRATIONS IN ACHIEVING THE GOALS THAT WE HAVE.

ADUS, WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT HAVING A STAMPED SET OF PLANS THAT CAN MINIMIZE THE COST AND STUFF.

I JUST WANT TO JUST SAY IT PUBLICLY THAT WE HAVE TO COME AT THIS FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS AND COMMUNICATION IS ONE BUT THE ACTIONS ARE ANOTHER.

I'VE ASKED ON MULTIPLE LEVELS ABOUT PUTTING HOW WE ARE EACH AGENDA ITEM, HOW IT CONNECTS TO HOUSING OR HOUSING PLAN, JUST LIKE WE HAVE FOR OUR BUDGET AND OUR CARBON NEUTRALITY AND ORIGINAL PLAN.

BECAUSE PUBLICLY, WHEN PEOPLE SEE THAT WE HAVE IT IN THE FOREFRONT ALL THE TIME, IT GIVES THEM THAT ASSURANCE THAT LOOK, EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING, WE'RE SEEING HOW IT CONNECTS TO ADVANCING THAT.

I DON'T KNOW. THERE'S NO MOVEMENT IN THAT, BUT I KEEP HOPING AND I KEEP ASKING AND IT SEEMS LIKE A LITTLE THING OR MAYBE IT'S TOO BIG OF A THING, BUT WHEN IT'S NEVER ON THE AGENDA, UNLESS YOU COME AND DO A PRESENTATION PEOPLE THINK OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND.

I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF LITTLE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.

BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU AND JUSITNE, AND YOUR WHOLE TEAM DOES BECAUSE YOU HAVE A LOT OF PROPERTIES AND YOU HAVE A LOT OF MOVING PARTS, AND YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB.

I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU MY APPRECIATION AND YOUR WHOLE TEAM. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER MATTHEWS.

I THINK ONE OF THE STRENGTHS OF THE TENURE HOUSING PLAN IS THAT IT DOES ACKNOWLEDGE THE NEEDS

[02:10:03]

FOR THE CODE ANALYSIS WITH THAT LENS TO BOTH HOUSING AND SUSTAINABILITY.

REMOVE BARRIERS TO ACHIEVING THE GOALS OF FLAGSTAFF'S CARBON NEUTRALITY PLAN AND SELECT STUFF TENURE HOUSING PLAN.

IDENTIFY HOW EXISTING CODES CREATE UNINTENTIONAL BARRIERS FOR ACHIEVING CARBON NEUTRALITY AND THE CITY'S HOUSING GOALS.

JUST CODE PROVISIONS THAT WILL REDUCE BARRIERS AND INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES WHILE PRESERVING VALUES THE CODES ARE INTENDED TO ADDRESS.

THIS IS ALL LANGUAGE COMING OUT OF THAT CODE ANALYSIS.

RFP ARE SO CUTE.

YES, ONE OF THE THINGS IN WATCHING SOME OF THE LEGISLATION MOVING THROUGH THE STATE LEGISLATURE LAST YEAR AS SOME OF THE THINGS BEING SUGGESTED TO BE DONE WE'VE BEEN DOING.

THAT'S KUDOS TO OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT, OUR BILLING DEPARTMENT, ETC.

CAN WE IMPROVE? OF COURSE, THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, ESPECIALLY FOR NEW DISCUSSION.

BUT THERE ARE QUITE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE GOING, OH, WE COULD TRY.

WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR CODES, HISTORICALLY WE'RE DOING THOSE.

ONE OF THE GOALS IN THE TENURE HOUSING PLAN AND ALSO IN THE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN IS TO CREATE THOSE PRE-APPROVED ADU PLANS SO THAT SOMEONE CAN COME IN WE SAY HERE'S FOUR MODELS.

PICK A WAY, YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT, BUT IF YOU USE ONE OF THESE, YOU CAN GET PAST THAT PROCESS.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH SUSTAINABILITY ABOUT.

AGAIN, IN OUR SPARE TIME, OUR FOCUS HAS BEEN OTHER PLACES, BUT THOSE ITEMS ARE CERTAINLY NOT LOST.

I APPRECIATE THE RECOGNITION THAT THIS ISN'T SIMPLY A PUBLIC FUNDING PROBLEM, AND IT'S NOT SIMPLY A PUBLIC BODY PROBLEM.

IT IS FOR ALL OF US. THANK YOU FOR THAT.

>> ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? GREAT PRESENTATION. THANK YOU.

>> ONE MORE. FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING.

>> YES.

>> THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF MONEY MOVING.

I THOUGHT I'D GIVE YOU A QUICK FLY OVER OF THAT.

WORD USED TO ADMINISTERING ABOUT $700-800,000 A YEAR.

IN THE PAST TWO-AND-A-HALF YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH SEVEN-AND-A-HALF MILLION DOLLARS TO ADMINISTER AND WE'RE DOING IT.

THIS IS CHRISTINE PAVLIK AND MARISSA MALLOY WHO ARE OVERSEEING THESE CONTRACTS.

YOU CAN SEE HERE I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH THE FUNDING SOURCES IF YOU CAN SEE THE AWARDS AND WHAT'S REMAINING, SEVERAL OF THEM ARE SPENT ALL THE WAY DOWN.

RIGHT NOW WE HAVE NINE OPEN CONTRACTS, 10 PENDING, SOME OF THEM YOU APPROVED TONIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SOME ARE ON THE SCHEDULE FOR NEXT WEEK FOR APPROVAL AND 20 CLOSED CONTRACTS.

WE STILL HAVE ALMOST $1.2 MILLION TO ALLOCATE.

THOSE PROCESSES ARE MOVING FORWARD.

OUR STAFF HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB ABSORBING THE EXTRA RESPONSIBILITY THAT CAME WITH ADMINISTERING THESE FUNDS.

THANK YOU FOR TRUSTING US TO DO SO.

SOME OF THEM HAD DIFFERENT RULES THAN WE'VE EVER WORKED WITH BEFORE.

THAT'S ALWAYS FUN AND LEARNING.

THIS IS WHERE I GIVE A SHOUT-OUT TO GRANTS AND CONTRACTS BECAUSE WHILE WE'RE ENTRUSTED WITH IT, AND GRANTS AND CONTRACTS IS BUSY DOING 1,000 THINGS AS WELL, GRANTS AND CONTRACTS HAS REALLY STEPPED IN AND HELPED US NAVIGATE SOME PIECES THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE THE STAFFING FOR OR WE WERE UNFAMILIAR WITH.

WE ARE INCREDIBLY APPRECIATIVE TO THE GRANTS AND CONTRACTS TEAM IN HELPING US NAVIGATE SOME OF THESE PIECES.

STAFFING UPDATE. COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR PROVING ONE NEW POSITION, A HOUSING PLANNER POSITION, APPROVED IN THE 24 BUDGET.

WE HAD SECOND INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED ON VARIETY BREAKING NEWS WITH TWO CANDIDATES.

WE THINK WE'RE AT A POINT OF MAKING AN OFFER.

HOPEFULLY, WE CAN LAND THE INDIVIDUAL.

THAT POSITION WILL HELP US WITH THE SIGNIFICANT INCREASE WE'VE HAD IN OUR WORK PROGRAM, WHICH I'M REFLECTING HERE, WHICH I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.

I DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT WE'RE SUFFERING FROM SUCCESS AND I AM BY NO MEANS COMPLAINING.

I LOVE THE SUPPORT.

I LOVE THE FACT THAT THE COMMUNITY IS FINALLY STARTING TO UNDERSTAND AND PAY MORE ATTENTION.

WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE.

COMING ATTRACTIONS.

I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH THESE DATES, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBER OF TIMES WE'RE GOING TO BE HERE WITH YOU OR IN ANOTHER VENUE BRINGING THINGS FORWARD WITH GRANT AGREEMENTS COMING FORWARD.

WE HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION ON DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE.

I PUT THE HOUSING COMMISSION MEETINGS ON HERE.

WE'RE PLANNING TO COME IN OCTOBER WITH THE CHAP CONTRACT RENEWAL AND THEN POSSIBLE COUNCIL WORK SESSION FOR RENTAL INCENTIVE DEPENDING ON HOW HOUSING COMMISSION GOES IN SEPTEMBER,

[02:15:02]

OCTOBER IS HOUSING AMERICA MONTH FOR OUTREACH.

NOVEMBER, IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET THERE IN OCTOBER THEN THE RENTAL INCENTIVE PROGRAM WORK SESSION AND OR APPROVAL OF PROGRAM, WHICH PUTS US STILL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.

I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THE RECENT APPOINTMENTS TO THE HOUSING COMMISSION.

I KNOW THAT WAS A BIG NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO'VE ALREADY PLANNED AND INVITED FOLKS TO AN ORIENTATION SESSION WITH THEM.

WE'LL ALSO GO OVER HOUSING COMMISSION DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES THAT ARE MEETING IN SEPTEMBER.

WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS.

>> NOW'S WHERE I SAY, GOOD PRESENTATION.

>> ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, COUNCIL? THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU, HOUSING STAFF, ALL OF YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE THE UPDATE.

WE APPRECIATE IT WHEN YOU CARRY, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU DO WHEN YOU CARRY OUR MESSAGES OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

IT TAKES ALL OF US.

WHAT DOES IT SAY? IT TAKES A TEAM WORK TO MAKE THE DREAM WORK.

IT'S CORNY, BUT IT'S HOUSING STAFF, SO IT IS CORNY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. I WILL GET OUT OF YOUR HERE.

>> WE ARE MOVING DOWN TO ITEM NUMBER 10, FUTURE AGENDA ITEM REQUESTS.

AFTER DISCUSSION AND UPON AGREEMENT BY THREE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, AN ITEM WILL BE MOVED TO A REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING.

THE FIRST ITEM IS 10A.

[A. Future Agenda Item Request (F.A.I.R.): A Citizens' Petition titled Walk by Default setting on pedestrian traffic lights in Flagstaff STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: Council direction. ]

THIS IS A CITIZEN'S PETITION TITLED WALK BY DEFAULT SETTING ON PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC LIGHTS IN FLAGSTAFF.

THESE PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE REGARDING THIS.

I'M GOING TO TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION AMONG COUNCIL.

KEVIN HAYES.

>> HI, EVERYONE. HOW ARE YOU? THANK YOU FOR THE TIME TODAY.

MY NAME IS KEVIN HAYES AND I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT A PETITION THAT WE SUBMITTED CALLED THE WALK BY DEFAULT PETITION.

MY BIKE IS MY PRIMARY VEHICLE AROUND TOWN.

AND AS I'VE NAVIGATED AROUND TOWN, IT'S EVIDENCED THAT OUR STREETS COULD BE MORE ACCOMMODATING FOR BIKES AND PEDESTRIANS.

TODAY, I WANT TO SHARE A SIMPLE SOLUTION THAT COULD ENHANCE SAFETY FOR EVERYONE AT A MINIMAL IF ANY, COST TO THE CITY.

IN MOST PARTS OF OUR TOWN, WHEN TRAFFIC LIGHTS TURN GREEN, THE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING LIGHT REMAINS RED.

TO ACTIVATE IT, YOU HAVE TO PRESS THE BUTTON BEFORE THE LIGHT TURNS GREEN IN ORDER TO ROLL WALK ACROSS THAT PROCESS.

THIS IS A CHALLENGE FOR BIKERS AND PEDESTRIANS ALIKE.

THIS PROPOSAL SYNCS THE PEDESTRIAN SIGNAL WITH THE GREEN LIGHT, MAKING CROSSINGS SMOOTHER AND SAFER.

THIS CHANGE ADDRESSES MULTIPLE CONCERNS.

BIKERS LIKE ME STRUGGLE AT INTERSECTIONS.

IT'S CURRENTLY VERY DIFFICULT TO USE TRIALS LIKE THE FOOT'S TRAILS AND OTHER TRAILS THAT CROSS VEHICLE INTERSECTIONS BECAUSE THE CROSSWALKS DO NOT TURN BY DEFAULT.

AGAIN, YOU HAVE TO STOP, PRESS THE BUTTON OR GET OFF THE BIKE TO CONTINUE AT INTERSECTIONS.

I'VE SEEN MANY PEDESTRIANS, ESPECIALLY VISITORS, ENCOUNTER CONFUSION WHEN THE LIGHT IS GREEN BUT THE PEDESTRIAN SIGN SAYS DO NOT WALK.

FOR VEHICLES THESE LIGHTS BEING DEFAULTED TO DO NOT CROSS, CAUSES VEHICLES TO DISOBEY PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.

ANY DRIVER WHO HAS RECENTLY PASSED THE DRIVING TEST CAN ATTEST THAT VEHICLES ARE REQUIRED TO YIELD TO PEDESTRIANS REGARDLESS OF THAT CROSSING SIGN.

BUT SUBCONSCIOUSLY THEY SEE THE DO NOT CROSS AND THEY REFUSE TO LET PEDESTRIANS AND BIKERS CROSS.

THIS IS NOT SAFE AND IT NEEDS TO CHANGE.

ADDITIONALLY, WE'RE LOOKING AT CONSIDERING THIS LEADING PEDESTRIAN INTERVAL.

THE LEADING PEDESTRIAN INTERVAL, IT GRANTS PEDESTRIANS A BRIEF HEADSTART BEFORE THE VEHICLE RECEIVES A GREEN LIGHT LESS THAN A FEW SECONDS.

THIS SEEMINGLY MINOR ADJUSTMENT CAN REDUCE ACCIDENTS, ESPECIALLY DURING RIGHT TURNS, WITHOUT MAJOR COSTS TO THE CITY OR THE DRIVERS.

WHEN GETTING SIGNATURES FOR THIS PETITION, I WAS AMAZED AT THE NUMBER OF DRIVERS WHO ALSO WANTED THESE CHANGES.

THESE DRIVERS SAID THAT THEY USE THAT COUNT DOWN BLINKING LIGHT TO SEE WHEN THEY'RE STOPLIGHT TURNS RED.

AGAIN, I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A SIMPLE ADJUSTMENT THAT CAN HAVE A PROFOUND IMPACT.

THIS WILL ALLOW BIKERS, PEDESTRIANS AND VEHICLES AND ADDITIONAL TOOL THAT THEY CAN USE TO HOPEFULLY MAKE SAFER DECISIONS TO OUR EXTREMELY BUSY STREETS.

[02:20:01]

TO CONCLUDE, I FIRMLY BELIEVE THESE PROPOSALS CAN LEAD TO SAFER STREETS.

THESE ARE MINOR CHANGES THAT IMMEDIATELY ADD UP TO SAFER, SMOOTHER JOURNEYS FOR ALL OF US WITHOUT A COST TO THE CITY.

>> THANK YOU, KEVIN. I HAVE A QUESTION AND MAYBE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS DO.

DID YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ OUR TRAFFIC ENGINEER OR TRAFFIC PLANNER GEOFF BELLMAN'S MEMO?

>> I HAVEN'T NO, THE MEMO I HAVEN'T.

I THOUGHT THAT THE PLAN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT.

WHAT MEMO IS THIS?

>> HE SUBMITTED A MEMO.

HOLD ON, ON THIS ITEM.

IT TALKS ABOUT BOTH OF THESE THINGS THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT AND THE DOWNTOWN AREA, THE DEMAND TRAFFIC SIGNALS.

IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, THERE'S ALREADY THE BY DEFAULT.

>> CORRECT. [OVERLAPPING] BEFORE AROUND THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT.

BUT THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT ALL AROUND THE CITY THAT ARE NOT.

AND AS A BIKER THAT I DRIVE ALL THROUGH TOWN, IT'S IT IS A BURDEN FOR SURE.

>> HE DOES POINT THAT OUT.

WAS THERE A COMMUNITY THAT LED YOU TO START COLLECTING SIGNATURES WHERE YOU SAW THIS WORK REALLY WELL?

>> YES. I AM A PART OF THE NORTHERN ARIZONA CLIMATE CHANGE ALLIANCE AND I'M ON THE PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE CLIMATE ACTION TEAM FOR THEM.

I HAD ONLY BEEN THERE A MONTH OR SO AND WHEN I FIRST STARTED, THIS WAS WHAT THE ENDING IDEA AND HE WAS LIKE, YEAH, WE CAN GET SIGNATURES FOR THAT.

THEY'VE BEEN A PART OF HELPING MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

>> GREAT. BUT ARE THERE OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT YOU COULD POINT TO THAT DO THIS SUCCESSFULLY?

>> IN OTHER CITIES? I DON'T KNOW OF ANY OTHER [OVERLAPPING].

>> IT'S FINE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE SUGGESTIONS.

I WAS JUST GOING TO MAKE NOTE.

>> WE'VE DONE SOME LOOKING AND SOME OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAID THAT I THINK TEMPE.

IF YOU LOOK AT DOWNTOWN TEMPE, THOSE LIGHTS SEEM TO WORK.

I MEAN, TO BE HONEST, I'M SHOCKED THAT IT JUST HASN'T HAPPENED BY DEFAULT BECAUSE IT'S USUALLY, LIKE I SAID, SCENE, BUT I'VE SEEN AROUND TEMPE SOME OF THOSE, BUT I COULD LOOK AND GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU.

>> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR KEVIN? OKAY. THANK YOU.

>> THANKS.

>> NEXT STEP WE HAVE ADAM CHAMONIX.

>> HELLO, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, CIVIL LEADERSHIP STAFF, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

HOPE EVERYONE HAD A GREAT SUMMER.

IT'S SO GOOD TO BE BACK IN THE CHAMBERS WITH YOU ALL. HOW EXCITING.

THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING THIS PEDESTRIAN CITIZEN'S PETITION.

I WANT TO START BY SAYING WE ARE ALL PEDESTRIANS AND OUR ROADS INFRASTRUCTURE SHOULD PUT THE PEDESTRIAN FIRST.

FUTURE SEE PROJECTS DO INCLUDE PEDESTRIAN LEAD INTERVAL, LPI, SPECIFICALLY LONE TREE AND BUTLER.

I BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO HAVE LPI INTEGRATED, WHICH IS VERY EXCITING.

BUT THERE'S SO MANY STREETS AROUND TOWN THAT ARE NOT BEING ADDRESSED ANYTIME SOON.

FOR US TO LOOK AT IMPLEMENTING LPI, ESPECIALLY WHERE THE REGIONAL PLAN PRIORITIZES PEDESTRIANS, I THINK WOULD BE WORTHWHILE AS PART OF THE SPHERE.

DOWNTOWN BEING ONE OF THOSE.

THOSE PLACES THAT ALREADY WALKED BY DEFAULT SHOULD REALLY BE LPI, WHICH GIVES THE PEDESTRIAN 3-7 SECONDS AND THE CYCLISTS TO CROSS OR AT LEAST BEGIN CROSSING.

WE KNOW THAT ABOUT 50% OF OUR CRASHES, WHEN LOOKING AT OUR CRASH DATA REPORT, ARE AT INTERSECTIONS FROM A RIGHT TURN.

LPI PLAYS A HUGE ROLE IN PEDESTRIAN AND CYCLING SAFETY.

FOR A SECOND, I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT PLACES THAT YOU'VE TRAVELED TO THAT YOU LOVE.

WHAT PLACES ARE THOSE? GENERALLY, THOSE ARE PLACES THAT YOU CAN WALK AND BIKE AND YOU CAN REALLY SENSE THE SENSE OF PLACE.

PERHAPS TELLURIDE COMES TO MIND.

PERHAPS OTHER PLACES ACROSS THE NATION COME TO MIND.

I RECENTLY WENT TO SEATTLE IN BELLINGHAM, AND I WAS SO IMPRESSED BY THEIR BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE. IT WAS MIND-BLOWING.

LEAVES, PEDESTRIAN INTERVAL.

THEY HAD SEPARATED BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE AND GREAT PUBLIC TRANSIT.

IT WAS EXTREMELY INSPIRING AND ALSO TRIGGERING, I WAS VERY TRIGGERED THE ENTIRE TIME BECAUSE IT'S LIKE WE COULD DO THIS HERE.

THEY HAD MAYBE TEN DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF OUR SEPARATED BIKE LANE PILOTS, NOT JUST THE CURVES, THEY HAD ALL SORTS OF OPTIONS.

BUT WE NEED TO CATCH UP.

THIS IS AN EASY WIN FOR US TO CONSIDER.

[02:25:01]

MAKING FLAGSTAFF MORE WALKABLE, CREATES A SENSE OF PLACE, INCREASES QUALITY OF LIFE, AND IMPROVE SAFETY.

ARIZONA HAS A CAR CENTRIC CULTURE AND FLAGSTAFF HAS BEEN IMPACTED NEGATIVELY BY THIS TYPE OF THINKING.

WE'VE COME A LONG WAY IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, BUT WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.

GETTING AROUND TOWN AS A PEDESTRIAN IS CHALLENGING TO SAY THE LEAST.

LPI AND WALK BY DEFAULT CAN REALLY HELP SET THE TONE MOVING FORWARD.

THEN ON BEHALF OF FLAGSTAFF BIKING ORGANIZATION, FBL GENERALLY SUPPORTS PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAFETY EFFORTS SUCH AS THIS.

WE'LL ALSO HOPE THAT YOU CONSIDER MORE BICYCLE LPI TYPE OF INFRASTRUCTURE MOVING FORWARD.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND I'M HOPING THAT THERE'S THREE IN SUPPORT OF THIS TONIGHT. THANK YOU.

>> DID YOU PRACTICE THAT AT HOME SO THAT YOU WERE RIGHT UNDER 03:00? NICE. THANK YOU. DRAPPER DRE.

>> GOOD TO SEE, EVERYONE. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL STAFF. WHAT DO WE GOT? WE GOT THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY, WE GOT THE BIG SHIFT, AND WE GOT VISION ZERO, SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF THE TALK.

WE DON'T GOT ANY OF THE WALK.

IF YOU'RE NOT INVESTING IN PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE PLACES WHERE PEDESTRIANS USE IT THE MOST, AND I KNOW THERE'S PRIORITIZATION.

YOU HAVE 700 MILES OF CITY ROADS THAT STREETS NEEDS TO TAKE CARE OF.

BUT IT WOULD ALSO BE NICE IF STREETS WALKED SOME OF THE STREETS, AND SAW SOME OF THE PLACES THAT ARE THE MOST CHALLENGING NOT ONLY FOR EVERYBODY, BUT CERTAINLY FOR THE DISABLED COMMUNITY, BEING FRESHLY ABLE TO WALK, AND ABLE TO BIKE.

AGAIN, THE AMOUNT OF STARK DIFFERENCES THAT CARS ALWAYS GET THE RIGHT-OF-WAY, CARS ALWAYS GET THE MOST FUNDING, CARS ALWAYS GET THE MOST SPACE ON STREETS.

HOW ARE WE GOING TO BIG SHIFT IF WE DON'T INCENTIVIZE PEDESTRIANS, IF WE DON'T INCENTIVIZE BIKE RIDERS? ESPECIALLY WHERE YOU ALREADY HAVE, I WAS OUT ON FIRST FRIDAY ARTWORK, YOU HAVE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WALKING THE STREET, AND YET WE STILL PRIORITIZE CARS EVERY SINGLE TIME.

I GUESS FOR STAFF, IT'S JUST THE CONSIDERATION OF ITS OKAY TO INCONVENIENCE CARS SOMETIMES, OR SOMETIMES JUST DEVELOP SOLELY PEDESTRIAN FORWARD INFRASTRUCTURE.

WE LIKE TO SHOW THE CAPABILITY OF THE FOOT'S TRAIL.

WE LIKE TO SHOW THE CAPABILITY OF A WALKABLE DOWNTOWN AND YET POST-COVID, ALL OF THOSE SIDEWALKS NOW HAVE TABLES, AND CHAIRS, AND PLANNERS THAT A PERSON LIKE ME WHO IS LEARNING TO FRESHLY WALK AGAIN HAS A LOT OF TROUBLE NEGOTIATING.

WHAT DO WE LOVE TO HOLD UP? WE'D LOVE TO SAY, BRING YOUR DOG DOWNTOWN.

WHAT'S DANGEROUS FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN'T WALK WELL, WHO CAN'T SEE WELL, WHO CAN'T NEGOTIATE THESE REAL THIN SIDEWALKS? IT'S TOUGH FOR US, AND YET WE CONTINUE TO SAY, BRING YOUR DOGS, BRING YOUR FAMILIES DOWNTOWN, BRING ALL THESE PEOPLE DOWNTOWN, AND YET WE HAVE THESE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO KILL US, THAT ARE GOING TO MAME US, THAT ARE DANGEROUS NO MATTER HOW FAST THEY'RE GOING.

IT ISN'T PARKED CARS THAT ARE DANGEROUS, IT'S MOVING CARS, AND YET WE CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE JUST MOVING CARS.

CARS ARGUMENT ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE FOR CONVENIENCE AND FOR TIME-SAVING.

WHAT WE COME TO ASK YOU AND ASK STAFF ABOUT IS SAFETY.

BECAUSE WHEN WE AREN'T PUT FORWARD FIRST IN DESIGN, WE DIE, WE GET TO CALL, WE GET TO SPEND FOUR MONTHS OF OUR TIME IN THE HOSPITAL, WE GET TO DO THAT.

IF YOU'RE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT DEVELOPING AND BEING GOOD FOR ALL, WHICH IS WHAT YOU SAY AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH OF YOUR MEETINGS, YOU GOT TO START FIRST PEDESTRIAN.

YOU GOT TO CONSIDER THAT ANYTHING BESIDES PEDESTRIANISM IS ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION.

START THINKING THAT WAY, AND YOU'LL START MAKING THAT BIG SHIFT.

>> THANK YOU. YES.

>> SORRY DRE. I HAD ONE QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU.

FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

YOU MENTIONED THE DESIRE TO SEE PEOPLE ACTUALLY WALK SOME OF THOSE AREAS THAT ARE THE MOST CHALLENGING, AND I DON'T WANT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT CAN YOU NAME SOME OF THOSE INTERSECTIONS, OR AREAS THAT DO PRESENT THE GREATEST CHALLENGE?

>> THE REAL BIRCH, HORRIBLE FOR PEDESTRIANS.

AWFUL. WE HAVE TWO LANES TRAVELING AT THE SAME RATE, ONLY TWO STOP SIGNS TO CROSS FROM THE RAIL OR DOWN ON THE RAIL.

PEOPLE COMING FROM SAN FRANCISCO ARE GOING SO FAST,

[02:30:02]

THEY'RE CONSTANTLY TURNING FROM THE FAR LANE LEFT, WHICH IS ALSO ANOTHER PEDESTRIAN CROSSING.

AWFUL. AS FAR AS SIDEWALKS, PROBABLY THE PLACE WHERE THE MOST PEOPLE WALK, OR THE WORST SIDEWALKS AND TOWNS.

PETER PIT CORNER. OH MY GOD.

TALK ABOUT, TRAUMATIZING.

WHEN I WAS FIRST LEARNING TO WALK AGAIN, GETTING TO THAT CORNER AT PETER PIT WAS LIKE, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN? I'M GOING TO FALL INTO THE STREET.

I'M PROBABLY GOING TO GET ANOTHER INJURY FROM THIS.

RIGHT OUTSIDE OF PIN TAKE, THAT NEW PATIO IS DOPE, THE AMOUNT OF SIDEWALK THAT YOU HAVE TO USE, AWFUL.

MOST OF THE TREE WELLS IN DOWNTOWN FLAGSTAFF ARE INTO PEDESTRIAN RIGHT-OF-WAY.

FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF UNEVEN SPACES, A LOT OF THE BRICK, PRETTY MUCH ALL OF SAN FRANCISCO FROM WHERE MOUNTAINS SPORTS IS TO WHERE THE CORNER TAVERN IS.

THE CORNER TAVERN, [NOISE] MAN, THAT'S LIKE WAITING FOR SOMEBODY TO STUMBLE OUT, DROWN, CAN GET HIT ON ROUTE 66 LIKE 100%.

ALL THE DEVELOPMENT OF MOST STREETS IS ALWAYS LIKE CAR PROJECTS ARE HAPPENING ON THE BOOKS, LIKE EVERY YEAR, FIVE YEARS.

DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT HASN'T BEEN WORKED ON SINCE THE MID-90S.

FOOT'S TRAILS WAS BUILT 20 YEARS AGO.

ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT DON'T GET REITERATED UNTIL SOMEBODY DIES OR GETS SOMEBODY HURT, AND YOU PLAN PARKING IN THE WAY THAT IT'S, WHAT IF THIS MANY PEOPLE ALL USE PARKING? IF YOU THINK ABOUT A SAFEWAY, THEY BUILD IT FOR THE MAXIMUM JUST IN CASE.

THEN, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE AVERAGE IS IT'S NOT FULL.

WHY CAN'T WE DEVELOP SIDEWALKS LIKE THAT? DEVELOP FOR THE MAXIMUM, THAT CAN BE USED, THE MAXIMUM COMFORT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE PEDESTRIANS BECAUSE THAT PROVIDES FOR EVERYBODY, AND CARS ONLY USUALLY PROVIDE FOR CAR OWNERS, WHICH STATISTICS SAY IS ONLY 70% OF FLAGSTAFF.

YET, WHERE THE MOST PEOPLE ARE WALKING IS THE THINNEST AMOUNT OF SIDEWALKS YOU HAVE TO USE, AND YOU EXPECT PEOPLE TO COME AND SPEND TIME AND MONEY IN DOWNTOWN FLAGSTAFF? IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN FOR AWHILE, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE LONGEVITY.

ANOTHER THING IS STREET TREES.

IT'S GETTING SUPER HOT ON THOSE BLACK TOPS IN THE MIDDLE OF DOWNTOWN.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO WANT TO WALK AROUND AND SIT IN THE SUN WITHOUT SOME SHADE.

I WOULD CONSIDER ANOTHER REDEVELOPMENT WHERE IT'S AGAIN, PUTTING PEDESTRIANS FIRST BECAUSE MANY OF THIS TREE WELLS IN PARTICULAR, ALMOST ALL OF THOSE ON ASPEN, ARE IN SOME WAY BUILT TO EITHER TRIP UP PEOPLE OR NOT BE ACCESSIBLE ON A WHEELCHAIR, STROLLERS, ALL THESE THINGS.

I'D LOVE TO INVITE ALL THE CANCEL, AND ESPECIALLY STREETS TOO TO COME DOWNTOWN, TAKE ONE OF MY TOURS AND I'LL SHOW YOU ALL THE PLACES THAT ARE SUPER TOUGH FOR ME, AND SUPER TOUGH FOR SHOWING OFF OUR DOWNTOWN.

THE PLACES I TELL ALL THOSE STORIES ABOUT ALL OUR HISTORIC BEST PLACES IN TOWN TO TELL THE HISTORY OF FLAGSTAFF ARE THE HARDEST PLACES TO TELL STORIES BECAUSE THERE'S NO ROOM FOR PEOPLE TO COMFORTABLY STAND.

THERE'S NO ROOM FOR PEOPLE TO COMFORTABLY WALK BY EACH OTHER, BECAUSE IT'S ALL TAKEN UP BY PARKING, AND IT'S ALL TAKEN UP BY CARS MOVING THROUGH AND NOT BY PEOPLE.

PEOPLE STANDING AROUND, PEOPLE EATING FOOD, PEOPLE ENJOYING EACH OTHER.

THAT'S MY SENSE.

IF YOU EVER WANT TO GRAB A COFFEE AND GO, AND I CAN SHOW YOU ALL THE SPOTS THAT HAVE CAUSED ME TRAUMA JUST BECAUSE I HAD A BIG EXTREME LIFE-CHANGING TRAUMA, AND THEN THERE'S ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU GET TO DEAL WITH AFTER THAT.

THIS IS LIKE THE EYE-OPENING MOMENT FOR ME WHERE I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A BICYCLE ADVOCATE, AND NOW IT'S LIKE EXTREME PEDESTRIANISM, AND YOU HAVE TO DEFEND IT.

IF YOU WANT TO DEFEND WHAT IS GREAT ABOUT FLAGSTAFF, DEFEND PEDESTRIANS FIRST.

DON'T ALWAYS DEFEND CARS, DON'T ALWAYS MAKE IT ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY, AND THE QUICKNESS, AND SITTING IN TRAFFIC MENTALITY.

IT HAS TO BE ABOUT WHAT DO WE DO.

WE WANT TO WALK DOWNTOWN, WE WANT TO WALK FROM THE FARMERS MARKET TO MONO VISTA, WE WANT TO WALK AROUND HERITAGE SQUARE, AND YET IT'S ALWAYS JUST CARS.

NOPE. IF YOU CAN'T PARK, IT'S NOT WORTH IT, SO THAT'S MY ASSESSMENT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.

[02:35:01]

>> THANK YOU. DAVID SPENCE.

>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS.

MY NAME IS DAVID SPENCE.

I OWN A HOME IN SUNNYSIDE, 2821 NORTH MAIN.

I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE COUNCIL PUTTING THIS ITEM ON A FUTURE AGENDA.

I'D LIKE TO JUST START BY ASKING PEOPLE TO CLOSE YOUR EYES AND THINK ABOUT HOW YOU CHARACTERIZE YOUR CITY.

WE'RE THE FIRST DARK SKY CITY.

WE'RE A CITY IN A LARGE PONDEROSA PINE FOREST.

WE'RE A CITY AT THE BASE OF THE SAN FRANCISCO PEAKS.

WE'RE THE HOME TO NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY.

NOW, OPEN YOUR EYES AND REALIZE THAT WE ARE NOT A BICYCLE-FRIENDLY CITY.

IF YOU GOOGLE 50 TOP BICYCLE-FRIENDLY CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES, YOU WON'T FIND FLAGSTAFF.

THIS AGENDA ITEM, IF YOU'LL PUT IT UNDER FUTURE CONSIDERATION, WOULD GO A SUBSTANTIAL WAY TO HAVING FLAGSTAFF GET ON THAT LIST.

WE ALREADY HAVE THE LOOP TRAIL ALMOST COMPLETED, 40-MILE LOOP AROUND FLAGSTAFF.

WE'VE GOT THE ARIZONA TRAIL THAT COMES UP TO FLAGSTAFF AND GOES THROUGH ON TWO DIFFERENT ROUTES, AS IT GOES NORTH OR SOUTH.

THERE ARE A LOT OF GOOD THINGS ABOUT FLAGSTAFF FOR BICYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS, BUT THIS AGENDA ITEM WOULD GO A LONG WAY.

I WANT TO JUST BRIEFLY TELL YOU A TRUE STORY.

TWENTY YEARS AGO, I WAS IN FRONT OF THE DOWNTOWN POST OFFICE AND I SAW A BICYCLE WITH A BOB TRAILER AND A FLAG ON THE BACK THAT SAID, "NON-DIRECTED KIDNEY DONATIONS.

ASK ME ABOUT IT." I WAITED FOR THIS BICYCLIST TO COME OUT OF THE POST OFFICE, AND WE HAD A 45-MINUTE CONVERSATION.

HE WAS RIDING CROSS-COUNTRY.

HE CHOSE TO COME THROUGH FLAGSTAFF TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT NON-DIRECTED KIDNEY DONATIONS.

AFTER TALKING WITH HIM FOR 45 MINUTES, I AM A PHYSICIAN, SO I STOOD THERE AND I REALIZED, WHY DIDN'T I EVER THINK ABOUT DONATING A KIDNEY? I DONATED BLOOD, I'VE BEEN ON THE BONE MARROW DONOR LIST, BUT I NEVER GIVEN A KIDNEY.

I TOOK HIS ENCOURAGEMENT AND I WENT AHEAD AND I WAS THE FIRST NON-DIRECTED KIDNEY DONOR IN ARIZONA AS A RESULT OF A CHANCE ENCOUNTER WITH A CROSS-COUNTRY BICYCLIST.

I ENCOURAGE YOU TO PUT FLAGSTAFF ON THE MAP FOR LONG-DISTANCE CYCLING AS WELL AS LOCAL. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. I WOULD ADD THAT THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF INTERACTIONS THAT YOU HAVE WHEN YOU HAVE PEDESTRIANS, WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE MEETING EACH OTHER ON THE SIDEWALK.

THANK YOU FOR DONATING YOUR KIDNEY.

COUNCIL, DO WE HAVE THREE COUNCILMEMBERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS MOVE FORWARD AND BE PLACED ON AN UPCOMING AGENDA?

>> CAN I JUST MAKE A QUICK COMMENT?

>> YES, YOU MAY.

>> A LOT OF THIS STUFF, OUR STAFF IS ALREADY DOING.

FOR INSTANCE, I FORGET WHAT IT'S CALLED, BUT WHERE YOU GIVE THE BICYCLES OR PEDESTRIAN A HEAD-START ACROSS THE INTERSECTION, THAT'S BEEN INCORPORATED ON BUTLER, AT BEAVER, AT SAN FRANCISCO, AT LONE TREE.

SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE ALREADY BEING DONE.

I GUESS IT WOULD PROBABLY MAKE SOME SENSE TO HAVE A STAFF PRESENTATION ON WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND WHAT CAN BE DONE, AND WHAT PART OF THIS MAKES SENSE, WHAT PARTS OF IT DON'T MAKE SENSE.

PARTS OF IT DO MAKE SENSE.

>> I BELIEVE COUNCIL'S UNANIMOUS AND ITS DESIRE TO HAVE THIS PUT ON AN UPCOMING AGENDA.

MOVING DOWN NOW TO ITEM NUMBER 10B.

[B. Future Agenda Item Request (F.A.I.R.): A request by Councilmember Matthews to place on a future agenda a discussion about a sound study regarding the pickleball courts at Bushmaster Park STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: Council direction. ]

[02:40:02]

FUTURE AGENDA ITEM REQUEST, A REQUEST BY COUNCILMEMBER MATTHEWS TO PLACE ON A FUTURE AGENDA, A DISCUSSION ABOUT A SOUND STUDY REGARDING THE PICKLEBALL COURTS AT BUSHMASTER PARK.

COUNCILMEMBER MATTHEWS, LET ME TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN HAVE YOU DISCUSS WHY YOU WANTED TO HAVE THIS ON THE AGENDA.

FIRST UP, WE HAVE AUDRIA SMITH.

>> EVERYONE. SOUND STUDY.

THANK YOU TO COUNCILMEMBER MATTHEWS FOR MAKING THIS MOTION TO HAVE AN EARNEST DISCUSSION FOR SOUND STUDY FOR RECOGNIZING THAT THERE MAY BE STILL IMPORTANT WORK TO DO.

THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR, FOR EXPRESSING YOUR INTEREST IN THE SOUND SCIENCE AND SUGGESTING IT.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER MCCARTHY AND COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE, FOR YOUR ENCOURAGING POSITIVE VOTES LAST WEEK. IT'S VERY HELPFUL.

I HOPE THAT YOU ALL TOOK A LOOK AT THE PRESENTATION I HANDED TO YOU ALL LAST WEEK CREATED BY FOREST HIGHLANDS, BY THE FIRMS, SPENDIARIAN & WILLIS ACOUSTICS & NOISE CONTROL.

IT'S A FINE EXAMPLE OF A QUALIFIED INDEPENDENT SOUND ENGINEER'S WORK.

YOU COULD SEE THAT IT'S NO SMALL MARBLES THAT THE SOUND OF THE SIMPLE GAME PACKS A BIG PUNCH.

DID YOU TAKE A LISTEN TO THE LATEST DISCUSSION ON NPR'S PROGRAM 1A THAT I EMAILED YOU ALL LAST WEEK ABOUT PICKLEBALL AND ITS GROWING POPULARITY AND EQUALLY GROWING ISSUES? I HAD A RARE PLEASURE JUST LAST NIGHT, THE LAST DAY OF THE LABOR DAY WEEKEND.

I STEPPED OUT OF MY STUDIO AROUND 8:00 OR 8:30 AND NOTICED PEACE, CALM, AND DARKNESS.

THE STADIUM LIGHTS AT THE COURTS WERE DARK AND THERE WAS ZERO SOUND, BUT THE CRICKETS.

OF COURSE, THE WHITEWASH OF DISTANCE SOUND FROM ROUTE 66 AND THE FREEWAY THAT MANY OF US HEAR.

WITH ABSOLUTE JOY, I GATHERED MY DOG AND CATS AND A BOOK AND PLOPPED ON MY FABULOUS MOSTLY UNUSED SOFA UNDER MY MOSTLY UNUSED PATIO AND SPENT A GLORIOUS HOUR-AND-A-HALF BEFORE I WENT TO BED.

I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT I AM REALLY PLEASED AND SUPPORT THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER HIRING A FIRM THAT CAN CONDUCT AN INDEPENDENT STUDY THAT OFFERS SOUND GUIDELINES TO FOLLOW TO IMPLEMENT A GOOD AND FAIR PLAN FOR EVERYONE CONCERNED.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU. KATHLEEN DAY.

>> HELLO. GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU.

WE'VE ALL HEARD ABOUT THE UNIQUE AND DISRUPTIVE NOISE ON RESIDENTIAL AREAS AND IT'S BEEN STATED IN NUMEROUS PUBLICATIONS THE NEW YORK TIMES, NPR DOCUMENTS STUDIES BY SOUND EXPERTS BUT PROBABLY MOST IMPORTANTLY BY THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF THOSE THAT SURROUND BUSHMASTER.

I ALSO URGE YOU TO TAKE SERIOUSLY THESE CONCERNS OF THE HOMEOWNERS JUST AS FORCE HIGHLANDS TOOK SERIOUSLY THE CONCERNS OF THEIR COMMUNITY DESPITE THE FACT OF ITS SIGNIFICANT DISCREPANCY IN WEALTH AND POWER AND PRIVILEGE THAT SURROUNDS BUSHMASTER.

PLEASE INCLUDE THIS IMPORTANT CONVERSATION ON A FUTURE AGENDA, ENSURING YOU FULLY HEAR AND CONSIDER THE WELL-BEING, THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF THOSE WHO ARE GOING TO BE MOST IMPACTED BY THE DECISIONS YOU MAKE ON THIS CONTENTIOUS ISSUE.

I ALSO ASK I GUESS I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO TAG ON AND MAYBE I HAVE TO DO A SEPARATE PETITION BUT THAT WE DESIGNATE SIGNAGE AND ENFORCEMENT TO ALSO PRESERVE SOME USAGE OF THE BASKETBALL COURTS BY PEOPLE THAT WANT TO PLAY BASKETBALL, ESPECIALLY THE CHILDREN.

I OFTEN COME ACROSS IN THE EVENING, THERE'S KIDS PLAYING ON ALL FOUR COURTS AND THEY SET UP PICKLEBALL RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR GAMES.

IT'S JUST UNREALISTIC TO THINK THAT NINE-YEAR-OLDS ARE GOING TO [LAUGHTER] GET THE PICKLEBALL PEOPLE OFF.

THERE'S DESIGNATED TIME SET ASIDE FROM TENNIS COURTS AND BASKETBALL FOR PICKLEBALL.

LET'S DESIGNATE TIME IN THE TENNIS COURTS AND BASKETBALL FOR TENNIS AND BASKETBALL, ESPECIALLY FOR THE CHILDREN.

SILO HOMES IN THAT AREA, IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT THEY HAVE A TIME FOR FREE PLAY.

THEY'RE NOT STRUCTURED GAMES.

NINE-YEAR-OLDS, THEY'RE GOING TO RUN AND PLAY BASKETBALL FOR 15 MINUTES THEN THEY'RE GOING TO PLAY TAG.

THEN SOMEONE'S GOING TO THROW SOMETHING.

THEY'RE GOING TO GO OFF THE COURT, THEN THEY'RE GOING TO COME BACK ON AND SO TO THINK THAT EVERY TIME THEY STEP AWAY A PICKLEBALL GAME IS GOING TO HAPPEN IT'S JUST NOT FAIR.

[02:45:04]

THESE ARE IMPORTANT ISSUES AND I THINK THE SOUND, THE ACCESS, THEY'RE JUST FAIR PLAY OF HOW WE LIVE IN COMMUNITY AND I ASKED YOU TO CONSIDER THAT.

THEN BY THE WAY, I'M JUST RECOVERING FROM A BASKETBALL ACCIDENT ON THE CORNER OF WHEN YOU COME OFF THE BIKE TRAIL AT CEDAR AND WEST.

THE ELECTRIC GRID GATE WAS OFF RIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION.

I GOT THROWN INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC.

[LAUGHTER] IT'S ALSO NOT A SAFE CROSSWALK FOR PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS AND THERE'S LOTS OF PEOPLE, INCLUDING ALL THOSE SCHOOL KIDS, HIGH SCHOOL KIDS THAT ARE THERE. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MATTHEWS, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY OR SHARE WITH COUNCIL BEFORE THEY ASK ANY QUESTIONS OR MAKE ANY COMMENTS?

>> SURE, MAYOR. THANK YOU.

I THINK AT LEAST FROM COMMENTS WE'VE ALL MADE IN THE PAST, WE HAVE SOME AGREEMENT.

BEING EIGHT MONTHS ON THIS POSITION, I CAME TO REALIZE HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO SOMETIMES COME TO A CONCLUSION.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY A 100 OF THE TIME. PROBABLY NEVER.

BUT WITH PICKLEBALL, IT IS A VERY FAST-GROWING SPORT AND THERE'S SO MUCH WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT.

I DON'T KNOW OF ANY OF US THAT ARE SITTING UP HERE PLAY IT.

WE'VE RELIED ON THE INPUT FROM OUR COMMUNITY AND BEING SENSITIVE TO BOTH THE HOMEOWNERS AND THE ATHLETES.

I JUST THINK THAT FOR US TO DO A SOUND STUDY TO REALLY GET SOME FACTS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF EMOTIONAL COMMENTS WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.

I'VE READ SOME SEVERAL DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT IT'S NOT ALL OR NOTHING.

I HAVE A NEIGHBOR WHO PLAYS PICKLEBALL AND AT NIGHT THEY USE A SOFTER PEDAL AND A SOFTER BALL.

I KNOW THAT WE HEAR I'VE TALKED ABOUT RESTRICTING HOURS OF PLAY AND MAYBE LOCATION.

I THINK THAT WITH THE SOUND STUDY, WE COULD MAKE A MORE INFORMED DECISION.

I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'LL GET CLOSER TO A MORE POPULAR VOTE BUT AT LEAST A SOUND STUDY WOULD GIVE US MORE DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE ON WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON.

I DO APPRECIATE AND I'M VERY SENSITIVE TO THE PASSIONS OF PEOPLE WANTING TO GET OUT AND PLAY AND ENJOY THE FRESH AIR AND ALSO QUALITY OF LIFE OF [NOISE] THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE AROUND THERE.

I KNOW PICKLEBALL IS BEEN BEING PLAYED FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD ANY COMPLAINTS SO I THINK THAT THERE ARE SOLUTIONS OUT THERE.

IT'S NOT AN ALL-OR-NOTHING IF WE DO IT RIGHT.

I THINK THE SOUND STUDY IS A RESPONSIBLE STEP FORWARD SO WE'RE CONSIDERING ALL ASPECTS THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TOLD OR AWARE OF YET.

>> THANK YOU. JUST A REMINDER, THIS IS NOT TO DECIDE TO DO A SOUND STUDY.

THIS IS JUST TO PUT THE QUESTION ON AN UPCOMING AGENDA.

DO COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY?

>> WELL, YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT SURPRISED THAT I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE AND I THINK MS. MATTHEWS MADE A GOOD POINT.

THIS ISN'T AN ALL-OR-NOTHING.

THIS MAY SAY WE NEED TO PUT UP A 64TH SOUND WALL AND IT WILL COST $2 MILLION OR IT MAY BE THAT WE SAY THAT BASED ON THE ANALYSIS THAT WE ONLY ALLOW SOFT PADDLES AND SOFTBALLS WHICH WON'T COST THE CITY ANYTHING.

THERE'S A WHOLE RANGE OF THINGS THAT COULD OR MIGHT NOT BE APPROPRIATE SO TO HAVE A STEADY MAKES TOTAL SENSE TO ME.

I THINK IF COUNCIL DECIDED TO PUT PICKLEBALL COURTS IN THIS LOCATION WHICH I DIDN'T SUPPORT BECAUSE I THINK PICKLEBALL IS GREAT BUT IT'S A BAD LOCATION.

BUT AT THE VERY LEAST IS A COMPROMISE.

WE NEED TO DO A SOUND ANALYSIS STUDY.

I FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT IT. THANK YOU.

>> COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS THEN VICE MAYOR.

[02:50:03]

>> I'M IN SUPPORT OF HAVING A DISCUSSION.

BUT AS I CAUTIONED THE COUNCIL ONCE BEFORE ON ANOTHER ISSUE, IS THAT OFTENTIMES WHEN YOU COME BACK WITH A DISCUSSION, THE PUBLIC THINKS THAT YOU'RE OVERTURNING OR OVERRIDING THE DECISION THAT YOU MADE, AND I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF THAT.

I THINK I'M MORE IN FAVOR OF WORKING WITH OUR STAFF.

THEY'RE PROFESSIONALS.

I THINK THEY CAN HELP US MAKE GOOD DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THIS PROJECT.

I DON'T WANT THE PUBLIC TO WALK AWAY THINKING THAT, OH, NOW THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BUILD PICKLEBALL COURTS.

THAT'S MY CAUTION AND THAT'S MY CONCERN, AND SO I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THAT.

>> THANK YOU. VICE MAYOR.

>> JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT REAL QUICKLY, I THINK WE AVOIDED THE WORST POTENTIAL FOR THAT PROBLEM LAST WEEK BY [NOISE] PARSING THIS OUT AND GETTING INTO A NEW CONVERSATION.

JUST ON THAT TOPIC, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN AND HAVING THE CONVERSATIONS WE NEED TO, AND GETTING THE ANALYSIS DONE TO MAKE THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS COPACETIC WITH PICKLEBALL AS POSSIBLE.

I'LL SUPPORT THIS MOVING FORWARD FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, BUT I DO WONDER IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THING.

I'M NOT SURE WE NEED A SOUND STUDY.

I WOULD ARGUE THAT WE KNOW THAT PICKLEBALL IS NOISY AND WE DON'T NECESSARILY NEED AN ANALYSIS OR A SCIENTIFIC CAJOLE TO DRIVE THAT POINT HOME.

THE QUESTION IS REALLY, HOW DO WE MITIGATE THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF PICKLEBALL ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD? I WOULD JUST LIKE TO FURTHER PARSE THOSE OUT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SPENDING OUR MONEY AND OUR TIME AND OUR CITY AND STAFF RESOURCES ON THE SOLUTION WE'RE LOOKING FOR AND NOT IDLE ANALYSIS, I THINK WE'RE PROBABLY ALL READY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONCLUSION THAT WOULD BECOME TO FROM A CONSULTANT, WHICH IS, YEAH, PICKLEBALL CAN BE NOISY.

THE OTHER PART OF IT IS, AND YOU KNOW THIS VERY WELL, COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY, SOUND STUDIES CAN GET REALLY NITPICKY AND VERY COMPLICATED IN TERMS OF PEAK HOURS, PEAK VOLUMES, DECIBEL LEVELS.

WHAT ARE WE MEASURING, A OR B? IF THIS GETS TOO COMPLICATED AND TOO SCIENTIFIC, IT'S JUST GOING TO BECOME USELESS FODDER FOR ANYBODY TRYING TO MAKE ANY ARGUMENT.

WHILE I'M SUPPORTIVE IN SPIRIT OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY TO MITIGATE THE IMPACT OF PICKLEBALL ON BUSHMASTER PARK NEIGHBORHOOD, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT ISSUING A SOUND STUDY MIGHT BE TOO PRESCRIPTIVE AND BESIDE THE POINT.

>> SURE.

>> ACTUALLY, I AGREE.

I THINK WHAT WE SHOULD DO IS HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT AND THEN AT THAT POINT, DECIDE IF WE WANT TO HIRE A CONSULTANT OR NOT.

TO SPEAK REALLY OPENLY AND HONESTLY, WE HAD A NOISE ISSUE FROM PATIO BARS AND WE HIRED A CONSULTANT.

I'LL JUST BE HONEST, IT WAS A WASTE OF MONEY.

IT DIDN'T ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING.

THEY MADE CONCLUSIONS WITH NO BACKUP, NO RATIONALE FOR IT, AND I DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT HAPPEN AGAIN.

BUT I DO THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THERE ARE SOME OPTIONS LIKE SOFTBALLS, SOFT PADDLES.

MAYBE WE CAN PUT IN SOME REASONABLY PRICED SOUND WALLS OR WHATEVER.

BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NEED SOME PHD CONSULTANT TO LEAD US DOWN THAT PATH.

BUT WE DO NEED TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION OURSELVES. THANK YOU.

>> COUNCIL MEMBER MATTHEWS.

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. I AGREE WITH VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY.

MY GOAL IN SUGGESTING THIS SOUND STUDY WAS IN ANTICIPATION.

IT MAY BE THE COST IS NOT NECESSARY IF WE'VE ALREADY READ, LIKE I MENTIONED, SOFT PADDLES, SOFTBALLS, SOUND WALLS, MAYBE WE JUST HAVE THAT DISCUSSION TO IMPLEMENT THOSE.

WE TALKED ABOUT SOUND WALLS EARLY ON AND WE PASSED OVER IT.

BUT MY GOAL WAS TO COME UP, HAVE SOMEBODY TELL US OR IF WE ALREADY THINK WE KNOW IT,

[02:55:02]

BUT SOMEBODY TO TELL US, WELL, IF YOU DID THIS, THIS, AND THIS, YOU CAN MITIGATE THE IMPACT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

AGAIN, I'LL MENTION THAT PICKLEBALL HAS BEEN PLAYED THERE FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.

I KNOW THE BIG CONCERN IS, WELL, IT'S A GROWING SPORTS SO MORE PICKUP BALL WILL BE PLAYED, BUT WE CAN CONTROL THAT WITH HOURS AND USAGE AND STUFF, SO LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY, I THINK IT DOES NEED TO BE DISCUSSED BECAUSE I THINK WE LEFT SOME STUFF ON THE TABLE WHEN WE APPROVED IT.

I AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS THAT, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF OVERTURNING OUR DECISION, BUT I THINK WE LEFT SOME STUFF ON THE TABLE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE DISCUSSED THEN AND NOW WE CAN DISCUSS TO SAY YES, BUT BECAUSE WE'RE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, WE NEED TO ALSO DO THESE OFFSETTING PROCEDURES, REQUIREMENTS, RESTRICTIONS, MONITORING WHAT ALL OF THOSE THINGS CAN BE, AND TO HAVE A REALLY GOOD CONVERSATION WITH OUR PARKS AND RECS DEPARTMENT AND JUST ALL COME TO AN AGREEMENT ON WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE IT PALATABLE FOR EVERYBODY.

>> THANK YOU. I SEE OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S MICROPHONE IS RED.

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

AS WE'VE DISCUSSED IN THE PAST, THE WORDING OF FAIRS IS VERY SPECIFIC.

WHAT I'M HEARING DISCUSSED UP HERE IS, AS YOU WORDED IT, VICE MAYOR, IF I CAN USE YOUR WORDS, MITIGATION OF THE IMPACTS OF SOUND OF PICKLEBALL NEAR BUSHMASTER PARK.

THAT'S NOT WHAT'S ON THE FAIR BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.

IF THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO GO, WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS NOT MOVING FORWARD WITH THE FAIR AS IT'S WRITTEN TONIGHT, AND I HATE TO SAY THIS, BUT ASKING FOR A DIFFERENT FAIR TO MITIGATE THE IMPACTS OF SOUND AND NOISE FROM PICKLEBALL AT BUSHMASTER PARK. THAT WAY.

>> YES.

>> STERLING, THE WORD SAY SOUND STUDY.

COUNCIL CAN DO A SOUND STUDY.

THE PHD COULD DO WITH SOUND STUDY.

THERE'S 100 DIFFERENT WAYS SO-CALLED SOUND STUDIES SHOULD BE.

I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NEED TO INTERPRET THAT PHRASE THAT RIGOROUSLY BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT WAS MEANT THAT WAY.

I THINK A SOUND STUDY BY COUNCIL WOULD BE A SOUND STUDY.

>> I WOULD NOT DISAGREE, COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T SEE ANYTHING IN HERE ABOUT MITIGATING THE IMPACTS OF NOISE FROM PICKLEBALL AT BUSHMASTER PARK.

I KNOW WHAT'S BEING DISCUSSED AND I'M SORRY TO SPLIT HAIRS THAT WAY, BUT IT'S A VERY HIGH-PROFILE ITEM, AND FOR THAT REASON, I THINK THE MOST PRECISE LANGUAGE AND THE MOST PRECISE FAIR WOULD PROBABLY BE BEST.

COUNCIL MEMBER MATTHEWS, NO OFFENSE, I THINK THAT YOU TOOK FROM THE PETITION A SOUND STUDY, BUT I THINK WHAT YOU HAVE EXPRESSED AS A COUPLE OF MEMBERS OF COUNCIL TONIGHT, NOT A MAJORITY, IS MORE ALONG THE LINES OF WHERE YOU ALL WOULD LIKE TO GO AS FAR AS HAVING A DISCUSSION ON MITIGATING IMPACTS.

I'M JUST SUGGESTING SOME LANGUAGE THAT MAY HELP YOU DO THAT BETTER WHEN SOMEONE MAY COME BACK AND SAY THAT'S NOT WHAT THE FAIR WAS ABOUT.

>> WELL, MAYOR. TWO COMMENTS.

I THINK WHEN WE SAY WE'RE GOING TO DO A SOUND STUDY, IT'S IMPLICIT IN THAT THAT IMPLIES THAT YOU MIGHT DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO A SOUND STUDY JUST FOR THE HELL OF IT.

MY OTHER COMMENT IS, MAYBE IT WOULD MAKE SENSE THAT THIS COME BACK NEXT WEEK WITH MORE PRECISE WORDING.

I THINK I WILL SUPPORT THIS FAIR.

BUT IF IT FAILS, I'LL COME BACK WITH SOMETHING WITH CAREFULLY WORDED PHRASING.

>> WOULD WE BE PREVENTED FROM SUPPORTING THIS FAIR AND THEN BROADENING THE DISCUSSION WHEN IT'S ON THE AGENDA?

>> YEAH. THAT'S THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE.

IF YOU SUPPORT THIS FAIR, THIS FAIR MOVES FORWARD.

>> THEN WE CAN ONLY DISCUSS THIS.

>> YEAH. THAT'S WHY IT WOULD MAKE MORE SENSE IF YOU WANTED TO DISCUSS MITIGATION OF IMPACTS OF NOISE FROM PICKLEBALL AT BUSHMASTER.

TO STATE IT THAT WAY.

THAT WAY THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT COUNCIL IS GOING TO DO.

>> I BET WE'LL SAVE TIME IN THE END.

THIS WILL BE MORE EFFICIENT.

[03:00:02]

>> COULD THIS BE ON THE AGENDA NEXT WEEK? A NEW FAIR ITEM?

>> FINALLY, MAYOR COUNCIL, THERE'S A COUPLE OF AVENUES HERE.

THE FAIR AVENUE, WHICH PROVES TIME AND TIME AGAIN TO BE VERY RIGID AND VERY CLUNKY, AND AT THE UPCOMING RETREAT, WE WILL BE MAKING SOME SUGGESTIONS.

BUT I DON'T WANT TO GET BEYOND THE CONVERSATION NOW.

ANOTHER AVENUE IS JUST TO HAVE ME PUT SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA, WHICH I'M QUITE HAPPY TO DO.

I'VE HEARD ENOUGH COMMENTARY TO GIVE ME SOME IDEA OF WHAT IT IS YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT, AND WE'LL DO IT.

WE'LL JUST PUT IT ON THE AGENDA.

WE CAN GO THROUGH THIS CLUNKY, RIGID, FAIR PROCESS, AND WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER AGENDA ITEM WHICH I WILL PLACE ON THE AGENDA THAT SPEAKS TO POTENTIAL SOUND MITIGATION OF PICKLEBALL COURTS AT BUSHMASTER PARK.

STARTING I HOPE I'M NOT OVERSTEPPING BOUNDARIES HERE.

>> MAYOR AND COUNCIL, IF I MAY, I'M REALLY GRATEFUL THE CITY MANAGER SPOKE UP.

I DIDN'T WANT TO THROW THAT ON HIM TO SAY THAT WAS HIS OPTION, BUT EVERYBODY KNOWS IT'S UNDER THE CHARTER THAT HE CAN DO THAT, AND I'M REALLY GLAD TO HEAR THAT HE'S SUGGESTED THAT.

>> WELL, MY COMMENT IS IF THE CITY MANAGER IS WILLING TO COMMIT TO THAT, THAT SATISFIES ME.

>> ME AS WELL. I THINK THAT I'M SEEING NODS THAT EVERYONE IS IN SUPPORT OF A DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW TO MITIGATE THE SOUND IMPACTS?

>> YES. WHAT I CAN'T COMMIT TO IS HOW QUICKLY WE CAN GET IT TO YOU.

REST ASSURED, WE WILL DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO DO JUST THAT.

WE'D LIKE TO CONFER WITH STAFF AS WELL.

BUT COMING YOUR WAY. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. SO THEN WE CAN JUST MOVE ON FROM THIS FAIR ITEM, RIGHT? OR SHOULD I STILL ASK FOR A SHOW OF HANDS.

>> AS THE MANAGER REFERRED TO IT AS A CLUNKY PROCESS TECHNICALLY BECAUSE IT'S HERE AND WAS NOT WITHDRAWN BEFORE THE MEETING, YOU WOULD NEED TO ASK IF THERE'S STILL THOSE THAT SUPPORT A SOUND STUDY. IT IS RIGID.

>> COUNCIL, ARE THERE THREE ADDITIONAL COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE IN SUPPORT OF PLACING A DISCUSSION ABOUT A SOUND STUDY ON AN UPCOMING AGENDA? YOU UNDERSTAND WHY, SO WE ARE MOVING ON THEN TO TNC.

[C. Future Agenda Item Request (F.A.I.R.): A request by Vice Mayor Aslan to place on a future agenda a discussion about developing court amenities for city parks, specifically basketball and Bankshot. STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION: Council direction. ]

FAIR ITEM REQUESTS BY VICE MAYOR [INAUDIBLE] PLACE ON A FUTURE AGENDA, A DISCUSSION ABOUT DEVELOPING COURT AMENITIES FOR CITY PARKS, SPECIFICALLY BASKETBALL AND BANK SHOT, AND WE HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS.

TAKE IT AWAY, VICE MAYOR.

>> THANK YOU. I THINK THE FAIR LANGUAGE SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.

I'M NOT REALLY SURE I NEED TO SAY MORE OR GO HARD INTO SELLING IT RIGHT NOW.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF BANDWIDTH TAKEN UP BY PICKLEBALL THIS PAST SEASON, THIS PAST YEAR.

I DON'T WANT TO FORGET ABOUT THE OTHER SPORTS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE AMENITIES FOR, FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.

I THINK WE'RE A LITTLE BIT BEHIND ON GETTING THOSE UP AND RUNNING AND OPERATIONAL AND MAINTAINED AND RESOURCED IN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS.

INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PONDEROSA TRAILS PARK, WHICH FOR FULL TRANSPARENCY IS THE PLACE WHERE I LIVE.

BUT THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE I KNOW THE NEED IS THERE, AND THAT THE DESIRE TO HAVE THAT NEED FULFILLED IS A VERY STRONG THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

I'M SURE IT'S A SIMILAR STORY ELSEWHERE TOO.

WE HAVEN'T HAD AN ACCOUNTING OF EXACTLY WHAT OUR SPORTS AMENITIES ARE IN OUR VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS FOR AT LEAST SEVERAL YEARS.

I CAN'T RECALL HAVING DONE THAT DURING MY FIVE-AND-A-HALF YEARS ON COUNCIL, I THINK IT MIGHT JUST BE GOOD HOUSEKEEPING FOR US TO TAKE A LOOK AT ALL OF THAT AND HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHERE WE CAN FIND SOME MONEY IN THE COUCH CUSHIONS AND GET THESE THINGS UP AND IN USE WHERE WE KNOW THEY'RE NEEDED AND DESIRED.

>> THANK YOU. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR STAFF, I GUESS SPECIFICALLY, STERLING, COULD WE COMBINE A DISCUSSION OF THIS WITH AN UPDATE FROM PROSE ON THEIR NEAR-TERM PLANS FOR AMENITIES AND PARKS?

>> YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT COMBINING C AND D? OH, NO, SORRY, NOT C AND D. NEVER MIND.

I APOLOGIZE. [LAUGHTER] YES. YOU COULD.

THAT'S THE WAY THE FARES WORDED.

I'M LOOKING AT THE TWO-PART, FAIR? ABSOLUTELY. YES.

>> THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS?

[03:05:02]

>> I'M THE LEAD COUNSELOR LIAISON TO A PROSE AND I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH PROSE WHEN I TOOK MY TOUR, AND THEN AFTER MY TOUR WE HAD A ZOOM MEETING DURING OUR BREAK, AND WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT BANK SHOT AND BASKETBALL COURTS AND HOW I DIRECTED STAFF BECAUSE I REALLY THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR STAFF TO LOOK AT THEIR BUDGET AND LOOK AT HOW THIS PROJECT WOULD FIT INTO THE PRIORITY BUDGETING PROCESS.

SINCE WE'RE GETTING READY TO START THAT PROCESS AGAIN, THIS WOULD BE A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO DO THAT, AND FURTHERMORE, I DON'T SUPERVISE STAFF.

BUT WHEN I DID SUPERVISE STAFF, IT WAS MY OPINION THAT I HIRE GOOD PEOPLE, AND THEN I ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO THE THINGS THAT ARE WITHIN THEIR JOB DESCRIPTION AND THEN I BACK AWAY.

I EXPLAIN THIS TO A PRO STAFF, AND SO FOR THAT REASON, I DON'T PARTICULARLY THINK THAT THIS SHOULD BE A COUNCIL DECISION.

I THINK THAT STAFF SHOULD BRING THIS FORWARD IN THE BUDGETING PROCESS AND LET US KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS TO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY HAVE THAT INFORMATION. THANK YOU.