Latest Sedona Cultural Park plan: conceptual or chimerical?

by Cyndy Hardy

SEDONA, AZ – July 3, 2008 – Monty Fitch of Fitch Industries rolled out a revised conceptual plan for the Sedona Cultural Park at Tuesday’s Sedona Planning and Zoning Commission that had some residents wondering if the city is going too far to bend age-old community resistance to commercial use.

Historically, the community envisioned the approximately 44-acre site at the west gateway to the city as a confluence of arts, culture and education; where music, visual and performing arts could be enjoyed by residents of all types and affluence.

It was to be a place for the community – where tourists and day trippers would be the exception, not the rule.

“I think you’ve lost your way,” said resident Dee Durkee, representing the Sedona Visual Artists Coalition.

The latest conceptual plan includes the entire 40-acre park including two parcels owned by Yavapai College. The northern portion is designated Public/semi-public. The southern portion is designated Planned Area.

New details about the northern portion include a 10,000 square-foot Native American Artifacts Museum, a sculpture garden, a Native American maze and a small outdoor stage.

One major addition was a seven-building film studio that Fitch hopes will attract major film production. P&Z Commissioner Jim Eaton wants to see some assurances that the studio is viable, but the idea was otherwise well-received by the commission and the public.

Not so well-received was a proposed wellness sanctuary with 64 rooms plus 20 casitas that Mr. Fitch said will fetch $5,000 per week.

“Wellness strays from the focus on the arts,” Ms. Durkee said. “It’s not that the community wouldn’t embrace that – but not on this project.”

Mr. Eaton said Fitch should clearly define the sanctuary because ‘wellness’ has many euphemisms, such as rehab, detox and “fat farm.”

Mr. Fitch said the wellness sanctuary is not a health spa or a medical center. It will be a learning center based on the Hippocrates Health Institute, located in West Palm Beach, Fla. He also said the accommodations are lodging for the sanctuary’s guests – not to be confused with a hotel.

Commissioner Marty Losoff asked how the use fits in with the public-semi-public designation. “The public is welcome,” Mr. Fitch said.

“No one I know can afford $5,000,” Commissioner Geoffrey Messer said.

Some things have not changed much since the May 15, 2007 conceptual hearing for the southern portion. Fitch still plans to downsize the amphitheater from 5,000 seats to 2,000 seats. There will be an 180,000 square-foot conference center and 210-room hotel. Canyon Moon Theatre will still get a new 250-seat home.

Gone from the new conceptual plan are up to 40 affordable dwellings that were earmarked for artists of all genres. Ms. Durkee, who recently finished a term on the Housing Commission, said the elimination of artist residential units was a big disappointment.

According to a city staff report, the city sent Fitch a letter dated May 15 asking how the developer planned to address the affordable housing issue. Fitch responded in a May 15 letter, stating, “Due to the capped square footage, the project does not have any housing, therefore the affordable housing requirement is no longer viable.”

On May 23, the Housing Commission took a firm position that the wellness sanctuary accommodations are considered housing and that Fitch should provide affordable housing equal to 12 percent of the commercial square footage and 12 percent of the number of sanctuary housing units. City staff “strongly” supports the recommendation, according to the report.

Connie Dedrick, a representative of Fitch consultant, Shepard-Wesnitzer, said Fitch plans to comply with the affordable housing provision through other means allowed by the Sedona Housing Policy, which include off-site units or an in lieu fee.

But having on-site housing is important to the city. Without it the project “is just another shopping center,” Mr. Jim Eaton said.

City staff stated that the Fitch project will generate an “enormous” amount of jobs and that the workers will need housing.

“Your brother [Kent Fitch] said, ‘You want affordable housing? I’ll build you affordable housing,’” P&Z Chairman John Griffin said to Monty Fitch.

“The land trade was for a cultural park,” Mr. Griffin said, referring to Sedona’s vision for the site, which dates back to the 1970’s, before the city’s 1988 incorporation and when the community negotiated a land swap with the U.S. Forest Service.

Zoning for the site evolved from ultra-low density residential to its current public/semi-public use.

Approved land uses included the amphitheater, performing arts facilities, exhibition buildings, an Arts Village with a visitor center, museums and administrative offices, accessory uses such as cafes, arts and educational facilities, a USFS Interpretative Center, multiuse facilities, studios and galleries and elder hostels.

Fast forward to the new millennium – the Sedona Cultural Park opened with the Georgia Frontiere Performing Arts Pavilion in May 2000, a 5,000-seat amphitheater named for the St. Louis Rams owner, who died this year.

The events were exciting; including hometown girl Michelle Branch (before she hit the big time), Lynard Skynard, String Cheese Incident, Nora Jones, B.B. King and Tony Bennett.

The venue closed before the end of its 2003 season; $5 million in debt and unable to generate enough income from ticket sales to keep the venue alive.

None of the other park amenities were built.

Members of the Sedona Cultural Park board of directors contacted investor Mike Tennyson of South Dakota, who stepped in with a company he called Sathcupa, short for “Save the Cultural Park.”

Mr. Tennyson made several proposals, but the city’s restrictions were too prohibitive and the process took too long. Mr. Tennyson put the park up for sale.

Several near deals came along; including one from entertainment giant Clear Channel. But each reportedly walked away from the table after talks with the city made it clear that no significant commercial uses would be welcome.

Mr. Tennyson invoked his right to profit from his property and threatened to tear out the amphitheater and revert the land back to residential. In June 2006, Mr. Tennyson applied for a major amendment to the Sedona Community Plan so he could build 18 to 20 homes.

Mr. Fitch signed on as a co-applicant during the process; and by November 2006, Mr. Tennyson backed off his threat to build homes because the city agreed to allow 40,000 of 160,000 square feet in maximum building area for non-artist-related commercial uses.

In October 2007, the city approved an amendment to allow a 210-room lodge – considered by many to be a major concession to support the community vision.

Since then the project has been “a moving target,” according to Mr. Griffin.

© 2008 Cyndy Hardy. This article may not be reproduced, republished or distributed without written permission from the author. Contact the author at cyndyhardy@msn.com.