by Carl Jackson

SEDONA, AZ - June 25, 2008 -  The Sedona Housing Commission conducted two community affordable housing forums on June 25, 2008 and have two more slated for July 9, 2008 and July 29, 2008 as part of its public campaign to engage Sedona residents in an open and productive dialogue about a proposed Community Plan text amendment to increase affordable workforce housing in Sedona while minimizing its impact on homeowners.  Since this proposal is in the draft stage, now is the opportunity for Sedona residents to attend these forums and offer their input.

A 2006 report entitled "Baseline Housing Affordability Report for Sedona" by Kuehl Enterprises found that a significant affordability gap exists between what households at various income levels earn and what they can afford to rent or purchase in Sedona.

The Baseline Housing Report estimated that in the first quarter of 2006 Sedona businesses employed 5605 full-time workers, 64% of whom (3587) lived outside Sedona. As a result of the study, the Housing Commission established a modest five-year goal of creating 179 affordable housing units.

There are various strategies for increasing affordable housing that include the city constructing affordable housing, allowing the rental of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) that has been proposed, mixed use commercial/residential developments that has been adopted by the city, and seeking changes in state law that would allow cities and towns the choice to require developers to construct affordable housing (known as inclusionary zoning).

Another tact that the city has adopted is the creation of a housing policy that offers incentives to developers who voluntarily include affordable housing in their plans.  During their review of the housing policy, the City Council suggested that the Housing Commission pursue a density incentive in some areas of the city for affordable housing.

The housing policy does not allow for an increase in unit density to accommodate affordable housing, however, because the Community Plan does not support development of more than 12 units per acre.  As result, the Housing Commission is proposing a text amendment to the Sedona Community Plan to offer a housing unit density incentive for the development of affordable housing.

Specifically, the text amendment proposes housing unit densities up to 20 units per acre, for developments that include affordable housing, in commercial, commercial/lodging, and multi-family land use categories, and in the Navoti Planned Area and most Special Planning Areas identified in the Community Plan.

Although the maximum density is currently 12 units per acre, mixed-use projects approved/proposed since August 2005 have averaged about 4.4 units per acre. According to city staff, it is very unlikely that future mixed-used projects proposed for vacant commercial acreage would all be developed at 12 units per acre.

The proposal also supports accessory dwelling units throughout the city to provide additional affordable housing opportunities, but limits the maximum number of ADUs to 200.

The proposal also collectively limits the number of additional housing units under the density incentive and through ADU’s to 8% of the projected build-out of the city over the next five years. As currently estimated, this would mean a maximum of 737 additional units city-wide:  537 additional housing units (assumes that for each of the 179 affordable housing units that could be created through a density incentive, two additional market rate units will be created); and 200 ADUs. 

The 737 total additional housing units could mean approximately 7,370 additional vehicle trips per day distributed across the city street network.

Adding the 737 additional housing units to the 9,149 total housing units estimated to exist once the city is built out yields a total of 9,886 housing units at build-out. This represents an
approximate 8% increase (737/9,149).

If this limit is reached within the next five years or at the end of this five-year period, the city would re-assess the potential impact of additional housing units and consider whether to continue this policy or to recommend other alternatives.

Beginning around the middle of July 2008, the plan amendment proposals will move into the public hearing phase that will cover a 3-6 month period.  Around the end of July 2008, a public notice will be mailed to all city residents and property owners describing the proposals, announcing the Planning and Zoning Commission public hearing, where additional information may be reviewed, additional input opportunities and how the city can be contacted regarding comments and concerns.  The notice will also be placed in the paper. 

A Planning and Zoning Commission public hearing is tentatively scheduled for August 19, 2008.  The Commission may forward a recommendation to council or they may continue the hearing to another date.

The Sedona City Council has tentatively scheduled a public hearing on the proposed amendment for October 14, 2008. The council must take action by the end of 2008 in order to approve the amendment, and an approval requires 2/3 of the City Council.

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