articles @ sedonainformation.com

For those of us who have spent many years in Sedona, distance can be measured in “miles from the Red Rocks”. These canyons, cliffs, and the marvelous terrain make us aware that the rest of the world is out there however it’s always at a distance measured by our time away from Sedona. It’s not to say that we view Sedona as the center of the Universe, but rather it is the center of our Universe and we carry it with us in our travels.

Arizona and the greater southwest are like that for me as well. The hidden sites and backroad explorations that lie around the next bend seem to never end. If you’re curious and have a strong passion for the natural world you’ll never be finished with Arizona’s magical wonders. And if you enjoy people and places off the beaten path, you can continue to make pleasant discoveries until the day you die. It’s that rich and rewarding.

I have a select group of Arizona friends that tell me about the next cool trail to explore or the craziest little store to shop. These folks scope out the weird and wonderful in their daily lives and share it with me for the sheer joy of turning me onto what has made them smile. Dirt roads for us are as common as Interstates are for truckers as we drive secret backways to reach remote destinations. In a sense it truly is about the road less traveled. It’s the journey and not the goal.

Enjoy these people and places like I have and keep your eyes open for what you might miss if you blink to long. Often the next great adventure is right in front of us and can be easily missed if we’re staring too far down the trail.

Ajo Bikes
1301 E. Ajo Way
Tucson , AZ
520.294.1434
ajobikes.com

Since 1991 Frank Cook and crew have served up a crazy stew of two and three wheeled HPVs (human-powered vehicles) to the hungry clientele of Tucson and surrounding towns. Ajo Bikes is a massive store full of bicycle hustle and bustle and centered around the common theme of the joy of riding the highways, roads, and trails of the world. Frank got an early start in the bike business way back in 1974. His passion guided him along the two-wheeled trail, non-motorized of course, to create this outstanding bicycle heaven where everyone from toddlers to teens and serious trainees can find the peddle intensity level they prefer and experience professional in-house guidance to support their ride.

I’m no newcomer to Frank’s world either. I grew up on a Stingray with a banana seat, high chrome handlebars, and outrageously fat tires. I lived to ride and not only delivered papers daily but also rode to school, to swim team practice, and all over the forest preserves of Chicago’s western suburbs. In high school it was a shiny new Raleigh Competition with Campy cranks and other state-of-the-art accoutrements that let me fly across the township like an eagle. Amazingly, though, I never caught the mountain bike fever and instead settled for a five-speed fat tire town bike, just right for zoomin’ to the store or the local payphone.

Enter Frank Cook and his Bionx experimental crew. Bionx? Sounds like a new IPO or perhaps a artificial body part manufacturer on the biomedical frontier. Not so. Bionx is Canadian company (www.bionx.ca) that manufactures a bike kit that transforms an ordinary bicycle into a Lithium-powered supercycle, electric that is. Who knows, maybe I have been looking for a way to get into super shape and have fun at the same time and couldn’t quite find a way to create that perfect Zen blend on a daily work-a-day level until now. Or perhaps it’s the price of gas or the fact that our second car’s tranny took a dive. All I know is that I have found the ultimate mix of exercise, travel, excitement, and pure childhood dream fun all wrapped up into my electric commuter mountain bike.

Imagine heading up a dirt road on the way to work, a 7 mile washboard dirt road that climbs 1.000 feet and has little traffic. Deer, javelina, and roadrunners dash across on occasion and baby bobcats have been seen playing on the side of the road near sunset. You hop on your trusty mountain bike, leave the pavement behind, and start your commute. Instead of a merely chugging your way up the grade your steady pedaling invokes a hidden assist that measures your pedal resistance and feeds you electric power accordingly. You set the power level and can design the calorie burn. Though you don’t just sit there and glide up the grade (though on flat or near-flat surfaces you sure can!), you don’t struggle to make it work either. You keep on keepin’ on and are rewarded with a subtle boost that makes the ride go by quicker and easier, though no less fun. In fact, it’s a whole lot of fun because you still get a workout, however your workout gets you much further down the road with much less effort.

Sounds sissy? Not even close. It’s pure magic in a funny, new form, just like when the first bicycles hit the streets and the horses ran for cover. I cannot begin to tell you how much you might love this system. I find frequent excuses to ride to the grocery store a mile away rather than burn gas and drive the wagon. In town and at work I make sure everyone interested gets a test ride. And it’s all smiles and laughter when they return. The Bionx is the perfect re-entry vehicle for older Terranauts who want to get back into bicycling and as well as back into shape. The Bionx kit can be purchased and installed by Frank and his crew on a wide variety of of bike frames including tricycles, mountain bikes, and ultra-lightweight road bikes so you have no excuse when it comes to how you plan to use it. It’s not inexpensive though it does have an almost unheard-of 2-year warranty on the system components and a 1-year warranty on the battery. It’s well-designed, sturdy, and costs only nickels and dimes to charge. I researched the kit’s most expensive component, the 350 Watt Lithium-Ion battery, by calling two bike shops that sell the system, one in California and another in New York. I did this in order to compare notes with what Frank and his tech crew had explained to me about the system. Taking into consideration my 200 lbs., an average-weight mountain bike, and a brutal daily power discharge of the battery that takes place quickly on a short 60 minute ride, the battery will most likely last me 450-600 cycles. Put into another perspective, that’s about 350 work days of my daily commute of 23 miles round-trip. Totally economical. And besides, what price can you put on developing a healthy body and having miles and miles of fun?

Verde River Springtime Splendor

by Emily Reeves, Outdoor Travel Professional

This winter has blessed the high deserts of Arizona with rain and even snow!  Experience the splendor of springtime differently this year; go boating on the Verde River! Springtime is an exciting season with warm sunny days, cool refreshing evenings surrounded by the blooming trees and singing birds. After winter’s chilly confinement, it’s always nice to get outside to celebrate the rebirth of Mother Nature by enjoying spring activities and recreations. This is good news for boaters because water levels are expected to be higher for boating on the Verde River this spring.

KAYAKS and RAFTING: Boating is a fun, relaxing springtime recreation and nothing beats the freedom of being the captain of your own ship. If you don’t have a boat, Sedona Adventure Outfitters & Guides can outfit you with all the boating gear you need. Open 7 days a week all year round, they are the only company in the Verde Valley offering boating tours as well as boating rental and retail. Specializing in river float trips, Sedona Adventure Outfitters & Guides can rent or sell you inflatable kayaks and other boating gear such as life vests, helmets and paddles.

PROFESSIONAL GUIDES: Sedona Adventure Outfitters features a skilled team of knowledgeable guides each bringing their own expertise and enthusiasm to your guided tour, some with many years of experience on rivers such as the Colorado, Gila, and San Juan.

SPECIALTY TOURS: Sedona Adventure Outfitters specializes in the Verde River Float Trip and the Water to Wine Tour. The River Float Trip is a four hour float trip on the Verde River, the Water to Wine Tour is a one hour float trip to the banks of Alcantara Vineyard. Both tours guarantee fun and excitement, great for couples or the entire family.

INFLATABLE “DUCKIES”: All tours utilize inflatable kayaks also known as “duckies”. In addition to guided tours you can also rent these duckies to create your own adventure. Duckies are ideal for springtime fun and can be taken just about anywhere; they deflate to the size of a large suitcase and can easily fit in a car or truck. Compared to recreational kayaks or canoes; duckies are light, easy to navigate and unbelievably stable because you sit suspended above the water line on an inflated floor. Duckies are user friendly, even for beginners so no previous kayaking experience is necessary. Sedona Adventure Outfitters even have tandem duckies for rent so if you want to bring a friend along to share the fun, you can pair up your efforts! You can rent your own duckie for $59.00 a day or $89.00 for a tandem. Sedona Adventure Outfitters also provide shuttle services the kayak rentals, please call for more information.

THE VERDE RIVER: The Verde River is great for first-time boaters and great for family fun. A jewel in the desert; this majestic river is federally designated as “Wild & Scenic”, running 200 miles along three national forests and offers unlimited possibilities for boaters and sightseers. The well-channeled Verde River allows Sedona Adventure Outfitters to operate river trips all year round so come and experience the unparalleled beauty whether it be a guided tour or your own river adventure.

For more information on how you can boat the Verde River this spring please call Sedona Adventure Outfitters & Guides at 928.204.6440 or visit the website at www.SedonaAdventureTours.com. Feel free to visit the store location at 2020 Contractors Drive in Sedona, across from the Bashas Shopping Center in west Sedona.

Around Sedona

 Joel Gilgoff, associate broker, president
RE/MAX Sedona

What’s Happening:

http://www.sedonaaz.gov/tourism/acEvents2.aspx
http://www.sedona.net/index.cfm?Render=EventCalendar_ViewEvents

The first Friday of each month continues to be a special event at 15 Sedona art galleries. Stop at any gallery and hop on the free trolley to see all the rest. For information call 282-3809.

Yavapai College has an extensive 2007-2008 community events season with everything from the Prescott Pops Symphony to the annual Cowboy Poets gathering.

For information visit www.yc.edu/communityevents.

City Business:

The City of Sedona has approved a $17.7 million bond issue which will enable construction of a City sewer in the Chapel area, drainage improvement to the Chapel area, drainage improvements to the Harmony/Windsong area in West Sedona plus the City’s contribution to the Phase 2 Highway 179 reconstruction.

Sedona’s ban on very short-term vacation rentals has been reinforced with a new ordinance making the advertising of short term rentals as well as the act of renting on a short term basis, illegal. Violation of the ban is a Class 1 misdemeanor and can carry a maximum fine of $2,500 and up to 6 months in jail. The City is serious about enforcing this ban on rentals of less than 30 days.

The City of Sedona has hired their first Senior Advocate. With more than 25% of the city’s population over 65 years old, the city felt a responsibility to provide a contact person for information about services in the city, county, state and federal agencies both public and private to this segment of the community. Anne Leap, a Sedona resident since 1998 and a 30 year veteran of a career in social services, has been hired for this position.

New Developments:

Camp Soaring Eagle is being built on 55 acres of land adjoining the Verde Valley School. This free camp will give children with serious illnesses a chance to “soar like an eagle”. Campers will be able to ride horses, fish, hike, climb and swim in the new Olympic size pool. The camp will also include an amphitheater, place of worship and an indoor recreation center. The camp’s annual operating costs will be funded entirely by charitable contributions. For more information visit www.campsoaringeagle.org.

City of Sedona has approved a change to its’ community plan to allow Fitch Industries to develop a hotel, conference center and new amphitheater on the grounds of Sedona’s former Cultural Park.

Developer Paul Galloway has plans to transform the dirt lot next to Walgreens on Highway 89A into a beautiful mixed use development. The project known as Kallof Place will include 14 commercial units as well as 13 residential condominiums. Paul also has plans for major developments along Highway 89A west of Dry Creek Road and east of Airport Road.

Highway Construction:

We recommend that during ongoing construction of Highway 179 visitors coming to Sedona from Phoenix come via Highway 260 (Hwy. 17 exit 287) – proceed west to Hwy. 89A – then north to Sedona. This will avoid any possible Hwy 179 construction delays.

The contract for construction of Phase 2 of Highway 179 entering Sedona has been awarded. Phase 2 contains the area from Back O’Beyond Road to the “Y” intersection with Highway 89A. This four mile stretch will include a new bridge over Oak Creek plus a new pedestrian bridge just north of the current Oak Creek bridge. Southwest Asphalt Paving will begin work around the 1st of January on the $39.9 million project. The project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2009. The contract calls for no closures of the road.

Grants totaling approximately $1 million have been awarded for highway enhancements in the Phase 1 area of the new Highway 179. The grants will be used for landscaping, benches, bike stands and pedestrian lighting. However, no money has been allocated for ongoing maintenance of these improvements. The residents of the VOC area will be voting on the creation of a new taxing district to raise funds for ongoing maintenance.

The northernmost roundabout in the Phase 1 project has opened at Back O’Beyond Road. This is the first of 12 planned roundabouts in the Highway reconstruction project.

The Sedona Visitor’s Center remodeling is now complete. The center has a much expanded visitor service area and will soon have electronic kiosks to service the needs of more than 300,000 annual visitor center walk-ins. The building is really beautiful – stop by to check it out on your next Sedona trip.

Possible new developments in the city:

Two office buildings and 40 units of lodging across the street from the Les Springs Subdivision in West Sedona.

A possible 48 unit residential condominium project called “Falls at Oak Creek”. The project will include the redevelopment of the Oak Creek Mobile Lodge property along SR 179.

A 9 lot single family residential subdivision called “Seven Vistas” located at the intersection of Badger Drive and Lynx Drive in the chapel area.

A possible new 7 lot single family residential subdivision located just west of the Basha’s shopping center on Payne Place.

A new 20 unit motel to replace the existing 14 unit Red Rock Lodge located north of uptown along 89A.

A possible 11 unit single family residential subdivision on 4.8 acres off Schnebly Hill Road.

Remodeling of the old office building/gallery space on Schnebly Hill Road at the junction of 179.

Possible development of an assisted living facility to be located on the northwest corner of SR 89A and Bristlecone Pines Road.

Possible condominium conversion of the Vivienda Apartments located on Jordan Road.

Possible conversion of an existing apartment complex on Coffee Pot Road to condominiums including construction of additional units. This would require a zone change.

Miscellaneous Around Sedona:

Tiger Splash, Out of Africa Wildlife Park’s newest attraction, opened to the public on September 29th. This ½ hour daily show features wild tigers playing with their trainers in a large custom designed swimming pool.

The Barking Frog Grille which recently opened in West Sedona has just opened “The Reserve” featuring southwest cuisine, steaks and seafood, contained within the same facility.

Blazin’ M Ranch Chuckwagon Dinner Show is celebrating its 13th anniversary. The ranch owned by the Mabery family since 1966 has nightly performances of a cowboy musical suitable for family members of all ages. This is a fun thing to do while visiting Sedona. For more information, visit www.blazinm.com.

In preparation for the opening of the new Red Rock Forest Service Office on Highway 179, the forest service has closed the Mormon Lake Ranger Station.

A new gallery has opened in Jerome. The Stahlcraft Gallery features custom steel furniture in a Frank Lloyd Wright, Stickley, Arts and Crafts motif. The gallery also features several local artists’ work in charcoal, oils, stain glass and glicee prints.

Saturday nights are Art Walk Nights in Jerome. The 30 participating galleries and studios feature ever changing art, music and other talents. For information visit www.jeromeartwalk.com.

A new entertainment venue has opened within driving distance of Sedona. Tim’s Toyota Center, located in Prescott Valley, will feature top name entertainment easily accessible by Sedona visitors and residents. Upcoming events include Dorothy Hamill in Broadway on Ice, Andy Williams Christmas Show, Blue Man Group, Tom Jones, Alan Jackson.

For information visit www.timstoyotacenter.com.

A new restaurant has opened in Sedona to excellent reviews. Elote Café, specializing in regional Mexican cuisine, is located at the Kings Ransom Hotel on highway 179. They are open for dinner only Tues-Sat from 5pm.

The Museum of Northern Arizona is hosting their 18th Annual Trappings of the American West Exhibition. Trappings presents a showcase of functional and fine art of the American Cowboy. This juried sales exhibition featuring the work of 75 artists from 14 Western states will run through January 6, 2008. For information see www.musnaz.org.

The Sedona Dream Theater, located in the former Super Vue Theater in the Village of Oak Creek, is now open. This new venue will present live acts as well as independent and commercial feature films. For schedules visit www.sedonatheater.com.

Petrified Forest National Park is a 2 ½ hour drive northeast of Sedona. This is one of the few parks that has experienced a dramatic drop in attendance. It has some very interesting nature trails which include many areas of petrified wood and remnants of the dinosaurs which roamed this area.

The Goldenstein Gallery, located in Uptown Sedona, has just doubled in size. The gallery featuring contemporary works of art and custom furnishings is a must see on any visit to Sedona.

Have you ever heard of the Verde Valley Sinfonietta? The Sinfonietta will perform their 2007/2008 concert series with three different conductors. The first concert led by David Cripps of Flagstaff will be held December 15th and 16th.

A new Italian dessert place has opened in the Hillside Shopping Center. Zelo Cosi features Italian coffee and sodas, antipasto salad, smoothies, panini sandwiches and lots more. They also have WIFI available.

Forty six descriptive photos of Sedona’s pioneer days are on display at the Arizona Memory Project website. The images are entitled “History of Sedona” and were created by Sedona Historical Society volunteers. You can view the images at www.azmemory.lib.az.us.

Sedona Chamber Music is celebrating its 25th season of “magical music in the red rocks”. This season includes 10 concerts featuring 3 Grammy award winning ensembles and artists. For information and schedules see www.chambermusicsedona.org.

Events continue weekly at Red Rock State Park. For information call 282-6907.

Around Sedona

September / October 2007
Joel Gilgoff, associate broker, president
RE/MAX Sedona

What’s Happening:

http://www.sedonaaz.gov/tourism/acEvents2.aspx

http://www.sedona.net/index.cfm?Render=EventCalendar_ViewEvents

Fiesta del Tlaquepaque returns on September 8th from 10AM to 6PM. Admission is free. The 34th Annual Fiesta will have continuous entertainment from folkloric dancing, flamenco dancing, arts and crafts, food, mariachis and plenty of kid’s activities.

The Annual Coconino County Fair is open August 30th to September 3rd at Fort Tuthill County Park 3 miles south of Flagstaff.

The first Friday of each month continues to be a special event at 15 Sedona art galleries. Stop at any gallery and hop on the free trolley to see all the rest. For information call 282-3809.

Sedona is again planning a Western Americana Day. This year’s event will take place on Saturday September 22nd at Sedona Airport. Featured will be airplanes, classic cars and a community festival.

Sedona Jazz on the Rocks tickets are now available. This year’s annual highlight event will begin Tuesday 9/25 and run through Sunday 9/30 at various venues and locations throughout the Sedona area. The highlight of the weekend will be an all day jazz festival 10:30 AM – 5:30 PM Saturday 9/29 on the grassy knoll of the Radisson Poco Diablo resort. For tickets and information visit www.sedonajazz.com.

Yavapai College has an extensive 2007-2008 community events season with everything from the Prescott Pops Symphony to the annual Cowboy Poets gathering. For information visit

www.yc.edu/communityevents.

City Business:

Sedona Red Rock High School has initiated their own hospitality program. Sedona’s work force includes 7660 workers employed in hotels and restaurants. More than 60 Red Rock High School students are enrolled in this program which was developed by the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute. If these students decide to pursue a career in hotel or culinary arts they will be welcome additions to the Sedona economy.

The Sedona City Council has unanimously endorsed the latest proposal for “Barbara’s Park”. Plans for the 2 acre park include an open air shaded venue for 300 people. The project is being funded namely by private donations.

Fitch Industries (who are currently under contract to purchase the former cultural park land) has settled its long running dispute with Yavapai College. The plan agreed upon will allow Fitch to trade 5.4 acres of its property for the 5 acres of Yavapai College’s property on the former Sedona Cultural Park site. The contract also resolves all past agreements between the college and the Cultural Park. Fitch Industries as of this writing has not yet purchased any of the Cultural Park land.

Marie Brown, the first employee of the City of Sedona, recently retired after working 19 years for the City. Much of the time Marie worked as Sedona’s City Clerk and ended her career as the Assistant City Manager.

The City is considering making several of the uptown streets one way. Van Deren Road and Wilson Road are narrow and difficult to traverse with fire equipment or other emergency vehicles.

New Developments:

Highway Construction: We recommend that during ongoing construction of Highway 179 visitors coming to Sedona from Phoenix come via Highway 260 (Hwy. 17 exit 287) – proceed west to Hwy. 89A – then north to Sedona. This will avoid any possible Hwy 179 construction delays.

The Sedona Visitor’s Center remodeling is almost complete. Completion of the total remodel is now scheduled for the first week in September (the kiosks will follow a month or so later). When complete, the center will have a much expanded visitor service area and electronic kiosks to service the needs of more than 300,000 annual visitor center walk-ins. The building is really beautiful – stop by to check it out on your next Sedona trip.

Possible new developments in the city:

Two office buildings and 40 units of lodging across the street from the Les Springs Subdivision in West Sedona.

A possible 48 unit residential condominium project called “Falls at Oak Creek”. The project will include the redevelopment of the Oak Creek Mobile Lodge property along SR 179.

A 9 lot single family residential subdivision called “Seven Vistas” located at the intersection of Badger Drive and Lynx Drive in the chapel area.

A possible new 7 lot single family residential subdivision located just west of the Basha’s shopping center on Payne Place.

A new 20 unit motel to replace the existing 14 unit Red Rock Lodge located north of uptown along 89A.

A possible 11 unit single family residential subdivision on 4.8 acres off Schnebly Hill Road.

Remodeling of the old office building/gallery space on Schnebly Hill Road at the junction of 179.

Possible development of an assisted living facility to be located on the northwest corner of SR 89A and Bristlecone Pines Road.

Possible condominium conversion of the Vivienda Apartments located on Jordan Road.

Possible conversion of an existing apartment complex on Coffee Pot Road to condominiums including construction of additional units. This would require a zone change.

Miscellaneous Around Sedona:

Janeen Trevillyan, a volunteer for the Sedona Historical Society, in concert with Lisa Schnebly Heidinger (great-granddaughter of Sedona Schnebly) have written a 127 page book on Sedona’s history. The book contains chapters on Sedona’s first families, farms and orchards, tourism and travel and the Schnebly family. The book is entitled Images of America: Sedona.

A new Italian dessert place is opening in the Hillside Shopping Center. Zelo Cosi will feature Italian coffee and sodas, antipasto salad, smoothies, panini sandwiches and lots more. They plan to also have WIFI available.

Javelinas on Parade, Sedona’s public art project, will continue on display through November 2007. Javelinas on Parade, a 104 page book of photographs and stories, is now available for sale. The book is available at the Southwest Inn or on the Javelina website www.javelinasonparade.com for a cost of $20.00. Proceeds from book sales will be used to support Sedona’s art community. The project will culminate on November 10 with a gala auction scheduled to be held at the Sedona Hilton. Limited tickets are now on sale. Contact the chamber of commerce for information.

Casa Rincon Restaurant has closed and the building has been sold to the owner of the Cowboy Club, Tom Gilloman. A new restaurant named The Barking Frog is now open. The Barking Frog (named after Tom’s brother’s former restaurant) serves an extensive menu of southwest dishes including an extensive wine menu.

Forty six descriptive photos of Sedona’s pioneer days are on display at the Arizona Memory Project website. The images are entitled “History of Sedona” and were created by Sedona Historical Society volunteers. You can view the images at www.azmemory.lib.az.us.

Sedona Chamber Music is celebrating its 25th season of “magical music in the red rocks”. This season includes 10 concerts featuring 3 grammy award winning ensembles and artists. For information and schedules see

www.chambermusicsedona.org.

The Northern Arizona’s Opera’s Luxury Home and Classic Car Tour is scheduled for October 6th and 7th. Visitors may tour one of a kind luxury homes while viewing beautifully restored classic cars parked outside each unique home. For information call 284-3034.

The Verde Valley Home and Business Expo will bring together merchants from Sedona, Camp Verde and Cottonwood on September 8th at the Verde Valley Fairgrounds located in Cottonwood. Last year’s event had 80 exhibitors displaying to over 1200 attendees. This fun event is a great way to meet your neighborhood businesses and get some great deals on many local products and services.

Slide Rock State Park’s Apple Orchard will be going organic. The park contains about 10 acres of apple trees. The process of going from chemical fertilizers to organic status typically takes about 3 years.

The Sedona Film Office has been busy fielding requests for location shoots in Sedona. Recent projects include a print shoot by Getty Images, a Grisley Peaks Films independent feature, an SUV commercial, a television series pilot and CBS Channel 5’s “Entertainment Weekly”.

Events continue weekly at Red Rock State Park. For information call 282-6907.

Around Sedona

July / August 2007
Joel Gilgoff, associate broker, president
RE/MAX Sedona

What’s Happening: Click on the links below to get a current list of events in and around the Sedona area.

http://www.sedonaaz.gov/tourism/acEvents2.aspx

http://www.sedona.net/index.cfm?Render=EventCalendar_ViewEvents

The first Friday of each month continues to be a special event at 15 Sedona art galleries. Stop at any gallery and hop on the free trolley to see all the rest. For information call 282-3809.

Sedona is again planning a Western Americana Day. This year’s event will take place on Saturday September 22nd at Sedona Airport. Featured will be airplanes, classic cars and a community festival.

Shakespeare Sedona continues with Romeo and Juliet being presented at Tlaquepaque through July 14th. For information see www.shakespearesedona.com.

Sedona Jazz on the Rocks tickets are now available. This year’s annual highlight event will begin Tuesday 9/25 and run through Sunday 9/30 at various venues and locations throughout the Sedona area. The highlight of the weekend will be an all day jazz festival 10:30 AM – 5:30 PM Saturday 9/29 on the grassy knoll of the Radisson Poco Diablo resort. For tickets and information visit www.sedonajazz.com.

Northern Arizona University has an opening Monday July 9th of three separate exhibitions. For details see www.nau.edu/artmuseum.

Local photographer Robert Albrecht has several images on display in the Phippen Art Museum in Prescott. The Phippen Museum is located just north of Prescott on Hwy. 89A.

The 6th Annual Red Rocks Music Festival kicks off on Saturday 8/25 at 7pm at the Jewish Community Center of Sedona. For information visit www.redrockmusicfestival.com.

The Opera League of Northern Arizona Home Tour and Classic Car Show will be held Saturday and Sunday October 6th and 7th. For information call 284-3034.

“Local Color” is the theme of the Jerome Artists Cooperative Annual Summer Membership Show. The show features special works by all of their gallery members and will run through August 1st. For information visit www.jeromeartistscoop.com.

Yavapai College has an extensive 2007-2008 community events season with everything from the Prescott Pops Symphony to the annual Cowboy Poets gathering. For information visit www.yc.edu/communityevents.

City Business:

The City’s Roadrunner Shuttle service has carried over 40,000 people in its first 7 months of operation. The City has added summer van routes to the shuttle which will take passengers from the Uptown Municipal Parking Lot to the Sedona Public Library (located behind the Southwest Inn) with 12 stops in between. The new van route is mainly designed for local teens to get around during the summer but may be used by tourists as well. A day pass costs only $1.00.

The Sedona swimming pool located at the West Sedona Elementary School is now open for all to use.

Yavapai County has increased their construction impact fees to $3,400. The City of Sedona’s residential impact fees are $14,590, Flagstaff’s impact fees total $17,243. Many of the other local communities which currently do not have fees are strongly considering them.

Yavapai County:

The County approved an agreement with the American Safety Razor Company that will allow them to use the Burma Shave trademark on their road signs.

Sedona Shadows, located about 3 miles west of Sedona, has received approval to add 10 more manufactured home pads to its existing 210 sites on its 39 acre parcel.

The final plat for the Retreat on Oak Creek subdivision consisting of 38 single family residential lots on approximately 111 acres has been approved. The subdivision is located south of Red Rock Loop Road at the end of Loy Lane.

New Developments:

Highway Construction: We recommend that during ongoing construction of Highway 179 visitors coming to Sedona from Phoenix come via Highway 260 (Hwy. 17 exit 287) – proceed west to Hwy. 89A – then north to Sedona. This will avoid any possible Hwy 179 construction delays.

Construction on the new $10.5 million Red Rock Ranger Station and Visitors Center is ongoing with completion scheduled for early in 2008. The station is located on Hwy. 179 approximately 1 ½ miles south of the Village of Oak Creek. When completed, the building will encompass 25,395 sq. ft. and will service approximately 700 visitors a day. It will house 86 forest service employees plus visitor center staff and volunteers. The construction is running ahead of schedule at this time.

The Sedona City Council has committed to join a regional task force with the goal of making Sedona a bicycle friendly community. The committee will access current and future planned trails to make sure they are bicycle friendly and create signage and maps for the public.

The Fitch Company is holding public information meetings to discuss their plans for Phase 2 of the Cultural Park Land. Fitch is hoping that the city will approve construction of a hotel on the property which is currently zoned for only community facilities. I feel that the public will strongly object to this proposal.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a recent decision to protect the San Francisco Peaks from Arizona Snowbowl’s plan to expand its 777 acre facility and implement the use of treated sewage to make artificial snow. This 64 page ruling was issued in favor of a coalition of Arizona Indian tribes including Navajo, Havasupai, White Mountain Apache and several other Indian tribes. The tribes all claim that San Francisco Peaks is part of their sacred land.

The Sedona Visitor’s Center remodeling is well underway. Completion of the total remodel is now scheduled for the first week in September. When complete, the center will have a much expanded visitor service area and electronic kiosks to service the needs of more than 300,000 annual visitor center walk-ins.

Open Road Tours has begun daily shuttles between Sedona and Flagstaff. The twice daily shuttle is aimed at people taking the Amtrack train into Flagstaff. For information, see www.openroadtours.com.

The Sedona Fire District is planning to issue up to $22 million in new bonding for capital improvements including a new fire station in the Chapel area of Sedona and eventually one in the Red Rock Loop Road area. The fire department feels that the upcoming implementation of round-a-bouts on Hwy. 179 will slow their response time and require more local fire stations.

A new development to be located on 4.45 acres at the southeast corner of Hwy. 89A and Pinon Drive is proposed to contain 28 residential units and about 50,000 sq. ft. of retail and office space.

Possible new developments in the city:

Two office buildings and 40 units of lodging across the street from the Les Springs Subdivision in West Sedona.

A possible 48 unit residential condominium project called “Falls at Oak Creek”. The project will include the redevelopment of the Oak Creek Mobile Lodge property along SR 179.

A 9 lot single family residential subdivision called “Seven Vistas” located at the intersection of Badger Drive and Lynx Drive in the chapel area.

A possible new 7 lot single family residential subdivision located just west of the Basha’s shopping center on Payne Place.

A new 20 unit motel to replace the existing 14 unit Red Rock Lodge located north of uptown along 89A.

A possible 11 unit single family residential subdivision on 4.8 acres off Schnebly Hill Road.

Remodeling of the old office building/gallery space on Schnebly Hill Road at the junction of 179.

Miscellaneous Around Sedona:

Javelinas on Parade, Sedona’s public art project, will continue on display through November 2007. “Javelinas on Parade”, a 104 page book of photographs and stories, is now available for sale. The book is available at the Southwest Inn or on the Javelina website www.javelinasonparade.com for a cost of $20.00. Proceeds from book sales will be used to support Sedona’s art community.

Out of Africa Wildlife Park (25 minutes south of Sedona) has just opened its first “community aviary”. The aviary will be a permanent part of the park and feature over 90 birds.

Casa Rincon Restaurant has closed and the building has been sold to the owner of the Cowboy Club, Tom Gilomen. A new restaurant named The Barking Frog is scheduled to open later in July.

Events continue weekly at Red Rock State Park. For information call 282-6907.

A new tourist attraction has opened at the West Rim of the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon Sky Walk is said to hover 4,000 ft. above the canyon floor with an 140 ft. long 10 ft. wide clear glass pathway allowing visitors to walk out above the canyon and peer down to the bottom. The sky walk is about a 4 ½ hour drive from Sedona over at least 17 miles of dirt road. If this is a must in your itinerary it can be seen on your way to Las Vegas. Cost for this short look is $75.00. In our opinion, the best way to see the Grand Canyon is to take an air tour out of Sedona Airport or Las Vegas Airport.

Julie Hyde, formerly of Quincy, California, recently moved to Sedona and opened Julie’s Design and Upholstery. She has over 22 years experience upholstering antique furniture to modern custom orders. For information call her at 204-5881.

Readers of AmericanStyle magazine ranked Sedona the #2 Small City in the 10th Annual Top 25 Arts Destination reader’s poll. Climbing three places from last year’s ranking, Sedona has appeared on AmericanStyle magazine’s Top 25 Arts Destination list 8 times since the polls inception. This is Sedona’s highest ranking to date.

The Sedona City Council endorsed an effort of a professional rock climbing team to scale El Capitan in Yosemite National Park on July 4th. The team will be carrying a City of Sedona flag.

The Sedona Raw Café has reopened with Bliss Chocolate. The new restaurant is known as Café Bliss and Chocolate. The restaurant will continue to serve raw and living vegan items, daily specials and beverages along with raw chocolate and desserts.

Several new websites will assist you in obtaining the best airfare if you are planning to fly to Phoenix on your way to Sedona. Check out www.farecast.com, www.airfarewatchdog.com and www.kayak.com for deals on flights and car rentals.

Around Sedona

May / June 2007
Joel Gilgoff, associate broker, president
RE/MAX Sedona

What’s Happening: Click on the links below to get a current list of events in and around the Sedona area.

http://www.sedonaaz.gov/tourism/acEvents2.aspx

http://www.sedona.net/index.cfm?Render=EventCalendar_ViewEvents

The first Friday of each month continues to be a special event at 15 Sedona art galleries. Stop at any gallery and hop on the free trolley to see all the rest. For information call 282-3809.

Have you ever taken a tour of Tuzigoot National Monument? A 25 minute drive from the Southwest Inn will take you back over 600 years to a time when the Sinagua Indians inhabited this area. The population of Tuzigoot was about 300 people.

Sedona is again planning a Western Americana Day. This year’s event will take place on Saturday September 22nd at Sedona Airport. Featured will be airplanes, classic cars and a community festival.

City Business:

The City is in the process of creating their 2007-2008 budget. They are making some difficult decisions in prioritizing where their limited funds should be spent. Some initial cuts involve delaying the striping of bicycle lanes on 89A until ADOT resurfaces the highway. They are also reevaluating the cost of the Roadrunner Shuttle System to see if it is cost justified.

Big Park Community School was rated one of Arizona’s 20 best schools out of field of more than 800.

New Developments:

Funding issues have delayed the proposed Creek Walk Project. The City is looking at a scaled back design costing about 1/3 of the original $2.3 million. The new design would extend only from the Crystal Castle to Cedar’s Resort.

Highway Construction: We recommend that during ongoing construction of Highway 179 visitors to Sedona come via Highway 260 (Hwy 17 exit 287) – proceed west to Hwy 89A – then north to Sedona. This will avoid any possible Hwy 179 construction delays. Oak Creek Canyon which was closed for about 10 days for road repair is now open.

Construction on the new $10.5 million Red Rock Ranger Station and Sedona Visitors Center is ongoing with completion scheduled for early in 2008. The station is located on Hwy. 179 approximately 1 ½ miles south of the Village of Oak Creek. When completed, the building will encompass 25,395 sq. ft. and will service approximately 700 visitors a day. It will house 86 forest service employees plus Sedona chamber staff and volunteers. The construction is running ahead of schedule at this time.

The Sedona City Council has committed to join a regional task force with the goal of making Sedona a bicycle friendly community. The committee will access current and future planned trails to make sure they are bicycle friendly and create signage and maps for the public.

The Marketplace at Flagstaff Mall, a 40 acre shopping and dining development is planned for just east of the existing mall. Plans call for the mall to begin opening in October 2007. Stores include Marshall’s, Best Buy, Old Navy, Linens n’Things, Cost Plus World Market and Petco. Home Depot will also open a 2nd Flagstaff location within the development. Preliminary plans also call for a 10 screen movie theater. In the interim, the existing mall’s food court is undergoing remodeling and will remain closed until October.

The Fitch Company is holding public information meetings to discuss their plans for Phase 2 of the Cultural Park Land. Fitch is hoping that the city will approve construction of a conference center and hotel on the property which is currently zoned for only community facilities. I feel that the public will strongly object to this proposal.

A new 30 lot single family residential subdivision called “Hillside Vista Estates” located west of Bristlecone Pines Road in West Sedona was recommended for approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission.

An existing residence has been approved for use as a three unit bed and breakfast. The home is located on the northwest corner of Forest Road and Van Deren Road in Uptown Sedona.

The Sedona Chamber of Commerce Visitor’s Center is closed for remodeling. Construction began this week and should be completed in about 5 months. A temporary visitor’s center is operating in the Sedona Center (about 1,000 ft. north of the old visitor’s center on the other side of the highway).

Possible new developments in the city:

Two office buildings and 40 units of lodging across the street from the Les Springs Subdivision in West Sedona.

A possible 48 unit residential condominium project called “Falls at Oak Creek”. The project will include the redevelopment of the Oak Creek Mobile Lodge property along SR 179.

A 9 lot single family residential subdivision called “Seven Vistas” located at the intersection of Badger Drive and Lynx Drive in the chapel area.

Possible redevelopment of the Loma Casi Resort and adjacent commercially zoned property.

A possible new 7 lot single family residential subdivision located just west of the Basha’s shopping center on Payne Place.

A new 20 unit motel to replace the existing 14 unit Red Rock Lodge located north of uptown along 89A.

A possible 11 unit single family residential subdivision on 4.8 acres off Schnebly Hill Road.

A possible 60 ft. tall cell tower located on the Hyatt Resort Property in Uptown. The applicant, T-Mobile, is proposing to disguise the cell tower as a pine tree. (Might be a great place for Christmas lights.)

Remodeling of the old office building/gallery space on Schnebly Hill Road at the junction of 179.

A possible new building behind the existing strip center at 89A and Dry Creek Road.

Sedona Roads:

ADOT’s great experiment with roundabouts is beginning to take shape in Sedona. The first roundabouts at Back O’ Beyond Road and at Ridge Trail will be completed later this year. ADOT is considering giving education classes to the public in how to use the roundabouts. For info www.azdot.gov and search the site for roundabout.

Birding:

Birding is quickly becoming one of America’s top hobbies. The Sedona area has over 350 species of birds that either live in the area or migrate through it. Spring is top migration time, it seems that birds love Sedona as much as tourists do and stop on their flight between South America and Canada. The 2007 Verde Valley Birding and Nature Festival will run from April 26th – April 29th at Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Cottonwood.

Miscellaneous Around Sedona:

Javelinas on Parade, Sedona’s public art project, will continue on display through November 2007. “Javelinas on Parade”, a 104 page book of photographs and stories, is now available for sale. The book is available at the Southwest Inn or on the Javelina website www.javelinasonparade.com for a cost of $20.00. Proceeds from book sales will be used to support Sedona’s art community.

The Museum of Northern Arizona features a new exhibit: “Lasting Light: The Photography of the Grand Canyon”. Sixty images representing the work of 26 fine art photographers will be on display through June 17th. For more information visit www.musnaz.org

Out of Africa Wildlife Park (25 minutes south of Sedona) has just opened its’ first “community aviary”. The aviary will be a permanent part of the park and feature over 90 birds.

Casa Rincon Restaurant has closed and the building has been sold to the brother of the owner of the Cowboy Club. The building will become a new steak house later this year.

Events continue weekly at Red Rock State Park. For information call 282-6907.

Nate Schreiber, the executive chef for the three Cliff Castle restaurants, was named to the top 100 chefs in America.

Now that the Uptown Enhancement Project is complete, it’s time to take a look back at Uptown’s history. Two of Sedona’s businesses which opened in the late 1940’s are still in existence – the Hitching Post Restaurant and Rollies Camera. Thirty-five years ago Bill Pepparos owned The Turtle which has since changed its name to The Orchards Restaurant.

Sedona’s oldest art gallery is also still in existence. Most tourists pass Treasure Art Gallery on Highway 179 (you may mistake it as a house) without noticing it. The gallery was built in 1961 by one of Sedona’s first master artists Stephen Juharos and is open Mon-Sat 10AM-6PM.

Wildflower season is happening throughout Arizona at this time of year. There are lots of sites that report the best viewing areas. Search Google for “Arizona Wildflowers” for reports of the best sighting areas for the dates you plan to be in Arizona.

Sedona artist Jan Sitts has released her latest book “TextureColorFeeling”. For information see her website www.jansitts.com

Around Sedona

March / April 2007

Joel Gilgoff, associate broker, president

RE/MAX Sedona

What’s Happening:

Click on the links below to get a current list of events in and around the Sedona area.

http://www.sedonaaz.gov/tourism/acEvents2.aspx

http://www.sedona.net/index.cfm?Render=EventCalendar_ViewEvents

The first Friday of each month continues to be a special event at 15 Sedona art galleries. Stop at any gallery and hop on the free trolley to see all the rest. For information call 282-3809.

The Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra will present seven concerts at Northern Arizona University’s Ardrey Auditorium running through April, 2007. In addition, the orchestra will offer two free summer 2007 concerts at Coconino County’s new Pine Mountain Amphitheatre at Fort Tuthill.

New Developments:

Construction on the new $10.5 million Red Rock Ranger Station and Sedona Visitors Center is ongoing with completion scheduled for early in 2008. The station is located on Hwy. 179 approximately 1 ½ miles south of the Village of Oak Creek. When completed, the building will encompass 25,395 sq. ft. and will service approximately 700 visitors a day. It will house 86 forest service employees plus Sedona chamber staff and volunteers. The construction is running ahead of schedule at this time.

The Sedona City Council has committed to join a regional task force with the goal of making Sedona a bicycle friendly community. The committee will access current and future planned trails to make sure they are bicycle friendly and create signage and maps for the public.

The City Council has approved off track betting for ILX Resorts. Patrons visiting “On the Rocks Bar” will be able to place bets on horse races taking place at Turf Paradise (Phoenix).

The Marketplace at Flagstaff Mall, a 40 acre shopping and dining development is planned for just east of the existing mall. Plans call for the mall to begin opening in October 2007. Stores include Marshall’s, Best Buy, Old Navy, Linens n’Things, Cost Plus World Market and Petco. Home Depot will also open a 2nd Flagstaff location within the development. Preliminary plans also call for a 10 screen movie theater. In the interim, the existing mall’s food court is undergoing remodeling and will remain closed until October.

Keep Sedona Beautiful has announced the recipients of their 2006 architecture and lighting awards. The winners were Desert Hills Bank, Tequa Plaza, and the Masters Bible Church.

The Sedona Fire District Governing Board has approved the purchase of 1.52 acres of land in the Chapel area to build a new fire station.

Highway Construction:

We recommend that during ongoing construction of Highway 179 visitors to Sedona come via Highway 260 (Hwy 17 exit 287) – proceed west to Hwy 89A – then north to Sedona. This will avoid any possible Hwy 179 construction delays. Oak Creek Canyon which was closed for about 10 days for road repair is now open.

Sedona’s first two roundabouts should be complete in July. They will be located at Back O’Beyond Road and Bell Rock Blvd. on Highway 179.

Possible new developments in the city:

Two office buildings and 40 units of lodging across the street from the Les Springs Subdivision in West Sedona.

A possible 48 unit residential condominium project called “Falls at Oak Creek”. The project will include the redevelopment of the Oak Creek Mobile Lodge property along SR 179.

A 9 lot single family residential subdivision called “Seven Vistas” located at the intersection of Badger Drive and Lynx Drive in the chapel area.

A new 30 lot single family residential subdivision called “Hillside Vista Estates” located west of Bristlecone Pines Road in West Sedona.

Possible redevelopment of the Loma Casi Resort and adjacent commercially zoned property.

A possible new 7 lot single family residential subdivision located just west of the Basha’s shopping center on Payne Place.

Birding:

Birding is quickly becoming one of America’s top hobbies. The Sedona area has over 350 species of birds that either live in the area or migrate through it. Spring is top migration time, it seems that birds love Sedona as much as tourists do and stop on their flight between South America and Canada. The 2007 Verde Valley Birding and Nature Festival will run from April 26th – April 29th at Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Cottonwood.

Miscellaneous Around Sedona:

Javelinas on Parade, Sedona’s public art project, will continue on display through November 2007. Javelinas on Parade, a 104 page book of photographs and stories, is now available for sale. The book is available at the Southwest Inn or on the Javelina website www.javelinasonparade.com for a cost of $20.00. Proceeds from book sales will be used to support Sedona’s art community.

Cliff Castle Casino has been voted the #1 casino in Arizona for the 8th consecutive year by Arizona Business Magazine. The casino, located about 25 minutes from Sedona, is open 24/7 every day of the year.

The Vienna Boys Choir will perform on March 16th in Sedona under the auspices of Chamber Music Sedona. For information visit www.chambermusicsedona.org

The 37th Annual Sedona St. Patrick’s Day Parade will begin at 10:30 AM on March 17th.

The Museum of Northern Arizona features a new exhibit: “Lasting Light: The Photography of the Grand Canyon”. Sixty images representing the work of 26 fine art photographers will be on display through June 17th. For more information visit www.musnaz.org

Out of Africa Wildlife Park (25 minutes south of Sedona) has just opened its’ first “community aviary”. The aviary will be a permanent part of the park and feature over 90 birds.

The Sedona Dog Park will soon open. The park is located off Soldier’s Pass Road in West Sedona.

Casa Rincon Restaurant has closed. The building will soon reopen as a Moroccan Nightclub.

The Sedona Airport now sees approximately 50,000 landings per year. The airport, which has no scheduled commercial flights, is used by commuting business executives and other general aviation traffic.

The Sedona Marathon which was held February 10th this year will repeat itself on February 8, 2008. This year’s marathon drew approximately 1,500 entrants.

The 13th Annual Sedona Film Festival was held February 28th through March 4th and screened over 150 films. Tickets will soon be available for next year’s event.

The nation’s leading exercise program for seniors is coming to the Sedona Community Center with a new class “Silver Sneakers 1 – Muscular Strength and Range of Movement”.

Daniel Petrie, Jr., screenwriter/producer/director, was the guest speaker at the Annual Sedona Chamber of Commerce Membership meeting. His movies include “Beverly Hills Cop”, “The Big Easy”, and many other popular films.

Events continue weekly at Red Rock State Park. For information call 282-6907.

Around Sedona

- January/February 2007 -

Joel Gilgoff, associate broker, president

RE/MAX Sedona

What’s Happening:

Click on the links below to get a current list of events in and around the Sedona area.

http://www.sedonaaz.gov/tourism/acEvents2.aspx

http://www.sedona.net/index.cfm?Render=EventCalendar_ViewEvents

The first Friday of each month continues to be a special event at 15 Sedona art galleries. Stop at any gallery and hop on the free trolley to see all the rest. For information call 282-3809.

The Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra will present seven concerts at Northern Arizona University’s Ardrey Auditorium running through April, 2007. In addition, the orchestra will offer two free summer 2007 concerts at Coconino County’s new Pine Mountain Amphitheatre at Fort Tuthill.

January is Chamber Music Sedona month. Four concerts are planned this month in the Sedona area. Guitarist Tom Sheeley performs Wednesday January 10th, George Winston plays January 17th and the Miro String Quartet performs January 21st. For information visit www.chambermusicsedona.org

February is Chocolate Month for the Verde Canyon Railway. From February 14th through the 18th enjoy appetizers, specialty coffees and chocolates while enjoying the beautiful train ride. The Southwest Inn concierge can arrange 1st class tickets for you or visit www.verdecanyonrr.com .

The second annual Sedona Marathon is scheduled for February 10th. The Marathon’s promoters will also feature a “Sedona Jam Emerging Artist Music Festival” February 10th and 11th. The event will be held at several venues located around the Sedona area. For more information visit www.sedonamarathon.com .

The Sedona Heritage Museum (located on Jordan Road) will feature an historic review of Sedona’s medical care during the month of January. The exhibit includes personal items used by Sedona’s first full time doctor, Dr. Leo Schnur. For more information visit www.sedonamuseum.org .

New Developments:

Possible new developments in the city:

ILX, owners of Los Abrigados Resort, have filed a major plan amendment request with the city and this month received approval to modify the community plan. Their plan includes a Heritage Park which would be gifted to the city and a Heritage Village consisting of 49 timeshare units in 5 two story buildings including retail space for a small market and café. The proposed Heritage Village includes a paved plaza commemorating Arizonans who have received the Congressional Medal of Honor. Also included is Knoll Village and Hillside Village containing timeshare units.

Owners of the Sedona Cultural Park had requested a community plan change for the 44 acre park. The first phase is to be a new indoor performing arts center and related shopping. This new plan was accepted by the Sedona City Council. The plan change allows for up to 40,000 sq. ft. of non-arts related commercial space and up to 160,000 sq. ft. of total building area. The second phase plan will be presented later in 2007.

Construction on the new $10.5 million Red Rock Ranger Station and Sedona Visitors Center has begun. The station is located on Hwy. 179 approximately 1 ½ miles south of the Village of Oak Creek. When completed in 2008, the building will encompass 25,395 sq. ft. and will service approximately 700 visitors a day. It will house 86 forest service employees plus Sedona chamber staff and volunteers. The construction is running ahead of schedule at this time.

A $7,000 grant has been awarded to study a giant loop trail which when completed would connect Sedona, VOC, Cornville and Cottonwood. The trail has tentatively been named The Cohnville Stage Trail in recognition of the Cohn family who originally settled Cornville. Cohnville was meant to be the name of the community now called Cornville due to a misunderstanding of the words by the U.S. Post Office.

The Cottonwood Equestrian and Animal Events Center celebrated its grand opening on December 16th. The facility consists of a brand new Priefert rodeo arena and newly worked arena footing. It will allow for use by the general public in addition to rodeos, horse shows and much more. For information call 639-3200.

Verde Valley Medical Center (Cottonwood) has an addition under construction which will add approximately 100,000 sq. ft. to the hospital and increase the number of beds from 99 to 177.

City Business:

The Uptown Enhancement Project is now complete (some street work remains on Apple Ave for the next few weeks). Sidewalks are now ADA compliant and the uptown has a fresh new appearance.

The City of Sedona has adopted a new schedule of development impact fees. Effective April 1st the fee for construction of a new single family residence will be $8,589. For more information about the fees and other City business, see www.sedonaaz.gov .

The Sedona Fire District is considering merging some of their services with neighboring fire districts to allow better service throughout Sedona and the Verde Valley.

In support of the arts, the City Council is now displaying Sedona created art in the council chambers as well as the City’s conference rooms and corridors. The art will be changed every two months so that different artists and galleries can get their turn displaying in the public spaces.

Roads:

The first phase of reconstruction of Highway 179 was begun in October and should be completed in 18 months by contractor Southwest Asphalt Paving. The existing roadway will be widened to 40 feet across between the Village of Oak Creek and Back O’Beyond Road in Sedona. The corridor passing through Coconino National Forest just north of the Village of Oak Creek will be bifurcated into a two lane highway with passing lanes. The current highway will be the southbound lane. We recommend that during this construction visitors to Sedona come via Highway 260 (Hwy 17 exit 287) – proceed west to Hwy 89A – then north to Sedona. This will avoid any possible Hwy 179 construction delays.

Miscellaneous Around Sedona:

The Camp Verde Parks and Recreation Department is holding its 8th annual Bachelor Auction Saturday January 27th at Cliff Castle Casino. Bachelors will be available for purchase along with a complete date package. For info call 567-0535.

January 5th has been declared National Bird Day in Sedona. The Institute of Ecotourism and Kunzang Palyul Choling, the local Buddhist community, will partner in this event located at Mia’s Place, a wildlife habitat. For more information call 282-2720. The Jerome Artists Cooperative Gallery will feature a new show with artist Sally Stryker and Judy Yescalis - both native Arizona artists. Starting with a reception on January 6th, the show will run through February 15th. The show will feature “found art” assembly by Sally Stryker and collage batik by Judy Yescalis.

The Museum of Northern Arizona kicks off a series of four lectures entitled “Arts and Sciences of the Colorado Plateau”. Monthly lectures which will be presented at the Sedona Church of the Red Rocks, will begin January 8th with a presentation by Andy Seagle. Events continue monthly through April. For more information call 774-5123.

The Arizona Office of Tourism is conducting a regional study, which includes Sedona, to help better understand the demographics and spending habits of our area visitors. The study will be complete in December 2007 and a report should be available in the Spring of 2008.

Around Sedona

- November/December 2006 -

Joel Gilgoff, associate broker, president

RE/MAX Sedona

Sedona Fires: In June, the Sedona area had two large brushfires. Both fires have long been completely out and there are no negative effects remaining. The Forest Service, after two months of closure, has reopened a number of the trails in the Brins Fire burn area north of Sedona. The Wilson Canyon Trail has also been reopened. Some trails still remained closed until further notice. These include Wilson Mountain and North Wilson trails. The Encinoso picnic area and Manzanita Campgrounds have also been reopened.

What’s Happening: Click on the links below to get a current list of events in and around the Sedona area.

http://www.sedonaaz.gov/tourism/acEvents2.aspx

http://www.sedona.net/index.cfm?Render=EventCalendar_ViewEvents

Red Rock Fantasy, Sedona’s annual Christmas holiday celebration begins 11/16 and will run through January 1, 2007 at Los Abrigados Resort. The displays include over 1,000,000 lights produced by Arizona families.

The first Friday of each month is a special event at 15 Sedona art galleries. Stop at any gallery and hop on the free trolley to see all the rest. For information call 282-3809.

The Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra will present seven concerts at Northern Arizona University’s Ardrey Auditorium running through April, 2007. In addition, the orchestra will offer two free summer 2007 concerts at Coconino County’s new Pine Mountain Amphitheatre at Fort Tuthill.

The annual Cottonwood Gun and Knife Show takes place 11/11 and 11/12 at the Verde Valley Fairgrounds.

New Developments: The City’s RoadRunner Transit System has begun operation. Phase 1 includes a free trolley connecting uptown, Tlaquepaque and Hillside and provides tourists continuous service every 10 minutes. Service will soon begin between Cottonwood and Sedona with two trolleys leaving Cottonwood at 8:30 am and 9:30 am – and returning from Sedona at 5:30 pm and 6:30 pm. Riders must purchase a $40 monthly pass to use the Cottonwood service.

Verde Valley Medical Center has broken ground on a $35 million expansion project estimated to take three years. The project will expand the hospital by 100,000 sq. ft. In addition, 45,000 sq.ft. of existing space will be remodeled.

A new townhouse project off Hwy. 179 in the Village of Oak Creek will soon be built. Vista del Cielo will be a 13 unit development located between Kokopelli Inn and Subway Sandwich Shop. The town homes will be two stories and 1,700 sq. ft.

Historic Don Hoel’s Cabins will bid farewell this year. These historic Oak Creek Canyon structures have been a Sedona fixture since the 1930’s. A new subdivision will be built on this property.

Possible new developments in the city:

ILX, owners of Los Abrigados Resort, have filed a major plan amendment request with the city. Their plan includes a Heritage Park which would be gifted to the city and a Heritage Village consisting of 49 timeshare units in 5 two story buildings including retail space for a small market and café. The proposed Heritage Village includes a paved plaza commemorating Arizonans who have received the Congressional Medal of Honor. Also included is Knoll Village and Hillside Village containing timeshare units. The plan for Green Roof Village a small boutique hotel has been dropped, 9 residences called The Grotto and a science institute called The Sedona Project. Total project size is estimate to be 23 acres. The plan goes before the City Council later this month.

Owners of the Sedona Cultural Park had requested a community plan change for the 44 acre park from “public/semi-public” to very low density single family residential. The plan was later revised into two phases. The first phase was to be a new indoor performing arts center and related shopping. This new plan was rejected by the planning and zoning commission because they felt that the developer (Fitch) had not completely though through their plan. They will be open to accepting a more complete plan in June 2007 when the hearings begin again for annual Community Plan updates.

Construction on the new $10.5 million Red Rock Ranger Station and Sedona Visitors Center has begun. The station is located on Hwy. 179 approximately 1/ ½ miles south of the Village of Oak Creek. When completed in 2008, the building will encompass 25,395 sq. ft. and will service approximately 700 visitors a day. It will house 86 forest service employees plus Sedona chamber staff and volunteers.

Sedona is quickly becoming “spa city”. Several new spas have opened or will open in the next month or two including “You Spa” which will be located in Tequa Plaza in the Village of Oak Creek. Owner Brandy Hunt has developed more than 200 products including lotions and bath essences all without synthetic fragrances.

Sedona Fire District is considering construction of a new fire station in the Chapel area. The district has been talking with Christ Lutheran Church about purchasing the 1 1/2 acre parcel next to the church.

The Sedona Child Development Center has opened on Brewer Road in uptown and is offering affordable preschool education and day care to local working families. The center operated by the Boys and Girls Club of Northern Arizona will cater to 2-5 year olds.

ADOT will begin reconstruction of Hwy. 89A between Cottonwood and Clarkdale in September 2007. This 2.2 mile stretch of roadway will then contain 5 new roundabouts. It appears that ADOT likes circles.

Potential new developments coming before the City Staff:

Potential 10 residential condominiums at the end of Jordan Road.

New commercial building next to Desert Hills Bank.

Proposed affordable single family residential subdivision in the Brewer Road area.

Possible redevelopment of the Oak Creek Mobile Lodge into residential condominiums with some affordable housing units.

A new project next to Walgreen’s which would include retail space and residential condominiums.

A possible 9 lot residential subdivision off Schnebly Hill Road.

City Business: The Uptown Enhancement Project is nearing completion. Current schedule calls for completion before year end. When completed, the uptown area will be ADA accessible and have wider sidewalks and improved lighting. The Cowboy Club owner, Tom Gillomen, has installed two magnificent large bronze sculptures in front of his restaurant as part of the enhancement project. One rotates and portrays a dancing couple – the other is a huge, larger than life-size, bronze horse with saddle.

The City Council has approved funding to underground the overhead power lines from the “Y” to Schnebly Hill Road as part of the Highway 179 improvement project.

The Sedona City Council has approved another alternate route study.

As part of the Hwy. 179 reconstruction, the City will contribute $2.5 million toward the under grounding of overhead power lines.

Schools: The Sedona Oak Creek School District is composed of three schools. Sedona Red Rock High School and West Sedona School have been designated “Highly Performing” by the Arizona Department of Education. Big Park Community School is designated as “Excelling” (the highest ranking available). Sedona Charter School also received a “Highly Performing” designation for 2005/2006.

Roads: The first phase of reconstruction of Highway 179 was begun in October and should be completed in 18 months by contractor Southwest Asphalt Paving. The existing roadway will be widened to 40 feet across between the Village of Oak Creek and Back O’Beyond Road in Sedona. The corridor passing through Coconino National Forest just north of the Village of Oak Creek will be bifurcated into a single lane highway with passing lanes. The current highway will be the southbound lane. We recommend that during this construction visitors to Sedona come via Highway 260 (Hwy 17 exit 287) – proceed west to Hwy 89A – then north to Sedona. This will avoid any possible Hwy 179 construction delays.

Miscellaneous Around Sedona: The Seven Canyons private Sedona golf course was voted the 26th greatest golf retreat in America by Golf Digest Index, a new magazine created for upscale golf enthusiasts.

Sedona area students will refurbish the now defunct apple orchard located near Red Rock Crossing (Arizona’s most photographed scene). The apple orchard, a part of historic Crescent Moon Ranch, is approximately 1 acre in size and almost 100 years old.

The Verde River is one of the few remaining natural waterways in Arizona. It is home to many native animals. The river now has a protected status for 30 miles of its length.

The Sedona Trolley has just celebrated its’ 13th anniversary. Owner, Armor Todd, calls his trolley a rolling Chamber of Commerce. Trolley tours are available throughout the day. Visit www.sedonatrolley.com for information.

The El Prado Gallery celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. It is located in the Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village.

The Sedona Film Festival in an effort to elevate it to one of the finest festivals in the USA will begin offering cash awards to filmmakers. Local citizens Linda and Herb Smith and Connie and Jerry Levinson have made these awards possible.

The Gallery of Modern Masters has opened in the Hillside Shopping Center.

Canyon Moon Theater Company has signed a lease for 4,100 sq. ft of space in the Oak Creek Factory Outlets. This will be the home of their 2007 theater series.

A Javalina bench by sculpture Barbara Brown will soon be placed on Jordan Road just north of Navahopi Street. The bench is part of the Jordan Sidewalk Pioneer Pathway project.

Sedona author, Dayna Dunbar, has just published her first novel “The Saints and Sinners of Okay County”. The native Oklahoman sets the story in her hometown.

Sinfonietta, Sedona and the Verde Valley’s “little symphony” will present three concert programs beginning December 15th.

The television industry is booming in Sedona. In the fiscal year July 2005 – June 2006, 29 television shows were shot in Sedona. Of these, 17 were U.S. cable network shows, three were for Canadian television, 2 for Japanese television and 3 were for the United Kingdom. These 153 days of shooting generated nearly $2.5 million in economic benefit to the Sedona Community.

Events continue weekly at Red Rock State Park. For information call 282-6907.