FLAGSTAFF — La Plaza Vieja Neighborhood Plan public meetings will continue with a “Land Use and Neighborhood Character Workshop” from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel, 224 S. Kendrick St., Flagstaff, the City of Flagstaff reported in a media release.
Future meetings to be held at the same time and location include:
- “Transportation Workshop” on Monday, Jan. 26
- “Open House with City Staff” on Thursday, Jan. 29.
Neighborhood residents, businesses and interested members of the Flagstaff community are encouraged to attend, city officials reported. This update to the Neighborhood Plan comes on the heels of recent opposition to redevelopment in the area.
The “Kickoff Meeting” was held on Nov. 12 in the in the High Country Conference Center.
Between 2008 and 2011, city staff and the Neighborhood Association drafted the original Plan. Outreach included six visioning sessions, community design charrettes, and policy discussions with the public.
The city’s Comprehensive Planning Division is in the process of updating the draft to align with new and emerging city policies, including the Zoning Code and the Flagstaff Regional Plan 2030.
Since the last draft of the Plan, several public improvement projects and residential developments have been built in the neighborhood. Student housing is quickly becoming the most pressing issue in the area. As this neighborhood feels growing redevelopment pressure, it is important that residents have another opportunity to review the Plan to ensure it reflects their values, city officials reported.
Although the parcels included in The Standard’s new application are not within the boundary of this Plan, similar zoning entitlements exist on parcels within the neighborhood.
“This Plan update is an opportunity, not just to address new concerns for the neighborhood,” Sara Dechter, the city’s comprehensive planning manager, stated in the release. “It is also an opportunity to be proactive and provide solutions that ensure future projects, of any size, are compatible with the neighborhood character.”
“La Plaza Vieja Neighborhood Association asks you to be a part of the process, we need your insight and ideas, Laura Bustamante-Myers, Neighborhood outreach director, stated in the release. “Please make every effort to attend and participate in the scheduled meetings.”
This meeting is only the first opportunity for the public to engage with the city and neighborhood on the Plan. A more in-depth round of public workshops will take place in late January 2015.
The 2011 draft of the Plan and information about all upcoming meetings is available on the city’s Comprehensive Planning website, http://tiny.cc/laplazavieja
To be added to a notification email list, or for more information, contact Sara Dechter at sdechter@flagstaffaz.gov or 928-213-2631.