The Sedona City Council and city staff discussed the motivation behind and possible amendments to the city’s Land Development Code and development incentives for affordable housing during a special meeting on Wednesday, June 12, which ended with council directing staff to begin exploring an ordinance to allow kitchens in accessory dwelling units. Council also called for improved renderings of proposed projects and their effect on the viewshed.

The Visuals

Staff explained that the LDC and DIGAH were written to prioritize preserving the land and the views of the land over facilitating the construction of additional housing units.

“Originally they were thinking about things like the views,” Principal Planner Cynthia Lovely said, while Planning Manager Cari Meyer explained that “using the right design requirements” allows staff to “get buildings to fit into the natural environment … without necessarily impacting a viewshed.” Meyer further declared that if a project is “leaving the door open that it could be short-term rentals, that’s not addressing local housing needs.”

Housing coordinator Jeanne Frieder said that staff’s goal is not to build enough housing units to supply Sedona’s need. Frieder cited the number of housing units needed in Sedona as being 1,260; the city’s housing assessment states that 1,480 to 1,515 additional units will be needed by 2025.

Following the discussion of viewshed, council members emphasized the importance of developing renderings for proposed projects that could be used to demonstrate that neighbors’ views would not be interfered with as part of the approval process for each project.

“That’s the key important piece. Prove that you’re not blocking the view for neighborhoods,” Councilwoman Melissa Dunn said. She added that she would be willing to consider approving a five-story building in an appropriate location.

“If we have the renderings and we determine that it’s good, we have to be able to have political will to approve it despite the fact that the people downhill … will never ever agree that their views are not blocked,” Councilwoman Jessica Williamson stated. She then said that neighborhoods are not “there for the 50 people who live there now, they’re there for like forever.”

“I’m kind of happy about preserving this Sedona look that we’ve got,” Councilman Pete Furman said.

“I think I’m far more sensitive to a view impact from the place you call home that you have paid for and have an expectation around,” Councilman Brian Fultz said.

Parking

Meyer discussed the requirement for new homes above a certain size to have garages, which she said was instituted in 2019 or 2020 in response to neighbor complaints of visual impairment from cars parking on the streets.

“I would not mind eliminating that requirement,” Williamson said of the LDC provision requiring that multi-family developments provide a certain amount of covered parking. She pointed out that people living in their cars or with others “are already have-nots.”

“I question requiring two-car garages, particularly if you’re talking about affordability,” Williamson added.

“I’m OK with eliminating garages to reduce the cost and putting in a carport. I’m not OK with eliminating covered parking,” Ploog said.

ADUs

Council pressed for code revisions to ease construction of ADUs and starter homes.

“I would love to see us come up with our own version of a solar co-cop for ADUs where literally you can make it a turn-key solution,” Fultz said. “There are other parts of the state that have defined standards for tiny house and that sort of thing.”

“I’ve been waiting and waiting and waiting for us to develop an ordinance on ADUs,” Ploog said. “That is a fast solution. It could actually get done quickly, and I think there are people who want to do that, and we have prevented them because of the kitchen issue.”

“Home ownership is an important thing,” Ploog added.

“I would like for us to plan for a community of growing individuals who will eventually be able to afford a home in Sedona,” Councilwoman Melissa Dunn said.

“We could have pre-approved plans that don’t have to get approval from anybody, that if they buy the plans and they have a lot they can just build it,” Williamson said.

“It would be reasonable to start with starter homes. That’s something that I think we could do,” Williamson said, adding that the council would have to resist micromanaging.

Current code allows a second habitable structure on a residential lot, which City Attorney Kurt Christianson confirmed on June 25.

“Right now a property can have a house and a guest house,” Meyer said. “The guest house cannot have a full kitchen.”

LDC section 3.4.C(2)a.1 provides that “a maximum of one accessory building on a lot may be used as habitable space, and may include a kitchenette but not a kitchen.”

The recently-passed legislative act HB2720, codified as Arizona Revised Statutes §9-461.18, defines an ADU as “a self-contained living unit that is on the same lot or parcel as a single-family dwelling of greater square footage than the accessory dwelling unit that includes its own sleeping and sanitation facilities and that may include its own kitchen facilities.”

Meyer also explained twice that the city’s 2016 ADU-specific ordinance allowed “three habitable structures on a property,” a main house, a guest house and an ADU. She proposed that council could simply amend the current language of the LDC to maintain the limit of two habitable structures per lot while permitting full kitchens in the second structure.

Kinsella said she would favor allowing kitchens in ADUs “because it opens up more properties for rentals.”

“My thinking has evolved too on ADUs,” Furman said before calling on the council to adopt an ADU ordinance.

HB2720 also requires all municipalities with zoning power to adopt development regulations providing that they will not attempt to prohibit the lease of ADUs as long-term rentals, set more restrictive development rules for ADUs, set rear or side setbacks for ADUs greater than five feet or demand restrictive covenants or parking improvements as a condition of permitting ADUs, among other provisions. If a municipality does not do so by Jan. 1, 2025, “accessory dwelling units shall be allowed on all lots or parcels zoned for residential use in the municipality without limits.”