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AmigosNAZ staff reports
FLAGSTAFF — It was standing-room-only when the Flagstaff City Council held two days of public comment on the proposed student housing project on the current site of the Arrowhead Village Mobile Home Park in west Flagstaff. After strong opposition from the public, the Flagstaff Zoning and Planning Commission and others, the developer decided to withdraw the zoning change request from consideration on July 2.
The initial meeting on July 1 neared the council chamber’s posted 185-person limit as members of the public came to sign comment cards so they could speak either that night or on July 2.
Representations from the planning staff described the project and the unanimous opposition by the Zoning and Planning Commission. The commission on June 25 voted against approving the zoning change for the 650-student housing project, known as “The Standard,” citing a number of unanswered questions regarding traffic impact and safety, conformance to community standards, height of the project and other issues. That meeting was a continuation of the regularly-scheduled June 11 meeting, which turned into a marathon six-hour public testimony session.
If the entire project is rejected by the city, the owner of the property has said he would still close down the mobile home park and sell the land, according to a story on June 26 in the Arizona Daily Sun — Owner: Trailer park off Blackbird Roost likely to close anyway
The multi-story project proposed by Landmark Properties of Georgia would create a mixed-use student housing and retail development along Blackbird Roost Street and Route 66, but displace more than 100 residents in the 56-unit Arrowhead Village Mobile Home Park.
Residents of Plaza Vieja have opposed the project saying it does not fit into the look of the neighborhood, including the initial proposal for a five-story building on Blackbird Roost.
Landmark Properties zoning attorney Nicholas Wood then made his presentation on the development at the meeting of July 1, praising the community for its active involvement in the process but warning that the thousands of dollars of relocation funding to residents of the mobile home park, which he said is far above state funding requirements, would be withdrawn if the deal fell through.
According to published reports, the meeting on July 2 became contentious between representatives of the developers and some members of the Flagstaff City Council. In the end, Landmark Properties Senior Vice President Andrew Young announced the company was withdrawing its zoning change application for the project.
That leaves the option of Landmark resubmitting the zoning change application at a later time.
Please visit ARIZONA DAILY SUN: “Landmark Properites withdraws The Standard” for more information. Click here for any updates from the City of Flagstaff or here for information from Friends of Flagstaff’s Future.