Supervisor Patrice Horstman — October / November 2022 District One Newsletter

Hello District 1 Residents,

The weather is changing. Winter is coming to the Northland. As the holidays approach, I look back on this year and I am grateful that we live in such a caring and giving Coconino County. The spring Tunnel and Pipeline wildfires, within three weeks of each other, caused hundreds to evacuate and destroyed 31 homes. The post-wildfire flooding that followed caused mass destruction to some of our most beautiful neighborhoods, both in the West-Side communities along 180 and inner East-Side communities along HWY 89. Once again, the resiliency and dedication of our residents and help of caring neighbors, provided assistance and sheltering during the emergency and continues during the rebuilding of residents’ properties and homes.

Coconino County saw other moments of grace. Both the Coconino Coalition for Children and Youth (CCC&Y) and Native Americans for Community Action (NACA) celebrated 50 years of serving Coconino County. CCC&Y serves families and helps build resilient communities. NACA continues to wave a path for community health and service rooted in indigenous wisdom and kinship. Habitat for Humanity of Northern Arizona recently announced a new approach to affordable housing through the construction of small starter homes, which brings the dream of home ownership within reach for many.

These moments of grace are only a few examples of efforts to build the kind of community where we want to live and where we want to raise our children.

With gratitude and thanks,

Supervisor Patrice Horstman

Last November, USDA Forest Service Chief, Randy Moore, visited Flagstaff and announced that the Four Forest Restoration Initiative (4FRI) would receive the first distribution of forest restoration monies through the Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act (IIJA). This included committing $54 million in fiscal year 2022 to accelerate forest restoration in high-priority projects on both the Coconino and Kaibab National Forests.

• Bill Williams Mountain

This included projects in the Bill Williams Mountain area with a continuation of helicopter logging on steep slopes necessary to reduce the risk of wildfires and post-wildfire flooding in the City of Williams. This is also important for reducing impacts on the City of William’s water supply. In addition, the Coconino County Flood Control District, working in partnership with the Forest Service, has treated more than 600 acres of steep slopes in the Bill Williams Mountain area.

• Upper Rio de Flag Watershed

Additionally, Supervisor Horstman and the District have advocated that the upper Rio de Flag watershed on the west side of the San Francisco Peaks be identified as the highest priority for forest restoration projects. Including necessary steep slope treatment needed to reduce the risk of wildfire on the west side of the peaks. A wildfire in the upper Rio de Flag watershed would be catastrophic for the western portion of Flagstaff and likely affect neighborhoods from Fort Valley to Coconino Estates to Downtown Flagstaff to the Southside and NAU.

The upper Rio de Flag watershed includes roughly 44,000 acres, of which 2,000 acres have been identified for steep slope treatment. The estimated cost for treatment is between $25 million and $35 million. This is an expensive endeavor. However, not nearly as expensive as the devastation and economic damage done if the west side of the Peaks in the upper Rio de Flag watershed burn, which would cause severe post- wildfire flooding to large portions of Fort Valley and Flagstaff. The economic loss and destruction would likely be well over a billion dollars.

• Flood Control District Tax

In recognition of the need to prioritize the upper Rio de Flag watershed, the Board of Supervisors, acting as the Flood Control District (FCD) authorized an increase in the FCD tax. This is expected to produce about $30 million over the next five years. A financial partnership with the Forest Service and the City of Flagstaff will be necessary to accomplish this crucial priority. Pending funding, the Forest Service has announced that they intend to commence the first upper Rio de Flag watershed forest restoration project in the summer of 2023. The FCD has contracted with J.E. Fuller Hydrology and Geomorphology to model the burn severity and post-fire flooding on the west side of the Peaks to help the FCD prioritize treatment areas using the best available science.

Last week, the City and County had a well attended West-Side corridor meeting to discuss flood mitigation efforts for the Shultz Creek West- Side Corridor. West-Side communities, especially off highway 180 in Coconino Estates and in Cheshire, experienced substantial property flooding. The City could obtain emergency watershed protection funding through the federal government. It immediately commenced the construction of a sediment retention basin on city property off 180 and up Shultz Pass Road. This retention basin covers up to 20 acres of property and can hold 56-acre feet of storage. It is estimated that this retention basin can mitigate 2-inch storms. The County intends to assist in further mitigation on the west side by stabilizing channels, roads, and crossings. The County’s additional mitigation efforts will depend on receiving the necessary federal funding and is hopeful to include an alluvial fan construction in the upper Rio de Flag watershed.

Additionally, Coconino County Public Works is designing a larger culvert to be constructed on Mount Elden Road to better carry the rainwater under the road and into the Shultz Creek Channel. Construction should convene this spring.

The Board of Supervisors at their regular board meeting of October 25, 2022, acting as the Flood Control District (FCD) Board of Directors, took action to approve an increase in the flood control district and authorized acceptance of a $10.5 million dollar loan from the County general fund to provide funding capacity for prioritized short-term mitigation projects as a result of the Shultz/Pipeline flood impacts. It is hoped that the flood control district will receive federal reimbursements for a portion of these short-term mitigation projects.

The short-term mitigation projects approved by the board for short- term mitigation are expected to restore the flood mitigation projects undertaken after the Shultz fire to restore the integrity of the east side Shultz flood mitigation efforts. Additionally, the FCD Board of Directors approved new berms near the landfill road to significantly reduce the flooding impact to the Doney Park area. The FCD Board of Directors believed that expediting the short-term mitigation projects were required to reduce threats to wildlife and had implications for properties and utility infrastructures.

Winter is coming! To prepare for the upcoming winter season and the influx of winter visitors, Supervisor Horstman met with numerous City and County stakeholders, law enforcement officers, first responders, the Forest Service, Discover Flagstaff, ADOT, and others to coordinate and address winter operations and needs.

• HWY 180

Highway 180 is a state highway principally under the jurisdiction of ADOT and DPS. The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office assists DPS in patrolling and enforcing the 180 corridor. The City of Flagstaff and City police help with traffic flow through the City of Flagstaff and onto the 180 corridor along Humphrey Street.

• Parking Tickets

Coconino County Sheriff’s department announced a new ticketing procedure to enforce the NO PARKING along 180. This includes utilizing a bright red envelope containing a parking violation ticket. Using the bright red envelope will provide visible reinforcement of the no parking zone. Likewise, the City of Flagstaff and the County will continue its electronic no parking signage along 180. The signs will be in both English and Spanish. Additionally, ADOT has agreed to utilize its electronic highway signs in the Phoenix area advising of northland snow conditions and traffic congestion. Finally, property signs and barricades will continue to be utilized, and private property restrictions will be enforced.

• Snow Play Map

Discover Flagstaff is revising its snow play map and will once again institute the snow play hotline so visitors can get up-to-date information.

• Mountain Line Shuttle Service

Mountain Line will continue to run free weekend shuttles to and from Snowbowl, leaving and returning from the Flagstaff High School parking lot every 30 minutes. Snow Bowl will also employ private law enforcement to assist with traffic management and will continue its right turn lane from 180 onto Snow Bowl Road and direct traffic into the lower parking lot to purchase tickets. In addition, the Snow Bowl will employ an electronic sign to remind visitors of the no parking ban along 180.

• Clean Up

The County and City sustainability committees will assist with cleanup and littering.

• Emergency Management Coordination

Coconino County Emergency Management Director, Wes Dison, will continue to hold regular telephone meetings to coordinate emergency management and response with law enforcement and first responders.

• Other Snow Play Possibility

Although the Snow Park at Fort Tuthill has helped to reduce some of the 180 corridor traffic, the Snow Park is often full by mid-morning on snowy holiday weekends. As a result, the Winter Recreation Advisory Committee is exploring other potential snow play opportunities within Coconino County, throughout the City of Flagstaff, and in national forest areas.

• Prepare for winter recreation

It is essential that visitors and residents alike prepare themselves and their families for the need to play and recreate responsibly.

Official Tourism Site of Flagstaff, AZ – Discover Flagstaff (flagstaffarizona.org)

Supervisor Horstman was pleased to host a community meeting with the Fort Valley community to discuss various areas of interest to the community. A Covid outbreak required that the meeting be virtual and was well attended by members of the Fort Valley community.

• Short-Term Rental

Due to changes in the state’s short-term rental law, Supervisor Horstman discussed the County’s development and expected adoption of a County Short Term Rental ordinance. The County is also working with the City of Flagstaff in the development of the ordinance, which would likely require short-term rental owners to register their units, require notification to neighbors that the property was being used as a short-term rental, and require a point of contact in case of emergencies and complaints. The new County ordinance will institute an escalating fine structure for each new violation. Further details to follow.

• Code Enforcement/Wastewater Systems/Forest Restoration

At the community meeting, county staff also provided input on code enforcement, wastewater system permitting, forest restoration update for the upper Rio de Flag watershed, Snow play/180 corridor coordination and the County’s upcoming Comprehensive Plan.

• Fort Valley Sign

Supervisor Horstman was pleased to announce that the County has arranged an agreement easement with the Arizona Snow Bowl to place a Fort Valley monument sign along 180. The County is still finalizing the easement and will be working on the sign design. Supervisor Horstman will be providing updates and getting input from community members on the Fort Valley sign design.

Watch District 1 Community Meetings | Coconino (az.gov)

Supervisor Horstman serves as the elected Arizona alternate on the Western Interstate Region (WIR) Board of Directors. WIR works with the National Association of County Officials (NACo) to promote the interest of western counties across 15 western states. These interests include public lands, economic development, forest restoration, and preserving the western way of life.

This year’s business meeting took place in Ontario, Oregon, a small town located in Malheur County in far eastern Oregon on the Snake River along the Idaho border. Like many small towns across the west, Ontario, is facing severe drought, a housing crisis, and a rising cost of living. Like Flagstaff proposition 442, Maher County is considering housing incentive programs to help alleviate some of the housing strain and increase economic viability.

Besides housing affordability and economic development, WIR Board Members discussed policies to reduce wildfire, address water shortages, and implement shared stewardship agreements with the Forest Service. The Board also discussed the creation of the National Center for Public Land Counties to provide WIR with greater tools to support and advocate for public lands. Supervisor Horstman will provide further information on the Center as it progresses.

Last month, Congressman Tom O’Halleran announced over $32 million of funding for constructing an essential collection of transportation projects known as the “Downtown Mile” in Flagstaff. This money is part of the bipartisan Infrastructure Law and represents the most significant investment in the city of Flagstaff for transportation since the construction of I 17. This project includes:

• A pedestrian underpass at Rio de Flag
• An underpass at Milton Road to allow for future widening of the road.
• A pedestrian underpass at Florence – Walnut
• The installation of a pedestrian gate at Beaver Street and San Francisco for a grade highway- rail crossing.
• BNSF railway track realignment.

This new funding will ensure the completion of the Downtown Connection Center which will act as the hub of Flagstaff’s expanding transit system. Further, the Downtown Mile projects include monies to complete the Rio de Flag flood control project, improve traffic efficiency on busy roads such as Milton Avenue and Lone Tree corridor, and help ensure the health and safety of our residents.

Chair Horstman noted that Flagstaff is the largest city in the County and is a tourist and economic center for Northern Arizona. This downtown mile will improve the safety of our streets, allow for more manageable traffic flow across the city and attract other businesses, investments, and tourism to Coconino County. This is another example of how Congressman O’Halleran has worked hard and persisted in delivering for our County and our communities.

Another Flagstaff family can call themselves homeowners, thanks to the help of Habitat for Humanity of Northern Arizona. In September, Supervisor Horstman attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the last Habitat home to be built on Izabel Street in East Flagstaff. The latest Habitat home is a four-bedroom house built for a family of five and their beloved dog. Unfortunately, however, building small affordable, and workforce housing is limited by cost, land availability the time it takes for construction.

Habitat for Humanity of Northern Arizona is now branching out with a pilot program for starter homes. Eric Wolverton, Executive Director, notes that these starter homes are approximately 400 square feet and include a bathroom, kitchen, living area, and bedroom. They are intended to be homes for singles, couples, or a family of three. These starter homes are less expensive to build, utilize property space more efficiently and can be constructed in less time. Applications to purchase a small home are as little as $1000 down. Each monthly payment starts saving accounts for the homeowner. After three years, the homeowner can sell and receive the entirety of their equity savings. This equity savings can be utilized for continued homeownership.

This is another example of the community working together, thinking outside the box, and tackling affordable housing issues.

Some of the wood from the Forest Restoration thinning projects in Northern Arizona has been used to provide wood for home heating through the Tribal Fuelwood Initiative.

Working with the Forest Service, tribal governments, and Coconino County, the harvested wood is being split, stacked, and delivered to chapter houses and other locations on both Navajo and Hopi lands to provide firewood for home heating. This is a sustainable solution for forest restoration, whereby downed wood, which would typically go to waste, is used for needed home heating.

The Wood for Life program was recently awarded the Volunteer and Service Citizen Stewardship and Partnership award by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service for its innovative and utilization of the forest restoration wood projects to provide heating fuels for those in need.

Coconino Coalition for Children and Youth (CCC&Y) has served the Coconino County children, youth, and families for 50 years! CCC&Y works tirelessly to create self-healing communities aimed at eliminating childhood trauma. CCC&Y brings collective action to create inclusive, thriving, and resilient communities that better the lives of us all.

Long time child advocate and community leader Julianne Hartzell received a lifetime achievement award for her community service and her caring for children. Congratulations, and thank you to CCC&Y and Julianne Hartzell. Together we build the community where we want to live and where we want to raise our children.

Proud Alumni, Supervisor Chair Patrice Horstman and Supervisor Judy Begay joined in on the NAU Homecoming Parade. NAU is celebrating 123 years as an institution. Lumberjacks from near and far returned to their alma mater in Flagstaff.