Board of Supervisors Unanimously Approves County Short-Term Rental Ordinance

COCONINO COUNTY — Following completion of their regular business Tuesday night, the Coconino County Board of Supervisors held a final public hearing regarding Ordinance 2023-22 before voting unanimously to adopt the new regulations for Short-Term Rentals in the County.

The ordinance will now take effect after 120 days on November 14, 2023. 

The ordinance clearly defines a Short-Term or Vacation Rental as the short-term rental of any dwelling or portion of any dwelling for a period of less than 30 consecutive days. Further, Vacation Rentals are only permitted in habitable dwellings permitted by the County. This means that garages, sheds, tents, temporary travel trailers and recreational vehicles, temporary structures, or other structures that do not meet the standards for a dwelling may not be rented. 

NAU conducting bilingual survey on wildfire, post-fire flooding information

FLAGSTAFF — Northern Arizona University is conducting  a study to better understand the Greater Flagstaff-area residents’ experiences and opinions of wildfire and/or post-fire flooding information. We are trying to reach as many community members as possible to understand similarities and differences experienced by different neighborhoods, demographics, and home ownerships (e.g., renter, homeowner) to inform future wildfire and flooding information and serve the diversity of people who live in the Flagstaff area.

Upcoming School Offerings at the Sedona Arts Center

UPCOMING School Offerings
Taking Classes and Workshops on our campus in Uptown Sedona affords the opportunity not only to explore the arts, but also to meet new people and immerse yourself in the Sedona arts community.

Besides what you see in this email, there are more offerings on our website. 
Click here to see all of our classes and workshops.

Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces to celebrate 8th annual Flagstaff Summertime Tardeada on Aug. 12

Mariachi de Nuevo Mexico, Soul Persuasion and Ballet Folklorico de Colores — Flagstaff to headline FREE event. Veterans are encouraged to attend so they can participate in the traditional group photo

FLAGSTAFF — To celebrate and recognize Flagstaff’s Hispanic roots, Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces invites the public to attend its 8th annual “Flagstaff Summertime Tardeada — Mariachi and Folklórico Festival” from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, 224 S. Kendrick St., Flagstaff.

The event is FREE, open to the public and has drawn upwards of 400 visitors in past years. This year’s Premier Sponsors are the Cococnino County Board of Supervisors and the Coconino County Hispanic Advisory Council (CHAC).

Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona (ECoNA) — Last Chance to RSVP for Advisory Council Meeting with Mexico & Canada Consuls

Time is running out to RSVP for next week’s meeting of the ECoNA Advisory Council, which will feature conversation with the Consul General of Mexico in Phoenix, Jorge Mendoza Yescas, and Glenn Williamson, former Honorary Consul of Canada for Arizona and the founder and CEO of the Canada Arizona Business Council.

Grand Canyon National Park — Weekly Wrap-Up Week of Aug. 7, 2023

On Tuesday, August 8, 2023, President Biden visited the park after announcing the designation of the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon as a National Monument.  Baaj nwaavjo means “where Indigenous peoples roam” in the Havasupai language, and i’tah kukvenimeans “our ancestral footprints” in the Hopi language. The new monument encompasses about 917,618 acres of the Kaibab National Forest (both north and south of the park) and portions of the Bureau of Land Management Arizona Strip District (BLM), lands already part of the 2012 mineral withdrawal Environmental Impact Statement.  These lands will continue to be managed by the BLM and the U.S. Forest Service, and Tribal Nations will be included in decisions about managing the areas. The national monument only includes federal lands and does not include State and private lands within the boundary.

Discover Flagstaff — 8th Annual Flagstaff Summertime Tardeada, Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church on Aug. 12

8th Annual Flagstaff Summertime Tardeada, Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church.

To celebrate and recognize Flagstaff’s Hispanic roots, Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces invites the public to attend its 8th annual Flagstaff Summertime Tardeada, Mariachi and Folklórico Festival. 12 p.m. Free. 

Friends of Flagstaff’s Future — Vote No on Prop. 480 Campaign Kick-off This Saturday

Flagstaff Community First will hold their No on Prop. 480 campaign kick-off on Saturday at Bushmaster Park’s Community Ramada.

Flagstaff Community First is the political action committee composed of local organizations, including F3, and individuals that spearheaded the collection and delivery of more than 5,000 voter signatures to the City Clerk in July. That effort has ensured that the citizens of Flagstaff have a voice in determining if the City Council’s approval to rezone 98 acres of land just north of Ft Tuthill will stand.

This citizens’ referendum will be included on the November 7, 2023 mail-in ballot as Proposition 480. A “NO” vote on Prop. 480 will overturn Council’s decision allowing the rezoning of the 98 acres (Phase I) of the Northern Arizona Healthcare Corporation (NAH) proposed new hospital and ambulatory care center. Phase I is the first step in NAH’s proposed two phased medical and commercial complex.

City of Flagstaff announces utility relocation project at the intersection of Fourth Street and Cedar/Lockett

FLAGSTAFF — Unisource Energy will be conducting a utilityrelocation project at the intersection of Fourth Street andCedar/Lockett. The northbound lane of Fourth Street will be closedto all traffic at the north leg of the Cedar/Lockett intersection.Traffic accessing MEMS, Puente de Hozho and residencesbetween Linda Vista Drive and the closure must utilize detourroutes to access those locations from Linda Vista Drive. Thesouthbound lane of Fourth Street will remain open throughout theduration of the project allowing traffic to exit the schools andresidences of this area to the south. The project schedule is August10 through September 8.

City of Flagstaff provides Beulah/University Realignment Project Update

FLAGSTAFF — Starting Monday, August 14, UniversityAvenue will be closed to all traffic between Yale Street and theeastern driveway entrance to the Woodlands Village Apartments.Motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists are asked to follow themarked signage to get to their destination (Map Below and Attached). This closure will allow crews to begin removing theexisting asphalt pavement along the section of University Avenuethat will connect to the future roundabout. Following roadwayexcavation, crews will begin utility installation.

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — CCC&Y presents free webinars on understanding how emotions impact adult and child relationships

COCONINO COUNTY —

CCC&Y shares this free online opportunity to ease some of the daily stress during this busy time of year.

Motivated by a long wait list for behavioral health services, and aware of challenging adult and child emotions causing behavior difficulties, Bethany Camp put this two part training together for CCC&Y to help meeting a wide-spread community need.

First we learn to understand our emotions and then we can understand and respond to the big emotional responses of children.

Watch Webinar – Managing Adult Emotional Responses, Part One

Watch Webinar –  Helping Children Manage Their Emotions, Part Two

City of Flagstaff announces Beautification in Action grant opportunity for projects that enhance, revitalize public spaces

FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff’s Beautification, Arts and Sciences program invites artists, community members, community groups, schools and local businesses to apply for a Beautification in Action (BIA) grant. Applications will be accepted through Sept. 15 at 5 p.m. Up to $4,500 is available per project.

Projects that enliven and revitalize the urban environment can take the form of community gardens, neighborhood paths, benches, sculptures, murals and more. Priority will be given to community-initiated projects that provide a lasting impact—fostering cultural connections, strengthening neighborhood awareness and identity, and deepening how residents and visitors interact with the built environment. All projects must be publicly and visually accessible.

Staging to begin at the ‘wedge’ for Spruce Wash Improvements flood mitigation projects

FLAGSTAFF — In preparation for the construction of the Spruce Wash Improvements flood mitigation projects, during the week of August 14 crews will begin clearing trees and vegetation in a portion of the area known as the “wedge”. The “wedge” is the City-owned, triangle-shaped parcel bound by N West St, E Linda Vista Dr and E Cedar Ave. Crews will only be removing trees in an area within the footprint of the future Wedge Detention Basin project.

Former Flagstaff Mayor Coral Evans, tattoo artist Dan Duke and Arizona Daily Sun photographer Jake Bacon honored at Culture Connection AZ’s ‘The Faces of Flagstaff’ opening art exhibit

FLAGSTAFF — Former Flagstaff Mayor Coral Evans, tattoo artist Dan Duke and Arizona Daily Sun photographer Jake Bacon were honored at Culture Connection AZ’s “The Faces of Flagstaff” opening art exhibition on July 28 in Flagstaff.

The trio were recognized by the creation of three large wood-cut images created by local artist Eric Kruse. Others honored with smaller images included: Coconino County District 2 Supervisor Jeronimo Vasquez, Michael Marquess, JoeBob Armstrong, Marian Armstrong, Lee Born, Kayley Quick, Cindy Payne, Gillian Ferris, Brad Dimock, Jessica Van Zijll, Shonto Begay, Cecily Maniaci, Brian Dierker, Joni Pevarnik and Matt Ziegler!

The Faces of Flagstaff will be viewable through the end of August during regular business hours at the Historic Ice House, 201 E. Birch Ave in downtown Flagstaff. 

Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona (ECoNA) — Business Community, Please RSVP today for Aug. 16 meeting with Mexico & Canada Consuls

You are cordially invited to the next meeting of the ECoNA Advisory Council, where our featured speakers will be the Consul General of Mexico in Phoenix, Jorge Mendoza Yescas, and Glenn Williamson, former Honorary Consul of Canada for Arizona and the founder and CEO of the Canada Arizona Business Council.
We are extending this invitation to the entire business community because of the importance of these two countries to our state and regional economy.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-Up Week of July 31

   A welcome break from the summer heat

After our recent rainfall, Grand Canyon is no longer in an excessive heat warning, but Stage 1 fire and smoking restrictions are still in effect for the Coconino National Forest and the Williams Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest. Additionally, all undeveloped areas of Coconino County, the Town of Tusayan, and the City of Flagstaff are also in fire restrictions. *Please note, at this time the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest has no fire restrictions in effect.  

Grand Canyon National Park remains in Stage 1 fire restrictions, as it is year-round, which means fires, campfires, charcoal, coal and wood stoves are prohibited, except within a developed campground site.

Coconino County Honored Again as 2023 NACo Digital Counties Survey Winner

Coconino County is pleased to share the exciting news that we have again been recognized as one of the top counties in the United States for deploying digital technology practices for better government …

… in the 2023 National Association of Counties (NACo) Digital Counties Survey, conducted by the Center for Digital Government. 

This is the fourth consecutive year Coconino County has placed in the Top 10 counties in the up to 150,000 population category. The County is being recognized for Aligned Leadership, Cybersecurity, Constituent Centric, Data Driven Government, IT Investments, Resilience, Workforce Planning, Continuous Innovation, Connected Infrastructure, and Business Process Alignment.

United Way of Northern Arizona — Board Spotlight: Gabriella “Gabe” Smith

Nonprofits, like most organizations, are known by the company they keep. When their leaders are passionate about the community, it is a powerful force for positive change.

At United Way of Northern Arizona, we are fortunate to have a highly talented and dedicated volunteer Board of Directors. Periodically, we’ll share their stories with you because their commitment to Living United is the foundation of the work we do.

We’re very pleased to begin this series with a profile of Gabriella “Gabe” Smith of Kinney Construction Services, Inc. We hope you enjoy it!

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — CCC&Y offers families a variety of free webinars

As we approach Fall, the Coconino Coaltion for Children & Youth wants to remind everyone that we have a variety of free webinar training programs on our website to help parents and families during the upcoming back to school season.

Our growing library of on-demand webinars is designed to help the public gain the tools they need to provide trauma-informed care, tips to help strengthen family protective factors, examine the effects of historical trauma and adverse childhood experiences, address issues such as bullying and the support to adults and youth through the use of mindfulness practices.

Public Notice and Request for Comments – City of Flagstaff Housing Section Limited English Proficiency Language Assistance Plan – Complete Revision

FLAGSTAFF — This public notice is to inform City of Flagstaff Housing Section stakeholders of the complete revision of the Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Implementation Plan. The plan is now called Limited English Proficiency Language Access Plan (LEP LAP) and is open for stakeholder input from the date of this notice through August 31, 2023.

The complete revision was undertaken by Housing Section staff at this time primarily to continue to ensure meaningful access for LEP persons to all Housing Section programs and activities.

The NAU Review — ‘Lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic’ and more news, events

To combat pathogens like Zika, Ebola or the virus that causes COVID-19, we have to know how they work. One of the most effective ways of figuring that out is genomic sequencing, which allows scientists to break down the pathogen’s DNA or RNA. During the pandemic, use of this tool increased exponentially, with it playing a critical role in everything from tracking the virus’ movement to developing effective vaccines. In an essay published this week, biologists Jason Ladner and Jason Sahl argue that scientists, public health officials and policymakers worldwide must build on this momentum so society is better prepared for the next pandemic.

August at the Museum of Northern Arizona

This month you have the opportunity to gain unique insights into the museum Easton Collection Center, from a talk about living roof this weekend to an open house on August 26. During that open house, we’re rolling out the rug for you, quite literally – the Staples rug. This large, double-sided rug was last displayed in 2017. Because of its size and age (more than 130 years old) the rug is difficult to display, but also a remarkable example of Navajo weaving.

I hope you join us for this opportunity to see not only the Staples rug, but also our beautiful collections facility and some of the other spectacular objects we care for.

There’s so much more going on this month I can’t mention it all, but be sure to scroll through this entire email to see the upcoming talks, Ventures trips, art classes, and more.

Coconino County Parks & Recreation July 2023 Update

Last Month Before the Coconino County Fair!

The Coconino County Fair is only one month away!

Are you exhibiting at the Fair? Don’t miss the deadlines for exhibit entries this month! Visit www.CoconinoCountyFair.com for deadlines, listed in our Fair Book!

Your last chance to get discounted tickets is now!

Online Early Bird admission tickets are SOLD OUT!

Buy Early Bird tickets (cash only) at Bookmans Flagstaff Entertainment Exchange while supplies last!

Discounted carnival wrist bands are still available at Bookmans Flagstaff and www.CoconinoCountyFair.com, while supplies last!

Don’t sleep on these discounts!

Want to save time parking? Buy your parking pass online, to hasten the wait time!

Coconino County Flood Control District Reports Successful Performance of Flood Mitigation

COCONINO COUNTY — The Coconino County Flood Control District (District) recently completed upwards of $35 million in on-forest watershed restoration and neighborhood flood mitigation in five flood corridors including Phase 1 of the Schultz Creek on-forest measures.

The Wupatki Trails and Brandis Way watersheds experienced 100-year rainfall events today, July 30, with a total of three inches of rainfall in two hours, with most of the rainfall concentrated in the first hour. The District is pleased to report this evening the recently completed measures both on- and off-forest performed exceptionally well with no flood impacts to roads or private property in those areas. 

Community partners to host more than 100 exciting free events during the 2023 Festival of Science, Sept. 22-Oct. 1!

FLAGSTAFF — Many of our board members are busy working on the program of events for the 2023 Festival of Science, collaborating with a wide range of community partners and local experts to share discoveries and insights about topics spanning the sciences, technology and the arts.

As announced earlier this year, the theme of the 2023 Festival is “The Mammoth World of Science.” The 10-day adventure will launch with featured keynote speaker Beth Shapiro, PhD, a pioneer and global leader in the high-profile field of ancient DNA, sharing her expertise on the science of de-extinction. The W. L. Gore & Associates Keynote presentation is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22, in Northern Arizona University’s Ardrey Auditorium.