The City of Flagstaff has announced that ballots for the Regional Plan Special Election on May 19 have been counted and the results are in. The majority of voters chose to vote “Yes.” This means that the Regional Plan 2045 will take effect immediately as the City’s General Plan.
Yes on Question 492 received 57% of the votes
No on Question 492 received 43% of of the votes
Turnout for the citywide election was 27%.
City of Flagstaff voters,
There’s a lot of misinformation being spread in our community, on social media and by word of mouth, about ratifying the Flagstaff Regional Land Use Plan 2045.
F3 would like to directly address this misinformation by providing direct answers to specific misinformation. The questions and answers below are taken directly from the City of Flagstaff’s Regional Plan 2045 website FAQs.
Does the Regional Plan 2045 require that all new homes must be electric?
No, there is no policy that directly states that all new homes should be all electric. There is an action item in Chapter 10 to “Update the City Sustainable Building Resolution and Sustainable Residential Building Incentives to further implement net-zero energy standards.” The incentives could include points or options for all electric homes.
One of F3’s board members was awarded a Flagstaff Sustainability Office neighborhood grant to remove invasive plants in the section of the Rio de Flag that runs along Thomas Elementary school and reseed with native flowers and grasses.
The second of three plant pull events is happening this Saturday from 9am – noon. Meet at the east entrance to Bushmaster Park.
The Regional Plan provides a broad vision and guides future land use. The 2045 Plan improves significantly on the Regional Plan currently in place because its core priorities are housing attainability and climate action, two recognized emergencies in Flagstaff.
The 2045 Plan recognizes the need for diverse housing types including duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and town homes in all neighborhoods throughout the city—options that will help expand opportunities for housing attainability. This reflects zoning changes required by Arizona’s Middle Housing Bill (HB 2721), and will result in incremental changes in existing neighborhoods.
The Greater Flagstaff Region is hosting a public meeting on April 23 from 5:00-8:00 p, at the Flagstaff Aquaplex for the community to learn about the current process to update the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP).
Attendees will be able to visit with staff from local fire departments, talk with subject matter experts, and provide comments to inform the CWPP’s development, as well as learn about wildfire risk reduction recommendations for the forest and for homes.
Members of the public are invited to attend a series of meetings of the Public Safety Citizen Committee (see schedule below). This Committee is tasked with advising the Mayor and Council on potential ballot measures for the November 2026 election, including funding for Fire, Police, Aircraft Rescue, Wildland Firefighting, and Emergency Management.
The Public Safety Citizen Committee started meeting late last year. F3 is represented on the Committee by Michele James, Executive Director. The Committee has four meetings remaining before its scheduled to submit a recommendation to City Council. The Committee is exploring a potential sales tax increase and a city bond to provide a yet-to-be-determined amount of needed funding that cannot be covered by the City’s General Fund.
Registered voters living in the City of Flagstaff will decide in a special election in May 2026 whether to ratify the Flagstaff Regional Land Use Plan 2045.
F3 is offering two workshops this month where you can learn more about the Regional Plan 2045, ask questions, discuss, and view future growth illustration maps. See dates and locations listed on the flyer above.
In preparation for the election or a workshop, start by reading the Regional Plan basics and Frequently Asked Questions found on this page. Visit the city’s Regional Plan Page to read the Plan itself and view policy maps.
Council to Review Citizen Petition
to Prohibit Discrimination in Housing
Based on Source of Income
The City Council vote on a text amendment to Flagstaff’s zoning code (PZ-26-00018) will not take place this Tuesday, April 7 as scheduled on the Council Agenda .
F3 has learned that instead of voting this week, a presentation to City Council about data centers is currently scheduled for the April 21 council meeting, with a first vote on the text amendment scheduled for the May 5 council meeting.
As with all dates on the Council Working Calendar, these dates are subject to change until the final Council Agenda is released the Friday before the council meeting.
Yesterday, March 25, the Flagstaff Planning and Zoning Commission voted 4-3 in favor of recommending the adoption of Proposal #2 to City Council as an amendment to the city zoning code. This proposal specifically excludes land use for data centers except as ancillary to another primary land use.
City Council is scheduled to discuss and vote on the proposed zoning code amendment at the Public Hearing scheduled during their next meeting on April 7. Both Proposal #1 and #2 are currently included in the Draft Council Agenda located online here.
Action Alert
F3 encourages you to submit your written comments to the Planning and Zoning Commission at CDPandZCommission@flagstaffaz.gov or make verbal comments in person to the Planning and Zoning Commission at their meeting starting at 4:00 on Wednesday, March 25 at the City Hall Council Chambers. More information and F3’s position are detailed below.
Data Centers
City staff recently identified that Flagstaff currently doesn’t have the regulatory framework to address land use by data centers should such a request be received in the future. The City of Flagstaff has not received any requests for data centers to date.
Data centers house the computer servers that run our increasingly digitized world. These centers can be stand alone facilities or portions of a building used to house computer systems, servers, networking equipment, and other infrastructure used for the storage, processing, management, or distribution of digital data. The construction of data centers is on the rise across the US.
The City of Flagstaff will be discussing proposed changes to the zoning code for data centers starting this week. The first meeting will be a work session with the Planning and Zoning Commission on Wednesday, March 11 at 4:00. This meeting will be the start of a discussion and the city would like to hear from the public as well as commissioners.
Meet concerned, like-minded neighbors who care deeply about creating a safe, welcoming, and inclusive community for everyone. Learn about the progressive organizations working locally to strengthen Flagstaff, protect civil rights, and promote equity.
You’ll also hear from City Council candidates Patty Hansen and Austin Aslan about their vision, priorities, and commitment to thoughtful, community-centered leadership.
Engage directly with F3’s Executive Director during F3’s Coffee Conversations. Learn what F3 will be up to in 2026, share your thoughts about Flagstaff issues, get updates on ongoing issues, and meet other citizens and members who are or want to be engaged with issues in Flagstaff.
F3 believes that there are too many concerns and questions at this time for the City Council, in good faith, to approve an amended contract with Flock. There is ample evidence around the country of misuse of the data and extremely lax security measures to protect people’s privacy. We will be urging the City Council, as we did prior to the Flock discussion in October, to stand against this type of surveillance, cancel the contract with Flock and remove all cameras leased by the city. Please read our summary of the issue below and consider writing or speaking to the council in opposition.
Thank you for your support on Giving Tuesday!
If you missed us on Tuesday, you can still support our work through the end of the year by becoming a member/renewing your membership, purchasing gifting memberships for friends and family, or giving an end-of-year donation.
We are actively growing our membership with a goal of 500 members. Our collective voices carry more weight with decision-makers, leading to greater influence as we advocate for a livable Flagstaff.
F3 is happy to report that on October 9 City Council unanimously chose to reject two Conditions of Approval that would have had negative impacts on the Core Priorities of the Regional Plan and render the Plan out of compliance with Flagstaff’s 2021 Carbon Neutrality Plan.
Your action in response to F3’s October 5th Action Alert resulted in the City receiving 80 letters of concern from the public about these two issues! Many thanks to NAZCCA and Dara Marks Marino for sending alerts to their contacts as well.
When voters in Flagstaff resoundingly rejected Proposition 480, they did more than simply block a development plan. They issued a clear, community-wide statement: we want our hospital to stay where it is. The Northern Arizona Healthcare(NAH) proposal to abandon the long-established Flagstaff Medical Center (FMC) campus and build an entirely new facility on the outskirts of town was not what this community wanted. And it still isn’t.
F3 is excited to introduce the first speaker in our new Community Speaker Series!
This series will focus on bringing people to Flagstaff who will provide important ideas about how we can build a resilient community.
F3’s speaker series is timed to coincide with the Flagstaff community’s review of the city’s Draft Regional Land Use Plan. Public review of the Plan started this month and will continue until May 2026, when Flagstaff residents will have the opportunity to vote on it in a special election.
The public learned this week that Northern Arizona Healthcare (NAH) discussed their five-year priorities during a meeting held last Thursday with city and county leaders in Flagstaff. There, NAH announced the completion of a 2030 strategic plan.
Many thanks to KNAU Arizona Public Radio and the Arizona Daily Sun for covering the meeting and publishing online stories yesterday and today to inform the public of this recent information. The Arizona Daily Sun article can be viewed in PDF form here and here.
Both news stories indicate that NAH continues to evaluate five sites for a new hospital location, including an expansion of their current building on Beaver Street. NAH indicates they do not plan to build a “medical village” at the selected site as was their previous plan.
Additionally, NAH stated that Flagstaff Medical Center is not a community hospital any longer, but rather is considered by NAH and others as a regional referral center.
The Public Hearing Draft of the Regional Land Use Plan 2045 (Draft Regional Plan) was recently released by the City of Flagstaff online (PDF here; this is a large file and may take some time to download). A take home hard copy of the Draft Regional Plan can be requested by emailing Elsa Erling at elsa.erling@flagstaffaz.gov.
F3’s concerns with the development of a new private golf course relate to the use of valuable water and potential contamination of the C-aquifer
It’s been a couple of months since I’ve been able to hold a Coffee Conversation so we have a lot we can talk about on Thursday! Barring illness, these will resume monthly again starting tomorrow.
Here’s your chance to come and engage with F3’s Executive Director at F3’s monthly Coffee Conversation. Share your concerns, questions, and ideas about Flagstaff issues while meeting others who want to get involved with issues in Flagstaff.
The July Coffee Conversation will take place on Thursday, July 3 at Mayan Winds Cafe from 9:00-10:00 am. Mayan Winds is an awesome locally-owned cafe located at 2144 N Fourth St. in Flagstaff.
Help us raise $8,000 from our 30th Anniversary Online Auction. Place your bid online before the auction closes!
Starting bids are set at 50% of the Value of the Item. There are some great deals here!
This auction contains diverse,and unique items including: special experiences such as music concerts, guided tours, and interior design consultation; gift baskets for gardening and more; and gift certificates for personal training and doggy day care. Also jewelry, food, and wine.
Find all auction items at: bit.ly/F3Auction4mSJD7c
The Flagstaff Water Group (FWG), composed of five local scientists deeply concerned about removing hazardous contaminants from Flagstaff’s reclaimed wastewater, is presenting information about how biochar can be used to remove chemical contaminants.
This presentation and discussion will take place this Wednesday June 25, at 7:00 pm at the Market of Dreams (2136 N. 4th Street). This event is free and open to the public.
Celebrate F3’s 30th Anniversary by placing a bid on one or more of the awesome items on our online auction!
Find all auction items at: bit.ly/F3Auction4mSJD7c
Bidding ends on June 28 at 7:30 pm
Our goal is to raise $8000 toward our continued community work.
Bid on our exciting, diverse, and unique items including special experiences (from guided tours to personal luxuries), gift baskets (from personal care to gardening) and gift certificates (from design services to doggy day care). Also food, wine, jewelry, and more.
Celebrate F3’s 30th Anniversary by bidding on our online auction!
Help us continue our work by bidding on our exciting, diverse, and unique items including special experiences (from guided tours to personal luxuries), gift baskets (from personal care to gardening) and gift certificates (from design services to doggy day care). Bid on food, wine, jewelry, and more.
Everything is donated by local shops, businesses, restaurants, and individuals who generously contributed to this auction.
Help us kick-off of our next 30 years of community work in Flagstaff!
The city is hosting a Community Conversation (on June 13) about the Code Analysis Project (CAP). This will be an in-depth conversation and an opportunity to provide input to city staff and discuss concerns related to how the community will address our housing and climate needs. The city is looking for the community’s input and concerns as they consider how to move forward with the CAP and the revision of development codes in a manner that reflects our community’s values.
The City’s Parks, Recreation, and Open Space division is presenting the Greater Observatory Mesa Area Trail Plan to City Council this Tuesday in preparation for a future request to adopt the trail plan for implementation.
According to the Council’s agenda, the meeting will provide the City Council an understanding of the trail plan, and offer the opportunity to provide feedback on the plan in preparation for a future request to adopt the trail plan for implementation by the City via resolution.
Tuesday, May 13 City Council Work Session, starting at 3:00 pm
The 60-day public review of the Draft Regional Plan in late 2024 generated over 2,000 comments and led to substantial revisions to the Plan. The review revealed some important topics and issues that merit additional input from the community to guide the next steps of revising the plan.
Join City staff at one of the two Open Houses next week to learn about the public’s comments and discuss how the Plan has been revised. The community also can provide feedback via the public survey (see below), and learn about the next steps for adoption of the Regional Plan. The Open Houses will take place at the following dates and locations:
Tuesday, April 15: 5:30-7:30 pm at the Flagstaff Aquaplex, 1702 N. Fourth St.
Thursday, April 17: 5:30-7:30 pm at the Boys & Girls Club of Flagstaff, 301 S. Paseo Del Flag
Come and engage directly with F3’s Executive Director at F3’s monthly Coffee Conversations. Share your concerns, questions, and ideas about Flagstaff issues while meeting others who want to get involved with issues in Flagstaff.
The April Coffee Conversation will take place on Wednesday April 2nd at Campus Coffee Bean from 9:00-10:00 am.
The May Coffee Conversation will take place on the first Thursday of the month, May 8th. This will allow those who have not been able to attend the Wednesday meetings to join these conversations. More details on the location will be forthcoming.
Come join the lively ‘Coffee with the Executive Director’ gatherings on the first Wednesday of every month. Tell me about your concerns, ask me questions, and I’ll update you on the issues on which I’m working.
Join me tomorrow, March 5, from 9:00-10:00 am at Mayan Winds Coffee Emporium, 2144 N. 4th Street located in the Greenlaw Village Shopping Center behind Fratelli’s Pizza.
This month I have updates on the next steps for Regional Land Use Plan among other issues.
What kind of housing do we need in the City of Flagstaff? There is almost universal agreement that we are desperately in need of housing that year-round residents from all walks of life can afford.
But though the demand for housing serving a spectrum of needs is great, most developments to date have been high-end student and luxury housing.
This month, the City Council is facing a request for another student housing project. It’s one we’ve seen before, the controversial but previously approved 2018 Mill Town project across from Target. The developer wants to submit a new plan but under an old code. But the new plan will remain a student housing project, consisting mostly of four-and-five-bedroom apartments to be shared by students.
F3 has paid close attention to the Flagstaff Regional Plan 2045 because it will greatly impact the way Flagstaff will develop in the next twenty years. The plan is a policy guide for land use and development decisions and should be the vision for the shape and character of the community.
This newsletter summarizes our concerns. Here is a quick overview:
We are concerned that the plan is almost singularly focused on an increase in housing density. While we see the need to address the housing crisis, density alone is not enough. It must be paired with the values that make a community a community such as open space, public space, and community character.
F3’s series focuses on bringing people to Flagstaff who will provide important ideas about how we can build a more resilient and engaged Flagstaff.
Our speaker series purposefully coincides with our community’s review of the Flagstaff Draft Regional Land Use Plan 2045. Public review of the Regional Plan started a month ago, and Public Hearings start on September 10th. In May 2026, Flagstaff residents will vote in a Special Election on whether to use the Plan as a guiding document for how we want the City of Flagstaff to address its five goals of Housing Affordability & Equity, Climate Action, a Healthy Economy, a Walkable, Mixed Use Community, and, Natural & Cultural Resources.
Please plan to attend our Annual Meeting this year. Everyone always has a great time with good company and important discussions to accompany the great food and music.
The Flagstaff Carbon Neutrality Plan (CNP) sets goals to guide the City’s climate action and collaboration with the community, with the shared aim of creating a healthier, more affordable, and more sustainable community.
I’m excited to tell you about the second event in our Community Speaker Series: “Creating a Stronger Flagstaff” featuring Edward Erfurt from the national organization Strong Towns. This event is free and open to everyone who wants to learn how we can work together to create a more livable and affordable Flagstaff.
Mr. Erufurt is the Chief Technical Advisor at Strong Towns and a trained architect and urban designer. He will talk about community-focused city processes, zoning codes, and development patterns that result in more affordable housing, sustainable development patterns, walkability, and public transit that results in thriving neighborhoods and communities.
After having to cancel and postpone the Annual Meeting in September due to lightening and rain, we’re happy to say we’ve rescheduled for November 23. We’ll hold the meeting inside at Trinity Heights United Methodist Church on N Fourth Street.
You’ll experience the great music of Bluebird Mountain with Sean Golightly, along with good company, good food (please bring something to share), and important updates from our Executive Director. In addition, we’ll also also be presenting F3’s Livable Community Award!
The Flagstaff premiere of Granite Rapids Moon will be held at Theatrikos in Flagstaff on Wednesday, December 17 at 7:00 pm. And it will be a fundraiser for F3!
This is the first narrative feature film ever to shoot the majority of its footage inside the Grand Canyon, Granite Rapids Moon was made with permission and oversight from the National Park Service, using only the equipment that cast and crew could carry on their backs through 82 miles of hiking.
Giving Tuesday is a global annual celebration of generosity that takes place each year.
By making a gift to Friends of Flagstaff’s Future today, you will help us to achieve a sustainable, just, and thriving Flagstaff.
Every contribution, no matter the size, has a tangible impact on our work. You can make a donation today at https://www.rfr.bz/f525c1d
We appreciate your support!
Michele James
Executive Director
Join me on the first Wednesday of each month from 9:00-10:00 am at a local coffee shop. Tomorrow, I’ll be at Mayan Winds Coffee Emporium located in the Greenlaw Village Shopping Center, 2144 N Fourth St.
There’s a lot to talk about! This month we can discuss local election results, the Draft Regional Plan and your chance to provide comments as well as attend multiple city-led thematic workshops scheduled next week, zoning code amendments, and F3’s newly announced program, “The Flagstaff Economy for the Good Project.”
Looking forward to talking with you!
Michele James
Executive Director
The Flagstaff Regional Land Use Plan is an important policy guide for the Flagstaff Region: this region includes the City of Flagstaff and nearby county communities including Kachina, Mountainaire, Doney Park, and Bellemont. The Draft Regional Plan envisions the year 2045 and outlines the community vision for growth, housing, transportation, the economy, climate action, natural resources, open space, parks, water management, energy, and infrastructure.
F3’s Native American Art Auction begins online today! This is an important fundraiser for F3. Now is the time to bid on the many beautiful Native American rugs, baskets, pottery, jewelry, and paintings donated to F3 by Martha Blue and Oliver (Ollie) W. Johnson. Access the auction here: https://onlinefundraiser.events/F3NativeAmericanArtAuction.
F3 would appreciate if you would forward this email to your friends and neighbors. Thank you!
F3 believes strongly in civic engagement and we hold the vision that community members should participate fully at every level of decision-making. F3’s strives to provide voters with information to assist in making decisions regarding our local elections by providing our Candidate Questionnaires for City Council and, new this year, the Flagstaff Unified School District (FUSD) School Board.
F3 has also produced our election year “Voter’s Guide to State and Local Propositions 2024.” This Guide will assist voters in understanding the three city and county propositions on the ballot, as well as the 13 state propositions.
Don’t miss your chance to ask questions of and evaluate the six city council candidates who will appear on Flagstaff’s November ballot. There are three open seats to be filled on council during this fall election.
F3’s unique speed-dating format will allow Flagstaff voters to meet each candidate while seated with a small group. We’ve worked to provide a quiet environment in which to interact with each candidate by securing nearby classrooms located a short walk from the Commons. Each small group of participants will be physically separated and able to concentrate and hear the interactions with each candidate as they rotate between classrooms.
F3 has closely examined the 16 propositions that will appear on Flagstaff’s General Election ballot this fall. This includes 13 State, one County, and two City propositions.
Below is the visual summary of F3’s recommendations.
An explanation of each of the propositions and the reasoning for our recommendations can be found by clicking on the image below or by going to our website.
All six candidates named on the November general election ballot have answered the questions posed by F3 in our City Council Candidate Questionnaire. Flagstaff voter’s will decide who among the candidates will fill three open seats on City Council.
Eight questions addressing local issues and concernswere crafted by F3’s Board and Director. The candidates were asked to keep their replies to 150 words or less. We thank those who provided us with potential questions for the candidates.
There are many more questions to be asked of the council candidates and we encourage you to attend F3’s upcoming City Council Candidate Forum on September 23 (see below for details) and ask your questions.
View the candidate’s answers here:
F3 has just learned that Arizona Clean Elections Commissionhas organized a debate between Coconino County’s two candidates for the position of Recorder: Aubrey Sondereggerand Bob Thorpe. The candidates will be on the November 2024 General Election ballot.
The County Recorder is responsible for voter registration, early voting, as well as processing and maintaining voter registration records, among other tasks. The Recorder serves a four-year term.
The debate will be broadcast virtually on Tuesday, August 27 starting at 6:00 pm on YouTube. This debate can be accessed live here. Write-in questions to the candidates can be emailed to debates@azcleanelections.gov, sent by text to 408-302-1810, or by calling 480-937-1253 in real time during the debate.
F3 supports the sovereignty of indigenous tribes and peoples and believes the wishes of Indigenous peoples to close the Pinyon Plain Mine should be honored.
The Havasupai tribe have stated that uranium mining near the Grand Canyon poses real dangers to groundwater in the region. There is a risk of contamination of the ecologically important seeps and springs in the Grand Canyon area, including the Havasupai sole source of water. F3 supports Attorney General Mayes’ demand for an updated Environmental Impact Statement.
F3 also supports the Navajo and Hopi tribes in their efforts to stop the hauling of uranium ore through tribal lands.
As we do every two years, F3 is preparing our Flagstaff City Council Candidate Questionnaire. F3’s questionnaire will include up to 10 questions designed to provide insight into the values, knowledge, and opinions of the candidates relevant to their potential positions as future city council members.
Dear Friend of Flagstaff,
A thriving democracy needs organized people and organized funding. When you become a member of Friends of Flagstaff’s Future (F3), you can contribute to both. The F3 Board of Directors invites you to join our local grassroots nonprofit.
We are a multi-issue organization whose mission is to achieve a sustainable, just, and thriving Flagstaff through community education, engagement, and advocacy.
It’s been a busy spring and beginning of summer here at F3! Below are short updates on some of the issues on which we have been working.
The city’s proposal to allow housing on lands zoned “Public Facility”
F3 did a deep dive into the city’s proposal to allow housing on lands zoned “Public Facility.” After many conversations with city staff and careful consideration over nearly two months, F3 decided to support the zoning code amendment because the city included the requirement for any development proposal to go through the Conditional Use Permit process. Read our final letter to Council on March 14 for more information.
Coffee With F3’s Director, Wednesday, June 5th 9:00-10:00 am at Campus Coffee Bean, 1800 S. Milton #24
F3 wants to engage with you one-on-one. We want to hear your concerns, questions, and ideas about Flagstaff issues that are important to you.
Do you want to know more about the proposed increases in our water and wastewater rates and the upcoming public hearing on June 18? Or what’s going on with the revision process for Flagstaff’s Regional Plan? What has the Community Engagement Coalition for Energy Retrofits been up to this year? We can talk about anything and everything in which F3 is involved!
Your donation will help ensure that we can continue our work to achieve a sustainable, just, and thriving Flagstaff through community education, engagement, and advocacy.
A local group, Flagstaff First (FF), has petitioned Council to amend the Flagstaff’s Carbon Neutrality Plan (CNP) to prioritize fire, flood and drought. Many community members told the Council in December and January to not amend the Plan. We need to speak again this Tuesday because FF’s petition is scheduled to be formally considered by City Council this Tuesday, March 26. Council will be deciding whether to or not to amend the CNP.
The community needs to respond to this threat by sending emails to City Council and/or speaking at the Council meeting this Tuesday and asking council members to reject the action requested in the FF petition.
On Tuesday, March 19th, the Flagstaff City Council will consider a proposed zoning code amendment to allow residential dwellings on lands zoned as “Public Facility.”
We would like to share with you the letter that F3 sent last week to city council members and staff regarding our concerns with the proposed amendment and our support for the addition of a Conditional Use Permit requirement.
