Fitch Industries won the first round in their bid to build a 210-room hotel when Sedona City Council voted unanimously for a major amendment to the Sedona Community Plan.

No public comments were allowed, due to prior opportunities for input.

The amendment allows Fitch Industries to proceed with a revised plan to develop the former site of the Sedona Cultural Park.

As passed, the amendment limits the total square footage of the buildings planned to 250,000 square feet, a reduction of 7 percent from plans submitted.

It also limits non-arts commercial use to 48,000 square feet.

“Amending the community plan is only the first step,” City Manager Eric Levitt said. “Fitch will now have to apply for rezoning to obtain the right to go forward. Beyond that, they will also need to submit detailed building plans for review.”

Although the site now comprises 40 acres, Fitch submitted plans for only 23 acres, a point of contention for Director of Community Development John O’Brien.

“My concern is that the back half of the property is an unknown,” O’Brien said. “We’ve been requesting those plans for 11 months.”

“We bought the property last October and we’ve reconformed it lightning fast,” Kent Fitch said.

Vice Mayor Jerry Frey objected to Fitch.

“You say you bought this property but are you ever going to close on it? How come you haven’t broken ground?” Frey asked.

Fitch said the company’s intention for the remaining 17 acres includes senior housing, a museum and a film studio.

Plans submitted for the southern 23 acres include 9 acres of open space, conference center for 600 to 900 people, a 210-room hotel, work/live units for artists, a spa, an outdoor amphitheater, dedicated space for Canyon Moon Theatre and restaurants.

The outdoor amphitheater is not required in the calculation of total square footage.

Although Fitch conducted private one-on-one meetings with members of the council on Monday, Oct. 22, some members remained opposed to the plans submitted, which then totalled 269,500 square feet of building space at the beginning of the session.

“I’m concerned about the visual size of the project,” Councilwoman Nancy Scagnelli said. “It will be, by far, the largest commercial entity on the west end of town and situated very close to Hwy. 89A.”

“Are you objecting on the grounds of competition or the footprint,” Councilman Harvey Stearn asked Scagnelli.

“The footprint,” Scagnelli replied.

Frey was concerned with the overall size of the lodging.

“I’d like the number of hotel rooms cut back to 150,” Frey said.

“There was never a question in my mind and I don’t think in yours, that we weren’t going to come back and request lodging,” Fitch Industries owner Monty Fitch said. “We can’t go less than 190 rooms to suit the size of the conference center.”

“If I can’t get these entitlements tonight, I can’t close,” Fitch said. “Either it happens tonight or it doesn’t happen.”

Councilmember Rob Adams agreed with Fitch saying, “I’m ready to be done with this.  It’s time to put aside the dark history.”

Councilmember Harvey Stearn agreed, adding, “If we don’t act tonight, it will be at least five years.”

The session ended abruptly after nearly four hours of debate when Fitch agreed to the 7-percent reduction in total square footage and the limitation of non-arts commercial use.  The council then approved the amendment that allows the developer to proceed with a rezoning request.