Sedona will now have another 32 rooms for lodging after the City Council voted 6-1 Oct. 27 to rezone a parcel of land at 95 Goodrow Lane from single family to lodging.
The Mahidia Villas at the Sedona Rouge Hotel and Spa will be an expansion of the existing 77-unit facility.
The Sedona Planning and Zoning Commission in September denied the rezoning request, which caused the developer to appeal that decision to council.
Sedona Community Development Director John O’Brien said there are two stipulations that must be met by the developer — regardless of whether Mahidia Villas is ever built.
Within two years, a new connection that goes through the new project to the traffic light at Rodeo Drive and State Route 89A must be built along with two other affordable housing units being made available to people.
“It will be much safer,” O’Brien said in discussing the connection. He said the individuals staying at the Sedona Rouge Hotel and Spa often cross State Route 89A without the help of a traffic light.
Each unit will vary in size from 325 to 1,115 square feet with a fireplace and kitchenette. The villas are proposed to be marketed to customers looking for a luxury experience. Visitors will check in at the main lobby of the Sedona Rouge to receive a free tour of the facility.
The project is also incorporating solar power and will provide an increased tax base to the city. Another strength of the project is it is designed to work with the existing topography of the site.
The weaknesses are the vehicular connection which will serve as a long driveway with a parking lot, and the community housing needs were not adequately addressed as outlined in the Community Plan and Housing Policy.
The new spa pavilion is proposed to be an extension of the Sedona Rouge Hotel and Spa to complement and integrate the existing facility and will be 25,319 square feet.
The lone dissenter to the project was Councilman Dan Surber. O’Brien said Surber wanted three affordable housing units, not the two that the developer agreed to.
O’Brien said the project can go forward with any speed
the developer wants, but must have a construction building permit.
Council was told by the developer attaining financial backing for the project could be difficult because of the hard economic times in the housing market.
Councilwoman Pud Colquitt said there were many reasons why she voted to rezone the property and added she could
not think of a reason why to oppose it.
“It’s a very good project that is income producing,” she said. According to the staff report, Sedona Rouge and Hotel and Spa is on the high end of tax receipts for the city, raising about $500,000 in the last year.
She added the special-use area and zoning to lodging is what should be there.
“Sedona Rouge has been a very good neighbor,” Colquitt said.
