More than 300 residents came out in force in January against a potential rezoning of El Rojo Grande Ranch west of Sedona that would have allowed the proposed developer, Equity LifeStyle Properties, to build upwards of 650 units on the property for homeowners age 55 and older.
After a 9-0 unanimous vote against rezoning El Rojo Grande Ranch by the Yavapai County Planning and Zoning Commission on Jan. 17, ELS withdrew its application for the project in an email to the county on Feb. 4, seeing no path forward. With a 8,128-square-mile county governed by only five supervisors who already have a slew of other responsibilities from tax rates to building codes, road projects and safety ordinances, they rely on their Planning and Zoning Commission to give guidance about rezoning and development projects from around the county, so ELS’ rezoning was likely to fail.
Many of the arguments against the project were sound: Density, an influx of traffic and a massive new housing project in an area of the county with zero amenities — except one restaurant. There were no grocery stores, gas stations, parks nor retail stores near the site, meaning every new resident who wanted something would have to drive into Sedona or Cottonwood via a highway with limited access.
Another strong argument was that the proposal would allow homeowners to own the building but not the land beneath, meaning ELS could jack up rents on a whim to evict anyone and force the homeowner to sell the building rather than try and move the mobile home to another site.
Some residents wanted to maintain the existing open ranch or the “natural beauty” of the site, although it was private property and they had no access lest they be arrested for trespassing on the land.
Some wanted a buyer to turn the land into open space. While open space is a necessary factor in our rural communities, it would be hard for any person or firm to financially justify buying the land for $14.2 million, then do nothing with it.
Others wanted the seller or a new buyer to donate the land for a public use, like a county or state park. Again, there is no financial justification for a buyer to do so after dropping $14.2 million on prime real estate. ELS’ withdrawal nullified many of these concerns, but did not stop a future project from reappearing.
The property still remains for sale on the market at a cost of $14.25 million. None of the opponents of the rezoning have appeared to make any plans to buy the land or negotiate with the current seller to turn the site into open space, a public facility or a public park.
ELS may have come to the county with a terrible development plan that was doomed to fail, but another builder could come along any day with a more palatable proposal that county officials may allow. Another firm may look at the $14.25 million price tag and generate a plan that will offset their buying costs and make a profit, in addition to having the financial capital and political will to overcome neighbors protests and get a rezoning project through the county gauntlet.
Perhaps it will be a workforce or affordable housing project that could garner state or federal grants. Many previous opponents said such a project would not bother them as much as ELS’ project targeting seniors, but this may have just been lip service to appear reasonable to “a” development, just not “this” development. If that was the proposal, would the rezoning’s previous opponents really support it or would they fight just as hard?
Based solely on the profit margin and appeal of nearby Sedona, another massive hotel or resort is most likely what will target the land next.
Unless the opponents who fought against El Rojo Grande’s rezoning earlier this year make some move to secure the property now through purchase or negotiation with the current seller, a housing development, hotel or resort at the site is a matter of when, not if. There is simply too much opportunity for a buyer to turn a profit to not risk it.
Christopher Fox Graham
Managing Editor
