The city is making its way toward the final construction designs and eventual use of the planned Uptown parking garage.
“The project schedule is now estimating completion in the summer of 2023. Excavation is scheduled to start this summer and the bulk of activity is scheduled to occur during the winter through spring of 2023,” the city of Sedona’s Public Works Director and Assistant City Manager Andy Dickey said.
Initially, the garage was planned to be completed in the spring of 2023 with the design phase completed by early 2022. But according to Dickey, the design is still in the development process. After it is completed, it will still need to go to the Planning and Zoning Commission for its reviewing process.
“At this point, we only anticipate minor changes being needed as we move forward,” Dickey said.
As for the design, the sustainability team is moving forward with its plans to contract with Electrify America, after the City Council’s approval of the site license agreement at their April 12 meeting.
The garage will have 10 electric vehicle charging parking spots. The chargers will be installed and maintained by Electrify America per the approved contract.
“As it currently stands between Anthem and Flagstaff, there are no fast chargers,” Sustainability Coordinator Gabe Desmond said. “So this would be really beneficial, not just for Sedona but for the Verde Valley regionally … and would really make us a hub for EV charging in the area.”
According to city staff, all 10 stations will be DC Fast chargers, which are a grade above level two chargers, the ones currently available at city hall. The DC Fast Chargers are capable of fully charging an EV in between 30 to 75 minutes.
The user’s charging cost will be determined by Electrify America. According to its website and based on prices in Arizona, it is $0.43/kWh right now. For reference, the average rate for electric cars is to use 30 kWh every 100 miles.
According to the sustainability team, Sedona city code currently requires 5% of commercial parking lots to be EV capable, meaning the wiring is readily available if and when an EV charger is installed in that lot. Posse Grounds Park will also be getting four spots when the EV chargers are installed in Uptown.
The garage will be located at 430 & 460 Forest Road, and will have around 270 free spots that will service Uptown’s shops and restaurants. The plan for the garage was originally approved by the City Council in September 2021 after the land purchase in March 2020. The estimated cost is $11.5 million and will be integrated into the city’s current transit services.
Final plans for the project, such as EV signage and restrictions, will be worked out as the garage’s construction draws closer.
