Those looking to build in Uptown or expand their properties will now have another option when meeting the city’s requirements for parking.

By a unanimous vote, the Sedona City Council approved an ordinance establishing parking in-lieu fees within the Uptown Sedona Business District. The vote came during council’s Tuesday, June 9, meeting.

According to a city report, an in-lieu parking fee assists property owners in reinvestment, development and redevelopment. It also fosters a pedestrian-oriented environment by offering an option to pay a fee in-lieu of providing a portion of the number of on-site parking spaces required by the Sedona Land Development Code.

The city would then be responsible for providing central or common parking facilities that will be substituted for and satisfy the property owner’s obligation. The in-lieu fee program is also another method by which the city can support other transportation policies, projects and programs.

The parking in-lieu fee may be applied to all development projects within the Uptown Sedona Business District that are in the development review process but have not received a building permit.

The adoption of an in-lieu fee is being proposed at $35,000 per space and as a strictly voluntary assessment.

Senior Planner Mike Raber said that within the designated Uptown area, a new development or a business that wishes to expand has the option of either providing required parking on site or paying in-lieu. The number of required spaces is based on what is required in the Land Development Code.

“This is strictly voluntary and simply provides a new option for businesses that they do not have currently,” Raber said. “All uses except lodging can pay up to 100% in-lieu. Lodging uses can only pay up to 10% in-lieu.”

In December of last year, a city consultant presented the draft final report for the Uptown Sedona Parking Facility Needs, Siting and Design Concept Assessment to council. Council requested that the consultant and staff evaluate additional options for surface parking lots on the North Forest Road and Jordan Road sites as well as additional parking structure concepts for the North Forest Road site.

Before moving forward with further consideration of an in-lieu fee option to meet parking requirements, council wanted to ensure that if parking fees were assessed and collected, the city had a plan to expand the parking supply sufficient to meet whatever new demand the new development or redevelopment generated.

Funds collected by the city from in-lieu fee payments would be used to finance one or more of the following:

–Expansion of public parking supply through construction of new facilities.

–Expansion of public parking supply by leasing existing and available space from private property owners.

–Implementing and expanding mass transportation alternatives.

–Trip reduction strategies, including, but not limited to, improvements to parking utilization rates by means of improved wayfinding, signage, information systems, management, circulation, access and enhancement of bicycle and pedestrian facilities.

If a business chooses the in-lieu route, they have the option of paying it off over upwards of 10 years.

“Specific terms and payback period will be worked out between the businesses and the city’s Financial Services Department in accordance with other standard finance agreements,” Raber said.