Flagstaff open-space commissioners press for stronger open-space protections in regional plan review

Members of the Flagstaff Open Space Commission spent much of their meeting reviewing the draft regional plan and how the city’s forthcoming Parks, Recreation & Open Space (PROS) master plan could be used to implement open-space policies. Commissioners said the regional plan’s stated core priorities—housing attainability, equity and climate action—risk treating natural, cultural and recreational resources as secondary unless implementation language and tools provide explicit protection and leverage for those resources.

The discussion matters because the regional plan is moving through public review and the commission wants its concerns reflected in the formal public record and in implementing regulations. Commission members were told the regional-plan public hearings are scheduled in September and a city council public hearing is planned for October; staff asked the commission to submit prioritized comments in mid‑August so planners can incorporate them into materials presented to council.

Commissioners said they support housing, climate and equity goals but urged the plan text be adjusted so open‑space values are not subordinated. Several commissioners said policies that reward higher residential density appeared to create tradeoffs that could reduce protection of large trees, cultural resources and neighborhood open spaces unless the plan and subsequent PROS master plan include stronger definitions, standards and leverage for preservation. The commission discussed map errors and unclear definitions (for example, inconsistent labels for county vs. city regional parks), and several members urged clearer mapping and criteria to avoid misapplication during development review.

Staff described how a new PROS master plan is intended to create that implementation leverage. Rebecca (Parks, Recreation & Open Space staff) explained the division has drafted a scope of work and will issue a request for proposals this fall. "We hope to have a vendor selected and approved through council and on board by winter, December," she said; staff estimated the master-plan process would take a minimum of 12 months and possibly 18–24 months because of multiple public‑engagement phases. Staff said the master plan will include a gap analysis, best practices, and a prioritized roadmap and that it will be used to support future capital improvement planning and negotiations with developers.

To influence the near‑term regional‑plan adoption, staff requested the commission submit a concise set of prioritized comments. The commission agreed to a process: commissioners will send top concerns to staff by August 11; staff will compile them into a draft letter; the commission will review and vote at its August 25 meeting; and the commission will designate a representative to speak during public hearings (planning and zoning’s August 27 session was described as part of a retreat and not part of the public record, while public hearings on the regional plan were noted for September 10 and September 24 and a council public hearing on October 9).

Commissioners and staff also discussed the timeline risk that the regional plan could be adopted before the PROS master plan is complete. Staff argued the master plan coming online around the same time as regional-plan adoption would provide an implementation path: once the master plan identifies priority open spaces and projects, planners can use it during site‑level negotiations and capital‑planning decisions. Commissioners urged staff to ensure regional‑plan policies remain flexible enough not to lock the city into approaches the commission would later want to adjust.

Next steps: commissioners will submit prioritized comments by the agreed date, staff will compile a draft recommendation letter for the August 25 packet, and the commission plans to vote on a formal recommendation and a speaker to attend subsequent hearings.