Coconino County panel recommends mixed hospitality and workforce-housing project for Valley

The Coconino County Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended approval of two zone changes and a subdivision plat for a phased development in the Valley that would combine roughly 130 hospitality units with workforce housing and public amenities.

Commission members recommended the zone changes (identified in the hearing as Zone Change 25-005 and Zone Change 25-006) and the subdivision plat (identified in the hearing as SUV 25007) to the Board of Supervisors after presentations from the project team and a public comment period.

The proposal blends a wellness-focused hospitality component branded with partner Arcana and a workforce-housing component that the applicants said would include factory-built dwelling units, on-site utilities and public-facing amenities such as a restaurant and a spa. "The purpose of our business is to help reconnect people with nature," said Jeremy Hill, who introduced himself as a co-founder of Arcana, adding that the company intends a "nature-first" hospitality experience. Project representatives said they plan a phased implementation with infrastructure built in the first phase so both elements can function.

Why it matters: County commissioners cited the project's potential to deliver new infrastructure, create jobs and provide workforce housing in an area where lot owners have struggled to develop individually. The project…