Commission hears master‑plan refinements for Western Gateway; commissioners favor flexible, phased approach and community benefits

The Sedona Planning and Zoning Commission held a work session on May 20 to review refinements to the Western Gateway Master Plan (case PZ25‑000004). City staff and the project team presented revised conceptual layouts, updated development capacity tests and a potential phasing approach; commissioners gave direction favoring Option 2’s layout and emphasized flexibility on unit counts, community benefits and transportation connectivity.

Jay Hicks (Dig Studio) and project team members presented two refined plan options and “test fits” assessing how units, parking and open space could be configured. The updated materials show a range of possible development capacity depending on building height and parking assumptions: under the existing multifamily code (approximately 20 units per acre, two stories typical) the gross capacity was calculated in the hundreds; the team also showed higher‑intensity test fits (3–4 story portions) that produced larger theoretical maxima. Jay stressed these were capacity tests and offered phasing scenarios so buildout could proceed incrementally over a 10–15 year horizon.

Key plan refinements presented:

- A larger consolidated community benefit parcel near the trailhead…