Keep Sedona Beautiful

Posts Tagged ‘Keep Sedona Beautiful’

Grape Expectations Revealed at KSB Speakers Series

What’s going on out there in our Verde Valley backyard? If you’ve driven the pretty, winding Page Springs Road lately, you’ve got the idea…we’ve got a real wine country in our paradise…and it’s serious.

It’s so serious that Yavapai College has now launched a Viticulture and Enology program, is planting a 40 acre vineyard and building a greenhouse and science lab at the Clarkdale campus, all of which will serve the local wine industry. But that’s not all. They’re doing it right, using the latest in energy efficient and sustainable technology, solar power, a reclaimed water system and dry land farming. And this is only the beginning of what is hoped to become a major economic force in the entire Verde Valley.

Keep Sedona Beautiful’s “Preserving the Wonder” Speakers Series will offer an inside look at the burgeoning wine industry in red rock country on Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at the historic Pushmataha Center, 360 Brewer Road in Sedona. A welcome reception for the public will be held at 5 p.m. with the opportunity to taste our local wine, and the program will follow at 5:30, concluding by 7 p.m.

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ADOT Presents 89A Roadway Lighting Options
Wed., October 28th from 5:30 to 9:30 PM in Sedona City Council Chambers

Here’s What You Need To Know
by Robert Carabell, KSB Vice-President

Photo by Bob Coates

ADOT will present to Council a list of 68 Roadway Lighting Design Alternatives for West 89A with a power point presentation by John Harper of ADOT and discussion between ADOT and the Council.

The meeting will then be opened up for public comment. No final decision is expected at this meeting, however, it will be important to hear the discussion between ADOT and Council in order to better understand the eventual decision, and for making relevant comments when the meeting is opened for public feedback.

Following that meeting, ADOT will conduct a public Open House, similar to a charette, at the Sedona Public Library on November 5 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM. Based on the feedback received from the Oct. 28th and Nov. 5th meetings, ADOT and City Staff will then narrow down the list of 68 alternatives to a smaller. optimum list. Then, perhaps in Jan. 2010, ADOT will present more detail on this smaller list for Council’s review and possible approval. Some of these alternatives include over 100 lights!

The ADOT alternatives being presented are all complex, all virtually incomprehensible to a layman, and all include continuous roadway lighting in one form or another; the option of “no lighting” or last year’s Safety Panel recommendation is not an alternative being considered. ADOT has also made it very clear that any alternative other than the original proposal (ie. 76 high pressure sodium Cobra head lights, standard ADOT issue) will cost the City the difference and some of the alternatives are very expensive. To view these ADOT alternatives, go to City Council’s section on the www.SedonaAz.gov website and look for the meeting date October 28 and click on meeting materials/packet details. You may find some of the information confusing, but it can be simplified with this one question:

Why is ADOT not presenting the best overall alternative: the Feb. 2008 recommendation from the “89A Pedestrian Safety Advisory Panel” consisting of Sedona citizens, ADOT representatives, and International Dark Sky Association? This recommendation was as follows:

• NO continuous roadway lighting on West 89A, and
• Signalize the Andante intersection, the location where three fatal accidents occurred over a 5-year period.

The benefits of this recommendation are many:A signalized intersection at Andante will contribute to safety both at night and day (over 90% of ALL accidents occur in the daytime),

• A signalized intersection at Andante will cost FAR less than the other alternatives,
• Little to no light pollution; learn more about the importance of reducing “light pollution” at www.darksky.org,
• No light trespass into nearby neighborhoods that overlook 89A and
• No degradation of our famous and gorgeous starry night skies.

ADOT is proposing to put a signalized intersection at Andante, but what will 76 or more lights do for safety when it’s needed most? Most of the pedestrian (and motorist) accidents have occurred during the busy daylight hours on West 89A. The solution to protecting pedestrians and motorists is not more lights but sensible and creative roadway precautions that monitor and slow traffic down.

98% of KSB Members rejected Continuous Roadway Lighting on West 89A in a recent survey; click here to read the respondents’ comments that provide insightful information on this issue. In addition, you may find reading the KSB Board’s recent resolution, “Continuous Roadway Lighting for West State Route 89A,” to be helpful as well KSB’s “dark skies” web page.

We urge you to attend the Council Meeting on Oct. 28th. Express your opinion; do not be afraid to stand up and be vocal. Be informed, be involved; it is the only way to make a difference and “keep Sedona beautiful.”

Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick (D-Arizona) announced she will move forward on the Sedona-Red Rock National Scenic Area designation at the 3rd annual Sedona Community Fair on September 19, 2009.

Representative Ann Kirkpatrick (D-Arizona) has just confirmed that she will be in Sedona on Saturday, September 19th and be speaking at the Sedona Community Fair, between 9:30 – 10 am, and making a statement regarding the Sedona-Red Rock NSA Designation. We’re told she will be informing the people of Sedona that she is going ahead with drafting the Bill to present to Congress. She also has stated that she intends to obtain (more) local input on the draft before she introduces the Bill which will be “sometime in the near future.”

Please join us by 9:30 am at our KSB Booth table and take part in the celebration – one more important step in our efforts to protect the integrity and beauty of Red Rock Country.

Spooky Halloween Speakers Series
Features “Bats: Fact or Fiction”

Allen's Big-eared Bat

It’s getting batty at Keep Sedona Beautiful! In the spirit of Halloween, on Wednesday, October 21st, conservationist (and REAL Bat Man) Brian Keeley will present “Bats: Fact or Fiction” at the Keep Sedona Beautiful “Preserving the Wonder” Speaker Series. Although the presentation is factual and informative, it is also highly entertaining for young people.

The former Facilities and Conservation Director of the Arboretum at Flagstaff, Mr. Keeley has been a conservation ecologist for over 30 years, working as a bat ecologist since 1994. He was in project development at the renowned Bat Conservation International in Austin, Texas, and has extensively studied bat and human relationships, tropical pollination and seed dispersal, etc. “No other animals I have worked with are as widespread and unusual as bats!” says Keeley.

“Bats are difficult to see or hear and even harder to catch, which may explain why myths spread faster than truth. This presentation will focus on the lives of bats from around the world, followed by a discussion of our own Arizona bats, as we are lucky to be living in one of the most bat-wealthy regions in the U.S. We will finally separate the facts from the often-scary fiction. If we are lucky, and we usually are, we will have a live bat for a close-up viewing and an echolocation demonstration where you learn to use a device called a bat detector that changes their inaudible voices into sounds you can hear”.

The “Preserving the Wonder” Speaker Series evening begins at 5:30 on Wednesday, October 21st with a special Halloween welcome reception for the public. At 5:45 the program will begin. Mr. Keeley will answer questions following his remarks and the event will conclude at 7pm. with a special surprise grand finale!

Speakers Series programs are presented the third Wednesday of each month from September through June at the KSB headquarters, the historic Pushmataha Center at 360 Brewer Rd. in Sedona. Featuring a wide variety of topics related to the “wonder” of our region, this popular series dates back to the early KSB organization with a mission to engage, inform and inspire the community. Donations are appreciated, members are free.

The National Wildlife Foundation (NWF) has selected the property surrounding Keep Sedona Beautiful’s historical Pushmataha building (Sedona Historical Landmark No. 15, located at 360 Brewer Road) as a NWF Certified Wildlife Habitat! To qualify for this prestigous designation, the property must demonstrate an abundance of native plants, trees, available food sources, a water source, cover and nesting sites, attract a variety of birds, butterflies and other wildlife, while helping to protect our local environment.

Spearheaded by Jolene Pierson, Dave Norton and Bill Pumphrey, the KSB Garden will soon be an outdoor venue for various programs and open to the public sometime in the fall of 2009. KSB applied for the designation as a compliment to the current Coleman-Black Garden Project. The vision of this garden also includes pathways, serenity resting areas and an educational component.

KSB is actively seeking additional donations to fund plant purchases. To learn more or to help us, call Jan or Wendy at 928.282.4938 or email ksb@esedona.net.

Keep Sedona Beautiful’s Blog welcomes our first guest columnist!

Sept. 10th, 2009

IF YOU HAVE A LEMON…
by Barbara Breitbart, PhD

Psychological research has shown that hardiness is a major factor which contributes to the resiliency for not only surviving, but also thriving under conflict and adverse conditions. Psychological hardiness is a trait that allows individuals to accept the challenges and changes in life with good humour and resilience. It enhances performance, leadership, conduct, stamina, mood and both physical and mental health. Hardiness helps people turn negative situations into opportunities or to state it another way, it helps people turn the proverbial ‘lemon’ into lemonade.

When I first arrived in Sedona from New York City about 20 years ago, one of the first things I became acutely aware of was the clarity of the night sky. What a fabulous sight, to be able to see the galaxies and experience the wonder which a dark starry sky can invoke. Like many of you, I am concerned about the Impact that the continuous highway lighting of 89A will have on our fair city. My concern is not only about esthetics, but also about energy consumption and reducing the negative impact on our environment.

If, in spite of all our heartfelt and impassioned efforts to prevent continuous lighting if it turns out that West Sedona’s proposed lighting becomes a fait accompli, then why not focus our attention on utilizing a sustainable form of lighting, one that has green features, with reduced energy consumption, a reduced carbon footprint and reduced light pollution?

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“Preserving the Wonder” Speaker Series

On Wednesday, September 16, 2009 Keep Sedona Beautiful is honored to kick off the 2009-2010 “Preserving the Wonder” Speaker Series with the former Chairman of the Yavapai-Apache Nation, Tribal Elder Vincent Randall.

Mr. Randall will speak of the Yavapai-Apache Nation’s dramatic history and rich culture, their lives today and plans for the future as important neighbors in the Verde Valley.

The evening begins at 5:30 with a wine and cheese welcome reception. At 5:45 the program will begin. Mr. Randall will answer questions at the end of the evening which concludes at 7pm. The Speaker Series takes place at the KSB headquarters, the historic Pushmataha Center, 360 Brewer Rd. in Sedona.

Among many citations for his work, Randall was presented one of the State of Arizona’s “Living Treasures” awards in 2007, and in July, 2009, he received a heritage award from Tuzigoot National Monument, National Park Service, for a lifetime of work documenting and sharing local history of the Verde Valley.

KSB’s popular monthly “Preserving the Wonder” Speaker Series runs September through June and  features a variety of topics all related to the amazing diversity and rich history of the region.  Recent programs have ranged in topic from conservation issues, photography tips, geology, nature, and performances of one-man shows.

The 2009-2010 season will next feature a Halloween program of “Bat Facts and Fiction” by a real “Bat Man”; in November, a look at the burgeoning “green” Verde Valley wine business; and as a holiday treat in December, a theatrical “visit” from one of Sedona’s eccentric early pioneers.

Please contact Jan at the KSB office, 928.282.4938, if you need more information.

On August 15, the Arizona State Democratic Party unanimously passed a resolution supporting the Sedona-Red Rock National Scenic Area Designation.  The resolution encourages our Congressional representatives to introduce and support the bill.

The National Scenic Area designation for the Sedona-Red Rock Country would prohibit land trades by the Forest Service within the 160,000 acres of the most spectacular Red Rock land within the Sedona area and would not affect private, State or municipal lands or require any funding whatsoever.

You can learn more about the Sedona-Red Rock NSA on Keep Sedona Beautiful’s web site.

KSB Members Overwhelmingly Support Sedona National Scenic Area (NSA) Designation

Photo by Stephen DeVol

Nearly 100 percent of Keep Sedona Beautiful (KSB) members support a Sedona-Red Rock National Scenic Area (NSA) designation, according to a recent survey conducted by the 600-member organization.

A federal designation is under consideration for the 160,000 acres of forest lands in and surrounding Sedona. U.S. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, who is the only U.S. Congressional representative who may introduce such legislation, has asked constituents for further data as she considers introducing legislation. In response, KSB conducted an online survey of its members.

In the survey, conducted July 17-27, 98.9 percent of respondents said they support an NSA designation. They rated its positive economic impact 6.7 on a 7.0 (highest) scale. Respondents rated the importance of the following aspects of an NSA:

• Scenic/Community Harmony: Preserves scenic beauty, small town character and property values, but allows crucial public infrastructure and land use [schools, roads, fire stations and cell phone towers] (96.9%)
• Forest Management: Allows continued U.S. Forest Service management; no new administrative authority required. (92.8%)
• Local Control: Does not affect “local control.” (92.8%)
• Business Impact: Is good for business and tourism. (91.8%)
• Government Authority: Creates no new layers of government. (86.7%)
• Land Use: Does not affect any private, state or municipal lands. (75.5%)
• Area Affected: Applies only to Coconino National Forest lands in the area. (75.5%)

Comments provided by KSB members to share with Kirkpatrick included:

• “This one act will forever be Congresswoman Kirkpatrick’s signature legislation.”
• “Having a(n) NSA designation would strengthen the Sedona brand and help our tourism business.”
• “The Sedona economy and lifestyle are dependent upon protection of the scenic beauty. We must be stewards of this treasure.”
• “It will help to bolster the region’s economic base as a tourist destination where residents, organizations, and government agencies work as stewards to assure a balance between the human footprint and the fragile grandeur of nature.”

Full results of the KSB survey may be viewed on the Keep Sedona Beautiful website.