(Editor’s note: Opinion pieces are published for discussion purposes only.)
Arizona Daily Sun
Is it time to rethink the rejection of regional “sprawl” in a city that might have already reached its sustainable carrying capacity?
That’s one question that comes to mind as the draft High-Occupancy Housing Specific Plan for Flagstaff comes up for its first public workshops this week.
The plan, authored by Sara Dechter, the city of Flagstaff’s comprehensive planning manager, is a clear and comprehensive look at how high-density development of more than 100 bedrooms per acre could work in a city already chafing under growing traffic congestion and overbuilding in residential neighborhoods. The city, including NAU, is going to grow whether it likes it or not, Dechter points out; creating more mixed-use, high-density “activity” centers – including student housing – will give people a chance to live, work and shop in a more compact area and thus reduce private vehicle trips.
