step up or watch broken arrow trail in sedona az be destroyed.

[61scout80]

copied and pasted from: http://virtualjeepclub.com/showthread.php?t=18045





Here is an issue upon which all of us, except the water company, can agree:


Dear Neighbor,


City Council Meeting, Tuesday Evening Nov. 14 at City Hall at 6 pm. The Agenda, includes the water tank issue item #4 with 45 minutes of discussion allotted to it. Please make an effort to attend and speak. The City Council members are our representatives.


What is the Issue?

Sedona is dependent upon private water companies to provide our water needs. In 2002, Arizona Water Company was quoted in the Sedona Community Plan that at Sedona's build out, they projected that another 1,000,000 gallon water tank would be needed to service the east side of Sedona. (You might want to familiarize yourself with the Water Resource Element of the Sedona Community Plan. Visit www.Sedona.gov/documents/view.aspx?PK=60 and read it online.)

There is no question that this is true. But where shall the tank be placed? At what cost to the community? And why two tanks?

Good questions. As you probably are aware, the Arizona Water Company (AWC) has applied for a permit with the Forest Service to place two water tanks in the Broken Arrow area near the jeep trail above the Devil's Dining Room in the National Forest. And the City Council is meeting tomorrow night, Tuesday, to discuss it.

If the permit is granted, there will be an enormous destruction of virgin pinion forest lands, native wildflowers, wildlife watering holes, and other natural resources. I wish that I could send you a picture of the pristine area in which they want to put a huge, football field sized concrete pad, fencing, two huge water tanks and a 4500 foot water line through the forest to the end of Morgan Road, not to mention the roads they need to build around the tanks for building them and servicing them in the future - all will surely irreparably damage that forest area.

Have you ever walked up the Broken Arrow trail, and climbed onto the smooth red rocks and walked into the Arizona cypress and Pinion forest? Those rocks will be chiseled through 6' or more to make room for the water pipe, and the trees will be cut down, and the path that the Sierra Club built along side the jeep trail for hikers and horseback riders will be completely dug up, and the jeep trail will be dug up too, to make room for the 6' deep 12" pipe to carry the water to 179.

Oh, and when I asked representatives why two tanks instead of the one they had originally planned, they said while they were building one, it would be cost effective to build two.

Why Destroy the National Forest?

See, private land in Sedona is not free. But the land in the forest, in some people's opinion, is. And the neighboring wildlife and vegetation is silent about this. I, as you know, am not. And I hope you won't be. When the land and the vegetation is destroyed in the Broken Arrow area to make room for the tanks and to haul in the equipment to build them, there will be a huge cost, but it won't be monetary, and the Arizona Water Company, a private company, won't have to bear it. We all will.

What are the Alternatives?

The water company needs to find a more suitable site - and there must be one. It needs to be around 4500 feet in elevation. I have heard the airport mesa is available, I have heard there is already another tower up there and that the manager is not opposed to more. The land is open and available But Arizona Water Company doesn't want to construct a pipe down the mesa and bring it over the bridge by Tlaquepaque, stating that it will be too expensive. But the destruction of the forest land isn't?


What is the Real Issue?

Of course, the bottom line here is cost. AWC has looked at other locations in the national forest, one by the cemetery, one by the Chapel, one by the forest by Courthouse Butte, and they thought about the airport, and in every case, and they have decided, based on linear feet, that the cost of the water line from the tank to the water line on 179 is way too expensive, period. But is it?

Arizona Water Company has been eyeing the Broken Arrow Trail site for years - engineering studies and all. When asked, representatives from the AWC said there was no other land available for the tanks. They meant vacant land. Why doesn't AWC purchase private property then redevelop/rezone it for water tank usage? This would certainly be a lot cheaper than the cost of putting in a line in the other areas which they've deemed too expensive.

Just because Broken Arrow and Morgan Road is the cheapest way to get a pipe to 179, doesn't mean it's the best way. And the city council and the citizens it represents should take some responsibility, along with AWC, to find a location that doesn't impact the environment and our community in such a destructive way.


What Can You Do?

I urge you to attend tomorrow night to let the City Council know we understand the need for a water tank but don't want to destroy one of the most beautiful places in Sedona just because the land is "cheap."

Also, if you haven't already done so, please send comments to the Forest Service asking them to reject the permit request in favor of a better location - jadams05@fs.fed.us (Judy Adams).

And if you would like to be part of a team of reasonable people who support the water company and will help them find a better location - so they don't have to start the process all over again - and face public opposition from a different group of citizens, then please let me know.

Please forward this email to anyone who wants to protect our environment. It's an opportunity to be heard and take a positive role in community enhancements.

Sincerely,


Sarah McLean
Balance in the Forest Citizen Action Committee
PO Box 1178
Sedona, AZ 86339
(928) 204-0067 home office
(928) 254-0064 cell
(866) 654-1705 fax

balance@esedona.net

[landusepbb]

Really sucks, I'll be spreading the word.

[61scout80]

here is a quick copy and paste if you would like to send an e-mail, but don't want to take the time to write one. and be sure to sign your name.

Miss Judy Adams,
I am writing to request that you deny the permit to Arizona Water Company's new structures slated to be built near the popular Broken Arrow Trail. While I may not live in sedona, I do enjoy off highway vehicle use as a hobby, and the scenic Broken Arrow Trail is high on my list of places to visit in the future. Please preserve this trail by finding a more suitable location for Arizona Water Company to place their tanks necessary to support the growth of Sedona. Please try your hardest to preserve our national forest so our children can enjoy the natural beauty as we have.
Thank you for your time,

[MudzerK5]

email sent to Judy. Also, there is a typo in your letter where it says "no live in sedona"

Should read: "not live in Sedona".

[61scout80]

Originally Posted by MudzerK5

email sent to Judy. Also, there is a typo in your letter where it says "no live in sedona"

Should read: "not live in Sedona".

fixed, thanks.

[Pook]

Sent.

[rticul8_94yj]

E-mail sent.

[phattdraggon]

email sent

[MilTroy]

Done.

[k-d-williams]

Email sent.

[61scout80]

thanks for the help guys, we all appreciate it. if you ever make it to phoenix let me know.... even if you can't bring your own rig, there are places to rent jeeps every where... just make sure you buy up on the insurance

[Jason M]

So, if the water company uses this land will it be locked off to everyone else?

[61scout80]

Originally Posted by Jason M

So, if the water company uses this land will it be locked off to everyone else?

i'm not sure, but they i'd guess they will be leveling many obstacles and tearing up a large chunk of the national forest to get their equipment in.

[Jason M]

Most of the time it is nothing more than a logging road for access.

How far are the proposed tanks from a "good" road?

I am just trying to get a good feeling for how much will actualy be impacted by these tanks.

[aaron t]

email sent.
i could not get the font to come out other than white, so i typed my own....

[CJHeap]

Sent my own letter with pics of my family on the trail.

[bigyellowjimmy]

email sent, thanks for the heads up

[61scout80]

Originally Posted by Jason M

Most of the time it is nothing more than a logging road for access.

How far are the proposed tanks from a "good" road?

I am just trying to get a good feeling for how much will actualy be impacted by these tanks.

got me, i learned about this earlier today when i read it on azvjc.com. i was at work and couldn't do in depth homework. the club is very reputable around here so i took their word for it, and knew it would get some more attention over here as well. check out the link on my first post, they have a better grasp of the entire situation than i do at this time. i just got home an i'm reading into it now.


i guess we will learn in the next few days what the decision is.....

["Tonka"]

e-mail sent

[Jason M]

Hopefully it will work out for the best for everyone.

Just keep in mind, The numbers used are pretty minimal..

Think of what size a football field (the actual field is..) Just about an acre of land. Then consider the amount of pipe they are considering placing. 4500 feet, not even a mile.

I have no clue to the size of this trail but for most trails a mile is not that big of a deal. Honestly by putting the tanks where they seem to be planning it will probably do more for keeping the trail open than anything.

I do not know the water company but I do know a bit about what is necessary for the tanks. From the sound of it. As long as the forrest service buys into it I would bet that they woill be fairly unobtrusive.. That being said. Shit happens and crap goes wrong. But nothing in the items I have read actually makes it sound like the trail is gonna be closed or even "destroyed"..

FWIW

[61scout80]

Originally Posted by Jason M

Hopefully it will work out for the best for everyone.

Just keep in mind, The numbers used are pretty minimal..

Think of what size a football field (the actual field is..) Just about an acre of land. Then consider the amount of pipe they are considering placing. 4500 feet, not even a mile.

I have no clue to the size of this trail but for most trails a mile is not that big of a deal. Honestly by putting the tanks where they seem to be planning it will probably do more for keeping the trail open than anything.

I do not know the water company but I do know a bit about what is necessary for the tanks. From the sound of it. As long as the forrest service buys into it I would bet that they woill be fairly unobtrusive.. That being said. Shit happens and crap goes wrong. But nothing in the items I have read actually makes it sound like the trail is gonna be closed or even "destroyed"..

FWIW

broken arrow trail is extremely short, extremely scenic, and heavily used by amature off road enthusiest. the trail is short enough for a family to be able to rent a jeep and drive it in an afternoon. the idea of keeping this area free of infastructure, and keeping all of the terrain in tact (although it may not be extremely difficult) is key to keeping this trail popular. It sets an awesome example for people to get their start into off roading as a hobby. if you tear up 4500 feet of a 5 mile trail it will be noticeable.


here is some info on the trail. http://www.ultimatejeep.com/News/article/sid=46.html

[shelljeep]

Email sent. Good luck.

[Spooky]

Email sent.

[JesseA]

Email sent

[61scout80]

here is an update posted on www.virtualjeepclub.com from some one who was at the meeting last night, i'll try my best to keep this post up to date.

KEEP SENDING YOUR E-MAILS!!!!!

and thank you to those that already stepped up

Originally Posted by SedonaCowgirl

Thanks for the great responses, everyone! A few notes (pardon my long-winded stream of consciousness):

1. This was a Sedona city council meeting--they are giving their input on the issue to the Forest Service. Since the proposed water tank site is on Forest Service land, the ultimate decision will be in the hands of the Forest Service--so as many letters as we can send to the USFS ( email: jadams05@fs.fed.us ) will be helpful.

2. This was the longest time ever allotted for a single issue at a city council meeting--a good testament to the level of concern within the community. They allotted 45 minutes, but it went on for over two hours--I had to leave at 9 PM, and they were just wrapping it up.

The gist of the meeting:

The proposed water tank construction would tear a 20-foot wide swath along the Jeep trail from the trailhead to the Devil's Dining Room sinkhole, and then cut through virgin forest for another "couple hundred yards". (The whole trail is only 2 miles deep.) We would lose everything from the trailhead, through the first playground (Princess Rock and the section of slickrock at the base of Battlement Mesa), all the way to the sinkhole (which, HELLO, does anyone think that placing an 8 million pound object near already proven unstable ground is a bad idea?) All of you who have been on this trail realize what a significant impact this would have on that whole canyon, not to mention a huge chunk of Jeep trail.

They initially stated that they estimate 6-7 months for construction and would time it to occur during a slow time of year. Can anyone tell me a 6-7 month timeframe in which Sedona is "slow"?!? They were a bit evasive about keeping the Jeep trail open during construction.

The water company also stated that the area would be "put back just how it was". As non-committal as the USFS rep, Judy Adams, was trying to be this early in the permit application process, she at least agreed that the area could not/would not ever be "the same".

The only people who think it is a good idea to put water tanks on Broken Arrow is the water company. The rep from the water company demonstrated that he either had no knowledge of or no care for the recreational, scenic, and economic value that this particular trail has to the community. He is working with 16 year-old information and "just wants to build his water tank."

Several alternative sites were suggested, mostly within city limits, which is where, in my opinion, such water tanks belong. The main objection that the water company had to these sites were the visibility from the Hwy 179 corridor, and they tip-toed around cost issues. Many residents stated that we already see water tanks from the highway everyday, so the 1992 opinions upon which the water company is basing their site selection needs to be updated to current public opinion, which was a resounding "WE DO NOT WANT TO TEAR UP THE FOREST." One resident pointed out that if the city council could approve the monstrosity of a house that went in on the hilltop in front of the chapel, they could certainly find a place for a little old water tank! The reason we NEED more water tanks is BECAUSE they keep building more homes--duh!

WHERE the tanks ultimately go should be a city decision, so our job as recreationists is to simply fight like heck to get the USFS permit denied.

Great letters, everyone! Thank you for your efforts--it WILL make a difference!