Northern Arizona Healthcare’s plans for the new Flagstaff Medical Campus will go before the Planning and Zoning Commission for a work session Oct. 26.
NAH’s updated plan was presented to Flagstaff City Council by planning staff and project representatives at a retreat last week, and P&Z will hold two hearings in November before bringing the plans to City Council for two hearings in December. NAH has also planned a neighborhood meeting for Oct. 10.
NAH hopes to open the hospital and ambulatory care center in 2027.
The City will have to make four minor amendments to the regional plan for the project to proceed:
- The area type will have change from neighborhood scale to regional;
- A future suburban activity center’s location will need to be adjusted;
- The center and the area to the south will have to be dedicated as an employment area, and
- The future corridor for Beulah Blvd. will have to be realigned.
The specific plan for the campus’ location will also need amendments, including building placements, landscaping standards, increasing the amount of bicycle parking, and making changes to the parking spaces and lots. Building heights will also need to be increased. The zoning map will have to be changed so that 109.7 acres would be rezoned to highway commercial, 27.8 acres will be research and development, and 35.2 acres are public facilities.
Planning staff is requesting additional input on traffic and transportation impacts and planning – including the expansion of transit services and the potential impact on City operating budgets, fire management, and plans for the existing hospital.
NAH and the City are working on a standards of cover analysis, but it has not yet been completed and could impact NAH’s desired timeline for advancing the application.
NAH’s officials said the organization is working to establish a redevelopment council comprised of City and community leaders to help coordinate the project. The group has a contract in place with Progressive Urban Management Associates to help with that aspect of the plan.
City planners also expressed a desire to have a Transportation Demand Management program included in the plan, along with active recreation amenities and planned responses to “climate and housing emergencies.” (Source)