The July 8th City Council Meeting Should be Rowdier than Whiskey Row on a Saturday Night!
Tomorrow’s meetings could dig up more dirt than anticipated!
Hold onto your cowboy hats Prescottonians, because tomorrow, July 8th, the Prescott City Council is fixing to be a critical session, tackling the contentious Highway 89 widening project, a revisit of the Prescott Plaza Hotel proposal, and a significant discussion on releasing redacted investigation reports. It’s like a showdown at high noon, except instead of pistols, we’ve got traffic studies, granite cliffs, blueprints, and legal documents.
Keeping true to the Prescott Pulse mission of delivering clear, unbiased, and factual info to Prescott residents, we’re diving into the history and drama of these three agenda items because this road’s been rockier than the Dells itself!
Examining the Background of the Three Agenda Items:
The Prescott Plaza Hotel Proposal:
Jim Griset’s Prescott Plaza Hotel original proposal, a five-story boutique hotel on Whiskey Row, was rejected by the Prescott City Council on March 26, 2024, upholding the Prescott Preservation Commission’s August 2023 denial. The new proposal looks like it’s now a four-story hotel, and cut down from 55 rooms to 47 rooms.
In May 2024, the Goldwater Institute, representing Griset, sent a letter to the City Council demanding reversal of the denial or clear justification, hinting at potential litigation.
Mayor Phil Goode stated the City Attorney was directed to provide a clear explanation for the denial, citing noncompliance with Historic Preservation District Design Guidelines, and to challenge any legal action.
Releasing Redacted Investigation Reports:
A public records request was submitted to the city clerk on or about June 18th for the December 2023 investigation reports related to a complaint against Mayor Phil Goode for alleged City Charter violation in pressuring former City Manager Katie Gregory to resign.
Upon learning about the request, Council members Ted Gambogi and Brandon Montoya requested it to be added to the July 8th city council agenda.
The investigator’s report concluded Goode’s actions did not violate the City Charter.
City Attorney Joe Young was asked to prepare redacted investigation reports related to a complaint against Mayor Phil Goode for alleged City Charter violation.
Highway 89 widening Project:
1990s–2000s: Initial plans to improve SR 89 due to growing traffic and safety issues, with studies by CYMPO projecting regional population growth.
2010s: Sundog Connector proposed to link Prescott and Prescott Valley, raising concerns over ecological damage to the Granite Dells.
2010s–2020s: Save the Dells and community groups opposed widening through the Dells Narrows, citing harm to ecosystems, wildlife, and cultural sites; advocated for alternatives like traffic lights.
2022: Prescott, Prescott Valley, and Yavapai County agreed to expand Granite Dells Regional Park, intensifying opposition to widening plans.
2025: Granite Dells Regional Park (now renamed Glassford Dells Regional Park) is fully approved and amenities expansion is funded.
What Opinion Does Prescott Pulse Hold on the Three Agenda Items?
On the Prescott Plaza Hotel, we suspect the City Council is deftly dodging potential multi-million dollar lawsuits while trying not to play the Earp brothers, shooting up downtown Prescott’s redevelopment dreams in a wild west showdown. We are in a “wait and see” holding pattern depending on how the City Council handles this one and what the new design looks like. That will answer how the Council weighs private property rights, parking, and the historic nature of Whiskey Row.
On releasing redacted investigation reports, we are also in a “wait and see” holding pattern on how the City Council handles this. Montoya and Gambogi teaming up to discuss these now is suspect, as if they’ve suddenly discovered a passion for transparency brighter than a Whiskey Row neon sign on a Friday night.
On the widening of SR 89, Prescott Pulse Says Widen That Road, Pardner!
Below is our explanation because it may not be popular for some of our readers who want to keep SR 89 untouched. We see the need to beef up this road to avoid future traffic jams and safety snafus, without turning the Dells into a concrete jungle, of course.
As part of the regional highway system, the roadway serves as an important commuting route. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) dictate design standards and expectations for safe flow of traffic. The Design Concept Report (DCR) presents several options:
“no action” (leave the road untouched),
slap on some turn lanes but keep it a skinny two-lane road (one lane each way), or
one of multiple widening options to make room for our growing city.
Here’s the kicker: SR 89 is the only arterial road in Prescott that pinches down to two lanes right in the middle, thanks to some stubborn granite cliffs that got dynamited 100 years ago. Fast-forward to today, and due to normal population growth, our roadways are starting to experience significant overburdening.
Here’s why we favor one of the widening options:
Traffic Nightmares are Real. Remember a couple months ago when SR 89 took a nap for a few days for utility repairs? Willow Creek Road turned into a parking lot. If we don’t widen SR 89, it’ll be like living in that gridlock nightmare 24/7.
Evacuation? Good Luck! Picture a wildfire knocking on Prescott’s door. With only a handful of escape routes, a choked-up SR 89 would turn an evacuation into a bumper-car disaster.
Emergency Response on Life Support. Whether it’s ambulances rushing to save lives, firefighters racing to douse flames, or cops chasing bad guys, a clogged SR 89 would slow them down significantly.
The Dells Won’t Cry. The Dells cover 3,300 acres, and widening SR 89 would mess with less than one acre—yep, under half a percent of the land will be disturbed!
Blasting? More Like a “Polite Tap”. Forget visions of cartoonish dynamite clouds. Modern rock removal is like a surgical procedure: drill some holes, pop in tiny explosives, and “thump”—the granite politely steps aside. No Wile E. Coyote explosions here!
Growth Doesn’t Care About Your Road Plans. Some folks think keeping SR 89 narrow will slow or stop population growth, like it’s a magic spell to keep newcomers away. That didn’t work for Austin, Texas (we mean, have you driven there?!), and it won’t work here. If you don’t build it, they’ll still come—and they’ll bring their traffic jams with ‘em.
If you have an opinion and want your voice to be heard on these issues, grab your megaphone (or just your phone) and contact your City Council members today, or mosey on down to their 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. meeting tomorrow. Relevant documents and memos are available for public review at prescottaz.portal.civicclerk.com, providing further insight into the council’s deliberations and decisions.