[{"_1":2,"_97":-5,"_98":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,73,85],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":55,"_72":55},"mediaId",6576327,"mediaKeyId","3129073-2ceccd96fbdd43deb6a939903eae468a","parentId",3129073,"title","Sustainability commissioners form grant working group, approve small budget revision for Southside group","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",5880000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3129073-2ceccd96fbdd43deb6a939903eae468a&start=5880&end=5880","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3129073-2ceccd96fbdd43deb6a939903eae468a/thumbnail_5880000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6576327/Flagstaff-City/Coconino-County/Arizona/Sustainability-commissioners-form-grant-working-group-approve-small-budget-revision-for-Southside-group","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6576327-8c14bdee082fa5e81fcf63b036b2d63e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770436913&Signature=a~tZJooLqJvU4I4fcYEzLoqxAejFN1Zwn2B5~GaoFcmFN72cWVUgWE0BA7zrGO~dcgoh8T7fs7mvsAv64H5L3dZj4~CZ9GehDOo9KRsGHdUpvF~1hLn-fG3GOiaoJmCCZRPfcW8hV5yXgkZXJTljFSNya6kXFZYhZSs1iCLsBJkI~GGChcso31btsnVTjRQLXbF95BfPud~DRpKtdWOp-YhvaC1LmMXfZRfh2o9k83TN57K128S~LYCAq-CHCTGt5pbZ~Fa3sqN6JQsCGoY-Q8Av-MwoyGMul-9v4jycroBS6bex0vX1IzEqewSthm-7bZHmqD65cmXolzqA5R6i2Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-26T05:50:04.827Z","article","The Flagstaff Sustainability Commission voted to form a working group to revise the Neighborhood Sustainability Grant application process and approved a requested budget change from one current grantee.

Commissioners Metzger, Lamy and Boren volunteered to serve on a working group charged with updating the grant materials and scoring procedures. Commissioner Metzger moved the motion to form the working group; commissioners voted in favor.

Separately, the commission approved a staff recommendation to permit Southside Community Association to reallocate the remaining portion of its 2024–25 neighborhood sustainability grant toward staffing that supports the organization’s resilience‑hub work. Staff said Southside had spent about $3,300 of a $7,500 award and requested the remaining funds be used to preserve a local staff position affected by the EPA stop‑work order. The commission approved the revision, with staff noting the grant terms allow the commission to approve budget exceptions in unique circumstances and that grantees must still submit final reports describing outcomes.

Commissioners also agreed to form a working group to update the Sustainability Commission ordinance; the motion named Chair Amy Walpoleinski, Commissioner Conkle and Commissioner Spurlock as the subgroup to draft recommended updates for the commission to review. That group will review an ordinance that staff described as dated and prepare language for future council consideration.

On timing, staff said Tia — the sustainability staffer who presented the monthly report and later announced a planned mid‑summer departure for graduate school — hopes to complete materials for the next grant cycle before she leaves. The working group will aim to meet two to three times before the commission’s June meeting to finalize language and scoring adjustments.

Motions on the working groups and the Southside budget revision passed by voice vote. Commissioners asked staff to document any approved budget exceptions in grantee final reports so the commission can track how reallocated funds affect stated outcomes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Flagstaff Sustainability Commission Meeting - April 24, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The commission voted to form a working group to revise the Neighborhood Sustainability Grant process, approved a requested budget revision from Southside Community Association and formed an ordinance‑update working group.","taxTitle","Flagstaff City, Coconino County, Arizona","taxId",4650,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":74,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":75,"_41":76,"_43":77,"_45":78,"_46":79,"_48":80,"_50":81,"_52":82,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":83,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":84,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":55,"_72":55},6576333,"Flagstaff appeals EPA stop‑work order for resilience‑hub grant; city seeks interim funding",331,1132000,1463000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3129073-2ceccd96fbdd43deb6a939903eae468a&start=1132&end=1463","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3129073-2ceccd96fbdd43deb6a939903eae468a/thumbnail_1132000.jpg","/articles/6576333/Flagstaff-City/Coconino-County/Arizona/Flagstaff-appeals-EPA-stopwork-order-for-resiliencehub-grant-city-seeks-interim-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6576333-032a3c7f1c76bd3881a22cee9beaec30/orig.mp4?Expires=1770436913&Signature=H2x3Q~MxqJ7APPu8Fbjb0B4B3TrsggOjLypQOOm4lCcpm0xJPalDm2AlNrAUjmuSmv6LHs2JbB0d4Yzq-vMK6MbWN~zGzGtd4Nm-JF3mzYo19vXjCnwFhBH~KXIMYcylqYYvHuDlYEkqJsVfEHW2Qw04M7PnYZNO9VpYgJvm5aQKhCCJq6oR5lpykPTgSsV38BXVsMbinJvTH2OA4~J2b2EbCJVn16XPrk4kt7Qb4MTFK8uFynm58IfMIrjW1n2waSQDxHUWr88yGbA~JCMoPfYW-hObiTN0NMJLTwMfIAC690HxO9epI1nrw0L6SDJlmXXCmY5tBtlYbhi4aEs6Bw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Flagstaff sustainability staff told the commission that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a stop‑work notice affecting an EPA resilience‑hubs grant and the city has formally appealed the termination.

Tia, a sustainability division staff member, said the EPA’s stop‑work order took effect March 31 and that the grant notice reached the project lead while she was on leave; the timing left nonprofit partners with only hours to adjust. The project partners named in the discussion included Southside Community Association, Sunnyside Community Association and a local community assistance team, which had planned to use EPA funds to staff hub operations and deliver hazard‑response, workforce and youth programming.

“We appealed the termination, and that was submitted formally this past Friday,” Tia said. She said the EPA has up to six months to review the appeal. Tia said staff would also seek letters of support from federal elected officials and would issue a press release after the appeal was filed.

Commissioners were told the city is pursuing interim resources: staff are redirecting limited internal funds, seeking philanthropic contributions and submitting additional grant and earmark requests. Tia said the city is contractually obligated to the EPA grant and has taken steps to safeguard some money to carry core services until the appeal is decided.

When a commissioner asked the size of the hold, staff said roughly $1,000,000 of grant funding was affected. Tia also said the city is managing dozens of other federal grants; staff referenced approximately $200 million in federal grants the city holds for various projects and about $44 million that is currently uncertain or “in limbo.”

Tia asked the commission to expect a press release and said the division will forward updates. Meanwhile commission members discussed how the neighborhood sustainability grant and other local programs might be used to provide short‑term support to affected organizations and staff.

No formal vote was taken; staff characterized the filing of the appeal and outreach to partners and elected officials as the city’s chosen course for now.","City sustainability staff said the EPA issued a stop‑work order on a resilience‑hubs grant; staff filed an appeal and are pursuing local and philanthropic funding to keep hubs operating while the appeal is reviewed.",{"_33":86,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":87,"_41":88,"_43":89,"_45":90,"_46":91,"_48":92,"_50":93,"_52":94,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":95,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":96,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":55,"_72":55},6576337,"Flagstaff officials weigh permit rules, safety and equity for shared e-scooters and e-bikes",145,2212000,2357000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3129073-2ceccd96fbdd43deb6a939903eae468a&start=2212&end=2357","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3129073-2ceccd96fbdd43deb6a939903eae468a/thumbnail_2212000.jpg","/articles/6576337/Flagstaff-City/Coconino-County/Arizona/Flagstaff-officials-weigh-permit-rules-safety-and-equity-for-shared-e-scooters-and-e-bikes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6576337-f6f874802ca82c205370dd04cf775c6a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770436913&Signature=APFJHayXQIPkIBtdnapqjgtxqZgafXN9yYf1Rnl~22Jppxa~KHqB76RRUBK2xLkVrm7Zf7N0BQd80lmvJgswiYLAxr6Z1hqKG4b5XlDjIbVYDl-NYKVfsbiWQgmg2IaemWF696wt-2RlCMCw0Txo75qTtcuV3YYEaW4-UaTMXbm0MKCSfpGQ45xtjfFatz~IVkgESCS-2M~rqTSk6GOL6Tssroljgpq8gEn9o2UTcRT2TpiGCcLfJaSbz8C8bZFJsoAFZ-fFK4UQXxp6w67e5iB0DI4eB7lEQDB1bGA~hiMziZxunwAn5-YvuW9~-vhaHJk~nb8KY78Gm9jQl8TYKQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Flagstaff Sustainability Commission members on Thursday discussed whether to invite shared micro‑mobility operators — companies that provide rentable electric scooters and e‑bikes — to operate in the city and, if so, how to regulate them.

The discussion, led by MetroPlan and transportation staff, focused on a feasibility study that lays out options ranging from a single city‑selected contractor to a permit regime that allows multiple vendors. Kim Austin of MetroPlan said the study updated a 2017 bike‑share feasibility report to include e‑scooters and noted that many peer cities now operate mostly scooters, which represent roughly 75% of device fleets in comparable programs.

The report’s authors and transit planners argued micro‑mobility can reduce vehicle miles traveled, serve as a “first/last mile” connection to transit and help the city meet climate goals. “About 64% of riders who use shared micro‑mobility devices use it to connect to transit,” said a presenter citing North American industry data. Staff also pointed to draft local plans that call for more options to reduce driving and greenhouse gases.

Commissioners and staff spent the bulk of the hour on operational questions: how to prevent devices from blocking sidewalks and ADA access, how to require vendor responsibility for maintenance and removal, whether to require geofencing to control where and when devices operate, and how to set parking corrals and distribution requirements to reach underserved neighborhoods.

“Without a formal mechanism, companies can come and dump scooters and bikes,” said a staff member involved in earlier pilots, urging a permit or contract approach that would let the city specify requirements for insurance, parking, geofencing, low‑income fares and hours of operation.

Speakers also flagged safety risks. MetroPlan’s presentation listed personal injury as a high‑impact risk that can cross jurisdictions (city streets, state highways and university property). Presenters recommended steps to reduce risk: robust vendor insurance and contract liability provisions, device safety features such as lights and brakes, education campaigns, and encouragement of helmet use.

Commissioners debated whether to require a single vendor or allow multiple operators. Some said a single operator can simplify enforcement and make it easier to require equitable distribution; others cautioned that too many restrictions could deter vendors from participating. “Don’t make it so restrictive that a vendor doesn’t want to come,” a commissioner said.

Staff described tools the city could use if it issues a solicitation or permit: minimum fleet sizes to ensure reliable service, parking corrals, geofencing so devices cannot enter sensitive pedestrian zones, mandatory equity measures such as cash payment options or subsidized memberships, and vendor obligations to remove and collect devices nightly or when a company ceases operations.

No formal action was taken. Staff said they will finish outreach with stakeholder groups and return a recommendation to city council on whether to adopt a procurement approach, a permit approach, or to change existing city code. The presenters asked commissions for early feedback to shape any procurement or permit details.","City staff and regional planners presented a micro‑mobility feasibility study and sought commission input on whether to allow private operators, how to manage parking and safety risks, and how to ensure equitable access if a program is approved.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Sustainability commissioners form grant working group, approve small budget revision for Southside group

Flagstaff appeals EPA stop‑work order for resilience‑hub grant; city seeks interim funding

Flagstaff officials weigh permit rules, safety and equity for shared e-scooters and e-bikes