[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-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",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":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,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6587600,"mediaKeyId","5578081-fd907cc750373e9dd9714186f06b80af","parentId",5578081,"title","Payson staff: Juniper Pines subdivision moving through review as residents press drainage, tree‑removal and traffic concerns","audioSeconds",4461,"startMs",3263000,"endMs",7724000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5578081-fd907cc750373e9dd9714186f06b80af&start=3263&end=7724","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5578081-fd907cc750373e9dd9714186f06b80af/thumbnail_3263000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6587600/Payson/Gila-County/Arizona/Payson-staff-Juniper-Pines-subdivision-moving-through-review-as-residents-press-drainage-treeremoval-and-traffic-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6587600-bfccb876f287d67df0edd4eeea534e8c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770393719&Signature=E~OGHyLjRs~hC2itlkmqnS2LgJN0yhpXAhfj62YKWNP9Vo8~LFBG~P2lmb~D0MBfKQULq8NbCiKCM2YHKIAkxrPhMX5DzGLHduv5JrKYeeq6CFCzLzXOj8JZbNv9nH6CvbB7zvzBopPr5s2u5s4gnKylAeCucItbDdtRHMSYHVp2TKfG40ltKfYiLuHQhmT4RtJPH6XgSA8XH1lRFwNmZqRzY3nvTDl6vgT-wKKlo8SM0LLdVywYK4Aic3w8Mvz4tEu3ZcHQZKhSpmp~eWWfe3oXRkl~trphte2mWscXUHhXMLUOGtr7a6OqMeXAnymKwGU5-AqKDs1CrMmUNnu1Tg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Payson","date","2025-08-13T00:00:00Z","article","The Payson Common Council on Aug. 13 received a status update from planning staff on the Juniper Pines and Pink Door Mini Storage subdivision and heard several residents pressing for faster fixes and clearer answers on grading, tree removal and stormwater runoff.

Nicole Adams, planning staff, said the project is continuing through the town's subdivision and civil‑improvement review. She told the council the at‑risk grading permit was applied for in May 2024 and issued in July 2024, the developer submitted a preliminary plat in July 2024 that the Planning and Zoning Commission approved with conditions in March 2025, and the project is now in civil improvement and final‑plat review. The preliminary plat shows 24 single‑family lots, one commercial lot, one multifamily lot and four tracts reserved for future development, Adams said. Final plat approval and construction require submittal and town review of civil improvement plans, posting of financial assurances and acceptance of improvements by council.

Residents said the project is already creating problems. Mike White, a Star Valley resident, said he has documented grading without appropriate permits, what he called the removal of about 34 acres of trees, and increased runoff that sent floodwater toward downstream properties during a recent storm. White and other speakers said the town’s tree ordinance and required replacement standards appeared not to have been enforced and asked why an at‑risk grading permit had been repeatedly extended.

Adams said the developer provided two performance bonds in mid‑2024 (amounts: not specified in the update) and that town staff had inspected the site after runoff complaints. She said a traffic study required for final approvals has not yet been received. Adams also said that a July submittal included an updated drainage and geotechnical report; Adams did not present technical conclusions at the meeting and said engineering staff would follow up.

Water‑system staff described interlocking regulatory steps that affect timing. A water‑department staff member filling in for Water Resource Manager Baden Aldridge said the developer has asked to modify a public well and that Arizona Department of Water Resources and Arizona Department of Environmental Quality approvals are required because the well serves the public. That staff member said ADWR/ADEQ review needs drainage/floodplain elevations and final subdivision grades to show the well casing would not be overtopped in a 100‑year flood; until the drainage report and civil plans are settled, ADEQ/ADWR submittals cannot be completed.

Council members asked staff to press for the outstanding technical reports and to follow up with ADOT about whether the developer’s traffic work listed in the civil plans will require any state action. Town staff said they would provide the drainage and well materials to council members and to ADOT if needed, and stressed that the current timeline was not unusual for a project with multiple agency reviews.

Residents asked the council to enforce town code for interim erosion and drainage protections while final approvals are pending. Adams said the town code contains interim drainage requirements and that code enforcement and engineering staff have authority to require corrective measures before final plat approval.

The council did not take a formal vote on the development during the meeting; staff said they would continue coordination with the developer and would bring final plat or civil plans back after resubmittal and comment resolution.

Community members and councilors who spoke in public comment tied Juniper Pines to wider concerns about transparency, permitting decisions and enforcement; several asked for clearer, regularly posted updates from staff so neighbors could track engineering responses and performance bond information.

What’s next: staff said the developer must resubmit corrected civil improvement plans (including the traffic study and any outstanding drainage/geotech responses); after staff review and resolution of comments a final plat and construction agreement would come to council for acceptance of improvements and building plan review would proceed.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Payson - Payson Town Council - Regular","oneSentenceSummary","The Payson Common Council on Aug. 13 received a status update from planning staff on the Juniper Pines and Pink Door Mini Storage subdivision and heard several residents pressing for faster fixes and clearer answers on grading, tree removal and stormwater runoff.","taxTitle","Payson, Gila County, Arizona","taxId",60910,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6587581,"Votes at a glance: council approves consent agenda; authorizes water change orders for Skypark well",1352,4115000,5467000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5578081-fd907cc750373e9dd9714186f06b80af&start=4115&end=5467","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5578081-fd907cc750373e9dd9714186f06b80af/thumbnail_4115000.jpg","/articles/6587581/Payson/Gila-County/Arizona/Votes-at-a-glance-council-approves-consent-agenda-authorizes-water-change-orders-for-Skypark-well","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6587581-aa85e9a6c7c10258cd574cc76d185cea/orig.mp4?Expires=1770393719&Signature=cPWTDrNTsdtgdBjj5M1GY~3q-I~O~xCHmrEQ7bxZi2coqWQ5kTh0H3JuFF75xjv-JlI84fun3WfYm7EOk2ZutXnuZoDivIwQe3FGJ-fxZLPPH2v6LiYP-BF5eHpwDeuSEj4uz48q1iqIffHL00wkizdyS8OTcTtLh1KO9OjBULCu9kztr6dzfZjKt~PJi0-Si4t3ytbD3Z9To0BPIWILr3jwlVQ~RmlvZLm6sXvsiMskaoZZx-1pq9~VctVP~oYzsuT75sU~6~UxbJt9ieKATIE-L~VvqVU1TcuJT3AgD61zEwjzN9ifXjLvIDwLy3y3~G3BK7KkYsz9~8xXZe1n2A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Payson Common Council recorded two formal actions during the Aug. 13 meeting.

The council approved the consent agenda — a single motion covering routine items including approval of meeting minutes for June 25 and July 9, authorization for the town to participate in the Purdue opioid settlement participation form, and a resolution to change bank signatories — by voice vote. The meeting record states the motion passed 7–0. Councilmembers did not discuss individual consent items on the dais.

Later the council considered a council decision request tied to the Skypark groundwater well drilling and rehabilitation effort. The town had previously awarded a drilling contract after a public bid process; while drilling the low bidder encountered hard rock and other complications that require additional change‑order work. Town staff requested authority for change orders and contingency totaling $96,100 to complete drilling and associated measures so the contractor can finish the Skypark No. 2 well. The motion authorized the town manager to execute necessary contract documents and to allocate all costs to the water enterprise fund. The motion was moved and seconded from the dais and approved (no recorded roll call was printed in the transcript), and the manager and staff indicated the contractor would return to finish work once the change order was approved.

Key documents and references included in the consent package and the well request: minutes and routine consent items; a Purdue opioid settlement participation form; a resolution cited as No. 3459 changing bank signatories; and the Skypark well change‑order backup showing the additional drilling and equipment expenses (hard‑rock drilling premium, air‑compressor rental and well‑cleanout measures).","At its Aug. 13 meeting the Payson Common Council approved the consent agenda (7–0) and authorized change orders to complete the Skypark groundwater well project, adding contingency funds to allow completion.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6587585,"Payson residents and aviators press council on hangar lease rates, airport amenities and EAA roundabout airplane support",963,2214000,3177000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5578081-fd907cc750373e9dd9714186f06b80af&start=2214&end=3177","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5578081-fd907cc750373e9dd9714186f06b80af/thumbnail_2214000.jpg","/articles/6587585/Payson/Gila-County/Arizona/Payson-residents-and-aviators-press-council-on-hangar-lease-rates-airport-amenities-and-EAA-roundabout-airplane-support","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6587585-4c7cc0223f4d1cae45b73ed98657bd3c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770393719&Signature=gBzAODtI-0B41ltI2sut30fda4jJXLnZqlivh9B5iZl8KxHwjKfWoxOOXLm8aM37aSL2Z7UxpPYJUbGqA~Naua7pQ6JHoe95Tz-gvpQSMyhXha89tC5S2iboTQF4i4MJEcNDYZwDU8N2JcYCStr5C-BQOnmnIBo~LiUIk8zCIzceSbZO0Jpcj5pKORhhsZukD0Vo93lmaCkKZJnZRwHA4MVr0BmcfKReA2sq3lWGWOwHoj7xfXEAdFadG98yHv-icIFSMtgrI-L1p4FYLQRVVwV8Zk~bydGA-POOhIWkEyImX8j9tvFks~tSuc9iBg1Ce5U8odexhna5pML4vYtu1A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Multiple Payson residents, pilots and airport advocates used the meeting’s public comment period to press council and staff about airport management, hangar lease terms and a separate local aviation project.

Tom West, president of the local Experimental Aircraft Association chapter and renter of three hangars at the PHO (Payson Municipal Airport), said lease rates assigned to older, smaller hangars were substantially higher on a per‑square‑foot basis than rates for larger hangars at the fuel pits. He said current leases do not allow multiple signers, LLCs or corporate lessees, and he called those limits “unreasonable” and potentially discriminatory. West said he planned to file a complaint with the Federal Aviation Administration if the town did not address the differential rates.

Dale Mueller, a local flight instructor and airport advocate, told the council the airport needs routine maintenance and modest pilot‑amenity improvements — including a simple gathering space and reliable public Wi‑Fi — to serve transient pilots and to host Young Eagles and other youth events. Mueller said recent simple repairs (for example, replacing burned‑out ramp lights) had been done by advocates rather than through routine town maintenance.

Marie Husano, representing the EAA Roundabout Beautification Committee, said the committee has funds to install an airplane as a roundabout feature at Highway 87 and Airport Road, and that Arizona Department of Transportation had indicated support and an encroachment permit could be issued if the town provides a letter of support. She asked the town manager for a letter; the town manager said he believed the previous council had approved the plan and that he may have authority to issue a support letter without bringing it back to council if legal review is clear.

Town manager Jerry Caldwell responded to several requests by saying staff would follow up, check lease files and the scope of prior direction to staff, and coordinate with the airport commission. Council members asked staff to confirm whether lease terms had been changed from prior practice and to provide a fuller report at a future meeting.

No formal council action was taken at this meeting; staff said they would return with findings and, where appropriate, bring lease or policy changes to the council for consideration.","Several airport users told council they face higher per‑square‑foot hangar rates, lease restrictions and unclear lease terms; Experimental Aircraft Association volunteers asked for a town letter supporting an ADOT encroachment permit for an airplane display on a roundabout.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6587590,"Arizona Alpine Trail group seeks Payson support for trailhead, master plan and local staging facilities",370,6112000,6482000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5578081-fd907cc750373e9dd9714186f06b80af&start=6112&end=6482","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5578081-fd907cc750373e9dd9714186f06b80af/thumbnail_6112000.jpg","/articles/6587590/Payson/Gila-County/Arizona/Arizona-Alpine-Trail-group-seeks-Payson-support-for-trailhead-master-plan-and-local-staging-facilities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6587590-6fe177c8a59e9e0e93dc17e411e0bf42/orig.mp4?Expires=1770393719&Signature=ZqcLSJgxoxlUrUwn34nb4d9o5CTge7YbrDUFWBaKyhNTjBmwiiKFvSxg4OAbLk~QaEsVXKTABskNtJZ06O6pkKO2IIEfmcY9pz6G-BetUy1JCFk~z9Awm-bIbCaneqRaxaBf10HMHx293U3CkKydORq2Fqv7CNw~4BHcjGsgKxcePmHHyQaHpZHqLjlc~0C54ri9jYHDwYdJtFin7EvYK7c1OaejfnB2KLq9N1Y53ys6ZAIEapCDfU4NWuLwCjmn-s083th6LDp4rtRLhUzG9wJH5kpZMPO~gi3CV-yPYRcfwLkqUSIl5A~9PBL5uvkZ8kh-1CrM2~wr0r6lTKDu6w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representatives of the Arizona Alpine Trail presented a high‑level briefing to the Payson Common Council on Aug. 13 about a planned 700‑mile loop of off‑highway vehicle and multi‑use routes through eastern Arizona and asked for town coordination on staging areas and connector routes.

Jeff Sauer, treasurer for the Arizona Alpine Trail nonprofit, said the route is roughly 700 miles, divided into about 30 segments on the group’s website (azalpinetrail.org), and that the master plan is funded by a roughly $360,000 grant from Arizona State Parks. Sauer said the trail primarily uses existing U.S. Forest Service roads; the group said it is not cutting new trails except where necessary and has been aligning routes to approved travel‑management plans.

Sauer and consultant Wayne Colbank of Logan Simpson said the draft master plan is expected late this year and that an official version could be released next June. They described opportunities for Payson to host a trailhead or staging area (the presenters suggested a location near the Rodeo/Fairgrounds and Doll Baby Road) and described economic benefits seen in other states where similar trails increased lodging, fuel, food and related spending.

Councilors asked about safety and environmental impacts on difficult western segments and about measures to reduce trash. Sauer said education, sponsored cleanups and partnerships with waste‑management firms and local riding associations are part of the group’s approach. Colbank added that once the master plan is endorsed by State Parks the project becomes eligible for off‑highway and parks‑grant funding for construction, maintenance and mitigation work.

No formal council action was taken. Town manager and staff said they would follow up with the trail organizers on potential trailhead locations and any state or local grant opportunities.

What’s next: project organizers and town staff expect to meet to identify suitable staging areas, evaluate routing around towns to reduce noise and dust, and explore grants from the Arizona Office of Tourism and State Parks for promotion and infrastructure.","Arizona Alpine Trail representatives briefed Payson council on a 700‑mile master‑planned loop that would use existing forest roads and connectors and requested local coordination on staging, trailheads and potential grant partnerships; state parks funded a $360,000 master‑plan grant, organizers said.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6587595,"Time Out Shelter appeals to Payson council for continued local support as food and bed‑night demand grows",443,5155000,5598000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5578081-fd907cc750373e9dd9714186f06b80af&start=5155&end=5598","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5578081-fd907cc750373e9dd9714186f06b80af/thumbnail_5155000.jpg","/articles/6587595/Payson/Gila-County/Arizona/Time-Out-Shelter-appeals-to-Payson-council-for-continued-local-support-as-food-and-bednight-demand-grows","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6587595-cf128e52a0026c4d9ae46a94a2910229/orig.mp4?Expires=1770393719&Signature=FRWnsewlaDj6f06HkEUemoUewKQjHQAMI9YteZ0JEYZ91xLP3~eL0z9XbOCkXu4r9nByH0ouVqXSbZwwFJ5ywD9fqqytPMxlN-~oWDjEv1jX~gQORdgPzIeQ0s-e~jWaL0ulHttCqVxN576fjX~UmqkAWb6AfLuNhe0zQx29uJLIWUpcAdNGnjr6rfBlnGfhjWw0jTsrIwy9xd5fF9OUVZurt37x1Ai9pQDgwDeeeabAvz~vqPJlStV9GZAY7SHGhJTwQWO92QeP2Zsj9ilHtc2JiS3DwrsAbJxd7adaBdmZdeiZ~fX5CKl5mTiKiY5BJIn94qErjUR2C7f083kGzg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Laurie Martinez, board president of the Time Out Shelter, presented to the Payson Common Council on Aug. 13, describing the nonprofit’s shelter, food and community services and asking the town for continued advocacy and support.

Martinez said Time Out Shelter has operated in the Rim Country for nearly 32 years as a not‑for‑profit that serves victims of domestic violence, people experiencing homelessness and food‑insecure households across a wide geographic area. She told the council the shelter has taken 16,816 people through its doors since 1993 and reported, for fiscal year 2023–24, more than 5,000 bed nights and a total food donation tally of 524,851 pounds. The agency also maintains a thrift store whose proceeds, Martinez said, remain in the community and fund shelter operations.

Martinez said the shelter is the only domestic‑violence shelter within roughly a 100‑mile radius and described a 24/7 hotline and partnerships with local grocers, Walmart, Safeway and others. She asked the council, the town manager and staff to prioritize a continuing collaboration across law enforcement, social services and local businesses to sustain the shelter’s work and to consider financial and advocacy support as the organization confronts building‑maintenance needs in aging facilities.

Council members and meeting attendees praised the shelter’s community events, including a lantern vigil and the thrift store, and acknowledged the shelter’s role in food distribution and emergency housing. The council did not vote on funding at the meeting; Martinez said the board and executive director Michael Patch will continue conversations with town staff and council members about possible next steps.

What’s next: Martinez asked the town to consider routine communication and partnership to help the shelter stabilize operations and flagged an immediate need for help identifying maintenance funding for buildings more than 50 years old.

Note: All shelter statistics and program claims above are those presented by the Time Out Shelter at the meeting.","Time Out Shelter board president Laurie Martinez briefed the council on services, scope and local partnerships, saying the nonprofit provides emergency shelter, a 24/7 hotline, a thrift store that funds operations and substantial food distribution; the board asked the council to consider ongoing partnership and support.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Payson staff: Juniper Pines subdivision moving through review as residents press drainage, tree‑removal and traffic concerns

Votes at a glance: council approves consent agenda; authorizes water change orders for Skypark well

Payson residents and aviators press council on hangar lease rates, airport amenities and EAA roundabout airplane support

Arizona Alpine Trail group seeks Payson support for trailhead, master plan and local staging facilities

Time Out Shelter appeals to Payson council for continued local support as food and bed‑night demand grows