The Holbrook City Council during its regular meeting last week passed an ordinance updating the city’s C1 neighborhood commercial zoning district and creating standards for converting motels and hotels into residential units. Mayor Kathleen Smith said the changes are meant to address health, safety, infrastructure capacity and compatibility with nearby residential areas as interest grows in converting older lodging properties into housing.
The zoning change follows several months of review by the Holbrook Planning and Zoning Commission. Mayor Smith said motel and hotel conversions have become a growing issue and the city needed clearer standards for projects that could affect neighborhoods, utilities and public safety. The council had reviewed the proposal before and requested changes, including increasing the minimum size for certain converted units from 500 square feet to 550 square feet. Another revision clarified outdoor space requirements so the rule could not be met by a narrow strip of land that technically satisfied a length requirement but did not provide practical usable space.
City Manager Randy Sullivan said, “The ordinance currently applies only right now to the C1 area,” which affects a small number of the targeted properties. Sullivan said more zoning updates may come back to council in the future, including possible overlays for other existing structures. He said the change gives the city a starting point for addressing conversion issues while continuing broader work on zoning updates.
The council also passed an ordinance changing the city’s animal control code for dog-bite cases. Under the previous ordinance, a dog bite was treated as a criminal offense only if the bite broke the skin. The ordinance said that created a gap in enforcement because some bites that do not break skin can still cause pain, bruising, fear and emotional distress, especially for children, elderly residents and vulnerable people.
The ordinance, read by Mayor Smith, said non-skin-breaking bites can also be warning signs of escalating aggressive behavior. The change gives animal control officers more authority to intervene earlier, while still leaving the final decision to the court. The ordinance was revised to include language accounting for whether a dog was provoked. Mayor Kathleen Smith said she supported the change in part because a dog owner accused of a violation would still have the opportunity to defend the case in court, rather than having the final decision made by a city employee.
The council also approved a notice of intent to consider creating a planned unit development application fee. Sullivan said Holbrook has fees for zoning changes, conditional use permits, variances and other planning processes, but does not currently have a fee for planned unit development applications. The proposed fee discussed was $250. He told council that planned unit development applications require staff time, agenda preparation, Planning and Zoning Commission review, public notice, newspaper advertising and mailers.
Council members were divided during discussion. Some said the fee was reasonable and common for development applications, while others questioned whether Holbrook should create new fees while trying to encourage investment and development. The council was not adopting the fee that night. The vote only allowed the city to begin the process of considering it. The measure passed, Mayor Smith, and councilmembers Arcenia Pacheco, Teri Tafoya and Roxanne Pergesen voting in favor, and Vice Mayor Mike Nilsson and councilmember Karina Pack voting against it.
The council also approved applying for a $20,000 Arizona Parks and Trails grant for walking and biking trail improvements. The grant would require a 10% local match, or about $2,000, which could be covered with city funds or in-kind services. Council also approved a second grant application for $200,000 in Arizona Parks and Trails funding for improvements at Hunt Park. That grant would require a 10% match, or $20,000, and a recent APS donation for Hunt Park improvements could be used for the match.
The Hunt Park project discussed at the meeting included court improvements, with references to basketball and pickleball facilities. The city wanted to complete its approval process so the application could move forward when grant funding becomes available. Council members noted that a 10% match is lower than many grants, which can require 20% or 25% from the local government.
Council also approved the purchase of a chlorinator for Well 7 at a cost of $34,580 from water capital. Sullivan said Well 7 does not currently have a chlorinator, while the city’s other wells use the same system. He said using the same model across wells helps with maintenance, parts, training and reliability, and is needed to bring the well in line with the city’s other water infrastructure.
Sandy Johnson presented information on Healthy Families America and her work with mothers, infants and families. Johnson said she works with families through home visits, spends time at the pregnancy center when possible and plans to offer a free infant massage class for mothers after construction at the Holbrook Senior Citizens Center is complete. Johnson said the class will include a booklet she prepared on early bonding, attachment, infant cues and infant massage. She said early attachment is important for long-term social and emotional development.
Haley Hutchins spoke about her experience with Johnson through a similar earlier program. Hutchins said Johnson supported her through difficult periods of motherhood and remained important to her family even after she left the program.
She said the early months after childbirth can feel isolating as parents adjust to a new baby, sleep issues, colic, allergies or other challenges and said Johnson helped her feel supported rather than judged. Johnson also showed a video she created based on family experiences, and the mayor asked her to send the city flyers and QR codes so the city could help promote the program through social media.
Vicki Solomon, executive director of Nexus Coalition, presented on youth prevention, resilience-building and community support work. Solomon said Nexus works with youth, parents, caregivers and adults, providing education on drug trends, vaping, marijuana, alcohol and resilience. She said Nexus served about 9,600 youth and 3,400 adults during its previous grant year, provided 661 activities, distributed 824 naloxone kits with education and distributed about 42,000 prevention or informational items.
Solomon said Nexus has worked with Holbrook schools, Joseph City, Indian Wells, The Bijou Teen Center, the Tiisyaakin Residential Hall, Navajo County Detention Center. She said Nexus provides life skills, resilience and parenting education at the detention center and has received positive feedback from participants after release.
Solomon also discussed efforts to provide hygiene products to youth who may not have what they need, saying the goal is to make items available without requiring students to ask permission or explain their need. She brought naloxone kits for council members and encouraged the community to keep naloxone in emergency kits while it remains available through current funding sources.
Miguel Martinez, founder of the Holbrook Disc Golf Club, asked the council to consider support for expanding disc golf opportunities in Holbrook. Martinez said Holbrook has two disc golf courses and the club also works with a course in Joseph City. He said disc golf is affordable, accessible, growing, and that a nine-hole course with baskets, tee pads and signs could cost roughly $8,000 to $10,000, depending on the layout and materials. He identified a possible location near West End Park and said a course there could serve beginners, families, travelers and residents looking for outdoor recreation.
Becki Colon, the new director of the Holbrook Chamber of Commerce, introduced herself to council and gave an update on chamber activity. Colon recognized former chamber leader Cindy Tafoya for her years of work and said the chamber is focused on rebuilding business engagement, restoring community involvement and increasing visibility for local businesses. Colon said four new businesses have joined the chamber since she started in March, and three former members have rejoined. She also said the chamber hosted the Kentucky Derby membership drive and community awards event and helped businesses connect with workforce resources through Arizona@Work and Eckerd Connects.
Colon said the chamber also helped repaint and restore nine of 12 Route 66 benches through a beautification grant project with community volunteers, students and Grow Arizona Workforce Network. The remaining benches are still being worked on. Colon said the chamber is shifting from being primarily event-focused and toward business recruitment, retention, promotion, networking and measurable economic impact. She said the chamber plans to begin monthly business-to-business networking opportunities and include nonprofits and community partners.
Colon also told council the chamber’s current 20-hour-per-week structure limits how much proactive outreach can be done. She said additional investment in the next fiscal year would help the chamber grow membership, support businesses and pursue partnerships. The mayor thanked Colon for the update and said the council would likely ask for more chamber updates in the future.
During the meeting several council members thanked City Clerk Lisa Hunt for her service, noting that it was her last day with the city after many years of service. The council also recognized Lance Simpson, who retired after 42 years at the wastewater treatment plant. The meeting was followed by a budget work session.
