[kaneui]

2010 will see construction begin on the new $24M Catholic campus on McMillan Mesa, and just maybe...the train horns will be silenced:


City Hall notebook: Quiet zones to come sometime in 2010
By JOE FERGUSON
Arizona Daily Sun
November 19, 2009

Wondering when exactly the city of Flagstaff will be able to silence the horns of passing trains at the city's five at-grade crossings? Well, the city isn't going to tell you -- other than to say it won't be this year. The closest to a prediction the city will offer is 2010. With the city missing several deadlines over the last few years, City Manager Kevin Burke said he will not offer any new predictions, choosing instead to update the public as each individual step of the process is completed.

Construction has been delayed over the years for a number of reasons, including delays by BNSF, a stop work order from the Arizona Corporation Commission and reconsideration of Quiet Zone solutions by the Flagstaff City Council. The latest step in the process was accomplished earlier this week when the city hired a contractor to complete the city's portion of the construction work.

New Catholic Church approved unanimously

The proposed new Catholic Church and school to be built on McMillan Mesa was unanimously approved by the Flagstaff City Council Tuesday night, despite legal threats from resident Dan Frazier. The Council approved a plan that will allow the San Francisco de Asis Parish to rezone 28 of the 107 acres it owns on the southern toe of McMillan Mesa above the intersection of Route 66 and Enterprise Boulevard. Plans call for a 1,500-seat church, a two-story school, a 375-space parking lot and playing fields.

The Council heard again from Frazier, who has previously asked the Council to reject the rezoning request on the grounds that the city violated public notice requirements in advertising the rezoning hearing. Frazier wants the city to restart the public process, which likely would only serve to delay the plans by a few weeks in light of the unanimous approval. Frazier publicly asked for legal help during his comments to the Council, saying he hasn't been able to find a lawyer willing to take the case. He said, however, he was willing to represent himself if it came to that. He passed out a draft copy of a potential lawsuit he said he is prepared to file. Frazier also left open the door to mediation between himself and the city, saying he would wait until the end of the month before filing the lawsuit. Frazier recently announced his intention to run for one of the three seats on the City Council next year.