Sedona...a place to avoid (Mesa: live in, stores, linear)

[GoodbyeCalifornia]

I live in Sedona. And no, I'm not a New Ager or wealthy. I came here for a job opportunity and am happy that I did. So from the standpoint of a resident, I have to say that some of these posts are more than a little exaggerated.

Circle K's perched on red rocks? Where? Of the three Circle K's in the area, all are located in places where long standing development has already taken place. It's not like there's one planted at the base of Bell Rock for god's sake. Overpopulated? Well if a full time population of 12,000 qualifies a town as being overpopulated then I guess it is. Yep, there's an outlet mall in the Village of Oak Creek filled with a whopping 20 or so stores. It provides employment for people living in the Village and a place to get discounted clothing, shoes, and other items so they don't have to make the drive all the way to Flagstaff or Cottonwood to buy them.

The Village and Sedona both are seeing a lot of road construction. But if you're looking for someone to blame, go lodge a complaint with the State of Arizona, more specifically, the Arizona Department of Transportation. Since Highway 179 running through VOC and Highway 89A in Sedona are state highways, they control what happens on them, not the Village of Oak Creek or Sedona. The locals fought for years to stop this traffic circle nonsense but as usual, the state prevailed. The people living here are no more happy about it then anyone else.

The New Age crystal peddling, tarot card reading psychics and the pot smoking, patchouli scented hippie wannabes are here for sure. But just because they are very visible doesn't mean that they are in control or the majority in Sedona. They are very much in the minority and a source of occasional annoyance and head shaking for many of us. But they have as much right to be here as anyone else, so you learn to tolerate and ignore them, not stress out over it. Their mere presence isn't enough to stop me from enjoying a hike or whatever else I want to do around here.

No matter what, Sedona is still one of the most beautiful places in the world. Was it more beautiful many years ago? Probably. But the same can be said about the whole damn planet before us lousy humans came along. Nothing is static and unless you can figure out how to erect a bubble over your favorite spot to protect it, inevitably change is going to take place.

Those that call Sedona home have tried, and continue to try, very hard to preserve the beauty of the area and share it with others, while balancing it against their need to make a basic living and provide for their families. For the most part, they have been very successful. Do we all wish that it was the way it used to be? Of course, but there is a difference between fantasy and reality and most of us understand that.

Sedona isn't perfect, and it certainly has it's negatives which I have been happy to point out in other posts. But neither is it so completely ruined that it should bring people to tears or keep them from visiting. So come see Sedona or stay home. Either way, it won't really make a difference to those of us that live here.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by GoodbyeCalifornia

So come see Sedona or stay home. Either way, it won't really make a difference to those of us that live here.

I wouldnt say that. If the tourists leave, Sedona will probably die.

[motuorg]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

I wouldnt say that. If the tourists leave, Sedona will probably die.

It's all a matter of perspective Steve-O. Some think that development and tourism make an area. I would say that's true for Disney world or Las Vegas.
I think it is not true for certain things. if tourists leave the Grand Canyon..it's still the Grand Canyon...minus the noise, pollution, and other offenses..8 million visitors a year!!!

[ZonyPony]

Why such a cruel post? People should be shot? Yeah your probably not serious but jeez. And then you go with the typical stereotypes of how it's the New Age Californians that have ruined Sedona. I suppose the only way someone can be New Age is if they come from California right?

My guess is that its easier to blame someone else when it comes to some of our own doings. We mainly target the ex-Californians for much of what they've done to increase the cost of housing, and other stuff - not only in Arizona, but across the southwest. However, we may have had much to do with allowing "them" to do that to us.

But, hey, don't we also blame El Nino, global warming, illegal immigrants, George Bush, Bill Clinton, our ex-husbands and wives, et al, etc, ad nauseum, for all of our problems?

It seems to be part of our culture, and a way of life.

[motuorg]

I'm sorry about the 'Should be shot' thing and the 'california' thing. I wanted to take it out but you can only edit a few times...it won't let me do it..sorry to all you Californians..truly...it was a comment made in ignorance. After all I'm a rude, vile New Yorker.
if California is so beautiful why would you leave it to go to Sedona anyway?

[ElizaTeal]

If you're not a resident of Sedona that would make you a tourist too! Just about everyone who lives in Sedona was a tourist once. Unlike the Grand Canyon, Sedona is a city not a national park. People live here so goods and services must be provided.

[motuorg]

Yes...my point exactly about not going again...I want to be part of the solution not part of the problem. We can make anywhere a city couldn't we? There was a plan to mine the Grand Canyon once. It wasn't a national park until it was decided..'this is a notional park', and Sedona wasn't a city until it was decided 'this is a city'. The Indians were displaced from Sedona because it was beautiful.. the white man wanted it. Go up to Hopi or Navajo...kind of arrid, not much there..we'll let the indians keep that. But Sedona...let's make it a city. in truth there are no cities or national parks, it's what we choose to do politically. It's easy to justify your point by calling Sedona a city...perhaps in the future it will be a very large CITY, and what it once was will be no more...and people like you will say "but Sedona is a city, not a National Park."

[Azalea City Man]

Only been once in 2007, but I loved it.

I understand the whole nature vs. human argument - and see how that can come into play in Sedona. However, since I did not see it before the small-town development ... I have no basis for comparison and therefore found the place beautiful and outstanding. I personally don't have a problem with a town development there though. It's not like there are not still acres and acres of un-developed wilderness surrounding the touristy town.

[poolgirl51]

Originally Posted by GoodbyeCalifornia

I live in Sedona. And no, I'm not a New Ager or wealthy. I came here for a job opportunity and am happy that I did. So from the standpoint of a resident, I have to say that some of these posts are more than a little exaggerated.

Circle K's perched on red rocks? Where? Of the three Circle K's in the area, all are located in places where long standing development has already taken place. It's not like there's one planted at the base of Bell Rock for god's sake. Overpopulated? Well if a full time population of 12,000 qualifies a town as being overpopulated then I guess it is. Yep, there's an outlet mall in the Village of Oak Creek filled with a whopping 20 or so stores. It provides employment for people living in the Village and a place to get discounted clothing, shoes, and other items so they don't have to make the drive all the way to Flagstaff or Cottonwood to buy them.

The Village and Sedona both are seeing a lot of road construction. But if you're looking for someone to blame, go lodge a complaint with the State of Arizona, more specifically, the Arizona Department of Transportation. Since Highway 179 running through VOC and Highway 89A in Sedona are state highways, they control what happens on them, not the Village of Oak Creek or Sedona. The locals fought for years to stop this traffic circle nonsense but as usual, the state prevailed. The people living here are no more happy about it then anyone else.

The New Age crystal peddling, tarot card reading psychics and the pot smoking, patchouli scented hippie wannabes are here for sure. But just because they are very visible doesn't mean that they are in control or the majority in Sedona. They are very much in the minority and a source of occasional annoyance and head shaking for many of us. But they have as much right to be here as anyone else, so you learn to tolerate and ignore them, not stress out over it. Their mere presence isn't enough to stop me from enjoying a hike or whatever else I want to do around here.

No matter what, Sedona is still one of the most beautiful places in the world. Was it more beautiful many years ago? Probably. But the same can be said about the whole damn planet before us lousy humans came along. Nothing is static and unless you can figure out how to erect a bubble over your favorite spot to protect it, inevitably change is going to take place.

Those that call Sedona home have tried, and continue to try, very hard to preserve the beauty of the area and share it with others, while balancing it against their need to make a basic living and provide for their families. For the most part, they have been very successful. Do we all wish that it was the way it used to be? Of course, but there is a difference between fantasy and reality and most of us understand that.

Sedona isn't perfect, and it certainly has it's negatives which I have been happy to point out in other posts. But neither is it so completely ruined that it should bring people to tears or keep them from visiting. So come see Sedona or stay home. Either way, it won't really make a difference to those of us that live here.

I was planning to post my 2 cents worth but decided that I could not do it any better than GoodbyeCalif. Thank you for your well articulated post!!!

[motuorg]

Originally Posted by poolgirl51

I was planning to post my 2 cents worth but decided that I could not do it any better than GoodbyeCalif. Thank you for your well articulated post!!!

It was well articulated. I just wonder why GoodbyeCalif. is Goodbye Calif. Did she leave Calif. for similar reasons that I had articulated about Sedona? Maybe, maybe not.

Anyway, there is something I now call the Mesa effect. I know someone who left Long island because he couldn't deal with the overgrowth. So years ago he move to Mesa. He tells me t is now like Long island....strip malls, super stores, traffic..etc.

The beauty of Sedona is its death knell. It draws the herd. Yes there are plenty of open spaces still left there...but less and less. i saw very little growth there from '86 to '91, alot more from '91 -'93, and a great amount from 2005 to 2008. Growth is not linear. It proceeds slowly at first and then really accelerates. GoodbyeCalif. seems like she and others as residents are trying curtail runaway growth. That is a good thing. Let's hope they succeed.