A rezoning request for 37 acres to develop a dormitory-like facility – Aspen Heights – to house over 700 residents at the west edge of the City of Flagstaff, within Lighting Zone 1 of the city and Coconino County lighting ordinances, was withdrawn by the proponent November 26th 2014 due to the filing of a protest by nearby property owners (see the Arizona Daily Sun article).
The Flagstaff observatories had objected to the proposal on the grounds that the project was inconsistent with the dark skies goals and policies of the Flagstaff Regional Plan, and would have increased light pollution in an area critical to the dark skies at the U.S. Naval Observatory.
Before the rezoning request was withdrawn, the following letter was sent to the Flagstaff City Council on November 17, 2014 by Aspen Heights’ attorney Dana Kjellgren, of Kjellgren & Speed, PLC, Attorneys at Law, on behalf of the project’s proponent. The letter is a matter of public record.
Kjellgren Speed re Aspen Heights-1
The response from Lowell Observatory Director Jeff Hall addressing some of Ms. Kjellgren’s claims is below: