proposition 484
the open space amendment
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Did you know that it would take just four of the seven members of Prescott’s city council to vote to sell the Peavine Trail? Or the Constellation Trails? Or parts of Watson Woods, Granite Gardens, or even Glassford Hill? Or change the allowed uses of these places from natural open space or recreation to residential, commercial, or industrial?
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Even though the current city council has no such intention, a future council could do so, and the citizens would have no say in the matter.
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Proposition 484 on the August primary ballot (which will probably be mailed about July 9) is an amendment to the Prescott City Charter that would protect over 2,750 acres of Prescott’s treasured natural open spaces like the Granite Dells, Goldwater Lake, Little Thumb Butte, the Peavine, Constellation, and Centennial Trails, and many others. By approving this proposition, we can protect these open and recreational spaces IN PERPETUITY, requiring a majority vote of the people to sell them or change their use.
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Background
The City of Prescott has acquired approximately 41 properties, totaling thousands of acres of open space. The public assumes the land is permanently protected, as multiple documents record this as the City’s intention.
Except for Acker Park, Watson, and Willow Lakes, no legal mechanism exists to protect these lands in perpetuity. Any city council could vote to alter the status of any of the other open space parcels.
In November 2024, Bonnie McMinn and Rod Moyer (the petitioners) addressed the Council. They submitted a petition proposing an ordinance to amend the City Charter to automatically apply open space protections to any City-owned property zoned as Natural Open Space and any City-owned property designated as Open Space on the General Plan's land use map.
During several meetings between the City Attorney and the petitioners and consultation with the Council, the petition language was modified, and a list of properties was added to the draft.
In February 2025, after several meetings between the City Attorney and the petitioners, the Council was presented with an updated draft with simplified language and a larger list of protected properties. At that meeting, the Council approved the proposed amended Charter language and asked for final ballot language to come back to the Council for approval.
On March 25, the final ballot language was approved by 3 yes (Councilmembers Cantelme, Fruwirth, and Rusing), 0 no, and 2 abstain (Mayor Goode and Councilmember Gambogi) votes, during which Councilmembers Montoya and Moore were absent. The City Charter requires a majority vote of all the members of the Council to pass any ordinance or resolution. Also, according to the Charter, abstaining votes are counted as “yes.”
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City of Prescott Map of the Open Space Parcels Included in the Ballot Measure
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rationale
Rationale for the Charter Amendment
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It is an elegant solution for creating permanent protection for land, conforming with several General Plans, the Open Space Master Plan, and other documents.
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It will correct a loophole so that open space is protected legally.
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This proposition allows certain approved uses.
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It retains the option for modification through traditional charter amendment procedures—a majority vote of the public.
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This amendment will increase public confidence in City governance and show respect for the voters' wishes.
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It represents shared trust between City governance and the public, a trust that could help heal divisions between previous Councils and the voters. (e.g., the 1% sales tax approved in 2000 that was disproportionately spent on roads rather than open space as had been promised to the public).
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Taxpayers own the land and should have the power to control its future.
On August 5th, you can vote to protect it forever.
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