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Located
at an elevation of 4500 feet in Arizona’s high desert
country, Sedona is blessed with four mild seasons, abundant
sunshine and clean air. The annual average high and low temperatures
are 74.7 and 45.7 degrees. Of the city’s approximately
19-square-mile area, only 51 percent is privately owned. The
remaining 49% is part of the Coconino National Forest. At the
current rate of development, it is predicted that Sedona will
be 93% built-out by 2015. Along with the nearby enclave of Oak
Creek Village, some 18,000 people reside in the area.
Sedona
itself is situated at the mouth of spectacular Oak Creek Canyon
and is characterized by massive red rock formations and incredible
views. It is surrounded by pristine national forest wilderness
(see map).
Map
of Sedona, Arizona
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Real
Estate in Sedona and the Village of Oak Creek has never been
out of demand, not even during recessions. Because of the area’s
limited availability, it continues to appreciate year after
year. Parcels with prime red rock view are in the most demand,
while property that borders U.S. Forest Service land runs a
close second. During the last five years an investment in Sedona
real estate produced a better overall return than the 30 public
companies comprising the Dow Jones Industrial Average. See the Sedona Real Estate INVESTMENTS
page.
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Taxes:
Although
the Village of Oak Creek is located solely in Yavapai
county, the city of Sedona is divided between Yavapai
and Coconino counties. Residential property taxes are
similar in both counties, and are less than 1% of a property’s
selling price.
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Medical
Facilities:
Although unusual for a community the size of Sedona, the city
has its own medical facility, a branch of the Verde Valley Medical
Center (VVMC), located in Cottonwood. In addition, VVMC also
operates a small clinic in nearby Oak Creek Village. The Sedona
Campus boasts a complete Cancer treatment center and a newly
installed Siemens 16-slice CT Scanner. It also has a 24/7 Emergi-Center
with Board-Certified physicians trained in the latest Cardiac,
Pediatric and Trauma Life Support procedures. Although it only
offers outpatient services, visitors requiring inpatient care
can be quickly transported by ground or air to the main hospital,
a 110-bed facility, in Cottonwood. A staff of 800 professionals,
including 80 physicians provide care in 21 different medical
specialties.
Residents
of Sedona also have access to numerous skilled practitioners
who operate in private offices throughout the area, as well
as to the Sedona Urgent Care Clinic.
Educational
Facilities:
The Sedona-Oak Creek Joint Unified School District includes
Sedona Red Rock High School, a modern campus consisting of four
buildings, the West Sedona Elementary School and the Big Park
Elementary School in the Village of Oak Creek. A Montessori
and a Waldorf school and numerous private elementary and college
prep schools also serve the area’s educational needs.
Yavapai
Community College, headquartered in Prescott, has a local Sedona
campus offering a varied curriculum of adult courses. Sedona
is also home to the Zaki Gordon Institute for Independent Film
Making. Northern Arizona University is located in Flagstaff,
approximately 35 miles north of Sedona.
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Community
Facilities:
A full complement of public services are offered by institutions
such as the Sedona Public Library, the Sedona Center for
Arts and Technology, the Sedona Creative Life Center (to
the right), the Sedona Historical Society and the Sedona
Humane Society, plus a long list of charitable organizations.
In fact, volunteerism is essentially a profession in Sedona
because so many corporate executives, educators, and private
entrepreneurs have retired here. |
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Places
of Worship:
There
are more than 30 religious sanctuaries in the Sedona-VOC
area, many of them in beautiful edifices specifically
designed to take advantage of the inspirational views
that surround them.
The
Chapel of the Holy Cross (to the left), sitting high up
in the red rocks east of Highway 179, has been a compelling
landmark since its completion in 1956. The towering cross
and awesome panorama of buttes, valley and sky are a source
of spiritual reflection and prayer.
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Special
Needs:
For people with disabilities, Sedona is a visitor-friendly
place where one can find enhancing quality-of-life experiences.
Most of the community’s newer facilities, including City
Hall and various visitor centers, comply with requirements imposed
by the Americans With Disabilities Act. In addition, parks,
picnic and camping grounds, restaurants and lodges, tour companies
and theatres have made sincere efforts to meet the special needs
of the physically disabled. All visitor centers operated by
the Sedona-Oak Creek Canyon Chamber of Commerce have an extensive
list of facilities with accessibility information.
Sedona’s
Vision Statement
1.
To be a city that is constantly vigilant over the preservation
of its natural beauty, scenic vistas, pristine environment
and cultural heritage.
2.
To be a city that retains its small town character and
creates its manmade improvements in strict harmony with
nature.
3.
To be a city that is animated by the arts, and lives with
a spirit of volunteerism to help achieve our common goals.
4.
To be a city that offers equal opportunities for all and
fosters a sense of community.
5.
To be a city that welcomes and accommodates all of its
visitors and future residents with a spirit of fellowship.
6.
To be a city that remains and enhances a strong and vital
economy, which preserves existing lifestyles without exploiting
the natural beauty.
And
lastly,
7. To be a city that lives up to the challenge of proper
stewardship of one of the earth's great treasures!!!
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