AutoCamp Sedona – Coming Later?

It appears AutoCamp Sedona is not going to happen – for now; however, it’s not a done deal. It’s a fascinating look into the process of how AutoCamp purchases – or attempts to purchase – properties, and the process of opening a new AutoCamp. AutoCamp Reviews and News takes a deep look at AutoCamp’s attempt to purchase what would become AutoCamp Sedona.

AutoCamp Sedona Plans

AutoCamp was hoping to establish AutoCamp Sedona at a site located approximately 6 miles northwest of Sedona, accessed via Forest Road 152E and Boynton Pass Road. AutoCamp Sedona would have features 100 Airstream trailer or tent sites on nearly 19 acres. Specifically, AutoCamp proposed:

• 65 Airstreams (AutoCamp “Custom” Airstreams are not like any other Airstream for better and worse)
• 10 Basecamps (Airstream + Tent)
• 10 Mini Basecamps (Airstream + Small Tent)
• 5 Accessible X Suites
• 5 X Suites
• 5 Tents (Standalone Tent*)

All 100 sites will have a fire pit, of course. Compare this to the existing and upcoming AutoCamp properties, sizes, and number of Airstreams, X Suites, and glamping tents.

AutoCamp would have needed a zone change from rural residential to a planned area devel­opment. The land is currently zoned residential for potentially nine houses. The zone change along with other significant issues caused the application for AutoCamp Sedona to be withdrawn by AutoCamp – for now.

Opposition was resounding from the community which included:

• The U.S. Forest Service
• Keep Sedona Beautiful
• Sierra Club
• Hopi Nation and
• Yavapai Apache Nation, who were concerned with tribal antiquities in the area and the sacred nature of the land
• Save Bear Mountain a grassroots group quickly grew to nearly 1,300 community members who were concerned about the ecologically-sensitive area being at high risk for wildfire

Objection was primarily based on location, not AutoCamp itself. The property has steep slopes and overgrown brush surround an abandoned house nestled at the base of Bear Mountain.

Anchor Point, a wildland fire risk assessment group, conducted a review of Bear Mountain and the proposed development. The review concluded the “fuels, weather, and topography typical of the area are very conducive to the rapid spread of hot-burning wildfires during peak fire season. The predicted fire behavior would likely be very difficult to suppress by local firefighting response agencies… The limited road network would present challenges to both safe firefighting operations and the evacuation of local residents.”

The base of Bear Mountain is also a coveted place for Native American tribes that have sacred sites in the area.

Coverage in azcentral.com gave terrific details of the objections of the concerned groups:

In a letter, the Hopi Tribe asked the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors to deny the development request. According to the letter, the sacred sites around Bear Mountain are a “testament of Hopi stewardship through thousands of years, manifested by the ‘footprints’ of habitations, trails, artifacts, petroglyphs and the physical remains of buried Hisatsinom.”

“Obviously, some 300 visitors a day half a mile from these sites could be an open door for adverse impacts including social trails, graffiti, vandalism and looting,” said the letter signed by Stewart Koyiyumptewa from the Hopi Cultural Preservation Office.

A similar letter was also sent to the Board of Supervisors by members of the Yavapai-Apache Nation.

“We oppose this poorly conceived project on several levels, but foremost of those is the actual location… which is situated in the heart of Red Rock Country. Our ancestors have lived on these lands since time immemorial. Due to that intimacy the entire Red Rock area is a sacred cultural landscape to the Yavapai-Apache community,” said the letter signed by Tribal Chairman Jon Huey and Vice Chairwoman Tanya Lewis.

Hanna Baumann, an account coordinator at a public relations company working with AutoCamp, declined to comment on the posed concerns. She stated AutoCamp was “unable to share anything further.”

The Yavapai County’s Board of Adjustment, was to decide whether to exempt AutoCamp from the county’s ruling against the use of trailers for short-term lodging. However, AutoCamp withdrew their application

AutoCamp Sedona – It’s not 0ver yet

Prior to the hearing, AutoCamp withdrew their application, likely fearing it would be rejected:

Bernie Corea, the senior land acquisition manager at AutoCamp, the developer, revealed the company’s withdrawal in a letter to Yavapai County Development Services.

“AutoCamp looks forward to being a responsible and respected part of the Yavapai County community,” Corea wrote. “Although our project has yet to be evaluated in any public hearing by the county, we have also listened and tried to understand concerns raised among some in the community, including Board of Adjustment appellants, Charley and Rhoda Pitcher.”

While the application was formally withdrawn, Corea left the door open for AutoCamp to submit a revised application, sometime in the future. (emphasis added by AutoCamp News and Reviews.

“AutoCamp looks forward to meeting further with the Pitchers and with others in the community to continue to learn more about their ideas and concerns, and to bring forward a revised application that illustrates both the value of AutoCamp’s plans and the value AutoCamp places on being a good neighbor,” Corea wrote.

Hanna Baumann, a representative for AutoCamp, confirmed the company’s intentions, saying “AutoCamp is stepping back, but not away.”

Hanna Baumann, a representative for AutoCamp, confirmed the company’s intentions, saying “AutoCamp is stepping back, but not away.”

“AutoCamp looks forward to resubmitting their application and to participating in the traditional county review process,” a part of the statement from Baumann read. “As part of the resubmittal process, AutoCamp looks forward to continuing its community outreach as we seek to create a unique, world class, outdoor hospitality experience, not yet offered in the area.”

What next?

It’s been 2 full years since AutoCamp withdrew their application for the property near Bear Mountain. In the meantime, they’ve opened most of their properties currently open: AutoCamp Cape Cod, and AutoCamp Joshua Tree.

In 2023, we’ll see four more AutoCamp’s coming soon: AutoCamp Asheville, AutoCamp Hill Country (Texas), AutoCamp Sequoia, and AutoCamp Zion.

Could it be that AutoCamp is walking away from Sedona? It’s possible. What would be very telling is if AutoCamp had actually purchased – and sold – the property. A search of Yavapai County deeds indicates no transfers to or from AutoCamp. However, they may have used a different business name or LLC. AutoCamp was under contract for the purchase, but it could have been contingent on the zoning change. AutoCamp seems to use different LLC names for each property (examples: AC Joshua Tree LLC for the Joshua Tree property and Blue Flag Development LLC for the Cape Cod property). We could not find an obvious deed transfer, and as there is no specific address, we cannot search by address.

AutoCampReviews.com will continue to monitor Sedona and all other AutoCamp news. Stick with us for more!