The Uptown parking garage on Forest Road was supposed to open by spring break 2026. That date moved to June. As of Sedona Red Rock News's September 4 report, the city now expects it in December or January, at a total project cost of about $28.25 million, according to Deputy City Manager Andy Dickey. No newer date has come out since then. The City of Sedona's September 23 newsletter said work on the water system and Forest Road was moving ahead to support the opening, but it gave no revised schedule.
The delay matters for one practical reason. Every big fall weekend this year, from the Sedona Arts Festival through the Turkey Trot, falls under the current Uptown parking rules. Those rules include an all-day free lot that the next fee schedule turns into a paid one. On August 25, the Sedona City Council approved maximum rates for that future system, and the framework names September through November as a peak-season window. So this season is one the city has already priced but cannot yet charge for.
Why the hole on Forest Road is still a hole
The garage is planned as a 270-space, three-level structure with one level below grade. Plans include public restrooms, EV charging, an information kiosk, a solar array, a police substation, bicycle parking and a Sedona Shuttle stop. Several problems pushed it back, one after another:
- Excavation. The city hired Fann Contracting to dig the site within an 18-week window. The city says the digging ran five months late and went three to five feet too deep. McCarthy Building Companies, hired on June 25, 2024, to build the garage, had its delay-cost contract with the city rather than with Fann.
- The settlement. On August 11, council approved a $1,194,559 settlement with McCarthy. In return, McCarthy agreed to cooperate with the city in its dispute with Fann. The city has held back $867,000 from Fann's contract. Fann disputes the allegations and filed a complaint against the city on July 17 seeking $1,402,512 plus 12% annual interest. Assistant City Attorney Monique Coady said the city hopes to settle out of court.
- The façade. The decorative serpentine exterior wall had an installation problem that sent it to structural engineering review.
- Water and sidewalks. On August 25, council voted 6-0 to approve a $3,741,285.50 contract with J. Banicki Construction. About $2.54 million of it covers Forest Road improvements, including sidewalk connections to SR 89A. About $1.2 million pays for water-system upgrades needed to bring the garage closer to opening.
None of these is the kind of problem that gets solved in a week. That is why the December or January estimate is the one to plan around, and why fall 2026 runs on the parking map Uptown already has.
What Uptown costs now, and what council has already approved
The current setup is more generous than most people assume. According to the City of Sedona, Uptown has two free all-day lots and four free three-hour lots. Main Street meters give you the first 15 minutes free, then charge $2 an hour for hours one through three, $4 for hour four and $6 for hour five. Meters run 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, and parking is free before 9 a.m. and after 6 p.m. The city's Uptown parking brochure lists Lot 5 as free all day. It lists Lot 3 at Sacajawea, Lot 4 at Matterhorn, Lot 6 at Wayside Chapel and Lot 7 at Sinagua as free for three hours, and Lot 9 as bus and RV only.
Here is how the August 25 caps compare with those posted rules:
| Location | Posted today | Cap approved Aug. 25 |
|---|---|---|
| Lot 5 | Free all day | $2.50/hour, $3.50 in March–May and Sept.–Nov. |
| Garage | Not open | $2.50/hour, $3.50 in March–May and Sept.–Nov. |
| Main Street meters on SR 89A | First 15 min free, then $2/hour for hours 1–3 | $4/hour, $5 in peak season, three-hour limit |
| Meters on Jordan Road | Not covered on the city's current meter page | $4/hour, $5 in peak season, three-hour limit |
| Hours | Meters 9 a.m.–6 p.m. | Fees 9 a.m.–6 p.m., no parking midnight–5 a.m. |
These figures are ceilings, not prices that start on a set date. Council also set a maximum for the Sacajawea Plaza surface lot, which together creates "the framework for a future in which all public parking in Uptown has a fee." During the discussion, Councilman Pete Furman asked whether the city had any examples of setting a fee schedule and then charging less. City Manager Anette Spickard could not give one.
The same meeting moved a residential permit parking program forward on a 5-1 vote. It would cover three blocks of Van Deren, Price and Smith roads between Schnebly Road and Forest Road. If it is triggered, non-residents could no longer park on those streets, and visitors would use the garage or other lots. Any one of six conditions could trigger it, including garage spillover onto residential streets and resident feedback. Sedona Police Department staff would enforce it with mobile license plate readers. Under a policy council approved on January 27, 2026, that technology is limited to parking.
None of the August 25 changes take effect soon. City staff said they want to monitor Uptown for at least six months after the garage opens. One thing that has already changed: the city's completed northbound SR 89A work in Uptown removed street parking between Forest Road and the Jordan Road Roundabout. It also added a zipper-merge zone before Forest Road and a shared-use path. That curb parking is gone this fall even though the garage meant to replace it is not open yet.
The fall calendar, sorted by where the car goes
The current setup decides most of this season's logistics. Many of the biggest dates are held at Sedona Red Rock High School, Sedona Airport and Posse Grounds Park rather than in Uptown. The Uptown and Tlaquepaque events fall at times when the posted rules favor drivers.
Saturday, October 10. The Sedona Arts Festival runs October 10–11 at Sedona Red Rock High School: Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and $5 per day. On the same Saturday, Wings & Wheels '26 runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Sedona Airport. Parking is free, and admission is a non-perishable food item or $2 per person.
October 16–24. The Sedona Plein Air Festival runs the full stretch, with public demonstrations and paint-outs October 19–24.
Saturday, October 17. Pumpkin Splash runs 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Sedona Community Pool. It leads straight into the city's Fest of Fall, which runs 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Posse Grounds Park with food trucks, vendors, tournaments and music.
Saturday, October 31. Uptown Trick or Treat runs 5 to 8 p.m. Under the current schedule, meters stop charging at 6 p.m., so most of the evening is free. Lot 5 stays free all day.
Sunday, November 1. The Día de los Muertos Celebration at Tlaquepaque brings altars, cultural installations, music and dance. Tlaquepaque offers free visitor parking in its South lots at 336 AZ-179 and its North lot at 313 AZ-179. If you cross SR 179 on foot, know that the city's policy is to close the at-grade crossing temporarily once the Village-to-Y drive reaches 18 minutes and send pedestrians to the underpass. The city says it does not plan to close the crossing for good.
Friday, November 6. 1st Friday in the Galleries generally runs 4 to 7 p.m. across Tlaquepaque, Uptown and West Sedona. Hours vary by gallery.
Wednesday, November 11. The Veteran's Day Tribute begins at 11 a.m. at the Sedona Heritage Museum. It is free and open to the public.
Thursday, November 26. The Sedona Turkey Trot 5K runs 9 to 11:30 a.m., starting and finishing at Posse Grounds Park. That date comes from the race's registration page. Visit Sedona's listing says November 27, so check with the organizer.
Leaving the car home
If you would rather not park in Uptown at all, Sedona Shuttle Connect is a $2 on-demand service, generally running Thursday through Sunday, with pickup points in Uptown and the Los Abrigados area. That covers every Saturday and Sunday on the list above. The Verde Shuttle serves Uptown hourly, seven days a week. The free Trailhead routes run from three Park & Ride lots to trailheads. They are not an Uptown circulator. Trailhead service runs year-round Thursday through Sunday with no reservation needed. A fixed-route Sedona Circulator appears in the city's February 2026 federal grant notice only as a possibility, with no launch date.
Once the garage opens, the city will monitor Uptown for at least six months before the next decisions come back to council. In the meantime, Lot 5 stays free all day and meters stop charging at 6 p.m. through the Turkey Trot.
The parking plan around Uptown will affect how homes on Van Deren, Price and Smith roads live day to day, and how they come across to buyers. If you own near Uptown and want to know how the garage opening and a possible permit zone could factor into your plans, Hague Luxury Network can walk you through it privately. Request a Confidential Consultation.
