{"id":2515681,"date":"2025-11-29T13:47:01","date_gmt":"2025-11-29T18:47:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/arizonan-fights-city-hall-wins-battle-in-fight-to-build-hotel\/"},"modified":"2025-11-29T13:48:27","modified_gmt":"2025-11-29T18:48:27","slug":"arizonan-fights-city-hall-wins-battle-in-fight-to-build-hotel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/arizonan-fights-city-hall-wins-battle-in-fight-to-build-hotel\/","title":{"rendered":"Arizonan fights city hall, wins battle in fight to build hotel"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Farizonan-fights-city-hall-wins-battle-in-fight-to-build-hotel%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2515681&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>An Arizona man named Jim Griset has been fighting for years to build a boutique hotel in downtown Prescott, but the city repeatedly denied his permit applications for unclear and subjective reasons. Griset owns three buildings-a Harley Davidson shop, an art gallery, and a souvenir store-that he sought to convert into the hotel. The Prescott Ancient Preservation Commission initially denied his permit without clear guidelines, and the Prescott City Council upheld this denial despite Griset&#8217;s appeal. Opposition from local &#8220;Not In my Backyard&#8221; (NIMBY) advocates played a critically important role in the permit denials, with many residents resisting changes to the neighborhood.<\/p>\n<p>represented by attorney Jon Riches of the Goldwater Institute,Griset challenged the vague denials,citing Arizona&#8217;s 2023 Permitted Freedom Act,which requires permit decisions to be based on clear,objective criteria rather than subjective judgments. After two years of legal battles, the Prescott City Council overturned the commission&#8217;s decision and approved Griset&#8217;s hotel project.However,Griset still needs to secure additional approvals,including a use permit and a water service agreement. This case highlights the importance of protecting property owners&#8217; rights and enforcing clear permitting standards in Arizona.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Arizonan fights city hall, wins battle in fight to build hotel<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2412957\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>(The Center Square) &ndash; An <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/arizona\/\">Arizona<\/a> man is one step closer to building his hotel in downtown Prescott after years of being denied city permits for what&rsquo;s being called vague reasons.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Jim Griset, who owns buildings in the Arizona city of about 46,000 people, has been trying to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/construction\/\">build<\/a> his boutique <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/hotel\/\">hotel<\/a> on his property. But the city has been denying him the right to do so.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/business\/3901552\/black-friday-crowds-underwhelm-online-shopping\/\">In-store Black Friday crowds underwhelm as online shopping surges<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/premium\/3894636\/precious-metal-gold-silver-prices-rise-amid-economy-uncertainty\/\">Precious metal prices rise amid economy uncertainty<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/magazine\/3892452\/low-housing-supply-remains-trump-biggest-obstacle-winning-voters-economic-approval\/\">Low housing supply remains Trump&#8217;s biggest obstacle to <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >winning voters&#8217; economic approval<\/a><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Since 2023, Griset has attempted to turn the three buildings he owns &ndash; a Harley Davidson shop, an art gallery and a souvenir store &ndash; into a hotel.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Goldwater Institute attorney Jon Riches, who represents Griset, told The Center Square that Griset needed to obtain a permit from the Prescott Historical Preservation Commission before he could build a hotel.<\/p>\n<p>The commission kept denying Griset&rsquo;s permit without any &ldquo;clear objective criteria or guidelines,&rdquo; Riches said. Instead, the attorney said, the permit was denied on &ldquo;subjective determinations.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>After Griset got his first permit application denied by the commission, he appealed it to the Prescott City Council, but it upheld the commission&rsquo;s ruling,&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.goldwaterinstitute.org\/property-rights-victory-prescott-hotel-greenlighted-thanks-to-goldwaters-permit-freedom-act\/\">said<\/a>&nbsp;the Goldwater Institute, a Phoenix-based conservative litigation and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/conservative-groups-rejoice-over-substantial-win-for-religious-freedom-in-supreme-court-ruling-on-catholic-adoption\/\" title=\"Conservative Groups Rejoice Over \u2018Substantial Win For Religious Freedom\u2019 In Supreme Court Ruling On Catholic Adoption\">public policy research organization<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The permit denial from the city council was &ldquo;vague and subjective,&rdquo; Riches noted.<\/p>\n<p>And as Griset redesigned his hotel to meet the standards sought by Prescott, those standards kept changing, according to the Goldwater Institute.<\/p>\n<p>Griset told The Center Square that it was &ldquo;very disheartening&rdquo; when the city repeatedly denied his permit applications.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>He added that this ordeal has been &ldquo;going on for years,&rdquo; saying he has spent a &ldquo;considerable amount&rdquo; of money on the project.<\/p>\n<p>One of the key reasons the city kept denying the permits for Griset&rsquo;s hotel was due to the influence of people who believe in the &ldquo;Not In My Backyard&rdquo; philosophy. They&rsquo;re known as NIMBYs, people who oppose certain types of changes in their neighborhood.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In Griset&rsquo;s case, the NIMBYs were &ldquo;particularly egregious&rdquo; during the city council and commission hearing, Riches said.<\/p>\n<p>Numerous people testified at the hearings that they &ldquo;didn&rsquo;t want the hotel there,&rdquo; and &ldquo;they didn&rsquo;t want the building to change,&rdquo; Riches noted.<\/p>\n<p>Riches called the pushback against Griset&rsquo;s hotel a &ldquo;troubling display&rdquo; of people not wanting anything to change, regardless of what Arizona law says or Griset&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrat-sen-tester-canceling-keystone-pipeline-was-a-mistake\/\" title=\"Democrat Sen. Tester: Canceling Keystone pipeline was a mistake\">private property rights<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The people who showed up in opposition to his hotel project &ldquo;only represented&rdquo; a small portion of the city&rsquo;s population, Griset said.<\/p>\n<p>The attorney added that he thinks the commission didn&rsquo;t like the project and did not want it where Griset&rsquo;s property is located.<\/p>\n<p>To put this into perspective, while Griset was seeking approval for his hotel design, the city approved another hotel for construction in the same area, Riches said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Earlier this month, after two years of battling Prescott on his hotel project, the city council overturned the commission&rsquo;s decision and approved Griset&rsquo;s hotel project.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Griset told The Center Square that it was a &ldquo;huge hurdle&rdquo; for the city to overturn the commission&rsquo;s denial of his hotel project.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>One of the main arguments Riches used in helping Griset get his hotel design approved was the state&rsquo;s Permitted Freedom Act.<\/p>\n<p>Riches said this law says that if a government &ldquo;is going to act on a permit,&rdquo; it must be &ldquo;based on clear and objective criteria.&rdquo; Gov. Katie Hobbs&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nfib.com\/news\/news\/permit-freedom-act-signed-into-law-after-small-business-owners-call-for-greater-procedural-protections\/\">signed&nbsp;<\/a>the act into law in 2023.<\/p>\n<p>The Permitted Freedom Act changed the legal landscape for property owners &ldquo;pretty substantially,&rdquo; according to the attorney.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>After the city council overturned the commission&rsquo;s decision, Riches said, &ldquo;It was gratifying to see the Prescott City Council finally respect Jim&rsquo;s property rights and respect Arizona law that says you can&rsquo;t base these denials on these sorts of vague, unsubstantiated claims.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The government has to have real objective standards that are measurable,&rdquo; he noted.<\/p>\n<p>Griset has &ldquo;both a moral and legal right to use his property in any lawful way,&rdquo; the attorney said.<\/p>\n<p>Riches said he thinks Griset&rsquo;s case is a &ldquo;good lesson for city governments across Arizona.&rdquo; He added that if cities &ldquo;arbitrarily&rdquo; impair private property rights, then &ldquo;they&rsquo;re gonna be held accountable under Arizona law.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Griset is almost done getting his hotel approved for the build. He told The Center Square that he has to get a use permit approved by the city&rsquo;s zoning and planning commission and then by the city council.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/restoring-america\/faith-freedom-self-reliance\/3883890\/small-lot-development-housing-affordability-crisis\/\">SMALL LOT DEVELOPMENT CAN HELP SOLVE THE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY CRISIS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>He said he was unsure about how the city council would rule on his use permit because it will be adding four new members.<\/p>\n<p>On top of this, Griset added that he will need the hotel&rsquo;s water service agreement approved by the city as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Arizona man wins fight to build Prescott hotel<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2869,"featured_media":2515682,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/iStock-927780518.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[67911,35255,67912,32869,7621],"class_list":["post-2515681","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-arizonan","tag-city-hall","tag-hotel-construction","tag-legal-battle","tag-victory"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/iStock-927780518.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2515681","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2869"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2515681"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2515681\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2515685,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2515681\/revisions\/2515685"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2515682"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2515681"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2515681"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2515681"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}