Council OKs ‘Listen Up’ for Bike Week
Flood control project also approved
by Brian DiTullio

CAREFREE – Cave Creek wasn’t the only town talking decibel levels last week.

Carefree Councilman Lloyd Meyer proposed a new “Listen Up” event for Bike Week, March 28‑April 1, as a way of continuing communication with motorcycle enthusiasts about the importance of operating their vehicles at a reasonable sound level.

Noting motorcycle noise is the number 1 noise complaint from residents, Meyer said the objective of the original “Listen Up” event, held in December, was to raise awareness. Meyer feels that event was very successful and the upcoming Bike Week is a good opportunity to run the event again.

Mayor Ed Morgan said complaints to town hall have “lessened considerably” since the event took place and expressed his enthusiasm for the idea.

“I think it’s considerably better,” said Matt Dingman, co‑chair of the town’s Noise Committee, in making the presentation before Carefree Town Council last week.

Dingman informed the council that response from within the motorcycle community has been mixed, but that the event was very well received, covered by the media on a national level, and that noise, in general, has been reduced.

Councilman Bob Coady disagreed with Dingman’s comments, stating the noise is still “terrible” by his house and that he’s received numerous phone call complaints on the subject.

Morgan and Councilman David Schwann asked Coady if those calls had been forwarded to town hall so the complaints could be recorded, to which Coady replied they had not. Morgan then requested Coady do so in the future, and Coady responded that he would.

Council then voted unanimously to support the second “Listen Up” event and allocated $3,169 to reimburse various contributors to the event.

Carefree’s noise ordinance, passed in 2004, limits vehicle noise to a maximum of 85 decibels.

Cave Creek Town Council passed the first reading of a similar ordinance March 6. If it passes a second reading, that ordinance would limit noise in commercially zoned areas to 75 decibels.

In other business, council also approved an Intergovernmental Agreement for the Carefree Flood Proofing Project between the Flood Control District of Maricopa County and the town. The agreement is to mitigate flood risk to three houses in the Carefree area from 100‑year floods.

The project will include a floodwall and raise the bank of an unnamed tributary to Cave Creek Wash, according to Dr. Erich Korsten, designer of the project.

Cost of the project is estimated at $220,000, but the town is only obligated to pay the design fee–approximately $9,000, said Korsten. The rest of the money is coming out of Maricopa County coffers. Korsten also stated his belief the project can be done for less than the estimated amount.

When questioned about why this project is necessary, Korsten related that a series of separate flood control plans from various subdivisions over the years reated the problem. “The town did not have a master drainage plan” at that time, he explained, and the various plans were put together piecemeal. A town Master Drainage Plan was drafted and adopted in 2004.

“Subdivisions don’t have to study the entire region, just their area,” Korsten pointed out.