Go West, young town
Cave Creek alerts state it wants Carefree Highway land
by Jason
Stone
CAVE CREEK - There is no doubt development is headed to the north
of Carefree Highway in the future, but the governmental body that
will be in charge of that growth is still in question.
The Town of Cave Creek is hoping to be the answer.
After nearly three years of discussing annexation of approximately
5,000 acres of state land north of Carefree Highway to 24th Street,
the town officially notified State Land Commissioner Mark Winkelman
last week that it wants the land.
The notification opens the application process, which will require
the town to come up with a development plan and meet other approval
qualifications.
Mayor Vincent Francia has often talked about the town's need to
"control its own destiny" when it comes to the inevitable
development of the land. That philosophy is moving forward with
the notification to the state.
"The bottom line is development is coming," said Larry
Sahr, a senior planner who is over seeing the application process.
"The question is: Is it going to be in Cave Creek or is it
going to be in Phoenix?"
Director of Planning Ian Cordwell said the state trust land in question
is designated as Cave Creek's "area of influence" by the
Maricopa County Association of Governments, and the town believes
it has dibs on the land, provided Cave Creek comes up with a plan
that benefits the town and the state.
"There has been a mandate that goes all the way back to the
establishment of the State of Arizona for state trust land to be
for public schools and the highest and best use," Sahr pointed
out.
Cave Creek wants oversight of the land to avoid large commercial
developments that would mirror some of the building allowed by Phoenix
on the south side of Carefree Highway over the last five years.
While the state will require some commercial development as part
of a deal with Cave Creek, the town plans on being environmentally
sensitive as well, hoping to cushion the fears of area residents
who feel commercial encroachment will negatively impact their lifestyles.
"There is some fear," Sahr admitted, "and it's legitimate
when you don't know what's going to happen. Their lifestyle is going
to change anyway. What we're trying to accomplish with this is trying
to get some of the environmentally sensitive land set aside."
Cordwell added that the land will also help relieve development
congestion along the town's main corridor of Cave Creek Road in
the town core.
"The state is looking for a mixture of residential and commercial
(development) so we can sustain ourselves," Cordwell said.
Cave Creek will submit three applications for the land, since it
is actually broken up into three parts. Each application will be
submitted concurrently, but will likely take into the summer to
complete. The town has 29 checklist points to meet and will have
to pass an amendment to last year's General Plan, which could also
lengthen the process or kill the annexation.
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