Cave Creek OKs subdivision
by Barry Cohen

CAVE CREEK – A developer on Monday gifted 80 acres to Cave Creek for preservation after receiving unanimous town council approval for what will eventually be the town’s largest subdivision–Cahava Springs.

Apache Springs Land Co. gave the town a deed to the property for both preservation and as a “land bridge” to help connect Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area and the Cave Creek Recreation Area.

“This is truly a situation where good planning results in a great project and helps the community achieve its goals,” said Mark Stapp, managing member of both Pyramid Community Developers and Apache Springs, in a news release. “We crafted the Cahava Springs plan to make good business sense and address the preservation values and goals of the town.”

In addition to the 80‑acre gift, Pyramid and Apache will preserve and give 120 acres to the Cahava Springs Conservancy, a nonprofit organization created by Pyramid. This land, according to the release, includes a sensitive riparian area that will be preserved and managed by the conservancy.

Plans prepared by Pyramid and Apache call for 230 custom home sites on the 945‑acre Cahava Springs property, located between the Cave Creek Recreation and Spur Cross Conservation areas. Almost 87 percent of the pristine property that is rich in cultural and natural resources will be preserved, the release said.

Stapp told The Desert Advocate on Tuesday that 54 sites will be developed in the project’s first phase. He said the parcels will range in size from one and one‑half to three acres and in price from the high $300,000s to a half‑million dollars.

Mark Hazelton, of Russ Lyon Realty in Carefree, said builders, investors and potential buyers have already expressed interest in the lots. Hazelton said he would start showing them to customers in February, with the first closings probably occurring in fall 2007.

Reach the reporter at barry@thedesertadvocate.com.