Carefree Truth
Issue #580, July 23, 2017
Alex Stedman, the Planning Manager for LVA Urban Design Studio, presented a proposed conceptual plan for a gated community of 118 homes on a vacant 40 acre parcel bordered by Cave Creek Road, Stagecoach Pass and Windmill Road. This public participation meeting was held to inform the nearby residents and any other interested parties of an application that will be submitted to the Town of Carefree for consideration.
Mr. Stedman said he was pleased by the good turnout and he appreciated everyone for coming out on a rainy evening. LVA is a firm that has been working in Fountain Hills and Scottsdale for 30+ years. He has been with the firm for 13 years, mostly involved with communities in the North Scottsdale area.
Mr. Stedman explained that they have had some initial meetings with the Town but have not formally submitted this plan or an application. The purpose of the meeting was to listen to the questions and concerns, and to see if they could do a little bit better in working with the neighbors. He then moved on to the display boards. Below is his formal presentation of the boards.
The first board showed the aerial view. The parcel is bordered on the north side by Cave Creek Road. The Carefree airport is across the street, slightly to the north. The southern boundary is Stagecoach Pass and beyond that is Scottsdale. The Keystone "Eastwood" development is to the east and a vacant 40 acre parcel of State land is to the west. There are no near or distant development plans for the State land, which will eventually be brought forward for auction, the process through which State land is sold. Windmill Road runs along the western edge of the applicant's parcel, and Pima Road is farther to the east.
Board #2 showed the General Plan map, approved by the Council and the voters. This represents a 20 year land use vision. As circumstances change, a mechanism is in place to amend land uses. The parcel is currently designated Low Density Residential (LDR), with one house per acre. The applicant is looking to go one step up, to Moderate Density Residential (MDR), which allows up to seven houses per acre. He apologized that the letter which went out to those within a 500' radius of the proposed development had not explained that they were submitting a much less dense plan that had three homes or fewer per acre, and that many had been upset thinking it would be seven. He explained that if this plan is approved, it can't be brought forward again to request a different site plan with a higher density. The developer is held to conformance with the site plan.
Board #3 showed the Zoning map, which is more specific. Most people are familiar with it. The Zoning map establishes types of uses and development standards.
R-43 stands for 1 house per acre. There are 43,000 square feet in an acre. The applicant is requesting approval for a Residential Unit Planned Development (RUPD). This is a mechanism to establish development standards, allowing elements such as shorter side yard setbacks and reduced lot sizes. The lot sizes being requested are 60' wide and 50' wide. On the flip side, RUPDs can require a higher level of quality, such as better types of walls and better amenities. The applicant intends a high level of quality that makes sense for Carefree.
Board #4 featured the proposed site plan, with two product types. The larger lots, typically 60' wide x 120' deep, were on the south side. The northern edge contained slightly smaller lots of 50' x 110'. There is a wash running through the property. Lots and drainage corridors would not be placed on habitats. These would be placed in protected tracts with easements, to be maintained by the future HOA, with no encroachment allowed. This locks in the open space. A 50' minimum landscape buffer will run along Cave Creek Road, maintaining much of the existing mature vegetation existing there today. Buffers are also planned along the southern and western borders, and a better buffer along the eastern border is being explored.
Mr. Stedman said that the process is an evolution and the applicant will continue to reach out to the community. The lots and homes will be slightly bigger than those in Eastwood. Price points and architectural designs are up to the future home builder. LVA is a land use planner, so has nothing to do with those decisions. The process for requesting approval is anticipated to take approximately a year and a half.
The Q& A period that followed the presentation is included on the video, as are visuals of the 4 boards.
https://vimeo.com/226188465
Lyn Hitchon
Prepared by Carefree Truth
Visit our website at www.carefreetruth2.com If you know anyone who would like to be added to the Carefree Truth email list, please have them contact me. Feel free to share Carefree Truth with others on your list.
Visit www.carefreeazbusinesses.com to see more info about businesses in Carefree. Please support our merchants.
Issue #580, July 23, 2017
Alex Stedman, the Planning Manager for LVA Urban Design Studio, presented a proposed conceptual plan for a gated community of 118 homes on a vacant 40 acre parcel bordered by Cave Creek Road, Stagecoach Pass and Windmill Road. This public participation meeting was held to inform the nearby residents and any other interested parties of an application that will be submitted to the Town of Carefree for consideration.
Mr. Stedman said he was pleased by the good turnout and he appreciated everyone for coming out on a rainy evening. LVA is a firm that has been working in Fountain Hills and Scottsdale for 30+ years. He has been with the firm for 13 years, mostly involved with communities in the North Scottsdale area.
Mr. Stedman explained that they have had some initial meetings with the Town but have not formally submitted this plan or an application. The purpose of the meeting was to listen to the questions and concerns, and to see if they could do a little bit better in working with the neighbors. He then moved on to the display boards. Below is his formal presentation of the boards.
The first board showed the aerial view. The parcel is bordered on the north side by Cave Creek Road. The Carefree airport is across the street, slightly to the north. The southern boundary is Stagecoach Pass and beyond that is Scottsdale. The Keystone "Eastwood" development is to the east and a vacant 40 acre parcel of State land is to the west. There are no near or distant development plans for the State land, which will eventually be brought forward for auction, the process through which State land is sold. Windmill Road runs along the western edge of the applicant's parcel, and Pima Road is farther to the east.
Board #2 showed the General Plan map, approved by the Council and the voters. This represents a 20 year land use vision. As circumstances change, a mechanism is in place to amend land uses. The parcel is currently designated Low Density Residential (LDR), with one house per acre. The applicant is looking to go one step up, to Moderate Density Residential (MDR), which allows up to seven houses per acre. He apologized that the letter which went out to those within a 500' radius of the proposed development had not explained that they were submitting a much less dense plan that had three homes or fewer per acre, and that many had been upset thinking it would be seven. He explained that if this plan is approved, it can't be brought forward again to request a different site plan with a higher density. The developer is held to conformance with the site plan.
Board #3 showed the Zoning map, which is more specific. Most people are familiar with it. The Zoning map establishes types of uses and development standards.
R-43 stands for 1 house per acre. There are 43,000 square feet in an acre. The applicant is requesting approval for a Residential Unit Planned Development (RUPD). This is a mechanism to establish development standards, allowing elements such as shorter side yard setbacks and reduced lot sizes. The lot sizes being requested are 60' wide and 50' wide. On the flip side, RUPDs can require a higher level of quality, such as better types of walls and better amenities. The applicant intends a high level of quality that makes sense for Carefree.
Board #4 featured the proposed site plan, with two product types. The larger lots, typically 60' wide x 120' deep, were on the south side. The northern edge contained slightly smaller lots of 50' x 110'. There is a wash running through the property. Lots and drainage corridors would not be placed on habitats. These would be placed in protected tracts with easements, to be maintained by the future HOA, with no encroachment allowed. This locks in the open space. A 50' minimum landscape buffer will run along Cave Creek Road, maintaining much of the existing mature vegetation existing there today. Buffers are also planned along the southern and western borders, and a better buffer along the eastern border is being explored.
Mr. Stedman said that the process is an evolution and the applicant will continue to reach out to the community. The lots and homes will be slightly bigger than those in Eastwood. Price points and architectural designs are up to the future home builder. LVA is a land use planner, so has nothing to do with those decisions. The process for requesting approval is anticipated to take approximately a year and a half.
The Q& A period that followed the presentation is included on the video, as are visuals of the 4 boards.
https://vimeo.com/226188465
Lyn Hitchon
Prepared by Carefree Truth
Visit our website at www.carefreetruth2.com If you know anyone who would like to be added to the Carefree Truth email list, please have them contact me. Feel free to share Carefree Truth with others on your list.
Visit www.carefreeazbusinesses.com to see more info about businesses in Carefree. Please support our merchants.