Carefree Truth
Issue #586, August 25, 2017
State legislative changes will negatively and dramatically impact future revenues, and the Town does NOT want to implement a property tax. "Carefree has a nimble organization, therefore significant savings could not be yielded without eliminating beneficial services such as the master fire contract." "Carefree needs to consider diversification of its municipal sales tax base, the only significant revenue stream that it can influence, in order to maintain the current services without assessing a property tax." "In order to achieve this diversification, Carefree needs to evaluate the highest and best land uses for a handful of remaining undeveloped properties." Development and growth adjacent to Carefree influences these remaining undeveloped parcels.
The North Scottsdale State Trust land contains a density transfer that allowed the 13,000 acre McDowell Sonoran Preserve to be formed. Initiated by the City of Scottsdale in 1999, completion of this rezoning case will bring the zoning entitlements on approximately 4020 acres of State Trust land into conformance with the City's General Plan and provide enhanced value to the remaining State land in the northern part of the city, as mandated by State statute. This State Trust land is generally located in an area bounded by Scottsdale Road (west), the 104th Street Alignment (east), Stagecoach Pass (north), and Happy Valley Road (south).
The Cave Creek "White Paper" proposed more intense development along the Carefree Highway/Cave Creek Road corridor and in their town center. The Cave Creek General Plan and Zoning were amended to allow Walmart to be built, and further commercial uses have been developed on that property. A Paradise Valley Community College campus and a YMCA were built on 60th Street just south of Carefree Highway. More dense subdivisions have been built around and south of this campus, and down Cave Creek Road. The huge Desert Mountain subdivision was built in Scottsdale, north of the Carefree airport. Current and future developments contribute to additional traffic along the major arterial streets. Market forces illustrate a downsizing trend, while quality low density residential housing is not being highly supported and valued along noisy, heavily traveled arterial streets.
4 major arterial streets serve the Foothills community. They are Carefree Highway (CH), Cave Creek Road (CCR), Scottsdale Road/Tom Darlington Drive (TD) and Pima Road (PR). Traffic on these roads is heavy and will likely increase in the future. The intersection of CH and CCR is anticipated to mirror the existing volumes at Scottsdale Road and Pinnacle Peak (+25,000 per day), and traffic volumes at the CCR and PR intersection are anticipated to exceed 20,000 per day. "The majority of this traffic is generated from growth outside of Carefree. It would be financially advantageous to generate revenue from this regional traffic which adds to the costs of maintaining these arterial streets."
The longer a home takes to sell, the more the price drops. Placing low density residential next to heavily traveled arterial streets and intersections results in transitional ownership, increased rentals, and deteriorating homes. Numerous homes in the CCR and PR area have sat on the market for years or have frequently changed hands. This causes a decline in property values and can have a detrimental affect on the overall neighborhood property values. "The local market does not support high quality, low density residential found throughout the balance of the community on these remaining undeveloped properties."
Many area residents have said that their current homes are too large or the upkeep is too expensive. They want or need to downsize, but they don't want to leave Carefree. They would like to have smaller, high quality, single story homes with less landscaping and upkeep made available in Carefree. The success of the recent higher density Keystone Homes developments in Carefree attest to this need.
Issue #586, August 25, 2017
State legislative changes will negatively and dramatically impact future revenues, and the Town does NOT want to implement a property tax. "Carefree has a nimble organization, therefore significant savings could not be yielded without eliminating beneficial services such as the master fire contract." "Carefree needs to consider diversification of its municipal sales tax base, the only significant revenue stream that it can influence, in order to maintain the current services without assessing a property tax." "In order to achieve this diversification, Carefree needs to evaluate the highest and best land uses for a handful of remaining undeveloped properties." Development and growth adjacent to Carefree influences these remaining undeveloped parcels.
The North Scottsdale State Trust land contains a density transfer that allowed the 13,000 acre McDowell Sonoran Preserve to be formed. Initiated by the City of Scottsdale in 1999, completion of this rezoning case will bring the zoning entitlements on approximately 4020 acres of State Trust land into conformance with the City's General Plan and provide enhanced value to the remaining State land in the northern part of the city, as mandated by State statute. This State Trust land is generally located in an area bounded by Scottsdale Road (west), the 104th Street Alignment (east), Stagecoach Pass (north), and Happy Valley Road (south).
The Cave Creek "White Paper" proposed more intense development along the Carefree Highway/Cave Creek Road corridor and in their town center. The Cave Creek General Plan and Zoning were amended to allow Walmart to be built, and further commercial uses have been developed on that property. A Paradise Valley Community College campus and a YMCA were built on 60th Street just south of Carefree Highway. More dense subdivisions have been built around and south of this campus, and down Cave Creek Road. The huge Desert Mountain subdivision was built in Scottsdale, north of the Carefree airport. Current and future developments contribute to additional traffic along the major arterial streets. Market forces illustrate a downsizing trend, while quality low density residential housing is not being highly supported and valued along noisy, heavily traveled arterial streets.
4 major arterial streets serve the Foothills community. They are Carefree Highway (CH), Cave Creek Road (CCR), Scottsdale Road/Tom Darlington Drive (TD) and Pima Road (PR). Traffic on these roads is heavy and will likely increase in the future. The intersection of CH and CCR is anticipated to mirror the existing volumes at Scottsdale Road and Pinnacle Peak (+25,000 per day), and traffic volumes at the CCR and PR intersection are anticipated to exceed 20,000 per day. "The majority of this traffic is generated from growth outside of Carefree. It would be financially advantageous to generate revenue from this regional traffic which adds to the costs of maintaining these arterial streets."
The longer a home takes to sell, the more the price drops. Placing low density residential next to heavily traveled arterial streets and intersections results in transitional ownership, increased rentals, and deteriorating homes. Numerous homes in the CCR and PR area have sat on the market for years or have frequently changed hands. This causes a decline in property values and can have a detrimental affect on the overall neighborhood property values. "The local market does not support high quality, low density residential found throughout the balance of the community on these remaining undeveloped properties."
Many area residents have said that their current homes are too large or the upkeep is too expensive. They want or need to downsize, but they don't want to leave Carefree. They would like to have smaller, high quality, single story homes with less landscaping and upkeep made available in Carefree. The success of the recent higher density Keystone Homes developments in Carefree attest to this need.
"Much of Carefree was initially zoned in the County with a blanket of 2 acre to 5 acre zoning. Historically, zoning was changed for signature community elements." These include the Carefree Resort, the Sky Ranch airport, The Boulders community, and the Desert Forest Golf Club. The "remnant" properties total approximately 112 acres, 2% of Carefree's total acreage. These larger undeveloped properties with legacy County low density residential zoning do not transition well to adjacent uses. Typically, these properties are located along heavily trafficked roads or intersections, and are adjacent to existing or potential commercial properties, mixed use areas or the airport. These include the State land at CCR and Mule Train (40 acres), StageCreek at CCR west of PR (35 acres), the NE corner of CH and CCR (23 acres), the NW corner of CH and TD (10 acres) and the SE corner of PR and CCR (4 acres).
"Carefree needs to consider the best use of the remaining 'remnant' properties for the long term benefits of the majority of the Town residents. Heavily traveled roadways, particularly intersections, are generally not desirable for single family luxury homes. This land is typically more appropriate and utilized by other communities for mixed use and/or commercial, or for higher density residential communities." "Managed commercial development enables residents to purchase desired products and services from retailers closer to their homes. Properly controlled commercial can enhance the quality of life and bring value to the immediate neighborhood. An example here would be the higher-end resorts and restaurants in Paradise Valley." "Quality commercial can make a significant sales tax contribution to a municipality."
https://vimeo.com/229863814
https://vimeo.com/229918388
https://vimeo.com/229939374
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.
https://vimeo.com/229863814
https://vimeo.com/229918388
https://vimeo.com/229939374
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.