Carefree Truth

Issue #409, July 13, 2015

 

 

 

The meeting began with the participants mingling and looking at the rendering boards, which contained the plot plan and the home elevations, both singly and in a panoramic streetscape.  Representatives of Keystone Homes were present to answer questions, as were Carefree Town Administrator Gary Neiss and Carefree Planning Director Stacey Bridge-Denzak.  Planning and Zoning (P&Z)  Commissioner Scott Sperl, noticing the open door and activity in the Council Chambers when picking up his mail at the post office, stopped in to see what was happening.  He stayed for a few minutes and looked at the boards, but left to go home for dinner well before the presentation began.  I am also on the Planning and Zoning Commission, but was present as the Carefree Truth reporter, not as a Commissioner.  No other members of P&Z or of the Carefree Town Council were present at the meeting.          

 

 

 

 

Jeff King, of Keystone Homes, introduced Rich Neim Jr. and Rich Neim Sr. before beginning his presentation.  Mr. King said Keystone has been building in the Carefree/Cave Creek area since 2011.  Almarte, on Hum Street in Carefree, is their latest project. The first couple to make settlement on their house in Almarte was present, and they were very pleased with their new home. 

 

 

 

This is the follow up project to Almarte, called Eastwood.  It will be gated, with 40 single family, detached, single level homes, located west of the southwest corner of Pima and Cave Creek Roads, just south of Sky Ranch.  Prices are expected to start at the low to mid $400,000 range, and go up to approximately $500,000, depending on the options to finish their home chosen by the buyers at the Eastwood design center.

 

 

There will be a central amenities/recreation area that may have a heated pool, and a barbeque or fireplace.  The architecture will consist of ranch style and native Arizona desert style homes, respectful of the desert, with natural palettes trimmed in brick, stone, and stucco.  Mr. King added that they love Carefree and are excited.  They expect to begin construction in 2016.

 

 

 

 

 

When asked if they had approval from the Town of Carefree, or are on the schedule, Mr. King explained that they are compiling documents, and expected to make their submittal next week.  The public Citizens' Participation Meeting is the first step in the process.  To have it on the record, since I was already aware of the answer, I asked about the present zoning on the property.  Mr. King replied that it consisted of 2 pieces of land.  The first parcel, approximately 2/3 of the proposed project, is currently zoned Commercial Garden Office (GO). The second parcel is zoned residential R1-35, one home per reduced (3/4) acre.  The request for new zoning of the combined parcels is medium density residential, R-3, with a Residential Unit Planned Development (RUPD) agreement. It will be located adjacent to the Pima Norte office development,

and the Heritage Assisted Living facility.

 

 

 

Jim Van Allen asked if most of the units would be, or would appear to be, two levels.  Mr. King reiterated that they would all be single level homes with no interior stairs, but said that some of the architecture would be a little taller to add interest to the streetscape, rather than seeing a straight line of roofs.  Mr. Van Allen asked about the distance between the houses and was told it was 8' on one side and 5' on the other.  Each will have a 2 car garage.  Town Administrator Gary Neiss said it would be similar to Almarte in lot size.

 

 

 

Former Vice Mayor Wayne Fisher said he and his wife have lived in Sky Ranch for 26 years.  He would like Keystone and it's buyers to know who and what Sky Ranch is, so they are comfortable and know what to expect.  He offered to help in ameliorating fears about living near an airport, assuring them that it is not "Chicago's O'Hare".  About 60% of the Sky Ranch residents are not pilots and do not have airplanes.  They like it quiet.  Sky Ranch wants to be a good neighbor.  Mr. King assured Mr. Fisher that all potential buyers would be made aware that Sky Ranch is an airport community, and said he appreciated Mr. Fisher's offer to help educate Eastwood buyers.  

 

 

 

Mr. Van Allen stated there were a couple of "big dollar" homes to the south, one on 4 acres, and asked if any issues had been raised yet.  Mr. King assured him that everyone within a 500' radius had been notified, as required.  Rich Neim Sr. said there was only one nearby home, directly to the south.  Keystone has had multiple discussions with the Carpenters, who live in the home on 4 acres referenced by Mr. Van Allen, and that they are in favor of the project.  He had expected them to attend the meeting, but they had not arrived yet.

 

 

 

Landscaping was questioned.  Mr. King said Keystone is salvaging plants from the site, where practical.  The plants will be boxed and placed into an on-site nursery where they will be watered and and cared for with the intent to re-vegetate with as much of the existing plant material as is possible.  Keystone will fill in what is needed with drought resistant desert plants. Landscaping will be respectful of the desert.  Rich Neim Jr. added that the front yards would be landscaped by Keystone, and maintained by the HOA.  This assures that the yards will look nice, and will be conducive to the "lock and leave" lifestyle of many who buy homes here for the winter months but go north to cooler climates during the summer, or for those who live here year 'round but like to travel occasionally.  Someone asked if saguaros were on the list of plants to save.  Mr. Neim Sr. said they are, as well as many trees.  I added that Carefree has strict ordinances about salvaging cacti, as I well remembered from the time we built our home.  

 

 

 

John Traynor noted that the property was rolling, and asked if Keystone intended to blade it flat.  Mr. King answered that they plan to keep it as natural as possible.  The site will be graded, but the topography will remain rolling, with great changes throughout the development.  

 

 

 

Mr. Traynor asked if the renderings on the boards were of the front elevations, with 2 front facing garages.  Mr. King said they are.  The units would be 2 bedroom, with a den which can be converted into a 3rd bedroom, but that most buyers don't choose that option, preferring to keep it as a den.  

 

 

Mr. Van Allen asked if it would be gated and if there would be a HOA.  Mr. King repeated that it would be gated, with an HOA.  

Mr. Traynon asked if the HOA would be responsible for the roads in the development.  Mr. King replied that they would be private roads in the gated community, and that the HOA would be responsible for their maintenance.  Mr. Van Allen asked if they were on sewer, and was told it would be serviced by sewer company Liberty Water.  

 

 

 

Mr. Van Allen asserted, "This can really set the tone for the rest of the development to the west of here, all the way to the street called Windmill, with this type of development, versus our characteristic one acre Carefree."  Gary Neiss reminded him that the zoning to the west was R1-35.  Mr. Van Allen said, "What's R1-35?", and was reminded by Stacey Bridge-Denzak, that it is one home per about 3/4 of an acre.  Mr. Neiss added, "If anything, this establishes the transition.  If this is developed as Garden Office you wouldn't have a transition, so it would push that desire to have that transition further to the west.  So, this is the transitional property." 

 

 

 

Mr. Van Allen said this increases the number of residents for sales tax revenue, as opposed to one acre houses.  Mr. Neim Jr. pointed out that Keystone will also be paying Carefree sales tax on the homes as they sell.  Mr. Van Allen asked Mr. Neiss if Carefree is still getting that.  Mr. Neiss answered that, yes, all new homes are subject to construction tax.  Mr. Neim Jr. said that Carefree's share of the tax would be approximately $12,000-$14,000 per home. 

 

 

 

At that point, Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter arrived at the meeting and were introduced by Mr. Neim Sr.  He explained that this was the couple who owned the custom house to the south of the project whose reaction Mr. Van Allen had questioned earlier, and who Mr. Neim had been expecting.  Mrs. Carpenter apologized for arriving late, and agreed that they endorsed the project, but asked how the rest of the audience felt, and how it impacted them.  Mr. Traynor said, "Who are you?"  She introduced herself as Carol Carpenter.  Mr. Traynor replied, "No, I mean who are you addressing?"  Mrs. Carpenter said she was addressing the audience.  Mr. Traynor responded that he didn't live near the project but that "we're not discovering any wet dirt, so it is inevitable.", and that "the town is better off with more bodies than fewer bodies."  Mrs. Carpenter said they initially panicked when they heard condominiums were going to be built there, but that the architect and Keystone were straightforward and cooperative.

 

 

 

Mr. Neim Sr. explained that there was once a concept of condos, and they had planned to build a higher density project when only the first parcel, zoned GO, was purchased.  After the residential parcel was added, they decided to build the same number of units on the combined parcels as they had been planning to build on the original one, which lowered the density from 7 units per acre to 4.2 units per acre.  He said it is a considerably less intensive use than it would have been had it been developed for as a Garden Office complex.  He said it kept notching down in intensity from GO to condos to single family detached homes.  He feels this project will fit in well with the surrounding communities, and still be transitional. 

 

 

 

When the meeting ended, Mr. King encouraged everyone to continue to mingle, look at the rendering boards, and ask any further questions.

 

https://vimeo.com/user18676056/review/133213180/bc24f57e52                

 

 

 

Lyn Hitchon

 

 

 

Prepared by Carefree Truth

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