Carefree Truth

Issue #419, August 28, 2015

 

 

 

Planning Director Stacey Bridge-Denzak presented text amendments to the Carefree Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances to comply with Arizona Revised Statutes for dust control, in a continuing effort to reduce the emissions of particulate matter.  Annual meetings with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) are required to assure compliance.  Compliance effects money received from Federal grants for projects such as the bike lanes.  Also, Carefree prides itself on assuring a high quality of life, of which dust control is an element.

 

 

 

Those using leaf blowers shall not blow debris onto public Rights of Way or onto the property of neighbors.  They are never to be used on unstabilized surfaces.  Blowers may only be used in vacuum mode on High Pollution Advisory Days, which may be found on the ADEQ website.

 

 

 

No parking or driving is allowed on any portion of unpaved or unstabilized areas unless a permit is issued by Maricopa County for dust generating operations.  No off-road vehicles are allowed on unpaved surfaces that are not public or private streets or easements, nor are they allowed on unpaved surfaces that have been closed by Federal, State, County, or municipal decree or by private property postings.  This does not apply to vehicles used in the normal course of business, government operations, emergency operations, or on any site with a permit.  All new streets and alleys, both public and private, must be paved.     

 

 

 

As extrapolated from the State Statutes, all parking lots other than those for residential buildings with 4 or less units and a parking area less than 3000 square feet shall be maintained with asphaltic concrete, cement concrete, stabilized decomposed granite, paving blocks, or other paved surface materials approved by the Development Review Board.

 

 

 

The grading and drainage sections of the Carefree Ordinances are not State mandated but are considered good practice.  During construction, owners and contractors are responsible for making all reasonable efforts to prevent or control blowing dust and debris.  Any spillage onto streets from trucks removing dirt from a site must be cleaned up promptly.

 

 

 

Councilman Bob Gearhart asked how the rules are enforced.  Mrs. Bridge-Denzak replied that enforcement is complaint driven, although some violations are observed and handled by the Carefree Code Enforcement Officer if seen when he's driving around town.  But most violations are reported by citizens.

 

 

 

Vice Mayor John Crane asked if additional dust control would be required near the Carefree cemetery.  Gary Neiss replied that it is in compliance with the standards in place when it was built, but that any future expansions would have to meet the current criteria.  This applies to any site, residential or commercial.  Councilman Mike Farrar assumed the trigger is a building permit, which Mr. Neiss confirmed.  Mr. Neiss said that all the municipalities have either implemented, or are in the process of implementing the most current ADEQ dust control standards, as required by law.  Mayor Les Peterson noted that approval of these text amendments is required.  The amendments to the Ordinances were unanimously approved.  

 

https://vimeo.com/user18676056/review/135693987/aa44d4b3d7

 

 

Lyn Hitchon

 

 

 

Prepared by Carefree Truth

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