Carefree Truth

Issue #421, August 31, 2015

 

 

 

Councilman Mike Farrar said Steven Betts felt a primary gateway at Tom Darlington Drive and Carefree Drive would necessitate another roundabout for approximately $200,000.  He advised building 1 or 2 primary gateways now to spur activity, but waiting until later to build more.  The Urban Land Institute (ULI) addressed primary access points into Carefree as being where the existing traffic circles are located.  All others were noted as secondary entries.  The Baker Study  recommended vertical features.  Traffic circles provide that opportunity.  The experts hired by the Town concur with Mayor Les Peterson's conclusions, and Mr. Farrar felt the advice of the professional planners advice should be heeded.

 

 

 

Vice Mayor John Crane agreed that traffic circles by primary gateways provide an ideal place for vertical elements which help draw attention to a special place. Councilman Glenn Miller said traffic circles also slow traffic, but he didn't believe traffic circles were necessary at primary gateways.  He did think turn lanes should be added in all the places lacking them.  Mr. Miller asked where Mayor Peterson got the $200,000 figure for circles, and the Mayor replied it came from an Internet search, and was a best guess.  

 

 

 

Mr. Miller then asked Mr. Manship if his offer to donate materials, labor, and equipment towards the columns would remain if Carefree put off building 2 of the gateways for 1-2 years.  Mr. Manship assured Mr. Miller that his offer would still stand; he was willing to accommodate Carefree's time frame.  He thought that waiting was a good idea.  

 

 

 

Councilwoman Melissa Price had an alternate proposal.  She said to look at where the town is going and that decisions made today will effect the town center for the next 25, 50, 100 years.  She proposed bordering the town center so that the first thing anyone sees coming up Tom Darlington Drive or Cave Creek Road is a gateway.  Phase 1 would involve 2 primary gateways off of Tom Darlington Drive at Carefree Drive and at Ho Road, and 2 off of Cave Creek Road at Sunshine Way and at Hum Road.  Phase 2 would be the addition of traffic circles at those locations, bringing the total number of traffic circles on the sections of Tom Darlington Drive and Cave Creek Road bordering the commercial core to 6.  She favored instituting a public art program throughout the downtown, and installing 10'-12' high sculptures in her suggested Phase 2 additional traffic circles at her 4 primary gateways to draw attention to them.  She entreated the Council not to look at what is there today, but to have some vision.

 

 

 

Councilman Bob Gearhart thought the funds for 4 primary gateways were allocated in the 2015/16 Fiscal Year (FY)budget.  Mayor Peterson corrected his impression, saying that $1.5 million was allocated for economic development, which included gateways.  Mr. Gearhart believed they had talked about 4 gateways.  Mayor Peterson replied they had talked about up to 4.  Mr. Gearhart said there should be 2 on each major street.  Don't put it off.  Do them all now.  It's budgeted, and there are donors to help.  We have it budgeted. 

 

 

 

The Mayor responded that doing 4 of them now would considerably exhaust the economic development budget, and it's only month 2 of the fiscal year.  Ms. Price said money was set aside for gateways, and donors have stepped up as well.  Mr. Miller estimated there would be over $900,000 left in the budget.  Mayor Peterson pointed out that it is unknown what either proposal would cost, but that his would cost less than Ms. Price's.  Mr. Miller agreed that pricing still needs to be done to determine the Town's part after the donations.  The Mayor added that the donations are promised no matter which proposal is approved.  

 

 

 

Vice Mayor Crane said that just because money is budgeted doesn't mean it must be spent.  If money is spent on gateways, it needs to be done as efficiently as possible to get the most bang for the gateway dollar.  The Town might find that 2 primary gateways are sufficient.  If not, others could be added as is appropriate.  It is important to consider the unanticipated. Opportunities for economic development may be presented over the year that would incur unforeseen expenses.    

 

 

 

Mr. Gearhart asked, "How do we know what's best?"  Mr. Farrar replied that more is not necessarily better.  Even the Baker team said there could be too many gateways.  Carefree is a small town with a small core.  Streets with roundabouts are logical access points into the town center.  The Council hasn't even discussed the litany of enhancements recommended to support the gateways.  He agreed with the Vice Mayor.  Budgeted doesn't mean spend it.  Take advantage of the existing infrastructure.  

 

 

 

The cell phone connection with Councilman Gene Orrico, who was attending telephonically, was lost.  Councilman Miller and Town Clerk Kandace French repeatedly tried unsuccessfully to reconnect with him over the course of the meeting. 

 

 

 

Ms. Price said Steven Betts noted that gateways could be a draw to developers.  She pointed out that Ed Lewis is a developer, and he would like a primary gateway at Tom Darlington Drive and Carefree Drive.  Mr. Farrar said Ms. Price was proposing secondary gateways in the places all the experts identified as primary entrance points.  Ms. Price responded, "We know our town better than any expert."  Mayor Peterson replied that Mr. Betts had said primary gateways should lead to commercial, not residential centers, and Mr. Lewis is building a residential project.  Mr. Farrar said Ed Lewis told him that he didn't need a gateway at Tom Darlington Drive and Carefree Drive, just the ability to put up a sign for a couple of years.  Let private developers put up their own temporary signs if desired.

 

 

 

Vice Mayor Crane noted that due to the shorter distances from the gateways into town suggested by Mayor Peterson, they would be easier to "dress up" with landscaping and sidewalks to give the feel of actually having arrived somewhere.  That's important.  Money is better spent making the experience more enticing after driving under the gateway. 

 

 

 

I had put in a speaker slip and was called to speak.  I asked  for and received clarification that it was not all or nothing.  I agreed with the Baker Study that there could be too many primary gateways.  I compared it to someone who wears a ring on every finger, saying a lot of the WOW factor is lost due to repetition.  More than 2 major gateways could overwhelm the senses and detract from the desired impact.

 

 

 

Mr. Gearhart repeated that since it is budgeted and the money is in the bank, why not do it all at once.  Mr. Farrar pointed out that the Town just bought a building to house the Council Chamber.  That was not anticipated, and not budgeted.  Fortunately, Carefree was able to obtain full financing, but that should not be assumed.  Opportunities might be here today, but not a year from now.  He added that 2 primary gateways may bring more bang for the buck than 4.  Carefree's footprint is really small, and there can be too many gateways, which takes away the impact, like 5 rings on each hand.  It has to be relative to the scope. 

 

 

 

Mayor Peterson said he has received very positive responses from citizens about returning over $800,000 to the reserves at the end of FY 2014/15.  That's the Carefree approach.  Don't spend money just because it's available.  It's available should the right opportunity present itself.  While the Town needs gateways, it's a matter of how fast, how expensive, and tying it into development.  In his business experience, when 2 things are done, the first accomplishes 80% of the goal, and the second accomplishes 20%, but the cost is 2X for both, not 1.2X.  Best to do one on each arterial street, with landscaping, art, etc. enhancements.  He was far more comfortable with that.  Vice Mayor Crane agreed that landscaping and other improvements on the town side make gateways far more effective.

 

 

 

Ms. Price protested that the intersection of Tom Darlington Drive and Wampum Way has banks on either side, and the retail businesses are not visible.  Mr. Farrar pointed out that the banks have huge setbacks, and said the Gardens and the businesses can be clearly seen from Tom Darlington Drive at that location, as opposed to the one she suggested at Carefree Drive, from which the interior retail businesses are not visible.  He added that Wampum Way also has an existing roundabout.

 

 

 

Mr. Farrar moved to accept the Mayor's recommendation for 1 primary gateway at Cave Creek Road and Carefree Drive and 1 primary gateway at Tom Darlington Drive and Wampum Way.  Vice Mayor Crane seconded the motion.  Mayor Peterson, Vice Mayor Crane, Councilman Farrar, and Councilman Gearhart voted yes.  Councilwoman Price and Councilman Miller voted no.  Vice Mayor Crane asked Mr. Gearhart to repeat his vote for clarification, as he had spoken softly.  He confirmed his yes vote. Ms. Price  then asked for a roll call vote.  Mr. Miller said to Mr. Gearhart, "You voted for 2?"  Mr. Gearhart replied that he didn't think 4 "would fly".  Mr. Miller responded, "How do you know that?"  A roll call vote was then taken, during which Mr. Gearhart changed his vote to no.  Since the roll call vote was 3-3, the motion failed.  

 

 

 

There was a 5 minute recess so the ongoing efforts to contact Councilman Orrico could continue for a while longer.

Efforts to contact Mr. Orrico were unsuccessful and the Council session resumed, with attempts to reach him still underway. 

 

 

 

Mr. Miller explained that he favored approving all 4 primary gateways so they could get the drawings and engineering done all at once.  He also felt they could better catch drivers with Ms. Price's plan.  He moved to place primary gateways on Tom Darlington Dr. at Carefree Drive and at Ho Road, and on Cave Creek Road at Sunshine Way and at Hum Road.  Ms. Price seconded the motion.  Mr. Miller called for an immediate vote, while others wanted some discussion first.  

 

 

 

Mr. Farrar didn't view Sunshine Way as a viable location for a primary gateway just because it was the first street with access to the downtown, saying  the first thing to catch his eye is the roundabout at Carefree Drive.  As stewards of the Town, it is the Council's responsibility to get and to take the best advice.  Primary entrances were identified by the ULI and Baker, and he felt disregarding that was irresponsible.  Ms. Price replied that a traffic study done 10-15 years ago recommended multiple roundabouts.  Mr. Miller replied that everyone has opinions, and there is no right or wrong.  Mr. Farrar asked if Mr. Miller was willing to spend 1/2 a million dollars for 4 primary gateways when it's possible only 2 may be needed.  Mr. Farrar felt money was better spent on landscaping and smaller secondary gateways. 

 

 

 

The vote was taken via roll call, and was again deadlocked at 3 (Mayor Peterson, Vice Mayor Crane, and Councilman Farrar)-3 (Councilwoman Price, Councilman Miller, and Councilman Gearhart).  The decision was made to revisit gateways at the regular Council meeting on Tuesday, September 1st, when all 7 Council members would be present. 

 

https://vimeo.com/user18676056/review/137720696/77f475ee92

 

 

 

Lyn Hitchon

 

 

 

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