Development in progress throughout Cave Creek

By Jeff Wendt
Mail

Development Services Director Luke Kautzman updated the Cave Creek Town Council on a number of projects that are going on throughout the town at a council meeting on Tuesday night.

Kautzman began by offering an update on the 4,005 acres of open space land purchase with the Arizona State Land Department.

“We plan to come to the council in November with an update as to where we are in the process,” Kautzman said, telling the council he had nothing new to report since the September update to the council.

“We have had some talks with Maricopa County leadership,” Kautzman added, “but we want to wait until after the elections are held in November because there are some big decisions in those elections that could have an effect on us.”

A contentious discussion was held surrounding the update with the Black Mountain Marketplace on the southeast corner of Carefree Highway and Cave Creek Road next to Walmart.

Council member Dusty Rhoades talked about how concerned citizens have expressed their displeasure about the undisturbed land around the roadways.

“Can we protect the undisturbed around the roadways?” Rhoades asked. “A number of people complained about blading the thing.

“The undisturbed around the roadways is what makes Cave Creek, Cave Creek,” Rhoades added.

Kautzman tried to reassure Rhoades that when completed, the landscaping will look similar to what the Walmart looked like when it was completed.

“You just have to let the development requirements bear out and the landscaping as well,” Kautzman said.

Kautzman added that over 160 native trees and 80 cacti have been salvaged for re-use in the project.

Council member Tom Augherton backed up Rhoades in their discussion and also had concerns about the way the landscaping would look.

Kautzman said permits have come in for Mountainside Fitness and Fry’s Fuel Center as the first occupants of the new development, but no other tenants have been announced or have signed lease agreements with the development.

Kautzman also provided an update on the proposed hotel that will have 114 rooms on two stories, a detached lobby, spa rooms, and a pool area.

“The project is in review with the engineers going back and forth on the right of way at Schoolhouse Road and how it ties in to Galloway on the north and the post office on the south,” Kautzman said.

Other updates Kautzman provided included:

• Awaiting submittal of plans for a multi-tenant commercial center behind the Starbucks on the northeast corner of 53rd Street and Carefree Highway.

• Plans are in review for two of the seven Live-Work units to be built south of Town Hall.

• The API Corporate Building across the street from Town Hall is nearing completion. The company just began work on the interior of the building so they are a few months away.

• The 32 apartment units being built next to Stagecoach Pass are nearing completion. Building official Adam Hicks told Kautzman one of the buildings is almost ready to serve certificates of occupancy by the end of the year.

• The Havelina Springs Crossing office/retail development is in review.

• A traffic drop-off area was placed near the Jewel of the Creek, where passengers can be dropped off and picked up in a small area on the side of the road. The move was necessitated by people parking along the side of the road and causing hazards in the area, and Kautzman worked with Engineering Director Hal Marron to work this out.

• Work was done at the rodeo grounds to include new main gate installation, new fencing in the area, an electrical audit and an electrical service upgrade permit filed with APS.

• Upgrades at Desert Awareness Park to include new pathways, new security measures and bathroom upgrades.

•The ALDI planned on the north side between 50th and 51st Streets and Carefree Highway is ready for permits to be issued.

“The Black Mountain and the ALDI are the last real sizable parcels of land to be developed along Carefree Highway,” Kautzman said. “We have like three or four parcels of two acres each left for development.”

Jeff Wendt
Reporter | Phoenix/Cave Creek

jwendt@iniusa.org

Meet Jeff
Jeff Wendt started at Independent Newsmedia in January 2023, after 25 years working for Gannett and The Arizona Republic. Started as a high school sports scoretaker, worked up to reporting high school sports and then became an associate high school sports editor in 2002. Also worked in the Design Studio as a copy editor.

Community: Jeff serves on the Board of Elders at his local church.

Education: Arizona State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication

Random fact: Attended Game 2 of the 2001 World Series.

Hobbies: Playing video games (yes still the kid in me), watching reality TV, playing poker.