HomeMy WebLinkAboutGeneral Plan 2002
CONTENTS
List of Exhibits i
Introduction
Acknowledgements ii
Mission Statement iv
Purpose of the General Plan v
Chapter One-The Past
Historical Overview 1
Chapter Two-Use and Design
Land Use Element 10
Growth Area Element 34
Chapter Three-Cost of Development
Cost of Development Element 51
Chapter Four-Parks, Recreation and Open Space
Open Space Element 56
Chapter Five-Transportation
Circulation Element 69
Chapter Six-Public Utilities and Resources
Water Resources Element 84
Environmental Planning Element 87
Chapter Seven-Plan Implementation
Administration of the Plan 95
Plan Amendments 96
Minor and Major Amendments 96
Area Specific Plans 98
Glossary 99
LIST OF EXHIBITS
Regional Map Exhibit 1 page 8
Street Map Exhibit 2 page 9
Existing Land Use Exhibit 3 page 31
Proposed Land Use Exhibit 4 page 32
Topography and Major Drainage Exhibit 5 page 33
Growth Areas Plan Exhibit 6 page 48
Developed-Undeveloped Land Chart Chart 1 page 49
Existing Community Facilities Exhibit 7 page 55
Future Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan Exhibit 8 page 64
Desert Vista Neighborhood Park
Fountain Park Master Plan
Four Peaks Neighborhood Park
Golden Eagle Park
Bicycle Plan Exhibit 9 page 81
Existing Sidewalks & Off-Street Trails Exhibit 10 page 82
Roadway Functional Classification System
And Transportation Traffic Counts Exhibit 11 page 83
Document Reference List page 101
i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The development and completion of the General Plan 2002 document could
not have been accomplished without the participation and support of the Town
Council, the Planning and Zoning Commission, and the various Town
departments working together with citizens, agencies and boards to provide
information, assistance and guidance.
Although the list of contributors is incomplete, special acknowledgements go
to the following:
Town Council
Jon Beydler, Mayor
Mike Archambault
Leesa Fraverd, Vice Mayor
John Kavanagh
Rick Melendez
Kathleen Nicola
Susan Ralphe
Former Mayor
Sharon Morgan
Former Council members
John McNeill
Sharon Hutcheson
John Wyman
Planning and Zoning Commission
Robert Howes, Chairman
Dennis Brown
Judy Dragiewicz, Vice Chair
Michael Downes
William O’Brien
Rod Mooney
Jay Schlum
Parks and Recreation Commission
George Williams, Chair
Carol Ayres
Mary-Alice Bivens
Tim Brown
Matt Paul
Joe Pinter
Richard Schmidt, Vice Chair
ii
McDowell Mountain Preservation Commission
Roy Kinsey, Chair
Karen Holloway
Grace Jakubs
Robert Mock
John Rosenquist
Margaret Tibbetts, Vice Chair
Bill Trask
Participants
Paul Nordin, Town Manager
William Farrell, Town Attorney/Former Acting Town Manager
Roy Pederson, Former Acting Town Manager
Joan Blankenship, Executive Assistant/Planning Technician
Mike Ciccarone, Information Technology Support Specialist
Jesse Drake, Interim Director of Community Development /Project Manager
Julie Ghetti-Accounting
Steven Gendler, Former Public Safety Director/Town Marshal
Cassie Hansen, Director of Administration/Town Clerk
Randal Harrel, Town Engineer
Bryan Hughes, Deputy Director of Recreation
Jim Leubner, Senior Civil Engineer
Tony Marchese, Street Superintendent
Mark Mayer, Director of Parks and Recreation
Peter Putterman, Information Technology Administrator
Stephen Sikorski, Drafting/CAD Technician
Jeffrey W. Valder AICP, Former Director of Community Development
Kenneth Valverde, Engineering Technician/CAD Operator
Thomas Ward, Director of Public Works
James Willers, Director of Community Center
Robert Carlson, Chaparral City Water Company
Cristi L. Graca, Chaparral City Water Company
Scott LaGreca, Chief Fire Marshal, Rural Metro Fire Department
Michelle Green, Maricopa Association of Governments
Ron Huber, Fountain Hills Sanitary District
Terry Tatterfield, Fountain Hills Unified School District #98
Jack Tomasik, Maricopa Association of Governments
Mark Zimmerman, Assistant Chief/Fire Marshal, Rural Metro Fire Department
Each and every review agency.
And the citizens of Fountain Hills.
iii
MISSION STATEMENT
The Town of Fountain Hills has grown from the guiding hand of the
founders into an independent, vibrant and vital family-oriented
community where the conservation and preservation of the natural
heritage and visual beauty of the surrounding are maintained.
Residents revere the sense of closeness and small town feeling in a
community dedicated to high quality schools and strive for diversity in
neighborhoods that all have an adjacency to nature in common.
Fountain Hills is committed to creating a Town that is attractive for
small businesses, clean industry and village commerce, where the
natural environment is preserved and protected, and where diverse
housing is supplied in beautiful developments.
iv
PURPOSE OF THE GENERAL PLAN 2002
The original Fountain Hills General Plan was adopted in 1993. The
planning team of Vernon Swaback Associates, P.C. in association with Town
staff and the citizens, prepared the Plan for the Town of Fountain Hills. Since
that time, there have been no major updates to the original document.
The Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 2002 serves not only to update
and revise the original General Plan document and fulfill the State of Arizona
Growing Smarter legislation, ARS§9-461.05 & 6, but also unites and supports
the community with a focused and comprehensive vision for guiding
community growth and development. Various methods to encourage public
participation were incorporated into the draft-writing process. Public
participation questionnaires were developed and distributed, including
distribution on the Internet. Media in the community and in surrounding
communities were notified of the draft process. Public forums and public
meetings were held. Comment was requested from various Commissions and
special interest groups. Public meetings for updates were noticed and held
before the Planning and Zoning and Town Council. Intergovernmental and
intra-governmental agencies received copies for review and comment, copies
of the draft were distributed in public building throughout the community, and
individuals requesting copies were sent a draft copy.
The General Plan 2002 reflects the combined input from both the public and
private sectors, and provides the Town with goals and development policies
for future growth while maintaining flexibility in interpretation and use.
The 1998 Growing Smarter Act and 2000 Growing Smarter Plus legislation
outline the following required elements to be included in the updated General
Plan 2002 for our community:
1. A Land Use Element providing a written and graphic form of the
proposed land uses within the community.
2. A Growth Element providing growth strategies and
implementation plans for transportation and infrastructure
expansion.
3. A Cost of Development Element providing policies for identifying
the costs of public services and infrastructure and the methods
available to require future development to pay a portion of these
development costs.
4. An Open Space Element providing a written and graphic
inventory of all existing and proposed parks, recreation areas and
open spaces and a management plan stressing linkages to adjacent
and/or regional systems.
5. A Circulation Element providing a written and graphic form of the
existing and proposed street system and any alternative
transportation systems, such as bicycle and mass transit.
v
6. A Water Resources Element providing an inventory of
the existing available surface water, groundwater and
effluent supply, and which analyses growth, impacts and
distribution of all water systems.
6. A Water Resources Element providing an inventory of
the existing available surface water, groundwater and
effluent supply, and which analyses growth, impacts and
distribution of all water systems.
7. An Environmental Planning Element providing policies
and implementation plans that will address the proposed
effects of development on air, water and natural resources.
7. An Environmental Planning Element providing policies
and implementation plans that will address the proposed
effects of development on air, water and natural resources.
vi
vi
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW AND EXISTING CONDITIONS
Regional Context
The Town of Fountain Hills lies in the northeast quadrant of Maricopa County
approximately thirty miles northeast of central Phoenix. The Town’s
spectacular hillside location, in the upper Sonoran Desert on the eastern
slope of the McDowell Mountains, provides the community with its famous
mountain vistas and rich natural desert vegetation. The City of Scottsdale
borders the community on the west, The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian
Community on the south, The Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation on the east, the
McDowell Mountain Regional Park on the northwest, and State Land on the
northeast.
Major access to the community is from Shea Boulevard. Shea provides the
Town’s connection to the greater Phoenix metropolitan area on the west
toward Scottsdale and central Phoenix. To the east, adjacent to the Town
boundary, Shea intersects State Highway 87 connecting the Town to the
south and east valley, including the cities of Mesa, Chandler, and Gilbert,
and also north toward the Verde River, the Salt River and Saguaro Lake
recreation areas, and further north to Payson and other mountain recreation
areas.
Community History
The land, composed of low ridgelines and wash corridors, was originally
home to Native Americans. Archaeological studies have identified the Fort
McDowell area as a major center of Hohokam-Salado occupation from
approximately 100 to 1450 C.E. Petroglyphs and lithic remains have been
found in both the McDowell Mountain Park and in the surveyed portions of
the State Land adjacent to the Town’s northern boundary. In the mid
1500’s Spanish explorers came northward from Mexico into the area and
began colonizing the region. In 1821, when Mexico declared independence
from Spain, the region became a part of the Republic of Mexico.
Subsequently, with the Treaty of Hidalgo in 1848 the signing of the Gadsden
Purchase in 1854 area became part of the Arizona Territory until statehood
on February 14, 1912. With the apportioning of counties, the land,
including the sections now encompassing the Town Fountain Hills, became a
part of Maricopa County.
The close proximity of both the Verde River and Fort McDowell, established
in the late 1800s, served to bring attention to the region and created
opportunities for the ranchers who came into the area. The initial purchase
of property that became the Town of Fountain Hills came from a partial sale
of the P-Bar Ranch, a working cattle ranch, under the ownership of the Page
Land & Cattle Company, when 4500 acres was split off in 1968 in a sale to
McCulloch Properties, a subsidiary of McCulloch Oil Corporation.
Two years later 1970, in combination with other land purchases, and under
the direction of McCullough Properties Inc., (MCO) an approximately
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 1
12,000-acre model city was conceived and named, and the company
prepared documentation known as the initial "Development Plan for the
Community of Fountain Hills". The plan included a variety of residential
housing types, commercial and industrial land uses, provisions for schools,
churches, a community park, and a variety of open space corridors.
Singularly, the founders included, as an attraction to and for the new
community, the “World’s Tallest Fountain”, christening it’s namesake on
December 15, 1970. Interest in the new community was generated
throughout the Midwest and eastern regions of the country through an
innovative “fly to see” program. Prospective buyers were flown to the
fledgling community by private aircraft and toured their potential homesites
by a Jeep-driving sales force. Initial residential construction began within
months, and by February 1972 residents began living in the Fountain Hills.
In December 1989 the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors voted for
incorporation of the town. A seven member Town Council set up
governance of the community retaining the established land uses. Maricopa
County continued to administer land use ordinances for the first six months
after incorporation. The Town adopted its initial zoning and subdivision
ordinances in May 1990 and began administering these ordinances on July
1, 1990. A Community Development Department was established the next
month and the Planning and Zoning Commission was organized in
November 1990. The Planning and Zoning Commission continues as the
recommending body to the Town Council on land use plans and the
implementation of ordinances. In February 1991, the Town Council chose
not to continue as its own Board of Adjustment and formed an independent
Board of Adjustment to consider variance requests from the land use
ordinances and to hear appeals of the zoning administrator's decisions.
Development continued steadily throughout the 1990s. The land underlying
Eagle Mountain, southwest of the Shea Boulevard/Palisades Boulevard
intersection, was annexed in 1991. Communities Southwest developed a
mixture of approximately 500 residential units and commercial facilities
adjacent to an 18-hole golf course. In May 1994 Sunridge Canyon,
northwest of Palisades Boulevard and west of Golden Eagle Boulevard, was
approved as an Area Specific Planning Area. SunCor and MCO Properties
provided an 18-hole golf course, as a community amenity for the 830
single-family dwelling units within the development.
Subsequently the subdivisions of Firerock regulated by the FireRock Area
Specific Plan, Crestview, Eagles Ridge North, and Eagles Nest were added.
In 2001 the Town opened the Community Center and Library Complex.
Study continues on the vacant Plat 208 Town Center redevelopment. Most
of the remaining vacant land is either secured open space, or platted
subdivisions.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 2
Physical Characteristics
Fountain Hills is famous not only for the spectacular aquatic display of the
grand fountain, which can be seen from miles away, but is equally
renowned for its sensitive retention of the natural desert within and through
the Town and its many scenic vistas and abundant wildlife.
The Town lies on the lower portions of the eastern slopes of the McDowell
Mountains and is made up of alternating low ridgelines punctuated with
dense rock outcroppings and washes draining in a southeasterly direction.
Elevations in the Town range between 1510 feet above sea level on the
east/southeast to a peak of 3170 in the northwestern hills, averaging about
400 to 500 feet higher than other metropolitan Phoenix communities.
Fountain Hills retains luxuriant undisturbed Upper Sonoran desert
vegetation throughout the community. Saguaro and cholla cascade down
the Town’s ridges interweaving with ocotillo, creosote, bursage, jojoba and
brittlebush on the slopes which in turn give way to mesquite, palo verde,
ironwood and finally cottonwood trees in the wash bottoms. Distributed
throughout are the many varieties of cacti and flowering seasonal plants
that carpet the land with multi-colored displays, each color in turn
intensifying and giving way to the next.
The washes and abundant vegetation serve to protect and maintain viable
homes and wildlife corridors for the native desert fauna. Specialized
habitats in stands of cacti, wash corridors and rock outcroppings allow
native species to thrive in close proximity to the suburban development and
the Town is vigilant in its conservation and protection of these important
areas.
The most commonly seen native wildlife species are coyote, desert
cottontail, javalina, deer, bobcat various species of quail, dove, owl and
hawk plus lizards, banded geckos, gopher snakes, bull snakes and
rattlesnakes.
Community Facilities and Services
Religious Facilities
More than a dozen religious facilities are located within Town boundaries.
Educational Facilities
Fountain Hills Unified School District #98 is comprised of four schools. Two
elementary schools, encompassing grades K-5, had a total fall 2001
enrollment of 980 students. The middle school, grades six through eight,
and the high school, grades nine through twelve had a combined enrollment
of 1535 students, for the 2001 school year. The district encompasses all
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 3
lands within the Town limits and also provides educational facilities for 153
students from the adjacent Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation. 56 elementary
students, 42 middle school students and 55 high school students from the
Indian Community are included in the student totals.
As of October 2001: 430 students were attending kindergarten through
second grade at McDowell Mountain Elementary School; 550 students were
attending third through fifth grade at Four Peaks Elementary School; 675
students were attending sixth through eighth grade at Fountain Hills Middle
School, and; 860 students were attending ninth through twelfth grade at
Fountain Hills High School.
A new middle school facility serving grades six through eight, located
adjacent to the Town’s northern border, on 35 acres of land leased from the
State of Arizona, is under construction and the District expects that classes
will begin in the fall of 2002 with 700 students and will have a capacity of
900 to 1000 students.
The current District office is located adjacent to the Four Peaks Elementary
School. The District is anticipating a lease of the existing office site to the
Boys & Girls Club. If the lease negotiations are accomplished, then the
District Offices would relocate to the Middle School administration offices on
Palisades Boulevard, adjacent to the High School facility, which will be
vacated in 2002 when the new Middle School construction is completed.
The Fountain Hills School District owns three additional sites in Fountain
Hills that may be used as future school sites. If these sites are determined
to be surplus property, they may subsequently be sold by the School
District. For information on future trends, existing facility expansions, and
new schools, the reader should contact the Fountain Hills Unified School
District.
Health Care
A local health care center, located on Palisades Boulevard, west of Saguaro
Boulevard, is staffed with medical doctors and nurses, and equipped for
diagnostic and laboratory services. Ambulance service is available locally in
addition to emergency helicopter ambulance service to valley hospitals. A
walk-in emergency clinic is also located in the Basha's Shopping Center on
the southwest corner of Palisades Boulevard and La Montana Drive.
Physicians, dentists, orthodontists, chiropractors, optometrists other
specialists maintain private practices in Fountain Hills.
The Mayo Clinic is one mile west of Fountain Hills, and Scottsdale Memorial
North Hospital is located at Shea Boulevard and 92nd Street.
See
Growth Area
Element
page 34
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 4
Emergency Services
Fountain Hills Fire Department
The Town of Fountain Hills contracts with Rural/Metro Corporation to
provide the community with public education, public information, code
development and enforcement, along with high-quality fire and EMS
emergency services. Fountain Hills Station No.1 is located on Palisades
Boulevard across at the intersection of Avenue of the Fountains. Fountain
Hills Station No. 2 is located south of Shea Boulevard on Saguaro
Boulevard. A third station site is secured in the North Peak Development to
serve the future development in the northwest section of the Town.
The City of Scottsdale has a station at 130th and Via Linda, which houses an
engine and technical rescue team. Currently, Rural/Metro provides fire and
EMS protection for the City of Scottsdale and has an automatic response
agreement with the Town of Fountain Hills.
Public Safety
Presently the Town of Fountain Hills contracts with the Maricopa County
Sheriffs Office to provide 24 hour police protection, 7 days a week. The
Sheriff, the Department of Public Safety and the Town of Fountain Hills
Marshal's Department all share common facilities at the Town Hall offices,
located at 16834 Palisades Boulevard.
Parks
The Town operates and maintains five developed park sites:
Fountain Park-64 acres
Desert Vista Neighborhood Park-12.5 acres
Four Peaks Neighborhood Park-14 acres
Golden Eagle Park-25 acres
Kiwanis Park adjacent to the Kiwanis Activity Center
Other park facilities include:
North Heights Park-a private park
Four school sites-facilities are used for park and recreational
activities.
Community and Civic Center
The newly completed Fountain Hills Community and Civic Center, located on
La Montana Drive, between Avenue of the Fountains and El Lago Boulevard
opened September 29, 2001. The Community Center facility, supplies
31,000 square feet of ballrooms and meeting rooms for valley-wide
corporate meetings, local civic programming, art and educational classes as
well as black tie events and wedding receptions. Adjacent to the
Community Center is the new County Library. A local history museum is
slated to open at the Civic Center site in 2002.
See
Open Space
Element
page 56
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 5
Utility Services
Electricity
Electricity is provided by Salt River Project (SRP) with primarily
underground distribution. A 69 kilovolt above ground power line runs along
a portion of the southern boundary of the Town and northward along the
eastern Town boundary to the Glenbrook substation at the Town’s northern
border. SRP has a maintenance facility south of Shea Boulevard within
Firerock Centre.
Natural Gas
Southwest Gas provides natural gas to Bella Lago, Diamonte Del Lago,
Copperwynd, Eagle Mountain, FireRock Country Club and Sunridge Canyon
developments, and to limited portions of the central, west and downtown
areas of Fountain Hills. Liquid propane is available from local suppliers.
Telephone
Qwest Communications provides telephone line installation and service,
limited in-state long distance service, cable TV service and Internet access
to the Town. All lines are underground. In 2001 Qwest expanded capacity
at their switching facilities at the substation site located on the northeast
corner of Palisades and Fountain Hills Boulevard.
Several carriers provide cellular service with existing wireless
communication facilities within the community, and there are proposals for
service area expansion by cellular providers.
Water
Water is supplied to the Town through the independent services of The
Chaparral City Water Company, certificated by the Arizona Corporation
Commission to serve the 12,060 acres of land originally acquired by
McCullough Properties to develop Fountain Hills. The 1997 corporate
boundaries of Town of Fountain Hills are completely within the Chaparral
City Water Company certificated area. Fountain Hills is located in the
Phoenix active management area. An active management area is an area
where there is concern for the adequacy of groundwater supply and
storage, and groundwater quality. The Phoenix Active Management Area
includes the east Salt River Valley, west Salt River Valley, Fountain Hills,
Carefree, Lake Pleasant, Rainbow Valley and Hassayampa sub-basins
(A.R.S. 45-411.2.). The Chaparral City Water Company has received
certification of an assured water supply by the Arizona Department of Water
Resources. This certification must be renewed annually.
Chaparral City Water Company (CCWC) obtains water from three
groundwater wells and the Central Arizona Project. CCWC designed the
water treatment and delivery system for the Town in 1989 under the prior
See
Water
Resources
Element
page 84
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 6
ownership, when the company was a wholly owned subsidiary of MCO
Properties, and CCWC continues to provide supervision and maintenance of
the operations.
The water treatment, filtering and clarification system is periodically
upgraded. Water from the Central Arizona Project is treated and stored in a
facility located near Fountain Hills Boulevard and Shea Boulevard.
Additional water storage reservoirs are located throughout the Town.
Sanitary Sewer Service
The Fountain Hills Sanitary District, an independent special district, provides
sewerage services. A wastewater treatment plant is located at Saguaro
Boulevard and Pepperwood Circle.
Solid Waste Collection
Solid waste collection in Fountain Hills is currently by independent solid
waste providers. There is no mandatory solid waste subscription
requirement. There are limited recycling programs in Fountain Hills.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 7
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 10
LAND USE ELEMENT
The Land Use Element is a primary element of the General Plan 2002 and
is the guide for the formulation of the Circulation, Open Space, and Growth
Area Elements. As a pivotal element upon which the General Plan 2002
is developed, the Land Use Element expresses the community vision and is
a development guideline for future growth. Residential, commercial and
industrial densities and interactions are reflected in the Land Use Element.
This element was developed through analysis of the existing land use and
in response to community and public participation in the planning process,
and reflects the input and comments received from intergovernmental and
inter-agency participants. The Land Use Element anticipates future
growth and development through 2012.
The Zoning Ordinance, Official Zoning Map, Subdivision Ordinance and
other regulatory land use tools are based on the General Plan 2002.
Land Use Ordinances and zoning map amendments shall be made in
conformance to the General Plan 2002. Conformance shall be
interpreted to mean that the General Plan and Ordinance shall be in basic
harmony. The adopted Mission Statement, Goals and Objectives, graphic
plan and Implementation Program and Guidelines will be used to assist the
Planning and Zoning Commission and Town Council in review of all future
development proposals and rezoning requests. These components will also
assist in the review and planning for the preservation of open space,
recreation improvements, planning and programming of any future
community facilities and in the preparation of Area Specific Plans.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 11
Existing Conditions Overview
Existing Generalized Land Use
The existing land use pattern of Fountain Hills was largely influenced by the
implementation of an original master plan prepared under the supervision
of McCulloch Properties Inc. in the early 1970's. This plan envisioned a
complete, self-supporting "New Town" of approximately 70,000 people. In
1980, MCO Properties revised the original Master Plan to lower the
proposed density and land use intensity in consideration of environmental
constraints. The revised Master Plan, approved by Maricopa County,
projected a build-out population of approximately 45,000.
In 1986 the revised Master Plan was amended by Maricopa County to
include the subdivisions of Crestview, Westridge, Summit East and Los
Altos Hills (previously named Summit West). In 1989 an amendment was
administratively approved by Maricopa County for the Lakeside Village,
Bainbridge, and Golden Eagle areas.
In 1991, MCO Properties revised the Master Plan Map to include all the
prior County amendments. This revised map was presented to the Town.
The Town took no action on this document. Instead, the original Town of
Fountain Hills General Plan was approved on May 6, 1993. The first
amendment to the original General Plan, to re-designate land uses for the
Sunridge Canyon area was approved on May 18th of the following year.
Topography was, and continues to be, the major constraint of the existing
land use patterns. Additionally, the pre-selected locations of the Fountain
and the wastewater treatment plant site have guided land use patterns.
Originally, single-family residential areas tended to be planned on the
ridges, with commercial uses grouped primarily on the flatter land near the
fountain park. Construction of community septic tanks and leach fields
were abandoned when sewer collection lines became available.
Currently most of the land is platted and either developed or under
construction. Large portions of the Town are regulated by Specific Area
Plans or Development Agreements, which can be reviewed at the Town’s
Community Development Department. The pattern of land use is as
follows:
Single-family Residential
Existing single-family residential land use areas are distributed throughout
the Town. Larger lot/low density neighborhoods are found in three areas:
1. Following the ridgelines in the northwest and north central
sections,
2. In a wide, roughly northwest to southeast band, in the central
section of Town on the north side of Shea Boulevard, and
3. South of Shea Boulevard between Palisades and the industrial
and commercial node at Saguaro Boulevard.
See
Existing Land
Use Map
page 31
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 12
Multi-family Residential
Existing multi-family dwelling units, identified as multi-family structures
having at least one common wall, are concentrated in three areas:
1. In an irregular band surrounding the downtown commercial
center and the fountain lake,
2. In a wide band on the east side of Fountain Hills Boulevard,
extending from the north of the downtown commercial center to
the northern Town boundary, and
3. In isolated parcels on both the north and south sides of Shea
Boulevard including a northward extension from the commercial
node at Shea and Saguaro Boulevards along the Towns eastern
boundary line.
Additional multi-family developments have been built on commercially
zoned property within the Town Center area through the Special Use
permit process.
Commercial (Office and Retail)
Existing commercial land use areas are concentrated in three areas:
1. The Town Center area, located primarily south of Palisades
Boulevard, between Fountain Hills Boulevard and Saguaro
Boulevard,
2. Continuing south on the east side of Saguaro Boulevard from the
south edge of the commercial core at El Lago Boulevard to Malta
Drive, and
3. The commercial node at Shea and Saguaro Boulevards that
extends primarily westward on the south side of Shea, and
primarily eastward on the north side of Shea.
Two other isolated existing commercial sites are:
1. A supermarket/strip center located at the southeast corner of
Shea/Eagle Mountain Parkway,
2. An area on the east side of Fountain Hills Boulevard just south of
the Town’s northern boundary.
In addition, there are numerous home-based businesses located
throughout the community.
Industrial
One area, located on the north side of Saguaro Boulevard, southwest of the
Shea/Saguaro commercial node, is currently zoned and used for industrial
uses within the Town. This partially built-out industrial area includes
storage facilities and light manufacturing/distribution operations.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 13
Open Space
Publicly owned and/or controlled open space areas that prohibit
development, provide recreational areas and protect view corridors are
found in:
• Parks and open space areas owned by the Town
o Fountain Park- approximately 35 acres of turf and 30
acres of lake area
o Golden Eagle Park
o Four Peaks Park
o Desert Vista Park
• The 740-acre Fountain Hills McDowell Mountain Preserve located in
the northwestern corner of the Town that provides hiking and
contemplative recreational opportunities
• 200 acres of dedicated Open space with Town boundaries owned by
the City of Scottsdale in Section 7 located immediately adjacent and
south of the 740-acre Fountain Hills McDowell Mountain Preserve
• “OSR”-zoned areas within platted subdivisions
Privately owned lands currently designated for open space land uses but
subject to future development, include:
• Privately owned and controlled parks/open space areas in developed
subdivisions
• Existing undeveloped wash areas within existing platted areas
• Hillside Protection Easement areas within platted subdivisions
• Three privately owned/publicly accessible golf courses that are
zoned "OSR" or Residential Unit Planned Development "RUPD",
which are assumed to provide perpetual open space or golf course
uses
Vacant Land
Areas of vacant developable land can be found in the community as:
• Zoned, platted, partially developed parcels with vacant
lots
• Zoned, unplatted parcels
• Undeveloped school sites
See
Existing Land
Use Map
Page 31
See Developed/
Undeveloped Table
page 49
See
Open Space
Map
page 64
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 14
Existing Zoning
All land in the Town is zoned. The adopted Zoning Ordinance for the Town
of Fountain Hills establishes specific zoning districts, and development
regulations for each district. The official zoning district map is not included
in this General Plan 2002, but is on file and available at Town Hall.
For General Plan 2002 implementation purposes, one or more zoning
districts have been grouped within generalized land use designation
categories in the table below. Categories relate to density and impacts on
the community, therefore the zoning district-to-generalized land use
designation relationship should be maintained and used for implementation
of the plan.
Generalized Land Use Designation Zoning Districts
• Single-Family Residential/………………………… R-190, R1-43
Very Low Density
• Single-Family Residential/………………………… R1-35, R1-35H, R1-18
Low Density
• Single-Family Residential/…………………………….R1-10A, R1-10, R1-8A, 1-8,
Medium Density R1-6A, R1-6
• Multi-Family Residential/……………………………….R-2, M-1, M-2
Medium Density
• Multi-Family Residential/……………………………….R-3, R-4, R-5, M-3
High Density
• Service/Employment………………………………………C-C, C-0, C-1, C-2, C-3
• Business Park………………………………………………… IND-1, IND-2
• Lodging……………………………………………………………L-1, L-2, L-3
• Open Space…………………………………………………… OSR, OSC
• Other……………………………………………………………… UT, MH
Development Agreements and Planned Developments
In addition to the Town of Fountain Hills Zoning Ordinance, there are areas
in town that contain additional regulations in the form of Development
Agreements or Planned Developments. Copies of these documents can be
found at the Community Development Department of the Town of Fountain
Hills, located at 16836 East Palisades Boulevard.
Development Agreements
Bella Lago (previously known as Fountain Summit)
Desert Vista Condominiums
Diamante Del Lago
Eagle Mountain (previously known as Los Altos Hills)
Eagle Mountain Village Market Place
Firerock Country Club
Four Peaks Plaza
Inn at Eagle Mountain
McDowell Preserve (a.k.a. Eagles Nest and Eagle Ridge North)
New Town Center Property
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 15
Planned Developments
Arriba Del Lago Plat 403-A
Boulder Point Plat 403-B
Cimber Points Estates Plat 412A
Clear Aire Plat 414
Crestview Plat 508
Crossroads Convenience Center Plat 509
Crystal Ridge Plat 510
Diamante Del Lago Plat 513
Firerock Country Club Plat 606 Amended
Fountain Hills Resort Plat 607
Fountainhead Puerto Del Lago
Glenbrook Rancho Montana
Glenview Saguaro Woods
Golden Eagle Estates Four Peaks Plaza
Kingstree Village Amended Sunridge Canyon Parcel C
Lakeside Patio Homes Sunridge Canyon Parcel K
Monterra Ranch Sunrise Point
Morningside I & II The Villas at Club Mirage
Plat 102 Replat The Villas at Copperwynd
Plat 208 Westridge Village
Plat 401-A
LAND USE PLAN
The Land Use Plan contains residential, service/employment,
government/utility, open space/recreation land uses.
Residential uses include Single-Family/Very Low Density, Single-
Family/Low Density, Single-Family/Medium Density, Multi-Family/Medium
Density, and Multi-Family/High Density.
The Single-Family/Very Low Density Residential (.025-1 DU/AC) uses are
primarily located on the westerly and southerly portions of the community
adjacent to the existing developed areas, or in areas intended for large lot
subdivision development.
Single-Family/Low Density (1-2 DU/AC) are scattered throughout the
community.
Single-Family/Medium Density (2-4.5 DU/AC) uses are located
predominantly in established, older subdivisions located in the eastern half
of the community north of Palisades Boulevard.
Multi-Family/Medium (4-8 DU/AC) and Multi-Family/High (8-12 DU/AC)
Density uses found predominately in and near the center of the Town’s
commercial core.
Service/Employment uses include mixed use, general commercial/retail,
office, lodging and industrial land use designations. The area shown on the
See Existing
Land Use Plan
page 31
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 16
Land Use Plan as industrial use, with existing industrial zoning, is located
south of Shea Boulevard near Saguaro Boulevard.
Commercial designations are indicated primarily in the Town Center, along
Shea Boulevard and on Saguaro Boulevard. A small commercial center is
shown on Fountain Hills Boulevard at the northern Town boundary.
Additional commercial/retail/office development along the Shea Boulevard
corridor should not occur until the Town Center commercial area is fully
developed and undeveloped land inventories in the Town Center area are
exhausted.
Lodging is designated near the northeast corner of Shea Boulevard and
Palisades Boulevard. Additional lodging facilities should be considered for
the Town Center core. The sensitive development of these lodging
facilities, including their impact on surrounding neighborhoods, should be
carefully considered and should be the primary consideration before the
Town facilitates their development by rezoning or through any other
discretionary approvals.
Areas designated for Government/Utility land uses include municipal uses
and other public/semi-public or private utility facilities.
The Open Space land use designation denotes areas targeted for the
eventual permanent preservation or conservation of open space including,
but not limited to, privately owned wash areas, Town-regulated Hillside
Protection Easement areas, "OSR" zoned areas, or any other publicly-
owned open space intended for conservation. In addition, existing or
proposed park or golf course locations are designated as Open Space on
the Land Use Plan. The State Land parcel at the northeastern edge of
Town is shown as Open Space but is currently zoned Rural-43 by Maricopa
County.
LAND USE DEFINITIONS
The following section provides detailed descriptions of the proposed uses in
each land use category, and general criteria for development, where
applicable.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 17
RESIDENTIAL USES
Single-Family/Very Low Density Residential (.025-1 DU/AC)
The Single-Family/Very Low Density Residential category denotes
areas where rural and single-family residential development is
desirable and all urban services (sanitary sewer, water, law
enforcement, fire protection, schools, parks, etc.) are available or
can be provided.
Single-Family/Low Density Residential (1-2 DU/AC)
The Single-Family/Low Density Residential category denotes areas
where single-family neighborhood residential development is
desirable and all urban services are available or can be provided.
Single-Family/Medium Density Residential (2-4.5 DU/AC)
The Single-Family/Medium Density Residential category denotes
areas where single-family neighborhood residential development is
desirable and all urban services are available or will be provided.
Multi-Family/Medium Density Residential (4-10 DU/AC)
The Multi-Family/Medium Density Residential category denotes
areas where higher density attached residential uses, such as
duplexes and townhouses, are desirable and all urban services are
available. Suitability for development, will be determined, in part,
on transportation access to the arterial roadway system and public
transit, existing land use patterns, public infrastructure capacity and
suitable topography.
Multi-Family/High Density Residential (10.0-12.0 DU/AC)
The Multi-Family/High Density Residential category denotes areas
where highest density residential uses such as multi-story
apartments and specialty residential are desirable and all urban
services are available. Suitability for development will be
determined, in part, on transportation access to the arterial
roadway system and public transit, existing land use patterns,
public infrastructure capacity and suitable topography. Its use is
very limited in the Town.
See
Guidelines
page 20
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 18
SERVICE/EMPLOYMENT USES
General Commercial/Retail
The General Commercial/Retail category denotes areas providing for
the sale of convenience goods (food, drugs and sundries) and
personal services which meet the daily needs of a multi-
neighborhood trade area.
Office
The Office category includes areas where general and professional
offices have been historically developed and can be used as a buffer
between existing developed commercial and industrial uses and
residential developments. Future development of Office designated
areas are appropriate for mixed use projects, especially within the
Town Center.
Lodging
The Lodging category includes areas where tourist-oriented low-
density lodging and resort uses, together with a minor amount of
concomitant retail and restaurant uses, should be developed.
Higher density and multi-story hotels, motels and resorts should be
located only in areas designated for Mixed Use or General
Commercial/Retail.
Mixed-Use
The Mixed Use area denotes the Town Center area where a mix of
commercial, retail, office, high-density residential, municipal, civic,
recreational, cultural, institutional, parking, lodging, and religious
facilities are to be located. Several uses can be accommodated
within a single project if the mix of uses is carefully designed to be
mutually supportive and the project as a whole will reinforce the
viability and vision of the Town Center.
Industrial
The Industrial category includes areas where mixed general office,
warehousing, light industrial uses have been historically developed.
Future development of Business Park uses should be targeted for
the existing areas and for sites with potential visual exposure to
Shea Boulevard.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 19
MUNICIPAL/INSTITUTIONAL USES
Government
This category includes the future location of the Civic Center/Town
Hall, emergency service providers and the Post Office.
Utility
This category includes the areas for wastewater treatment facilities,
water storage reservoirs and tanks, well sites, telephone company
sites, electric substation sites, etc. All sites have been developed
and no additional areas are designated at this time.
Schools
This category includes land where existing public schools are
located, but does not include undeveloped School District-owned
property.
OPEN SPACE/RECREATIONAL USES
Parks
This category includes both existing or planned community parks,
and privately owned parks and subdivision recreation areas.
Open Space
This land use category includes most drainage corridor/wash areas
and dedicated or proposed open space areas. It is the intent of the
General Plan 2002 that any proposed or undedicated open space
areas will remain as permanent open space. Historically joint
cooperation between the Town, the property owners, various
community groups and individual volunteers has served to preserve
and maintain these areas. Sites identified on the Land Use Plan are
delineations of preserved or protected open space, and of proposed
open space areas. The State Land just north of the Town boundary
is currently zoned by Maricopa as one unit per acre.
Golf Courses
The Golf Course category denotes existing golf courses together
with their associated functions such as maintenance and retail
facilities, clubhouse and parking areas.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 20
RESIDENTIAL LAND USE GUIDELINES
The following guidelines encompass the General Plan 2002
Mission Statement, fulfill the goals of the community and permit
creativity in site planning while protecting the environment and
maintaining the low-density residential character of the town and
shall be used for planning any land designated as Residential on the
Land Use Plan.
ALLOWABLE RESIDENTIAL DENSITIES (per gross acre)
Residential - Single-Family/Very Low Density: .025 - 1.0 DU/AC
Residential - Single-Family/Low Density: 1.0 - 2.0 DU/AC
Residential - Single-Family/Medium Density: 2.0 - 4.5 DU/AC
Residential - Multi-Family/Medium Density: 4.0 - 10.0 DU/AC
Residential - Multi-Family/High Density: 10.0 - 12.0 DU/AC
Single-Family/Very Low Density Residential (.025-1.0
DU/AC)
Within any particular development, net densities greater than 1.0
DU/AC (cluster development) could be permitted in concentrated
areas to direct development away from more environmentally
sensitive portions of a total site, but only if areas of lower densities
offset the increase such that a gross density of no more than 1
DU/AC is maintained.
Single-Family/Low Density Residential (1.0-2.0 DU/AC)
Within any particular development, net densities greater than 2.0
DU/AC could be permitted in concentrated areas to direct
development away from more environmentally sensitive portions of
a total site, but only if areas of lower densities offset the increase
such that a gross density of no more than 2.0 DU/AC is maintained.
Single-Family/Medium Density Residential (2.0-4.5 DU/AC)
Within any particular development, net densities greater than 4.5
DU/AC could be permitted in concentrated areas to direct
development away from more environmentally sensitive portions of
a total site, but only if areas of lower densities offset the increase
such that a gross density of no more than 4.5 DU/AC is maintained.
Multi-Family/Medium Density Residential (4.0 - 10.0 DU/AC)
Within any particular development, net densities greater than 8.0
DU/AC could be permitted in concentrated areas to direct
development away from more environmentally sensitive portions of
a total site but only if areas of lower densities offset the increase
such that a gross density of no more than 8 DU/AC is maintained.
Any increase in such density must be accompanied by enhanced site
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 21
amenities and/or extra-ordinary dedications for open space
preservation, parks or trails.
Multi-Family/Medium Density Residential will be particularly
encouraged for development in the Town Center area as transitional
projects between existing developed residential and commercial
areas. Projects proposed for these transitional zones should be
developed with exceptional design, enhanced site amenities,
extensive landscaped setbacks from collector roadway corridors and
controlled access to the arterial roadway corridor.
Multi-Family/High Density Residential (10.0 - 12.0 DU/AC)
The development of Multi-Family/High Density Residential will be
particularly encouraged in the Town Center area between existing
residential and commercial areas or as buffers to lower density
residential areas located along arterial roadways, or adjacent to
commercial areas. Projects proposed for these transitional zones
between existing development areas should be developed with
exceptional design, enhanced site amenities, extensive landscape
setbacks from the roadway corridor and controlled access to the
arterial roadway corridor.
Opportunities And Constraints
Opportunities
The parcels of land representing the greatest opportunity for continuity
between current planning objectives and the ultimate physical outcome of
the Town are the un-subdivided and undeveloped areas within the Town
boundaries.
Additionally, there are unincorporated parcels of land adjacent to the Town
that represent other opportunities for the Town to influence or guide
development. The Town could seek annexation of those lands, or work
with in conjunction with the property owner(s), to exercise planning and
zoning administration over the land. Lands with potential Town planning
influence are:
• Approximately 1276 acres of State Land located adjacent to
and northeast of the Town, currently zoned by Maricopa
County as one dwelling unit per acre.
• McDowell Mountain Regional Park adjacent to the northern
boundary of the Town.
The primary un-platted or undeveloped areas within the Town, included as
a part of the General Plan 2002, are listed with a brief description. These
areas are listed by location in a clockwise direction beginning at the
southeast.
See
Open
Space Map
page 64
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 22
o Firerock Country Club
The Firerock Country Club area is the large central portion of
land south of Shea Boulevard, between Eagle Mountain
Development on the west and the Firerock Residential Area
in the southeast corner of the Town. The only un-
platted/undeveloped areas within Firerock Country Club are
three multi-family zoned parcels, totaling 52.68 acres,
adjacent to the golf course on the south side of Shea
Boulevard.
o Crestview
This 342-acre parcel was approved as Summit Estates
master plan by Maricopa County in 1986. The area was
annexed and renamed Crestview. Access to the subdivision is
restricted on the east. The R1-43 Single Family/Very Low
Density zoned portion of the subdivision has been platted,
but not built out. One approximately 57 acre multi-family
parcel remains un-platted.
o Westridge
A parcel of approximately 100 acres located south of the
Westridge Village subdivision, east of Palisades Boulevard,
north of Shea Boulevard. Approximately ten acres abutting
Palisades Boulevard above the 1,920-foot contour elevation
is designated for Lodging land uses, and is buffered from
adjacent uses by a broad dedication of open space. The
remainder of the area is designated for Single-Family/Very
Low and Single-Family Medium density land uses.
o Eagle Ridge North and Eagles Nest
A combined 926-acre portion in the northwestern section of
Town, the two subdivisions are platted to contain a total of
415 single-family low-density residential homes adjacent to a
354-acre preservation area that will connect Town open
space to the existing McDowell Mountain Park owned by
Maricopa County.
o State Land Parcel
An approximately 1,300-acre parcel of State Land is located
northeast of the Town, adjacent to the Town boundary. A
35-acre site, adjacent to the Town’s northern boundary
where Fountain Hills Boulevard enters the State Land parcel,
is leased by the Fountain Hills Unified School District #98 for
the Fountain Hills Middle School. The Town has participated
in the successful effort to have the remainder of the State
Land parcel re-classified through the State Land Department
as “suitable for conservation and preservation” and
encourages and supports efforts to identify and facilitate
See
Growth Area
Element
page 34
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 23
methods to preserve the property in perpetuity for
preservation. As Fountain Hills Boulevard exits the Town’s
northern boundary, the road name changes to McDowell
Mountain Road, which becomes the access road to McDowell
Mountain Regional Park and both the Tonto Verde and Rio
Verde communities.
o Plat 208-south
The south half of plat 208 is home to the Town’s Community
Center complex on the west end, adjacent to Montana Drive.
The area between the Community Center and Saguaro
Boulevard that contains approximately 27 acres is vacant
and is the preferred site for additional lodging and
commercial development in the Town center.
o Undeveloped School Sites
The Hawk school site, located on Hawk and Arroyo Vista
Drives, the El Lago school site, located between El Lago
Boulevard and Cavern Drive, and the Aspen school site,
located southwest of Aspen Drive and north of Sierra Madre
Drive. If any of these sites were to be sold by the school
district, they could be developed according to the underlying
zoning district of the site. To date, there are no
development plans for any of these sites.
o Infill Parcels
There are undeveloped parcels, both platted and un-platted,
within the Town. These parcels are smaller than the
previously listed areas, but represent potential for new
development.
Constraints
o Topography
The most obvious development constraint, and conversely
the greatest visual asset, is topography. Much of the Town
lies on varying degrees of steep slope. Careful integration of
development together with management of drainage and
control of washes are important considerations for any new
construction.
o Drainage
Earthen dams have been constructed in natural washes to
integrate drainage control with natural flow patterns. Each
lot is reviewed for drainage patterns at the time of building
permit submittal. The water flows across the individual lot,
especially in relationship to the proposed construction, are
See
Topographic
Map
page 33
See
Growth Area
Element
page 34
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 24
reviewed and the overall drainage patterns for the area are
reviewed to avoid excessive outflow onto adjoining
properties. The Town uses a 1995 major drainage study for
delineated flood hazard areas.
o Boundaries Of Incorporation
Fountain Hills is bordered by:
Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation on the east
Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community on
the south
City of Scottsdale on the west
Maricopa County McDowell Mountain Regional Park
on the northwest
The 1,300 acre State Land parcel on the northeast
There is no indication that the boundaries will change in the
foreseeable future, with the possible exception of the state
lands parcel. Therefore, it is reasonable to predict that the
Town of Fountain Hills will retain the current boundary
configuration and size for some time.
o Regional Access
Fountain Hills is located on the northeastern edge of the
Phoenix metropolitan area. The Town is served by the
following regional access system:
• Shea Boulevard, a median-divided four to six-
lane road, runs east/west through the Town
and connects to Scottsdale and central
metropolitan Phoenix to the west, and to State
Route 87 (Beeline Highway) just beyond the
Town boundary on the east.
• State Route 87, a median-divided four-lane
road, runs north/south and connects south to
Mesa and other east valley locations, and
north to Payson, Pine and Winslow.
• McDowell Mountain Road, a two-lane road,
heads north out of Fountain Hills through Rio
Verde and connects to northeast Scottsdale via
Dynamite Road.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 25
Existing Land Use Assessment
Approximately 43% of the total land area is developed. The 2000 Census
shows that on April 1, 2000 the Town had 20,235 residents. Build-out is
projected to occur with a population of 29,256.
The following Economic Development Existing Conditions Analysis includes
projections for the future residential, commercial, employment and public
facilities land use needs. A reasonable understanding of future land needs
will guide the Town in its application of appropriate growth management
strategies, land use and development regulation and capital improvements
budgeting.
Residential Population Forecast
Population projections were prepared for the Town of Fountain Hills,
through the Year 2012. The total future permanent resident population is
projected to be a total of 27,904 people by the year 2012. At build out,
the total future permanent resident household population is projected to be
29,256.
Land Use Forecast
An estimate of the total required acreage to accommodate the future
population of the Town of Fountain Hills through the year 2012 can be
calculated utilizing the residential population forecasts data. These land
use estimates should be utilized in evaluating development proposals, to
guide and manage the community to ensure development quality, and to
provide for the appropriate extension of public infrastructure and expansion
of public facilities.
Residential land use forecasts are computed by calculating the number of
households required to accommodate the future population and the
average development densities of desired housing types. The average
number of persons per residential household in Fountain Hills through the
year 2012 is assumed to be 2.50 for single-family dwelling units and 1.98
for multi-family dwelling units.
Projected population increases are one measure of predicting the expected
number and type of new dwelling units that will be needed through the
year 2012. The percentage of single-family detached/multi-family units is
based upon an historic assessment of the existing housing mix and
projected land usage and development.
The projections reflect the community's goal to provide the potential for
higher density residential development in the Town Center area, and the
community's desire for the overall residential character to remain low
density. It is estimated that with the existing projections and land use
mix, sufficient residentially-designated lands exist in all residential land use
categories to support the forecasted growth through the year 2012.
See
Existing
Land Use Map
page 31
See
Population
Growth Chart
page 47
See
Existing
Dwelling Unit
Chart
page 49
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 26
Although all undeveloped zoned lands will not necessarily be developed to
their highest use due to a variety of potential constraints (e.g. physical,
environmental, access) there appears to be more than enough residentially
zoned land in Fountain Hills to support forecasted housing needs through
the year 2012.
Historically, a large proportion of development in Fountain Hills has been
platted at a lower density than the minimum lot size permitted in the
respective zoning classifications resulting in a low-density community
character.
Evaluation of commercial and industrially zoned lands indicates that no
increase will be required to fulfill the projected net requirement through the
planning horizon year 2012.
Approximately 133 total net acres are currently zoned for industrial uses,
and the capacity appears to be adequate to serve the projected need in
year 2012.
ADDITIONAL LAND USE GUIDELINES
Environmentally Sensitive Development Guidelines
Areas of environmental sensitivity occur throughout the Town of Fountain
Hills. In order to respect the environmentally sensitive nature of all lands
within the Town as the Land Use Plan is implemented, careful consideration
should be given to policies that will require a more sensitive treatment of
the built environment for all land use zoning classifications. The policies
could take the form of a new ordinance or revisions to existing ordinances
in order to be properly and effectively implemented. Any reassessment of
environmental guidelines should include the following issues:
• Large lot requirements located on high elevations or steep
slopes and highly sensitive lands.
• Requirements for differing percentages of natural areas to be
left undeveloped based on the sensitivity of the land.
• Use of color and materials, which are compatible with the
surrounding environment.
• Lighting restrictions.
• More restrictive grading and drainage requirements.
• Refinement of building height calculations based on visual
impact to the surrounding community.
• Further protection of natural vegetation.
• More sensitive standards for roadways design and
development.
• Protection of specific areas or natural landmarks.
• Preservation of known wildlife habitats/corridors.
• Preservation of washes and standards for wash crossings.
• More restrictive standards for lot coverage and floor area
ratio.
See
Existing
Land Use Map
page 31
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 27
Buffering Techniques
In cases where less than desirable compatibility situations exist, the
following buffering techniques should be required:
• Areas consisting of extensive landscaped open space;
• Arterial and collector streets with extensive landscaping;
• Heavily landscaped underground utility corridor easements;
• Screen walls, landscaping, earthen berms;
• Preservation of natural topographic features.
Vision, Goals and Objectives
Vision
The Town seeks to preserve the character and beauty of the Town using
land use principals that allow development in a cohesive and beneficial
manner that will preserve neighborhoods and support business
development.
Goal One
Correct the imbalance of acreage in zoning districts to more closely
reflect expected need/demand.
Objective 1.1
The Town should re-zone some of the vacant, commercially zoned land to
more appropriate zoning districts.
Objective 1.2
The Town should evaluate whether any remaining industrially-zoned
acreage should remain industrial, or be re-zoned to residential uses.
Goal Two
Centralize commercial development and address the existing
random pattern of commercial development.
Objective 2.1
The Town should continue to employ a policy to encourage the overall
development of existing commercially zoned lands and under-utilized
commercial buildings and the Town should discourage any proposed re-
zoning that would create more commercially zoned land until the Town
Center commercial core is fully developed and the need for further
commercial areas evaluated.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 28
Goal Three
Investigate the application of special planning area solutions using
special planning tools such as Specific Plan Overlay Areas and
Corridor Studies.
Objective 3.1
The Town should investigate the addition of Specific Plan Overlay areas to
allow mixed-use commercial/office/residential developments in selected
portions of Town as identified in the Growth Element.
Objective 3.2
The Town should initiate a corridor study to address the issues related to
infill and redevelopment of the commercial uses along Shea Boulevard and
Saguaro Boulevard.
Objective 3.3
Discourage the continuation of the historical pattern of commercial
development along Saguaro Boulevard.
Objective 3.4
Particular attention should be given to attracting small and medium sized
businesses as participants in a mixed-use project, and uses that promote
day and evening activities are especially desirable. Residential uses within
the mixed-use area should be high density, and projects that can
accommodate commercial or office uses at the street level, with residential
on upper floors are encouraged.
Goal Four
Expand the Town image beyond that of a suburb to incorporate an
individual business community identity.
Objective 4.1
Design and install unique signage and an entry statement for the
community that is both original and welcoming. The entry monument
should incorporate a symbolic image that could serve as a springboard for
other lesser public identity markers or public art and signage within the
community.
Objective 4.2
Develop business incentive programs to attract new professional services
to the community and guide the location of such offices to appropriate
locations.
Objective 4.3
Develop a theme for the Town Center area that will attract a variety of
residential, cultural, institutional, commercial and entertainment/
recreational opportunities.
Objective 4.4
Continue to pursue the expansion of public regional and local public transit
that will provide the opportunity for visitors to participate in a variety of
activities in the Town.
Growth Area
Element
page 34
See
Circulation
Element
page 69
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 29
Goal Five
Protect and preserve existing neighborhoods from incompatible
adjacent land uses.
Objective 5.1
Encourage development of infill areas with close proximity to shopping
facilities, recreation, community services and existing infrastructure.
Objective 5.2
Encourage higher density mixed-use and lodging to locate in the Town
Center area.
Objective 5.3
Continue to preserve open space and natural washes as buffers between
and within zoning districts.
Objective 5.4
Group all municipal and civic facilities and services in the Town Center.
Objective 5.5
Future development of office uses should be targeted for mixed-use
projects in the Town Center area, and designed to become a buffer
between existing developed residential and commercial or industrial areas.
These transitional zones between existing developed areas should be
planned with exceptional site design, enhanced site amenities, extensive
landscape setbacks from the roadway corridor and controlled access to the
arterial roadway system.
Objective 5.6
Proposed lodging sites should be planned with wide open-space buffers
from adjacent residential uses and should provide direct or proximate
access to arterial roadway corridors, be located on land presently zoned
within a lodging, or residential zoning district and be developed in a highly
sensitive manner relative to existing land forms, wash areas, vegetation
and other environmental constraints.
Goal Six
Continue to preserve open space and maintain strict guidelines for
the conservation of natural resources.
Objective 6.1
Continue to preserve steeply sloping hillsides and wash areas.
Objective 6.2
Require high-density developments to include provisions for open space
and extensive native landscaping.
Objective 6.3
Maintain linkages in the form of pedestrian paths, visual corridors and
interconnections with public art.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 30
Objective 6.4
Integrate the Town open space/trail system with the Maricopa County
McDowell Mountain Regional Park regional trail system in a manner that
protects natural assets, minimizes potential environmental degradation and
discourages motorized vehicular traffic.
Objective 6.5
Encourage the preservation of the State Land northeast of the Town as
undisturbed and natural open space.
Objective 6.6
Encourage the adoption of Environmentally Sensitive Lands Guidelines.
34
See
Circulation
Map
page 84
See
Growth
Area Map
page 48
GROWTH ELEMENT
Future Growth Areas
Although the Town is nearing buildout, there are still areas within the
community that need careful attention, either to integrate new development
seamlessly, or to redevelop aging or inadequate existing development areas.
The Growth Areas include vacant or substantially vacant parcels, revitalization
areas and a recommended specific plan area.
Adequate public facilities are in place to serve the Town in both the existing
and growth areas, therefore development in growth or revitalized parts of
town should serve to stimulate new economic activity and employment
opportunities.
Crestview
Crestview, a gated subdivsion located on the north side of Shea Boulevard at
the Town’s western boundary, encompasses 100 platted single-family very low
density lots, and an approximately 57 acre un-platted multi-family, medium
density parcel. The development will become the western “face” of the
community.
Development at Crestview will have limited vehicular transportation impact on
the interior of the community due to the development’s proximity to the Shea
regional corridor, which will accommodate the inter-regional traffic with no
additional vehicular traffic on internal community roadways.
The development is close to the Mayo medical complex and the many offices
and retail businesses in the Scottsdale Shea Boulevard employment corridor.
Although pedestrian and bicycle traffic will be restricted through the
subdivison, at or near the Shea Boulevard/Palisades Boulevard intersection is
a logical regional transit node location where regional and local bus service,
pedestrian pathways and bicycle linkages to the interior of town could cross.
Additionally, the transit node could serve any future rail service that may be
provided from the south across the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian
Community.
All of the land in the Crestview development is steeply sloping. Both the
single-family and the multi-family portions of the development will preserve
large areas of open space. The single-family lots will be developed with
restrictions that will maintain large areas of non-disturbed land and preserve
the native desert vegetation; and the proposed multi-family development
contains large tracts of preserved land that will contribute to the community
character and to the goals of desert preservation.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan
Constraints:
Most community retail shopping and business services are far from the
Crestview development, therefore residents may find it equally or more
attractive to shop in neighboring communities, especially if employment
routes take residents out of the community and provide a greater savings of
time.
All community schools require bus service. No new schools are scheduled to
be within walking distance of the development. No pedestrian or bicycle
linkages through the subdivision will be permitted.
The development is not anticipated to provide medium to low-income home
buying opportunities.
Eagle Ridge North and Eagles Nest
Located in the ruggedly hilly and steeply sloping northwest section of Town,
both Eagle Ridge North and Eagles Nest are adjacent platted un-built, single-
family, low-density developments. The combined 926 acres have a total of
415 platted lots. The plats for the two developments are adjacent to a 354-
acre preservation area that will contain pedestrian and bicycle trails with a
trailhead that will link the Town, through the preservation area, to the
McDowell Mountain Park and the countywide regional trail system. Vehicular,
pedestrian and bicycle access is provided on and adjacent to public roads
through the developments to the trailhead.
Roadway intersections on Palisades Boulevard at both Eagle Ridge Drive and
Golden Eagle Boulevard would be possible transit node locations to link the
regional transit and local community wide transit system with pedestrian and
bicycle pathways.
Both Eagle Ridge North and Eagles Nest developments contribute to the
preservation of the community character and to the goals of desert
preservation.
Constraints:
Employment centers, retail shopping and business services are far from the
low-density lots, which will limit pedestrian-to-retail trips and cause increased
vehicular trip generation.
All community schools require bus service. No new schools are scheduled to
be within walking distance of the development.
The development is not anticipated to provide medium to low-income home
buying opportunities.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan
35
36
See
Growth Areas
Map
Page 48
Revitalization Areas
Corridor Study Areas
Saguaro Boulevard Commercial Corridor Study
The commercial centers on the west side of Saguaro Boulevard between
Kingstree Boulevard and Emerald Wash, and on the east side of Saguaro
Boulevard, between Emerald Wash and El Lago Boulevard should be the
subject of the Saguaro Boulevard Commercial Corridor Study. These areas
are an uneven mix of the older commercial strip centers with frontage roads.
Traffic conflicts due to the existing frontage road, pedestrian and bicycle
access, parking, building accessibility, landscaping and sign ordinance
compliance all need study.
The area should be investigated and planned with the intent that the corridor
should work in a complementary, not competitive manner, with both the Town
Center to the north and the commercial corridor on Shea Boulevard.
Fountain Hills Boulevard North Corridor Study
A corridor study should be completed to address the redevelopment of the
small commercial development on the east side of Fountain Hills Boulevard
between Balboa Wash and the northern Town boundary. The issues of
vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle access, parking, building accessibility,
landscaping and sign ordinance compliance all need study.
The study should focus particular attention on the need for broad, safe
pedestrian and bicycle pathways due to the proximity of the future middle
school now under construction, and the surrounding residential
neighborhoods. Commercial and business services in the area should provide
neighborhood community-oriented services.
A landscape plan should address the need for both shaded pathways and
separation from vehicular traffic. The safety considerations for the number
and placement of driveways should be part of the corridor study.
Shea Southeast Corridor Study
Both sides of Shea Boulevard, between the Town boundary on the east and
Burkemo Drive on the west should be a part of the Shea Southeast Corridor
Study. This section of Shea Boulevard has various intensities of commercial
uses, vacant land and residentially zoned property. The easternmost part of
Shea is the eastern entry to the Town and needs monument
identification/signage.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan
37
See
Temporary
Special Events
Page 42
See
Growth
Area Map
Page 48
See
Land Use Map
Page 31
See
Growth Areas
Map
Page 48
Issues to be addressed in the corridor study should be traffic access and
congestion, especially during special events, compatibility of adjacent land
uses, linkages to regional transit, pedestrian and bicycle pathways area
character and signage.
The corridor area should identify a regional transit node that will
accommodate inter-modal transportation systems and provide a convenient,
safe, comfortable and aesthetically pleasing place that will link regional and
local community-wide transit systems, including a possible future rail stop.
Vacant In-fill Areas
One vacant In-fill parcel, located on the north side of Shea Boulevard is
identified as a site that may need a future In-fill Study.
Three additional vacant properties, owned by the Fountain Hills Unified School
District #98, are possible future in-fill sites.
All of these parcels are identified on the General Plan Land Use map as
residential areas and all have existing zoning that would permit residential
construction. The Town considers all of these sites to be potential residential
in-fill areas.
Shea Boulevard In-fill Area
The vacant acreage on the north side of Shea Boulevard, between Palisades
Boulevard and Fountain Hills Boulevard contains steeply sloping topography
and has limited access possibilities to the interior roadway system of the
community.
Any in-fill study should focus on alternative options for the site, including a
cluster housing option and an open space option. All study options should
include pedestrian and bicycle linkages to the surrounding community and
should include a regional transit node at the Shea/Fountain Hills Boulevard
intersection.
Aspen Drive In-fill Area
Two adjacent vacant parcels are located south of Aspen Drive at Hawk Drive,
north of, but not adjacent to Sierra Madre Drive. The westernmost of the two
parcels is a 19.35-acre vacant school district parcel. Together with the
adjacent 12.43-acre on the east, these lots, individually, or together, have the
potential for single-family housing. They are surrounded by single-family very
low density, single-family low density, and single-family medium-density
developments. Hesperus Wash restricts the access and development potential
of the southern edge of both parcels, but sufficient access is exists from the
north on Aspen Drive.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan
El Lago/Palisades In-fill Area
A second 35-acre vacant school parcel is located east of Palisades Boulevard,
north of El Lago Boulevard. Arrow Wash traverses the parcel from east to
west, the topography rising fifty feet across the property. The property is
surrounded by single-family medium-density development and lies adjacent to
two public roadways, Cavern Drive on the north and El Lago Boulevard on the
south. The site has the potential for low-density housing.
Saguaro Boulevard at Colony Wash In-fill Area
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan
A third 15.71-acre vacant school parcel is located adjacent to the south side of
Colony Wash, just west of Saguaro Boulevard. The topography of the site
rises from the wash on the north, crests in a small hill in the center of the site
and slopes down gently on the south. The site is adjacent to single-family
low-density, single-family medium-density, multi-family medium-density and
multi-family high-density developments.
38
39
See
Growth Area
Map
Page 48
Future Specific Plan Areas
The Town Center Specific Plan Area Boundaries
Town Center Commercial/Mixed-Use Area Boundary
The Town Center Specific Plan commercial/mixed-use area should incorporate
all of Blocks 3 through 8 of Plat 208 between Palisades Boulevard on the
north, El Lago Boulevard on the south, Saguaro Boulevard on the east and La
Montana Boulevard on the west, plus the eastern half of Blocks 1 and 2 of Plat
208.
Town Center Government Area Boundary
The western half of Blocks 1 and 2 of Plat 208 currently house the Town Civic
Center. Any future governmental building should be built in conjunction with
the Civic Center building complex.
Town Center Specific Plan
The development of a Town Center Specific Plan will provide the opportunity
for revitalization of not only the existing under-utilized Town Center Plat 208
north, but also will serve to guide the development of the vacant, in-fill parcel
in the Town Center, Plat 208 south, and the future redevelopment of the
existing Town Administration Center/retail site on the north side of Plat 208.
Development of the Town Center Specific Plan will provide the opportunity to
create a strong physical and visual linkage with the existing urban open space
and signature fountain.
Because the Town has a limited historical building style, there is an
opportunity to create a Town “style,” or architectural character that can be
used as a basis for future development and revitalization projects in the Town
Center and throughout the community. The Town Center should incorporate a
specific landscape and street-tree program to further identify the area as a
core area. Special attention should be addressed to the issues of shade and
boundary/edge in landscape design and to the scale of pedestrian walkways,
water features and the placement and configuration of seating in pedestrian
pathways.
The Town Center Specific Plan should incorporate mixed-use high-density
development, to provide local employment opportunities, reduce vehicular
traffic demands and reduce air pollution. The existing surrounding roadway
infrastructure is in place, so no additional public financial burden is expected
for roadway development.
The Town Center Specific Plan should incorporate day and evening activities to
maintain a lively and safe environment, incorporate residential, office, retail,
entertainment and governmental services as a core for community activity.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan
Although mixed-use development is the goal, the mixed-use project should be
viewed primarily an employment center, secondarily as a residential
community. Development should create opportunities for small offices or
office complexes to benefit from proximity to government center and create
opportunities for small business to benefit from proximity to each other due to
increased pedestrian traffic.
It is anticipated that the Town Center Specific Plan will create a pedestrian
oasis for all activities, thereby reducing vehicular trip generation. The Specific
Plan should incorporate a major transportation node that will become the main
cross-linkage for both regional and local transit systems, plus bicycle and
pedestrian pathways. The transit node should provide shelter, of both built
and landscape materials, seating, plus parking for both motorized vehicles and
bicycles. The transit node will create the opportunity for a micro-business
core and the opportunity for public art space. The transit node should
incorporate visual and architectural linkages to the surrounding development
and should be designed to be safe and aesthetically pleasing during both day
and evening hours.
The Town Center Specific Plan should be “expandable” with accommodation
for future growth, and should give clear direction as to how future growth
should be integrated into the Town Center and the adjacent urban fabric.
Additionally, the Town Center Specific Plan should identify how to provide
financial incentives to the existing built-out property owners for re-design in
conformance with the preferred build-out design.
Pedestrian Street Elements
The Town Center Specific Plan should incorporate the following elements in
the open/pedestrian areas of the design:
o Seating
Seating should provide a variety of choice of both types and places. Benches
and seating ledges should comprise approximately ten percent of open space
areas.
o Sunlight and night lighting
Both architectural and landscape elements should be used to incorporate
shaded areas into the open space and pathway areas. Trees should
periodically be grouped in conjunction with seating areas in a manner that will
provide shade and filtered light.
Nighttime lighting should avoid dark pools and corners and should be placed
to be pedestrian friendly at levels that are appropriate for a relatively dark
community. Pedestrian and bicycle pathways that are adequately and evenly
lit will encourage non-vehicular transportation during the evening hours.
Architectural lighting elements should be non-glare pedestrian scale.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan
40
o Choices, number and variety
The pedestrian street will create a visually interesting and lively urban space
when a wide variety of choices of activity and experience are available.
Doorways and windows should be closely spaced and easily accessible.
Business, retail, entertainment and residential uses should be available in the
same block. Both indoor and outdoor seating for restaurants and galleries
should be incorporated into the plan.
Opportunities to conduct business, shop, sit and stroll should be developed
with the primary focus on pedestrian scale.
Residential units on upper levels should provide balconies and windows to
pedestrian walkways adjacent to business and retail spaces below.
o Public Art
Opportunities exist to incorporate public art into architectural elements,
lighting designs, transit station designs, benches and seating ledges,
landscape border elements and paving designs. Additionally, freestanding
sculptural elements, especially interactive designs, or designs that incorporate
water elements should be a part of the plan.
The community should be encouraged to participate in the public art design
and development.
o Water and Food
Waterfalls, water walls, pools, brooks, and fountains of many designs should
be incorporated as horizontal and vertical elements in the overall design. All
water elements should be easily accessible and should be focal points without
becoming barriers to pedestrian movement. Water designs should be
incorporated with, or be in close proximity, to seating and restaurants, and
should create a visual linkage between one another and with the signature
fountain.
Food should be available near seating and water. Restaurants should have
the capability to provide outdoor seating adjacent to the pedestrian walkway.
Outdoor seating should have only trees or awnings for shade/shelter.
Constraints:
There will need to be a careful examination of the methods of how to
accommodate the desired density while still accommodating parking
requirements.
Care will have to be taken to determine an expansion model that will not
overwhelm successful development with increased traffic or noise problems.
The Town Center Specific Plan will need to show how to provide a sustainable
mix of jobs. The Plan should provide options of business-to-retail models
based on similar successful mixes in comparable urbanized areas.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan
41
The Specific Plan must identify and incorporate safe methods for school
children to live in the core area and travel to schools.
Peripheral Areas
The Town Center Specific Plan should address the peripheral areas
surrounding the Plat 208 core center. The existing Town Administration
building complex and its adjacent retail center, to the north of the Town
Center site should be a part of the Specific Plan. Particular attention should be
addressed to pedestrian linkages, landscaping, paving designs, land use and
architectural character.
A second peripheral area that should be included in the Specific Plan is the
retail development to the west of the Town Center core area and the existing
Post Office Complex. Focus of these sites should be pedestrian linkages,
landscaping and cross-use benefits analysis.
Temporary Special Event Areas
Fountain Park Events
The Town’s signature Fountain Park is the site of several major and minor
Special Event activities during the course of the year. While the Special Event
activities provide an opportunity to showcase the community and provide
entertainment and activities for the residents, the Special Event activities
generate an unusual amount of short-term traffic congestion and parking
challenges.
The Town should generate a permanent Special Event team to review and
make recommendations for each Special Event application. The issues of
traffic control, on and off-site parking, public safety and maintenance should
be included.
Off-site parking options could be considered in a program that would include a
circulating trolley system that would deliver special event visitors from off-site
parking locations to identified event area stops. The rental of the trolley(s)
should be investigated with the cost of the trolley divided among the event
vendors. Such a system would enable the community to accommodate a
large volume of parked vehicles at scattered locations throughout the
community. Traffic congestion around the event location would be minimized,
and visitors would be exposed to the scenic beauty and variety of the
residential and business community on the trolley trip to and from their
vehicles. Local businesses, both at or near the event site, and those more
distant, would have the opportunity to provide visitors additional shopping and
dining experiences by providing a portion of their parking areas as temporary
special event designated parking areas.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan
42
Community Center Events
The Community Center is also the site of many Special Event activities. At
present, parking for all events is accommodated on site. The community
center parking lot is currently used for Temporary Special Event parking in
addition to the regularly scheduled community center events.
It is anticipated that future scheduling conflicts could force the removal of the
community center parking lot for Temporary Special Event parking activities.
It is also possible that the Community Center could have an event scheduled
that would not be able to accommodate all of the necessary parking on site.
It is for the above reasons that large Temporary Special Events should have
parking and routing reviewed beforehand by the Special Event team.
Vision, Goals and Objectives
Vision
Continue to promote development that creates a community that is vibrant,
successful and attractive, where businesses are complementary, a wide range
of housing types is available, and open space is preserved.
Goal One
Provide a community that is competitive and attractive to business.
Objective 1.1
The Town should continue to examine creative methods to attract retail and
office business including a review of complementary retail uses that focuses
on operations that require mid to small square foot areas that would identify
target users for the existing retail corridors on both Saguaro Boulevard and
Fountain Hills Boulevard.
Objective 1.2
A study should be conducted of comparable downtown areas, with emphasis
on the types and numbers of businesses and their lineal frontages. This study
should be used to help guide the design and development of the Town Center
core and peripheral areas.
Objective 1.3
The Town should focus promotional efforts on attracting small to medium
sized businesses and offices that are appropriate to the future Town Center,
the corridor areas and that include accommodations for the proposed
expansion of regional and local transit systems.
Objective 1.4
Finalization of the Town Center Specific Plan should contain a re-development
incentive plan that will support the conversion or re-design of existing
buildings, especially north of Avenue of the Fountains. The incentive plan
could include a phased property tax structure, landscaping offsets or other
creative incentives for conversions to mixed-use.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan
43
Objective 1.5
Any new or re-development project must incorporate elements that will
emphasize small-town character and scale. All new and re-development
projects must incorporate pedestrian pathways, bicycle accommodations and
landscaped open space with seating.
Goal Two
Provide increased opportunities for small businesses.
Objective 2.1
Develop corridor studies that identify ways to improve access, signage and
landscape designs.
Objective 2.2
Encourage mixed-use developments.
Objective 2.3
Examine how to provide financial incentives to re-development projects that
accomplish the goals of Specific Plans.
Objective 2.4
Review the existing sign ordinance and update where necessary.
Objective 2.5
Promote the design and development of multiple transit nodes to encourage
inter-community transit opportunities.
Objective 2.6
Examine access and parking issues for existing businesses in the town core
during Special Event activities.
Goal Three
Encourage the development of a variety of housing types.
Objective 3.1
Encourage creative solutions for topographically challenging in-fill sites.
Objective 3.2
Encourage mixed-use housing.
Objective 3.3
Encourage studio and loft apartment spaces in a variety of price ranges in the
Town Center plan.
Goal Four
Increase housing variety and increase low-to-mid range priced
housing.
Objective 4.1
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan
The Town should encourage development of mixed-use housing in the Town
Center to be used as an opportunity to provide a variety of housing types.
44
Loft and studio apartments, that have single-vehicle parking requirements
should be added to the existing housing stock in the Town.
Objective 4.2
Mixed-use housing/retail/office areas should be one option considered in the
Saguaro Boulevard Commercial Corridor Study and the Fountain Hills
Boulevard North Corridor Study.
Objective 4.3
Housing types in a variety of price ranges should be examined for small in-fill
properties.
Objective 4.4
All new housing should provide street side landscaping compatible with the
native desert vegetation and should, wherever possible, provide shaded
pedestrian walkways.
Goal Five
Promote developments that will continue to provide small town
character and quality of life.
Objective 5.1
Continue to restrict building heights to two-story structures throughout the
community.
Objective 5.2
Encourage small, owner-operated businesses.
Objective 5.3
Encourage the development and expansion of pedestrian pathways and bicycle
trails in a manner that will link businesses, schools, shops and recreational
activity centers.
Objective 5.4
Encourage home-based businesses.
Objective 5.5
Discourage the widening of non-arterial streets except for the additions of
bicycle lanes.
Objective 5.6
Encourage the development of a Town Center that will strengthen the
community identity and provide day and nighttime activities.
Objective 5.7
Encourage community participation in public art design.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan
45
Goal Six
Encourage developments that preserve and protect natural resources.
Objective 6.1
Encourage development and re-development projects that set aside dedicated
preservation areas.
Objective 6.2
Develop and make available educational materials that explain the Sonoran
ecosystem and publish the materials on the Town’s web page.
Objective 6.3
Review the exiting approved plant list and continue the requirement of
Sonoran vegetation from an approved plant list for any re-vegetation or
streetscape landscaping plan.
Objective 6.4
Encourage the replacement of non-native landscape species with native desert
plants whenever possible for re-landscaped areas.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 46
YearYear
Population
Population
00
5,0005,000
10,00010,000
15,00015,000
20,00020,000
25,00025,000
19801980 19851985 19901990 19951995 20002000
Fountain Hills Population Growth
Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 46Adopted June 20, 2002
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 49
Lots Units Acres SF Comm/Ind
Total Land Area 11,692
Total Number of Residential Units 10,788
Total Platted 10,094
Total Commercial/Industrial Square Footage 1,428,884
Developed, developable, platted single-family 7,313 7,313 3,050 n/a
Developed, developable, unplatted single-family 0 0 0 n/a
Undeveloped, developable, platted single-family 1,762 0 2,522 n/a
Undeveloped, developable, unplatted single-family 4 0 46 n/a
Undeveloped, undevelopable, platted single-family 277 0 881 n/a
Undeveloped, undevelopable, unplatted single-family 13 0 608 n/a
Includes R1-'s & SF in R-2, 3, 4, or 5
Developed, developable, platted multi-family 581 3,475 381 n/a
Developed, developable, unplatted multi-family 0 0 0 n/a
Undeveloped, developable, platted multi-family 140 0 175 n/a
Undeveloped, developable, unplatted multi-family 1 0 76 n/a
Undeveloped, undevelopable, platted multi-family 99 0 115 n/a
Undeveloped, undevelopable, unplatted multi-family 7 0 48 n/a
*Included R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5, M-1, M-2, M-3, & Comm
Developed, developable, platted commercial 190 0 183 996,329
Developed, developable, unplatted commercial 17 0 37 296,875
Undeveloped, developable, platted commercial 280 0 164 0
Undeveloped, developable, unplatted commercial 3 0 14 0
Undeveloped, undevelopable, platted commercial 16 0 27 0
Undeveloped, undevelopable, unplatted commercial 1 0 8 0
*Included C-'s & TCCD
Developed, developable, platted lodging 0 0 0 n/a
Developed, developable, unplatted lodging 0 0 0 n/a
Undeveloped, developable, platted lodging 0 0 0 n/a
Undeveloped, developable, unplatted lodging 1 0 23 n/a
Undeveloped, undevelopable, platted lodging 0 0 0 n/a
Undeveloped, undevelopable, unplatted lodging 0 0 0 n/a
Developed, developable, platted industrial 13 0 22 135,680
Developed, developable, unplatted industrial 0 0 0 0
Undeveloped, developable, platted industrial 8 0 17 0
Undeveloped, developable, unplatted industrial 0 0 0 0
Undeveloped, undevelopable, platted industrial 2 0 1 0
Undeveloped, undevelopable, unplatted industrial 0 0 0 0
Totals 8,398 1,428,884
Developed-Undeveloped Land Chart
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 50
Lots Acres HPE
Developed, developable, platted Town owned 158 0 1,186 n/a
Developed, developable, unplatted Town owned 24 0 232 n/a
Undeveloped, developable, platted Town owned 3 0 27 n/a
Undeveloped, developable, unplatted Town owned 1 0 5 n/a
Undeveloped, undevelopable, platted Town owned 175 0 662 n/a
Undeveloped, undevelopable, unplatted Town owned 16 0 843 n/a
Developed, developable, platted Town owned HPE 0 0 0
Developed, developable, unplatted Town owned HPE 0 0 0
Undeveloped, developable, platted Town owned HPE 0 0 0
Undeveloped, developable, unplatted Town owned HPE 0 0 0
Undeveloped, undevelopable, platted Town owned HPE 23 116 116
Undeveloped, undevelopable, unplatted Town owned HPE 4 740 740
Developed, developable, platted non-Town owned HPE 701 127 61
Developed, developable, unplatted non-Town owned HPE 0 0 0
Undeveloped, developable, platted non-Town owned HPE 462 419 220
Undeveloped, developable, unplatted non-Town owned HPE 0 0 0
Undeveloped, undevelopable, platted non-Town owned HPE 44 192 186
Undeveloped, undevelopable, unplatted non-Town owned HPE 1 37 37
1,631 1,360
Developed-Undeveloped Land Chart (continued)
COST OF DEVELOPMENT ELEMENT
Existing Conditions
The Town of Fountain Hills implemented residential development impact fees
in 2001. Commercial development impact fees have been in place since
November 2001. Since the Town is almost fully platted, it is estimated that
infrastructure costs will be reduced proportional to the decrease in building
activity.
The Town uses existing ordinances to ensure that new development projects
participate in infrastructure improvement costs. All new projects are
evaluated through the development review and zoning processes. The Town
identifies necessary dedications and easements and requires improvement
bonds before construction is allowed to commence. There are development
agreements in FireRock, Town Center, Crestview, Eagle Mountain, Eagles
Nest and Eagle Ridge North that may diminish the Town’s ability to add
further regulations or restrictions in those development areas.
Town municipal offices are housed in leased office space and is considering
the purchase of the building or another site.
The Town owns the Community Center building that opened in 2001, which
was built with new, efficient technology. The Town continually tracks and
monitors capital improvement budgets, operating costs, facilities costs and
changes in inflation and bond rates.
Ordinance Requirements
Subdivision Ordinance
The Subdivision Ordinance incorporates the requirement of dedications of
public right-of-way and easements within proposed subdivisions.
Requirements for landscape improvements in frontage and right-of-way
dedications, and provisions for dedications for public schools and parks are
also found in the Subdivision Ordinance.
Zoning Ordinance
The Zoning Ordinance incorporates the requirement for landscape
improvements in frontage and right-of-way dedications after subdivision
plats have been recorded.
Development Fees Ordinance
The Development Fees Ordinance incorporates the requirement that
applicants participate in the costs of infrastructure improvements and
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 51
participate in the cost of open space acquisition, community facility costs
and public safety fees.
Non-Ordinance Methods
Sales and Property Taxes
In May 1995 the Fountain Hills Town Council enacted a 1.2% local sales tax.
The Council increased the rate to 1.6% effective November 2000 to fund
downtown development and land preservation in Fountain Hills. For the six-
year period ending June 30, 2001 the total revenue collections were
$12,616,585. The local sales tax revenue has been largely responsible for a
July 1, 2001 Town General Fund balance of $4,710,061.
Town Bonds
The following is a schedule of the bonds that have been issued by the Town
of Fountain Hills and are outstanding as of June 30, 2001:
Bond Purpose Date of Denomination Interest Date of Original Principal Principal
Type of Issue Bond Issue of Bonds Rate Maturity Amount Amount Retired
GO Street Paving 5/1/1991 $5,000 7.00 7/1/2010 $3,530,000 $1,075,000
Rev Street Paving 5/1/1991 $5,000 7.50 7/1/2010 $1,200,000 $200,000
GO Refunding 11/1/1995 $5,000 5.30 7/1/2010 $2,455,000 $0
SA Eagle Mtn-A 6/1/1996 $5,000 6.50 7/1/2021 $4,435,000 $0
SA Eagle Mtn-B 6/1/1996 $5,000 7.25 7/1/2021 $470,000 $0
Rev Refunding 8/1/1998 $5,000 4.63 7/1/2010 $1,075,000 $170,000
SA Improvmnts 6/16/1999 $5,000 5.25 7/1/2009 $32,276 $6,456
GO Library/Museum 6/1/2000 $5,000 5.50 7/1/2014 $3,700,000 $150,000
GO Land Acq-Lake 8/1/1999 $5,000 5.10 7/1/2014 $1,400,000 $125,000
Rev Comm. Center 7/1/2000 $5,000 5.40 7/1/2020 $4,680,000 $150,000
Private Facilities
Development areas that choose to have private communities, gated or not,
reduce the need and maintenance of a portion of public streets and facilities.
Joint Use Agreements
Existing joint use agreements with the Fountain Hills Unified School District
#98 and with Maricopa County have helped to reduce infrastructure and
facilities costs for the community.
Special Districts
The Town currently has two special districts within its boundaries – the Eagle
Mountain Community Facilities District and the Cottonwoods Maintenance
District.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 52
Vision, Goals and Objectives
Vision
Fountain Hills strives to provide efficient and cost-effective infrastructure and
public facilities, and seeks to identify methods that will ensure the
reasonable and equitable participation of private development for both cost
and benefit of the public improvements.
Goal One
Assess the functionality, suitability and sustainability of existing
public facilities and infrastructure.
Objective 1.1
Continue to seek alternative financing methods for basic infrastructure
services.
Objective 1.2
Continue to maintain sufficient fiscal reserves for maintenance of basic
services.
Objective 1.3
Examine the projected impacts of growth on education infrastructure and
community services and facilities.
Objective 1.4
Continue to monitor the efficiency/costs ratios of municipal facilities.
Objective 1.5
Examine infrastructure financing strategies and evaluate resources for
completing the roads, utilities and other basic services necessary to
support projected growth.
Goal Two
Continue to explore creative development cost sharing strategies for
Fountain Hills.
Objective 2.1
Continue to seek public/private economic development partnerships.
Objective 2.2
Strengthen economic development program coordination with local cities,
the Maricopa Association of Governments, federal and State economic
development agencies.
Objective 2.3
Explore means by which a more even distribution of the local tax load can
be accomplished by utilizing specific types of taxes.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 53
Goal Three
Seek to develop streamlined and cost-reducing methods in regard
to business development fees and the plan review process.
Objective 3.1
Review zoning review processes and their associated costs.
Objective 3.2
Structure plan review costs in a manner that reward applicants who
submit efficient and accurate plans and proposals, and in a manner that
places the costs of multiple plan reviews on the applicants who submit
inaccurate or incomplete plans and proposals.
Objective 3.3
Investigate the creation of an Enforcement Fee that would recover the
cost of code enforcement by violators.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 54
PARKS, RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE
EXISTING CONDITIONS
The Parks and Recreation Department was established in 1991. The
Department currently coordinates a variety of recreational programs and
community events. Due to the lack of municipal facilities, many programs
and events are being conducted at school sites and other facilities within
the community. The recent addition of a new Community Center has
allowed many of the activities that are non-athletic to move to this site.
The existing park and open space system within the Town of Fountain Hills
consists of developed municipal and private parks, school campuses, four
privately owned golf courses, a municipal community center, and areas of
undeveloped natural open space. The 21,099-acre McDowell Mountain
Regional Park lies immediately north of the Town. There are currently five
municipal parks within the community in various stages of development.
The programs and events that have been sponsored by the Town are very
popular. The development of a multi-faceted municipal park and open
space system continues to be a topic of discussion. There is widespread
community support for the incremental development of such a system.
Master plans have been developed for four of the existing park sites (not
including Kiwanis Park).
Developed Park Sites
Fountain Park
The Town’s signature lake and world-renowned fountain, an important
community landmark, are part of Fountain Park. The 64-acre park consists
of 35 acres of turf and 29 acres of lake. The lake itself is not used for
recreational purposes, but the park that surrounds it is widely used by
community residents and visitors for both active and passive recreational
pursuits. Fountain Park was acquired from MCO Properties in May 1997,
and recent improvements include a new restroom/control building, two
covered picnic ramadas, a multi-purpose connecting sidewalk, repairs to
the fountain’s pump and electrical components, and a lake liner
replacement. Proposed future improvements, as recommended and
approved in the park master plan, include additional covered picnic
ramadas, a performance pad, playground and tot lot with shade structures,
additional multi-use connecting sidewalks, an educational arboretum and
associated signage, and a veteran’s memorial.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 56
Desert Vista Neighborhood Park
An approximately 12.5 acre dog park and recreation area, Desert Vista
Neighborhood Park has 3.5 acres for the Off-Leash Recreational Facility and
9 acres on the upper turf tier. The Off-Leash Recreational Facility consists
of two separate fenced areas (passive and active areas) to accommodate
smaller and larger dogs. Desert Vista Neighborhood Park was initially
developed as an Off-Leash Recreational Facility for dogs. The Town
acquired this site from MCO Properties in May 1998. Amenities include
drinking fountains for humans and pets, bench seating, three shaded
areas, and an unimproved (gravel) limited off street parking area. The
upper tier is an open turf area used by Town athletic teams on a
reservation basis. Proposed future improvements, as recommended and
approved in the park master plan, include a lighted ball field with
bleachers, a restroom/control building, two lighted basketball courts with
bleachers, two lighted sand volleyball courts, two lighted outdoor
racquetball courts, a children’s playground with interactive water features,
and multi-purpose sidewalks.
Four Peaks Neighborhood Park
In July 1998 the Town began acquiring land for the fourteen-acre Four
Peaks Neighborhood Park adjacent to Four Peaks Elementary School from
the Fountain Hills Unified School District. The initial Phase I acquisition
was 3.92 acres of land. Phase I Improvements included a soccer field, a
restroom control building, a covered picnic ramada, and multi purpose
sidewalks. The Town acquired an additional 9.9 acres, south of the land
known as Phase I Improvements, from the School District in May 2001.
This second acquisition included a lighted multi-purpose field, two lighted
multi-purpose ball fields with bleachers, two lighted tennis courts, two
lighted basketball courts, two shaded children’s playgrounds, and two
parking lots with capacity of thirty parking spaces. Proposed future
improvements (Phase II) are expected to include upgrades to the multi-
purpose field and ball fields, new basketball courts, a new in-line hockey
facility, multi-purpose sidewalks, shade-tree bosque, picnic ramadas with
grills, a skate park, and upgrades to parking lots.
Additionally, the School District and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Scottsdale
– Fountain Hills Branch are cooperatively working to develop a youth and
teen center adjacent to the site with meeting rooms and a gymnasium,
which would be available for their respective uses and other public uses,
including potential Town use.
Golden Eagle Park
Golden Eagle Park is a twenty-five acre recreation area developed
adjacent to the existing public High School. The park includes off street
parking, four lighted multi-purpose ball fields with covered dugouts and
seating for 550 spectators, four lighted tennis courts with a shaded
waiting area, two lighted basketball courts with bleachers, two lighted
sand volleyball courts with a shower tower, a shaded tot lot and children’s
playground with a shaded seatwall, a 2,500 square foot restroom/control
building, three parking lots with a total of 223 parking spaces, three
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 57
covered picnic ramadas with grills, two pedestrian footbridges, six chilled
drinking fountains, a horseshoe pit, six open turf areas, a large equipment
storage yard, and over one mile of multi-purpose sidewalks and pathways.
Kiwanis Park
Located adjacent to the Kiwanis Activity Center, this active recreation area
is owned, and was developed, by the Town, but is maintained by the
Sunset Kiwanis. Amenities in the park include two bocce ball courts, two
shuffleboard courts, two horseshoe pits, a sand volleyball court, and two
picnic ramadas.
North Heights Park
A privately owned park in the North Heights subdivision, this
neighborhood park was developed and is maintained by the North Heights
Homeowners Association.
School Sites
The Fountain Hills Unified School District and the Town of Fountain Hills
maintain an Intergovernmental Agreement that allows each agency to
utilize the other’s facilities at no cost.
McDowell Mountain Elementary School
The school provides facilities for students in Kindergarten through 2nd
grade including a multi-purpose room/gymnasium that is utilized on a
limited basis for parks and recreation athletic activities.
Four Peaks Elementary School
The school provides facilities for students in 3rd through 5th grade including
a multi-purpose room that is utilized for various parks and recreation
activities. Additionally, the Boys and Girls Club of Scottsdale – Fountain
Hills Branch, uses the school facilities for after-school youth programs.
Fountain Hills Middle School
The school is currently under construction on the northeastern boundary
of the community. Planned amenities at this school include two ball fields,
a football/soccer field with bleacher seating, an all-weather track,
basketball courts, and sand volleyball courts. In addition to the outdoor
athletic facilities, the school will have numerous indoor facilities that may
be utilized for various parks and recreation activities, both athletic and
non-athletic.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 58
Fountain Hills High School
Since September 1992 this facility has provided two gymnasiums,
wrestling rooms, a dance room, a fitness room, a football/soccer field, and
a running track for community activities. Classrooms are also used to
provide space for parks and recreation special-interest activities.
Fountain Hills Charter School
This 3rd through 8th grade school opened in 1998, has been the site of
limited Department programs.
Golf Courses
Fountain Hills has four privately owned 18-hole golf courses:
o Desert Canyon Golf Club
o SunRidge Canyon Golf Club
o The Golf Club at Eagle Mountain
o Firerock Country Club
Undeveloped Wash Corridors
As a result of the Town’s location within the foothills of the McDowell
Mountains, there is a network of natural drainage channels or washes
extending through the community. These washes, primarily owned by the
Town, are typically undeveloped, although most do contain utilities and
utility easements, and the washes are used as drainage corridors. This
network of undeveloped washes contributes to the quality of life for the
residents of the community by providing significant natural open space,
assisting with natural groundwater recharge and supporting wildlife
habitat. Under the existing Town Code, development within Town owned
or acquired wash corridors is restricted by a voter approved initiative and
any development or modification to the initiative would require an
affirmative vote of Town electors by an additional initiative.
Designated Bike Lanes
See
Circulation
Element
Page 69
The Town contains several streets with sufficient width and capacity to
include designated bicycle lanes. Not all streets are striped and marked
as required for official bicycle route designation.
McDowell Mountain Preservation
The Town has recently finalized an agreement with MCO Properties to set
aside over 354 acres of land as a natural preservation area. A parking
area and trailhead is planned for development that would allow visitors to
access the trail system within the preserve potentially connect with the
regional trail system developed in the McDowell Mountain Park to the
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 59
north and west of town. Additionally, the Town is coordinating with the
City of Scottsdale to connect the intra-municipal trails between preserve
areas.
Vision, Goals And Objectives
Vision
Provide passive and active recreational opportunities for all residents and
visitors that include both preservation of the natural desert and interactive
sports and community activity facilities in an appropriate balance.
Goal One
Provide and maintain an open space network throughout the
community.
Objective 1.1
Continue to protect the existing natural washes within the platted portions
of the community as permanent natural desert open spaces.
Objective 1.2
Identify and evaluate all wash/wildlife corridors in unsubdivided areas and
develop policies for encouraging those areas to be rezoned to the Open
Space (OS) Zoning District in cooperation with the land owners.
Objective 1.3
Develop criteria to establish an open space inventory.
Objective 1.4
Encourage the connection of major open space with pathways outside the
wash corridors, in the design of public and private developments.
Objective 1.5
Continue the development of programs that have community support for
open space acquisition and open space management programs.
Objective 1.6
Establish procedures for assessment of recreational/open space needs and
impacts as part of the plan review submittal process.
Objective 1.7
Encourage the private development of neighborhood parks as a part of
subdivision design in a manner that would require the dedication of
private land as preserved natural open space. This land need not be
conveyed to the Town or other public entity so long as its status as
permanent natural open space is secured.
Goal Two
Adopt a Comprehensive Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan.
Objective 2.1
Develop and implement a comprehensive plan that can be used to make
capital improvement decisions.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 60
Objective 2.2
Implement a plan that will identify and prioritize the specific facility,
physical space, and program needs requirements necessary for the
incremental development of park and open space systems.
Objective 2.3
Require the implementation of a passive use program as a part of the
preliminary facilities-design development and continue to require
landscape/re-vegetation using appropriate vegetation types.
Goal Three
Continue to acquire and develop municipal parks.
Objective 3.1
Explore the acquisition of additional municipal parks in the following
general locations:
• One park south of Shea Boulevard.
• One park centrally located along the western boundary of
the Town.
• One park, for preservation/passive recreation and
educational uses within the State Trust Land parcel, if the
land comes under the Town’s planning jurisdiction.
Goal Four
Encourage the development of policies that will maximize the
potential multi-use benefits to the community of existing facilities,
and that will become the basis for the design of new recreational
facilities.
Objective 4.1
Identify the location of all existing and potential park sites that have the
possibility of being developed as Town/School District joint use facilities.
Objective 4.2
Consider the potential multi-use of the improvements in all recreational
facility planning, including multi-use playing fields or multi-use deck
surfaces.
Objective 4.3
Strengthen the partnerships between the Town and the School District,
and encourage the development of multi-use agreements with other public
or private entities.
Objective 4.4
Encourage partnerships that would avoid the duplication of facilities and
that allow public access to all facilities and improvements constructed with
public funds.
Objective 4.5
Encourage a school/community partnership for the development of an
aquatic/fitness facility.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 61
Goal Five
Provide open space linkages within the Town, and to the regional
systems beyond the Town boundaries.
Objective 5.1
Continue to encourage the development of trail systems that link Fountain
Hills with McDowell Mountain Regional Park, the City of Scottsdale trail
system and potential trail systems on both the Salt River Pima-Maricopa
Indian Community and the Ft. McDowell Yavapai Nation.
Objective 5.2
Coordinate with the City of Scottsdale for a potential bikeway system
along Shea Boulevard, especially where new improvements are
anticipated, and study the feasibility of an east/west bicycle connection
that is not on Shea Boulevard.
Goal Six
Promote community wide cultural and recreational activities that
foster the existing community spirit.
Objective 6.1
Provide facilities and promote activities that foster a continuing
commitment to the arts.
Objective 6.2
Analyze the benefits of large events and promote development of facilities
that address this opportunity.
Objective 6.3
Evaluate, prioritize, and accommodate the recreational needs for teens,
seniors, and visitors.
Objective 6.4
Continue to pursue the acquisition of facilities for a Town aquatic center.
Goal Seven
Monitor available potential funding sources and seek additional
local support for the planning, acquisition, and development of
facilities.
Objective 7.1
Investigate the availability of county, state or federal grants or other
financing mechanisms to assist in the acquisition of private land and to
assist in the maintenance and enhancement of the Town park system.
Objective 7.2
Prepare a parks and recreation dedication program which provides
incentives to private parties to dedicate open space and recreation
facilities.
Objective 7.3
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 62
Monitor the availability of revenues from development fees to fund the
acquisition, development and preservation of open space and parks.
Objective 7.4
Investigate the availability of public/private funding, or other creative
funding mechanisms that would allow the development of community
facilities with limited Town participation.
Goal Eight
Minimize ground water consumption in existing or future park or
open space areas.
Objective 8.1
Work with the Fountain Hills Sanitary District to ensure that reclaimed
water is used in as many of the new park facilities as possible.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 63
CIRCULATION ELEMENT
See
Land Use
Element
page 10
The Circulation Element of the General Plan 2002 provides a framework for
the development of a comprehensive transportation system, encompassing
the roadway system, public transportation system and bike trails.
The Circulation Element endeavors to present balance and coordination
between projected development and land use patterns, and future
transportation demands. This element examines existing transportation
conditions and identifies issues and problems needing resolution.
Existing Conditions
Street System Inventory
There are approximately 165 miles of paved roadways in The Town of
Fountain Hills.
See
Street
Classification
Map
page 83
Arterial roadways form the foundation of the roadway system, providing
regional access and major transportation links. State Route 87 and Shea
Boulevard are classified as principal arterials. Palisades Boulevard, Fountain
Hills Boulevard and Saguaro Boulevard and portions of Golden Eagle
Boulevard are classified as minor arterials.
Roadways classified as collector streets provide the linkages between arterial
roadways and the residential and light commercial areas, serving as the
connections between vehicular mobility and access to abutting land parcels.
The existing major collector street system in Fountain Hills consists of the
following16 streets:
• Avenue of the Fountains • Kingstree Boulevard
• Desert Canyon Drive • La Montana Drive (northern)
• Eagle Mountain Parkway • Palomino Boulevard
• El Lago Boulevard • Panorama Drive
• El Pueblo Boulevard • Parkview Drive
• Glenbrook Boulevard • Saguaro Boulevard (south of
Shea)
• Golden Eagle Boulevard (northern) • Summerhill Boulevard
(northern)
• Grande Boulevard • Sunridge Drive
The existing minor collector street system in Fountain Hills consists of the
following 22 minor streets.
• Alamosa Drive • Indian Wells Drive
• Avenida Vida Buena • La Montana Drive
(southern) • Bainbridge Avenue • Mira Monte Way
• Boulder Drive • Mountainside Drive
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 69
• Calaveras Drive • Ocotillo Drive
• Del Cambre Drive • Richwood Drive
• El Sobrante Drive • Sierra Madre Drive
• Fayette Drive • Summerhill Boulevard
(southern)
• Greenhurst Drive • Thistle Drive
• Hampstead Drive • Tombstone Drive
• Inca Drive • Westby Drive
The remaining street system is made up of two-lane local roadways.
Consistent with the intent of local roadways, they provide access to property
and are not intended to provide mobility between various areas of the Town.
Signalized traffic control devices are found at the following intersections:
Saguaro Boulevard/Grande Boulevard
Shea Boulevard/Saguaro Boulevard
Shea Boulevard/Fountain Hills Boulevard
Shea Boulevard/Palisades Boulevard
Shea Boulevard/Eagle Mountain Parkway
Palisades Boulevard/Fountain Hills Boulevard
Palisades/Avenue of the Fountains
Palisades Boulevard/Saguaro Boulevard
Functional Classification System
The implementation of any of the policies or approval of any project or study
presented in this Circulation Element to the General Plan 2002 must be
consistent with the hierarchy of streets, as defined by the functional
classification system. The functional classification system describes the
service performed, typical trip lengths, access spacing and continuity of the
Fountain Hills roadway system. For circulation planning as well as definition of
specific design criteria, roadways are most effectively classified by function.
Roadways have two basic functions: Mobility and access to adjacent land
uses. From a design standpoint, these two functions have proven
incompatible. For land access, low speeds are desirable, and are often
accompanied by inconsistent traffic flows. For mobility, higher speeds and
uniform traffic flows are desirable.
Principal arterial roadways are designed and constructed to satisfy the need
for high mobility. Rapid travel in a safe and uniform manner is the primary
objective of these roadways. Multiple access points should be limited to
approved intersections to preserve the desired higher speeds, traffic volumes
and safety considerations characteristic of the roadway design. Any increase
in access points should be carefully examined.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 70
Conversely, local roadways are designed to provide low-speed convenient
access to multiple adjacent land uses. Most roadway categories fall between
these two extremes and are the most difficult to categorize because the roads
must provide both mobility and access.
Roadway functional classification establishes the type of circulation service and
access control provided by each roadway category. Increased access control
points permit a corresponding increase in traffic speed and potential volume. See
Roadway
Classification
page 83
Principal Arterial Roadways
Principal arterial roadways are high traffic volume, full access-control roads
with intersection spacing dictated either by designated major highways or by
key access points located on other inter-regional facilities.
Minor Arterial Roadways
Minor arterial roadways are moderate traffic volume, full or partial access
control roads that provide service to retail, commercial and industrial land
uses. Minor arterial roadways may develop into principal arterials if traffic
volumes increase due to an increase in area development.
Major/Minor Collector Roadways
Collector roadways carry a relatively high volume of traffic within larger
neighborhoods and can accommodate the traffic volumes generated by minor
retail and other commercial services and are intended to provide convenient
traffic movement and access to the arterial roadways.
Limited Collector Roadways
Limited collector roadways, identified by wide travel lanes with landscaped
medians, provide access to larger cul-de-sac subdivisions. Developers may
use this roadway classification, at Town Council discretion, to provide single-
access for up to 90 dwelling units without the need for a secondary access
road.
Local Roadways
Local roadways are designed for slow-speed discontinuous travel conditions
and are used primarily for roadways with on-street parking and for cul-de-sac
streets. Local roadways serve abutting land uses and provide access to
higher-level roadways.
Most of the Fountain Hills roadway system consists of local roadways with
non-commercial abutting land uses or open space as an adjacent land use.
Hillside-Local Roadways
Hillside-Local roadways provide safe roadway design on steeply sloping
terrain while limiting the visual impact of development. Reduced setbacks
from pavement edge, pavement widths and right-of-way widths may be
possible in hillside areas. Such Hillside-Local roadways are available only in
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 71
subdivisions where at least 75% of the subdivision contains slopes in excess
of 10%, and with approval of the Town Engineer. On-street parking is
prohibited and two-way average daily traffic (ADT) is limited to 300.
Traffic Volumes
The average daily traffic (ADT) data currently available is limited. Based on
counts conducted by the Town of Fountain Hills in 1997, Fountain Hills
Boulevard, Saguaro Boulevard and Palisades Boulevard accommodate the
following traffic volumes.
See
Traffic
Counts
page 83
Maximum vehicle per day counts
Saguaro Boulevard- Shea to Palisades segment 14,700 vpd
Fountain Hills Boulevard-Shea to Palisades segment 11,000 vpd
Fountain Hills Boulevard-Palisades to Town boundary 9,800 vpd
Palisades Blvd-Shea to Eagle Ridge segment 7,600 vpd
Palisades Blvd-Eagle Ridge to Ftn Hills segment 11,000 vpd
Palisades Blvd-Ftn Hills to Saguaro segment 14,700 vpd
Shea Blvd-West Town boundary to Palisades segment 33,500 vpd
Shea Blvd-Palisades to Fountain Hills Blvd segment 23,200 vpd
Shea Blvd-Fountain Hills to Saguaro segment 24,100 vpd
State Route 87, also known as the Beeline Highway, is under ADOT
jurisdiction, and therefore, was not included in the traffic counts.
Planned Transportation Improvements
New roadways will be completed as a part of the Eagle Ridge North and Eagles
Nest subdivision improvements. Arterial roadways in both subdivisions will
have striped and signed bicycle lanes.
Alternative Transportation Systems
Public Transit
The Phoenix Transit System, under contract with the Regional Public
Transportation Authority (RPTA), provides bus service to Fountain Hills. Daily
bus service consists of two morning inbound express and two afternoon
outbound runs connecting between downtown Phoenix and the northeast
corner of Palisades Boulevard and La Montana Drive, via Saguaro Boulevard
and Shea Boulevard. No local transit service exists within the community.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 72
Bicycle Pathways
The Town has developed a bicycle plan based in part on the design features
and recommendations of the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG)
Bicycle Plan. The Town has both existing and proposed roadway bike lanes
which are delineated, painted roadway-adjacent lanes where parking is not
permitted; and also existing and proposed roadway bike routes, which are
non-delineated routes where parking is permitted.
See
Bicycle Plan
page 81
The Bicycle Plan includes striped bicycle lanes on Saguaro Boulevard and on
portions of Palisades Boulevard and Fountain Hills Boulevard.
Roadway bike lanes are proposed on Shea Boulevard, El Lago Boulevard, and
as continuations to portions of the existing bike routes and lanes on Fountain
Hills Boulevard and into the mountain preserve.
Circulation Development Guidelines
Street Design Guidelines
The adopted roadway classification system found in the approved Town of
Fountain Hills Subdivision Ordinance shall be used for all new road
construction, and for re-construction of existing roads.
Driveway Design
The design and location of any driveway providing access to a property shall
be in accordance with the ITE Recommended Practice entitled Guidelines for
Driveway Location and Design, or as approved by the Town Council, based on
Planning and Zoning Commission recommendations. Driveways shall be
located so as not to inhibit the flow of traffic on the public streets and not
present a safety hazard by location or operation.
Minimizing the number of driveways along an arterial or collector roadway is
desirable. The use of joint-access drives serving more than one property, as
well as the interconnection of property access and parking areas is desirable,
thus reducing the number of driveways with access to the roadways.
Parking
The Town requires on-site parking using the design guidelines and layout
standards of parking facilities in accordance with the approved Town of
Fountain Hills Zoning Ordinance.
Traffic Signals
The Town monitors intersection service levels and safety. Any intersection
experiencing an undesirable level of service or an accident rate of more than
five per year, will be reviewed to determine if any of the warrants for
signalization as set forth in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices
(MUTCD) are met, and to determine if a traffic signal should be installed. For
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 73
optimum traffic progression and coordinated flow, traffic signal spacing should
be a minimum of one-quarter mile.
The following issues will be reviewed as a part of the consideration for
signalization:
• Meet MUTCD warrants
• Spacing of adjacent signals
• Cost/benefit
• Legal liability
• Maintenance costs
Community-Wide Bicycle Plan
Design features for bicycle facilities must conform to standards set forth by
the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
(AASHTO) and the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE).
Drainage and Flood Control
The Town manages, coordinates and administers flood control regulations with
street improvement projects, including drainage and flood control
requirements, to ensure that all areas of Town are accessible during a 100-
year flood occurrence.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 74
Vision, Goals, And Objectives
Vision
Provide a safe, efficient, and aesthetically pleasing circulation network that
accommodates all modes of vehicular and non-vehicular movement in an
environmentally sensitive manner.
Goal One
Create safe and efficient patterns of circulation.
Objective 1.1
Provide criteria for the location of ingress and egress points along Shea
Boulevard.
Objective 1.2
Examine the viability and safety of frontage roads along Saguaro Boulevard
and investigate and mitigate the traffic conflicts, including traffic confusion,
reduced visibility and hazardous intersection conflicts that are generated on
those portions of arterial roadway that contain frontage roads.
Objective 1.3
Continue to encourage the development and implementation of a circulation
plan that will accommodate all users, including pedestrians, bicycles,
rollerblade and skaters, wheelchairs and strollers on sidewalks wide enough to
accommodate two-way travel.
Objective 1.4
Complete a study of the pedestrian/vehicular interaction in and around the
Town Center to identify possible pedestrian crossing and/or traffic calming
needs.
Objective 1.5
Develop an Access Control Plan to ensure the functional integrity of the
arterial roadways and protect residents and business patrons from increased
exposure to conflicts that result from closely spaced driveways and curb cuts.
The Access Control Plan should identify portions of roadway that could benefit
from the use of medians. Median breaks should be located not less than one-
eighth mile (660 feet) from the nearest intersection. The preferred median
break spacing should be one-quarter mile (1,320 feet), but may be reduced
with approval of the Town Engineer.
Median breaks at collector or local streets, or for major driveways should be
limited to a maximum of five per mile. Access points that do not align with
median break points should be restricted to right-in/right-out only.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 75
Objective 1.6
Conduct periodic community-wide traffic volume counts on all arterial and
collector streets as a basis for future planning. Average daily traffic,
obtained through automatic tube counts, should be updated every two years
at each count location. In addition, manual turning movement counts
should be conducted periodically at key intersections, particularly at those
with high accident rates or rapidly increasing traffic volumes.
Objective 1.7
The Town should develop neighborhood traffic control plans that will monitor
non-neighborhood “cut-through” traffic to determine if there is a need to
develop and implement a traffic-calming plan.
Solutions should be individualized for each neighborhood, but may include
improved signage, movement control devises, "speed humps"; and, in
extreme cases, physically closing off streets or creating cul-de-sacs. It is
important that any traffic calming solutions maintain adequate access for local
traffic and emergency vehicles.
Objective 1.8
The Town should continue to improve collector streets as required by
increased traffic volumes. All available public and private funding sources
should be researched to finance these improvements.
Objective 1.9
Encourage secondary access points to all new development areas for
temporary and permanent emergency access, including mountain and hillside
subdivisions.
Objective 1.10
Develop, adopt and implement special event parking and traffic management
plans and policies for the control of high volume traffic and short-term
localized traffic congestion and parking problems generated by periodic special
events.
Objective 1.11
To maximize roadway safety and efficiency, the Town should develop a street
light policy for major streets, and evaluate the adequacy of existing roadway
illumination to determine whether guide signage is clear, legible and properly
located.
Objective 1.12
Periodically assess accident potential and operationally deficient areas to
determine future needs for traffic control measures and implement an
identification and mitigation program for high accident locations.
The Town Engineer should regularly review police data on traffic accidents,
flag high accident locations, and implement appropriate mitigations where
technically and financially feasible. Many high accident locations can be
mitigated using one or more of the TSM measures enumerated in Section
5.5.C.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 76
Objective 1.13
Develop policies to address street-level drainage and wash crossings and
investigate the need for flood control and drainage accommodations at
drainage-ways and street crossings.
Goal Two
Provide aesthetically pleasing circulation systems.
Objective 2.1
Continue to enforce roadway right-of-way (R.O.W) standards and landscape
design standards that emphasize safe, beautiful streetscapes using xeriscape
plants that provide shaded pedestrian and bicycle pathways.
Objective 2.2
Encourage the design of off street parking areas that use xeriscape plants to
provide shaded pedestrian walkways to structures.
Objective 2.3
The Town should not amend or waive its roadway standards to facilitate the
development of steeply sloping areas, particularly if development will generate
visible cut/fill scarring. The Town should deny any roadway alignment or
cut/fill waiver that would allow for the development of any roadway that is
visually inappropriate or incompatible with the terrain.
Goal Three
Provide for and encourage the use of non-vehicular modes of
circulation.
Objective 3.1
Ensure that new developments include provisions for pedestrian and/or bike
paths, and that those pathways are designated on development plans.
Objective 3.2
Implement bicycle and pedestrian routes in accordance with available funding
and community needs. The plan should be prioritized to serve the following
facilities:
• Schools
• Libraries
• Parks
• Government centers
• Commercial and employment areas
• Transit facilities
• Popular scenic/recreational sites
• Youth centers
• Arts and cultural facilities
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 77
Objective 3.3
Develop standards for bikeway systems along the roadway. Where
appropriate, develop standards for pedestrian trails adjacent to wash
corridors.
Objective 3.4
Develop and implement a coordinated plan that will help to promote bicycle
and other non-motorized modes of transportation usage and will include the
design of safe bicycle facilities, including bicycle parking, throughout the
community. The plan should include provisions for integrating local bike
routes into the MAG regional bikeway system, and should include the
publication of a bicycle route map.
Objective 3.5
Establish and encourage pedestrian and bikeways that lead to and from all
school sites, activity centers, trails or recreational sites and provide cross-
transportation nodes that are safe, comfortable and attractive.
Objective 3.6
Encourage the expansion of the pedestrian sidewalk system when indicated by
unacceptable levels of vehicular traffic as determined by the Town Engineer.
Objective 3.7
Promote pedestrian linkages from residential parcels to schools, parks, and
commercial centers.
Objective 3.8
Support and encourage home-based businesses that integrate the business
operation into the existing residential neighborhood and that reduce vehicular
trip generation.
Objective 3.9
Promote infill and mixed-use projects especially where resources and
infrastructure are completed.
Goal Four
Provide adequate provisions for regional public transportation.
Objective 4.1
The Town should conduct a community transit needs/feasibility study to
consider both the need for improved intra-community regional connections,
and the need for in-town service, possibly in the form of a van or dial-a-ride
operation. The existing RPTA regional transit plan, which encompasses all of
Maricopa County, could be used as a foundation and resource document for
the study.
Objective 4.2
Coordinate with the regional transit system to develop usable and convenient
bus routes.
Objective 4.3
Support the development of local dial-a-ride service within the community.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 78
Objective 4.4
The Town should evaluate future park-and-ride facility needs and coordinate
their location with the bicycle/pedestrian pathway system.
Objective 4.5
Encourage the design and development of efficient, safe and aesthetically
beautiful and interesting regional transit and school bus stops that include
provisions for both morning and afternoon shade and trash containment.
Regional and local bus stops should be integrated into the community-wide
pedestrian and bike system.
Goal Five
Adopt a Traffic Impact Analysis requirement.
See
Cost of
Development
Element
page 51
Objective 5.1
Adopt a policy requiring a Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA), completed by a
registered professional engineer specializing in traffic engineering, as a part of
the project submittal from subdivision and commercial developers during the
concept review process. The TIA policy should address the costs of any capital
improvements and an analysis of how the costs shall be paid.
The Traffic Impact Analysis should incorporate graphics illustrating the site
development plan, physical roadway and driveway design and traffic volume
data. The Analysis should also include, but not be limited to, a description and
analysis and recommendations in regard to the following features as set forth
by Town policy:
• Physical Roadway Features
• Traffic Characteristics
• Speed Characteristics
• Existing Traffic Controls
• Traffic Generator Characteristics
• Analysis of Impacts and Deficiencies
• Identification of Mitigations
• Proposed Mitigation Implementation Plan
• Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan
The TIA should include a comprehensive explanation of the design of access
points, their potential traffic impacts on adjacent arterial and collector streets,
and options for mitigation of problems.
The Town should retain the services of a professional traffic-engineering firm
(hereinafter called "the Traffic Engineer") to conduct a review of the TIA and
to prepare an unbiased assessment of the impacts of the proposed
development. Developers would be assessed a fee for this review.
Depending on the scale of the project and judgment of the Traffic Engineer,
the Traffic Impact Analysis could require different levels of assessment,
including, but not limited to:
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 79
Access Analysis - to review curb-cut requests and assist with site plan
approval.
Traffic Impact Study - to analyze impacts to adjacent streets as a
result of major projects or rezoning requests; and
Transportation Plan Assessment – to review projects that would have
impacts on multiple traffic issues, such as Area Specific Plans.
The Town should require the project developer to implement the necessary
approved mitigations at no expense to the Town, or by equitable proportioning
of project costs, as approved by the Town.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 80
WATER RESOURCES ELEMENT
Existing Conditions See
Land Use
Element
page 10
Water Services
The Town of Fountain Hills receives water from The Chaparral City Water
Company, a subsidiary since 2000 of American States Water Company, which
is regulated by the Arizona Corporation Commission. Chaparral City Water
Company designed the water treatment and delivery system for the Town in
1989 when the company was a wholly owned subsidiary of MCO Properties.
Chaparral Water Company controls supervision and maintenance of the
operations. Both administrative offices and the maintenance warehouse are
located in the Town.
Water is obtained primarily from an allotment of Central Arizona Project
(CAP), a nationally funded water reclamation project that delivers Colorado
River water to Phoenix and Tucson through a surface canal system. Additional
water is obtained from groundwater wells.
Chaparral City Water Company treats the water with a filtering and
clarification system that has been periodically upgraded. Water from the
Central Arizona Project is treated and stored in a facility located near Fountain
Hills Boulevard and Shea Boulevard. Additional water storage reservoirs are
located throughout the Town.
The Arizona Corporation Commission governs all utility rates including those
set by The Chaparral City Water Company. The Arizona Department of Water
Resources controls and regulates water quality issues.
Wastewater
The Fountain Hills Sanitary District, a separate governmental entity governed
by an elected board, is responsible for the collection, treatment, and disposal
of wastewater in Fountain Hills. The District owns, operates, and maintains a
collection system, wastewater treatment facilities, and reclaimed water
distribution and storage facilities. Reclaimed water is used to fill Fountain
Lake and other Town lakes, irrigate three of the five Town park sites and
irrigate SunRidge Canyon, Eagle Mountain and FireRock Country Club golf
courses.
In February of 2001, the Sanitary District completed facilities to further treat
the reclaimed water and store it in the ground during the winter months when
the demand for reclaimed water is low. The water is pumped out of the
ground in the summer months for irrigation when the demand is high.
The Sanitary District is constantly upgrading its facilities to meet growth
requirements and the ultimate capacity anticipated for community buildout.
The District’s office and its two treatment facilities are located in Town.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 84
The Sanitary District is currently upgrading and modernizing the facilities to
designs and capacity anticipated for community buildout. The District office
and treatment plant are located in town.
Vision, Goals and Objectives
Vision
The Town will continue to support the supply of a safe and economical water
supply and the expansion of water reclamation and reuse system.
Goal One
See
Environmental
Planning
Element
page 87
Reduce water usage.
Objective 1.1
Continue to enforce the requirement for the installation of low-water use
fixtures in all public facilities.
Objective 1.2
Develop a public education program that will encourage the installation of low-
water use fixtures for household use.
Objective 1.3
Promote the development and distribution of public education materials
explaining water conservation including the use of xeriscape landscaping and
low-water use irrigation systems.
Objective 1.4
Encourage new and re-development projects to be designed in a manner that
limits water usage and that would be able to use reclaimed water for
landscape irrigation should it become available.
Objective 1.5
Examine the benefits and constraints of having the Town acquire The
Chaparral City Water Company.
Goal Two
See
Environmental
Planning
Element
page 87
Support the expansion of the existing water reclamation system.
Objective 2.1
Encourage the continued use of reclaimed water for all Town-maintained
landscaping and park areas.
Objective 2.2
Encourage the continued use of reclaimed water for all golf course irrigation.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 85
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 86
Objective 2.3
Continue to encourage the implementation of technical improvements to the
existing water reclamation system as new technologies emerge.
Objective 2.4
Examine the benefits and constraints of having the Town acquire the Sanitary
District.
ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING ELEMENT
Existing Conditions
Since inception, the Town of Fountain Hills has been very progressive in
environmental planning policy making and enforcement.
In contrast to most Phoenix metropolitan cities and towns, development plans
have been completed and approved for almost all land within the Town
boundaries. Some in-fill parcels remain, but, by and large, the community is
reaching the limits of growth, due in part to the fact that the Town has no
room for expansion without further annexation.
The Town is fortunate that the original designers and policy makers had the
vision to preserve and protect the natural desert that remains as a significant
part of the community identity today.
In addition, the signature fountain and lake have been, from the beginning,
part of a water conservation system that uses reclaimed water. The water
conservation system now includes groundwater recharging facilities.
The community consistently supports preservation and conservation efforts.
Town leaders and citizens recognize the importance of natural wash areas,
preservation of steep slopes, wildlife corridors and native plant communities
and there is community-wide support for preservation, including a voter
approved initiative to preserve wash corridors in their natural condition.
Citizens value wildlife, natural beauty and scenic vistas and have, without fail,
sought to protect hillsides, washes and view corridors and encourage builders
to design with a contextual emphasis. The Town incorporates open space
areas into flood control and recreation areas.
The Town has stringent re-vegetation requirements in place that require the
restoration of disturbed areas with native plant species that are consistent in
type and density with the surrounding native desert.
The Town encourages alternative transportation modes, but ridership on
regional transit systems is restricted by the limited availability of regional bus
service. Regional bus service is provided twice each weekday by an express
route that connects to downtown Phoenix. The existing route allows for
connections to many metro-area bus routes.
Local bus service is not currently offered within the community, however the
Town maintains a contract with Maricopa County for a shuttle service that
makes several stops in town and connects to the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale.
Residents may use the shuttle service to connect to the region-wide transit
system.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 87
Preservation and Stewardship
Mountain Preserve and Wash Areas
The Town strives to preserve steeply sloping hillsides and major washes from
development. Residents consider the protection of wildlife ecosystems and
corridors, and their linkages through the community, together with vegetation
protection, to be important assets. It is the compatible coexistence of the
urban fabric nestled into the natural desert that is of prime importance to
residents in the community.
See
Open Space
Element
page 56
It is the closeness of the natural desert, in the hills with exceptional scenic
views and distinctive topographical features that makes Fountain Hills unique
in the Phoenix metropolitan area.
Additionally, the protection of the steeply sloping hillsides and washes serve as
one method of erosion control. The root structures of native plants serve to
bind the loose soil to the slope and limit particulate lifting into the air during
heavy winds.
Trail System
The Town has a Trail System in place. Certain sections of the Town contain
washes and hillside areas that are more appropriately left undisturbed, and
are protected from development by initiative. More effective erosion control,
native plant, and wildlife protection can be accomplished if the public is
educated as to the fragility of the natural desert and is aware of where trails
are located.
See
Circulation Map
page 83
Education Program
One effective method to preserve the desert is through public education.
Enabling residents and visitors to understand the unique habitat of Fountain
Hills will serve to generate a wider stewardship of the desert. This educational
process should be age-varied and include informational wildlife brochures,
native plant seminars and nature walks with lectures. Interesting night walks
in the desert, with astronomy guides, would serve to emphasize the
importance of limiting outdoor lighting and encourage light shielding.
Hillside Protection
The Town currently has an approved plant list that is used for landscaping and
re-vegetation requirements. Some areas of the existing natural desert are
filled with saguaro and their associated plants. Other areas contain cholla
forests. Many washes are filled with dense stands of ironwood, cottonwood
and desert willow trees, while some streambeds are lined with mesquites and
palo verde trees.
The existing list does not require that a re-vegetation plan differentiate
between the unique plant community in which the parcel is located.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 88
The Town has worked diligently to preserve steeply sloping hillside areas.
Areas of disturbance are required to be revegetated. However, the re-
vegetation plan currently does not require native plants to be salvaged from
developing lots.
Archeological Protection
The Town does not have comprehensive surveys or studies of the Town’s
archeological resources; more study needs to be done to identify important
cultural and historical artifacts.
The Town has a museum under construction at the Civic Center where all
historical and cultural resources can be properly preserved and where
research and educational programs can be developed and implemented.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 89
Energy Efficient Planning and Design
Reduce Energy Use
Transit
The Town is continuing to expand requirements for adequate and safe bicycle
transportation pathways and is encouraging the expansion of regional and
local transit options.
See
Circulation
Element
page 69
See the Circulation Element for an expanded explanation of Town circulation
and transit conditions and objectives.
Reduce Pollution
Air Quality
Although air quality has diminished in the Phoenix metropolitan area, the
Town of Fountain Hills has been spared many of the lower valley air quality
problems. The Town has limited regional traffic because there are no
freeways in town and the major regional connecting streets, Shea Boulevard
for east/west travel, and the Beeline Highway for north/south travel do not
cross through the center of the community. This lack of regional traffic in
Town reduces carbon monoxide emissions.
Additionally, the Town discourages large lawn areas. Reduced lawn areas
require less mowing, thereby reducing gasoline-powered mower emissions.
Of further benefit, the Town’s elevation is higher than the surrounding metro
area; therefore placing the community above much of the pollutant-laden
layer of air trapped near the ground during temperature inversion conditions.
Airborne particulate matter is more of a problem. The Town controls
particulate matter by requiring paving and dust control measures for parking
lots, driveways, roadways and roadway shoulders. Unpaved vehicular areas
are limited to small sections of alleys with low traffic volumes. Maricopa
County Rule 310.01 contains requirements forpaving or treatment of dirt
roads when they exceed 150 average trips per day by June 10, 2004. There
is no section of Town that has unpaved roadways that generate 150 trips per
day.
The greatest generator of particulate matter in the Town is high wind. The
Town’s policy of preservation of the natural desert has created an urban
pattern of housing and businesses surrounded and linked by open space and
natural washes. The natural desert and sandy wash bottoms are a source of
airborne particulates during blowing storms.
90
Reentrained dust from vehicles is known as PM-10 pollution, which refers to
particulate matter less than 10 microns in diameter.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan
Newly designed street sweeping equipment that will limit PM-10 particulate
pollution is currently undergoing efficiency certification and should be
incorporated into the Town’s municipal fleet to reduce additional particulate
pollution.
Recycling
At present, the Town encourages recycling and the use of recycled materials,
but business owners and residents must take their recyclable materials to
central collection points. The Town should continue to promote policies that
encourage the use of recycled materials and promote recycling efforts.
Control of Hazardous Materials
Currently the Town reviews the use and storage of hazardous materials by
businesses at the time of business permit application. Businesses that use or
store hazardous materials are required to obtain a Special Use Permit before
operations may commence. The Special Use Permit application is reviewed by
the Fire Department and a list of the hazardous materials is retained for Town
files.
Persons in individual households wishing to dispose of hazardous materials
must bring the items to an appropriate disposal location.
Control Water and Wastewater Usage
See
Water
Resources
Element
page 84
Although the Town purchases water service from The Chaparral City Water
Company, and has no control of their operations, there are still ways that the
Town can seek to limit water consumption. Public education programs that
would provide information about the use of xeriscape landscaping materials
and drip or low-flow landscape irrigation systems would be useful.
At present, the Town is using reclaimed water to fill the lake at Fountain Park,
for town-wide landscaping irrigation and for groundwater recharge.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 91
Vision, Goals and Objectives
Vision
The Town seeks to continue the preservation and conservation of the natural
desert, to identify and protect historical and archeological resources and to
develop and implement programs and policies that will encourage energy
conservation, reduce water consumption, and reduce water and air pollution.
Goal One
Promote the continued vigilance and guardianship of the natural
desert.
Objective 1.1
Require all newly platted, or re-platted, properties to provide a recorded
disturbance allowance for each parcel.
Objective 1.2
Encourage the development and adoption of a Native Plant salvage ordinance.
Objective 1.3
The Town’s landscaping list should be expanded to be area specific,
differentiating between plant communities in wash areas and different slope
areas. The various sections of Town should be studied and identified so that
the appropriate re-vegetation planting list can be selected to more closely
blend the new plantings into the existing natural desert.
Objective 1.4
Complete a study to identify all significant topographical features within the
Town and generate a Protection Overlay that would limit any future
development of the identified features.
Objective 1.5
Identify where appropriate trails should be located and develop public
educational materials to discourage off-trail habitat and vegetation
destruction.
Objective 1.6
Continue to discourage unauthorized dumping and continue to require re-
vegetation for violators.
Objective 1.7
Identify indigenous wildlife and protect their unique habitats within the
community, and develop and distribute educational materials about the
Sonoran Desert.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 92
Goal Two
Identify and preserve cultural and archeological resources.
Objective 2.1
Collaborate with Colleges and Universities to complete cultural history and
archeological studies for the Town and promote the collaboration and sharing
of information with other communities in order to complete a contextual
understanding of the cultural and archeological resources.
Objective 2.2
Promote the preservation of artifacts through proper conservation methods.
Objective 2.3
Support public education programs that emphasize local and regional cultural
and archeological history.
Goal Three
Promote programs that will continue to improve air quality.
Objective 3.1
Continue to support the expansion and development of regional and local
transit services and alternative transportation modes to reduce carbon
monoxide pollution.
Objective 3.2
Promote programs to eliminate gasoline-powered landscape equipment.
Objective 3.3
Investigate methods to expandthe alternative fuel program for Town vehicles.
Objective 3.4
Support the replacement of all Town street sweeping equipment with PM-10
certified street sweepers.
Goal Four
Promote programs that will promote conservation of natural
resources.
Objective 4.1
Encourage the use of architectural design using passive solar heating and
using design elements and appropriate insulating materials to limit energy
consumption.
Objective 4.2
Support the development and implementation of educational resources for
public information regarding low-flow irrigation systems.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 93
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 94
Objective 4.3
Encourage revitalization and rehabilitation of existing structures.
Objective 4.4
Promote economic development with policies that will reduce vehicular traffic
and air pollution.
Objective 4.5
Encourage policies that will reduce waste and that promote recycling of waste
materials.
Objective 4.6
Develop and distribute educational materials regarding the handling and
disposal of hazardous materials.
PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
Administration Of The General Plan
After the Town Council has adopted the General Plan 2002, or
amendment thereto, the planning agency shall undertake the following
actions to encourage effectuation of the plan:
1. Investigate and make recommendations to the legislative body upon
reasonable and practical means for putting into effect the general plan
or part thereof in order that it will serve as a pattern and guide for the
orderly growth and development of the municipality and as a basis for
the efficient expenditure of its funds relating to the subjects of the
general plan. The measures recommended may include plans,
regulations, financial reports and capital budgets.
2. Render an annual report to the legislative body on the status of the plan
and progress in its application.
3. Endeavor to promote public interest in and understanding of the
general plan and regulations relating to it.
4. Consult and advise with public officials and agencies, public utility
companies, civic, educational, professional, and other organizations and
citizens generally with relation to carrying out the general plan.
Upon adoption of the General Plan 2002, or part thereof, each municipal
officer, department, board or commission, and each governmental body,
commission or board whose jurisdiction lies entirely or partially within the
municipality, whose functions include recommending, preparing plans for or
constructing major public works, shall submit to an agency, as designated
by the respective municipal legislative body, a list of the proposed public
works located entirely or partially within the municipality recommended for
planning, initiation or construction during the ensuing fiscal year. The
agency shall list and classify all such recommendations and shall prepare a
coordinated program of proposed public works for the ensuing fiscal year.
Such coordinated program shall be submitted to the municipal planning
agency for review and report to such agency as to conformity with the
adopted general plan or part thereof.
No public real property may be acquired by dedication or otherwise for
street, square, park or other public purposes, no public real property may
be disposed of, no public street may be vacated or abandoned and no public
building or structure may be constructed or authorized, if an adopted
general plan or part thereof applies thereto, until the location, purpose and
extent of such acquisition or disposition, such street vacation or
abandonment, or such public building or structure have been submitted to
and reported upon by the planning agency as to conformity with such
adopted general plan or part thereof. The planning agency shall render its
report as to conformity with such adopted general plan or part thereof
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 95
within forty days after the matter was submitted to it. The provisions of this
subsection do not apply to acquisitions or abandonment for street widening
or alignment projects of a minor nature if the legislative body so provides
by ordinance or resolution.
PLAN AMENDMENTS
Any proposed amendment to the General Plan 2002 may not result in an
adverse impact to the community as a whole, or any potion of the community.
Public participation shall be encouraged for any proposed amendment to the
General Plan 2002 and all legislative requirements shall be met.
Amendments to the General Plan 2002 should occur only after careful
review of the request, and of findings of fact in support of the revision at
public hearing(s) before the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Town
Council. The statutory requirements which guided the adoption of the General
Plan shall be followed for all amendments as they pertain to public hearings
and otherwise. The term amendment(s) shall apply to both text and map
revisions. A Major Amendment to the Town of Fountain Hills General Plan
2002 shall be approved by affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the
members of the Town Council.
Amendments to the General Plan 2002, in accordance with procedures set
forth by State statute, may be initiated by the Town or by formal application
by the owner(s), or owner(s) agents, of real property within the Town of
Fountain Hills incorporated boundaries. Prior to any approval of any land
development authority that is in conflict with the General Plan 2002, an
amendment to the General Plan 2002 must be approved and completed.
Minor Amendments
Any change mandated by initiative or Arizona State law shall use the Minor
Amendment process.
Any change in land use from residential, commercial or industrial to parks,
open space, public facilities or institutional uses shall use the Minor
Amendment process.
Minor Amendments may be brought forward for consideration at public
hearing at any regularly scheduled public meeting. Minor amendments will
require at least one public hearing before the Planning and Zoning
Commission and at least one public hearing before the Town Council.
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 96
Major Amendments
Parks, Open Space, Public Facilities and Institutional Lands
Any change in land use from parks, open space, public facilities or
institutional land use classification to any residential, commercial or industrial
zoning district shall use the Major Amendment process.
Residential
Any increase of intensity of any residential land use classification of eighty
(80) acres or more shall be deemed a Major Amendment.
Non-residential
Any change of non-residential land use classification, except Parks, Open
Space, Public Facilities and Institutional Land uses, of forty (40) acres or more
shall be deemed a Major Amendment.
Any DECREASE in the intensity of use on a property at the initiative of the
Town of Fountain Hills shall be deemed a Major Amendment.
Any DELETION of a requirement for the reservation or dedication of land for
Public Purposes, except for minor boundary adjustments or street alignments
shall be deemed to be a Major Amendment.
Any establishment of a new, or deletion of, a planned arterial or a major or
minor collector road shown on the General Plan 2002, shall be deemed to be
a Major Amendment.
Major Amendment Process
Major Amendments to the General Plan 2002 may only be presented and
considered by the Planning and Zoning Commission for recommendation to
the Town Council at a single public hearing (Planning Commission Major
General Plan Amendment (MGPA) hearing) during the calendar year in which
the proposed amendment is made, and by The Town Council at a single public
hearing during the calendar year in which the proposed amendment is made.
Applicants proposing a Major Amendment shall submit a formal application at
least four (4) months prior to the Planning Commission MGPA hearing. Such
application shall include both graphic materials and a project narrative,
together with supporting materials and presentation materials as deemed
necessary by the Director of Community Development. The graphic and
project narrative shall include a description of the public benefit and impacts in
the following areas:
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 97
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 98
Intensity/density of use/design
Open space and linkages
Circulation, including local and regional transit connections and
pedestrian and bicycle paths
Presentation to the Town Council on the proposed Major Amendment shall
include a Resolution, which, upon Council approval, will become the formal
acknowledgement of amendment of the General Plan 2002.
AREA SPECIFIC PLANS
An Area Specific Plan is a further refinement of all of the elements of the
Fountain Hills General Plan in a specific area. Under the direction of the
Planning and Zoning Commission or Town Council, the Community
Development Department may prepare such plans in accordance with the
General Plan and may recommend such plans to the Town of Fountain Hills for
adoption. An Area Specific Plan may be prepared by private individuals or
agencies under the supervision of the Town.
The basis for the preparation of the Area Specific Plans includes the following
factors:
1. Development potential for new or expanded economic activities
(including commercial areas, employment areas and mixed use
districts).
2. Development and/or revitalization (e.g. Town Center).
3. Special site characteristics (i.e. recreational, natural resources).
4. Rapid growth or economic change.
5. Other extenuating circumstances.
The Town may adopt Area Specific Plans as provided by State Statutes (ARS
9-461.08.) An Area Specific Plan shall be limited to modifying only the
overall pattern of land uses, and then only when the pattern will not
detrimentally affect surrounding existing and/or future land use patterns,
and will not be in conflict with any other provisions of the Fountain Hills
General Plan 2002.
GLOSSARY
AASTO-American Association of State Highway and Traffic Officials
ADT-Average Daily Traffic
Alternative Fuel-non-gasoline fuels
American States Water Company-parent company of Chaparral City
Water Company
ARS-Arizona Revise Statutes
Bosque-a small group of trees
CCWC- Chaparral City Water Company
Chaparral City Water Company- independent water company
providing potable water
Communities Southwest-Developer of Eagle Mountain subdivision
Dog Park-a public park where dogs have a fenced area to play off
leash
DU/AC-dwelling unit per acre
Eagle Mountain-platted subdivision
Eagles Nest-subdivision
Eagle Ridge North-subdivision
FireRock- platted subdivision
Fountain Hills Sanitary District-independent agency providing
sewerage services
HPE-Hillside Protection Easement
ITE-Institute of Transportation Engineers
MAG-Maricopa Association of Governments
McCulloch Corporation-company that purchased the land that
became the Town of Fountain Hills
MCO-McCulloch Corporation
MGPA-Major General Plan Amendment
MUTCD-Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices
OSC-Open Space Conservation
OSR-Open Space Recreational
P-Bar Ranch-part of the original townsite land
Page Land & Cattle Company-owner of P-Bar Ranch
Plat 208-part of the Town Center development area
PM-10-gradation measurement of the size of dust particles thrown
into the air by passing vehicles
Qwest Communications-provider of telephone, cable television and Internet access
Ramada-an open-air structure
R.O.W.-right of way
RPTA-Regional Public Transportation Authority
RUPD-Residential Unit Planned Development
Rural/Metro Corporation-provider of fire protection services
Skate Park-recreational facility for skateboarding
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 99
Adopted June 20, 2002 Town of Fountain Hills General Plan 100
Southwest Gas-provider of natural gas
Special Event-large gathering that draws crowds of visitors
SRP-Salt River Project, provider of electrical service
SunCor-with MCO, developer of SunRidge Canyon
SunRidge Canyon- platted subdivision
Westridge- platted subdivision
Xeriscape-style of landscaping using low-water irrigation systems and
natural desert plants
