Board begins study of options for vacant 4 Peaks and McDowell Mountain properties; possible land lease or ballot question discussed

The Fountain Hills Unified School board discussed next steps for two district properties that are vacant or underused — the 4 Peaks building and the McDowell Mountain campus — and reviewed possible options including demolition, land lease to a developer, or asking voters for authority to sell or lease the land.

Speaker 4 said district renters at 4 Peaks will not be renewed beyond December 2023 to preserve options. "If we're going to want to do something in November, we probably need to start having those discussions now," Speaker 4 told the board and suggested inviting town staff and consultants to explain the rezoning and election process.

Board members raised practical constraints: the district owns the buildings and some adjacent parcels (but not all parkland), the Boys and Girls Club holds a long‑term lease at a separate building through about 2050, and rezoning or changes to the general plan would be required for some development options. Staff said a developer had already expressed interest in a 99‑year land‑lease scenario and that a land‑lease could include preserving a preschool wing as an amenity, but board members cautioned community sensitivity and the need to examine general‑plan constraints.

Staff will schedule expert briefings (town planning and land‑lease consultants) for a future work‑study session and prepare materials so the board can evaluate the timetable for a potential election to authorize sale or lease.