Cave Creek planning commissioners direct staff to begin rezones, general‑plan amendments for town and land‑trust parcels

The Cave Creek Planning Commission on March 19 voted to direct staff to begin the process to rezone six town‑owned parcels and to ask the Desert Foothills Land Trust whether it wants to initiate rezones for two of its preserves.

Zoning administrator Luke told the commission the proposals respond in part to House Bill 2447 and aim to align zoning with intended open‑space uses. He listed parcels including Desawareness Park (about 27 acres), a Sar Hill parcel near the library (~1 acre), the Roseness parcel (dedicated last year; ~25 acres), Kahava Springs tract dedications (~130 acres), the DFL PA Sites preserve (~272 acres) and the DFL Black Mountain Preserve (site of recent Black Mountain Trail relocation). He said two parcels (the Roseness parcel and the DFL Black Mountain parcel) currently have a 'desert rural' general‑plan land‑use designation and would therefore need a general‑plan amendment in addition to any rezone.

"If the majority of you are like we don't need to do this then that's one thing but I think this is something that we've looked at doing for several years," Luke said, explaining next steps would include neighborhood meetings, a planning commission public hearing and then town council action.

Chair Brener moved to "direct staff to begin the initiation of a minor general plan amendment and zoning map change for the town‑owned properties listed in the staff report and to contact the Desert Foothills Land Trust to inquire about the initiation of a minor general plan amendment and zoning map change for the DFL‑owned properties listed in the staff report." A second was given and the chair called the question; commissioners indicated support.

The motion directs staff to prepare applications, to coordinate an informational session with the State Land Department (staff noted a town‑council briefing with State Land Department representatives is scheduled for March 31) and to return to the commission with formal applications for public hearing and subsequent council consideration. The commission left the timing and level of community outreach to staff discretion.

The action is advisory to the town council; any final rezone or general‑plan amendment will require subsequent council approval.