During the joint meeting of the Town of Carefree held on March 13, 2023, many of our neighbors commented on several of the elements presented as the 2023-24 Work Plan Objectives. Most of the very eloquent and poignant comments were expressing concerns about the potential development of the state land 47.8 acres plot and the NW corner at Tom Darlington and Carefree Hwy.
Our neighbors spoke strongly about their desire to preserve to posterity the state land across the street from Sky Ranch airport. They saw much higher value in preserving pristine high desert land and vegetation than any of the proposed alternatives. Hopefully our town administrators are paying attention to the strong message here. Same message was stated during the first General Plan work shop last month. To this end, there is an organization, Carefree Park (carefreepark.org), that is committed to achieve this objective and that an increasing number of neighbors and friends are joining.
The other comments dealt with the plan for commercial development of the Tom Darlington and Carefree Highway corner. A very well-articulated concern and question presented by a fairly new neighbor was dismissed and mainly ignored because there was no distinction made between the four corners at that intersection –YES!, we know that three of those corner belong to Scottsdale-. Given the fact that El Pedregal is mostly empty and that there are many commercial spaces available in the mall on the SW corner, what makes us believe that a new development just across the street will not follow the same occupancy issues that the two existent developments south of it? This is a very valid question and concern that we should be giving our full attention when we make plans for and project revenues out of the development of that land.
Daniel Crespo-Dubie
Carefree resident
