Carefree residents should know that development and construction of 31 new homes is imminent on the 35-acre parcel of land, adjacent to the Eastwood development. Windmill Road will be paved from Stagecoach Pass to Cave Creek Road. Hundreds of old growth saguaro will be uprooted and moved, and the land may be scraped to accommodate these new homes.
This should not come as a surprise, since this land was purchased and platted back in 2007. This property recently changed hands, and the new property owners have the right to develop their land. But add to this, 4,000 acres on Pima Road planned for major development, and we see our precious Sonoran Desert is falling to urban sprawl.
This is a wakeup call to anyone who cares about conserving open space. We must act now before the same fate befalls the 48-acre parcel, directly adjacent to this new development.
The 48-acre site is the last remaining accessible large parcel of open Sonoran desert in the Town of Carefree, a feature which defines the Town, and the reason many residents live here. If this 48-acre parcel is lost to development as well, the character of Carefree will be changed forever.
A segment of the historic Stoneman Road Military Trail crossing the 48-acre parcel was listed in the National Register of Historic Places and the Arizona Register of Historic Places on January 2, 2024.
In addition to historical significance, the 48-acre parcel is home to over 250 old growth saguaro, as well as habitat for deer, javelina, bobcat, coyote, rabbits, quail, cactus wrens, and more.
The mission of Carefree Park, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, is to acquire and conserve this land in perpetuity as an open space park for Carefree residents and visitors, with minimal impact to the landscape. Conserving this open space could be the legacy of the Town of Carefree.
Carefree Park is accepting pledges and donations, and we need your help before it is too late.
www.CarefreePark.org
Please act now to help us try to save this land. If we do not save it, no one will, and it will be lost forever.
Wendy Mattes
Carefree Resident
