Mike, I fully understand your dismay at the prospect of 286 townhouse units going in across the street from you, but this is not at the development stage. The case is for rezoning the land. It represents an obligation the City owes the AZ State Land Department from 2002.

Three comments:
1. A boutique resort is also a possibility in the 38 acres of R-4R zoning.
2. The land you refer to is within the boundary of the planned Preserve.
3. Scottsdale voters can decide if the City will be a bidder if/when the parcels go up for auction.

GPPA would rather have the land linking Scottsdale Road to the Preserve added to the Preserve. This involves the will of the people of Scottsdale and the funds to purchase the remaining land the City and voters envisioned becoming part of the Preserve in the General Plan 2001.

The Scenic Drive was created and has been maintained for over 50 years. GPPA is committed as always to protecting the beauty of our desert and wildlife habitat along N. Scottsdale Road. GPPA Board of Directors and members have been passionate about preserving the environment and quality of life in North Scottsdale over decades of involvement, efforts and progress.

GPPA has spoken to the City about forming a Task Force to investigate possibilities for buying the land. But we cannot do this alone. We need the participation of Scottsdale citizens who are as committed as we are to try to make it happen.

Thank you for your call to action. For my article responding to your comment, please visit:
https://apeekatthepeak.org/scenic-drive-rezoning-case-19-zn-2014-got-2002-2016/

Cindy Lee, GPPA

Mike, Thank you very much for your comment. It is appreciated. I hear you re: apartments, sprawl, etc. I am taking the liberty of subscribing you to The Peak’s Newsletter (you can automatically unsubscribe at the bottom of the newsletter, if you so desire). Getting the newsletter will make it easier to stay updated on the activities of Friends of the Scenic Drive and GPPA.

Back in May 2014, after learning that the preserve commission, city, and state land were involved in sensitive/complex/internal discussions related to the acquisition of new land for the planned trailhead on Pima, etc. that MIGHT involve rezoning of property on Scottsdale Road and the Scenic Drive, I wrote a series of articles. the first of which is entitled Scottsdale Scenic Drive Post 1. Roadside Sprawl Heading Our Way? In the following two years, The Peak published numerous articles and videos about the case as the details were revealed. The author of the article that you commented on is writing a much more detailed response to your comment that will be published in The Peak soon. Of course, I wish the property on Scottsdale Road was in the preserve and not just part of the planned preserve. We did the best we could. To protect the Scenic Drive from future commercial and high density development is going to take support from a lot of people who care. People like you. Thanks again, Les

The city of Scottsdale has massive apartment/Condo complexes popping up on what seems like every corner in North Scottsdale (take a look at Scottsdale Rd/101 for evidence of that), we don’t need that kind of high density housing in this area and we certainly don’t need roughly 600 people crammed into 38 acres between Jomax and Happy Valley. This is a complete and total shame and I wish and hope the citizens in this area will come out in force when this goes to the city council to oppose this development. I’m hoping all the citizens of this area will make it known to the GPPA that while they may support it, we don’t.