Courtesy of Friends of the Scenic Drive
cartoon erasing line
Since Scottsdale began the effort, with the repeated support of voters, to create and complete the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, there have been two important game changers that have influenced the relationship between the land department and the city (see “Scenic Drive Post 4. Roadside Gorilla“). These are the Great Recession and modest land reform.
Game Changer #1. Modest Land Reform
There have been several state-wide attempts at land reform, with the objective of making it easier for urban municipalities, including Scottsdale, to preserve some of their remaining open space. Interest groups that benefit from developing land in urban areas (Can you guess who they are?) have worked hard to defeat these measures – and as a result have supported the status quo, urban sprawl.
None-the-less, since Scottsdale began its far-sighted quest to include 36,401 acres, including essential sections of its scenic corridors, in its McDowell Sonoran Preserve, the city has had some help from modest land reform at the state level.
These reforms are the Arizona Preserve Initiative (API) and Proposition 303. The State Land Departments website describes them. “The API became law in 1996. It is designed to encourage the preservation of select parcels of State Trust land in and around urban areas for open space. The law lays out a process by which Trust land can be petitioned for reclassification for conservation, and subsequently leased or sold at public auction for that purpose. In 1998 the voters passed Proposition 303 which included a matching grant program for the acquisition or lease of State Trust lands under API…”
Thus, Scottsdale and other municipalities have been able to submit petitions to have parcels of land reclassified and also take advantage of matching grants to reduce their cost of acquiring the land. Of course the state decides which petitions are accepted and which are not. The fact that local voters have indicated they want to preserve a parcel of land is a consideration and only that.
Game Changer #2. The Great Recession
In 2007, the State Land Department announced plans, based on a request by SunCor to auction 1,713 acres in the planned preserve. Mayor Manross and the City of Scottsdale stood up and vigorously opposed the plan. The 1,713 acres stretch from Happy Valley and Scottsdale Roads to Pima Road and Dynamite Boulevard, and along the east side of Pima from Jomax Road to Dixileta. If developed, the acreage would not only defeat Scottsdale far-sighted preservation ambitions but it would also lead to additional sprawl along the Scenic Drive and three of Scottsdale’s Scenic Corridors, Scottsdale Road, Pima Road, and Dynamite Boulevard.
An editorial that appeared in the January 11th issue of the Arizona Republic opposed the auction and quoted Mary Manross, Scottsdale’s Mayor and Land Commissioner Mark Winkelman. “Scottsdale wants to preserve the land. ‘It’s right here, right where we live,’ Manross said. ‘It really adds value to everyday life.’ Winkelman wants to see it developed, for the same reasons. It’s valuable land on existing streets with great views.” There’s not much room for compromise – and not much chance that Manross or Winkelman will fold.”
Then, in 2008, the real estate market crashed.
SunCor withdrew its request. The State Land Department became very, very busy – not auctioning off land – but in taking back trust land when developers defaulted on their financial commitments that resulted from them having been the high bidders on earlier auctions. Scottsdale had stood strong and dodged a 1,713 acre bullet directed at its preserve plans and indirectly at its scenic corridors.
Despite challenging times, Scottsdale has continued its steadfast efforts to complete the preserve, despite a severe dip in revenues caused by the huge downturn. Better times are here. What’s next?
Read the next post to see what the city has accomplished during tough times.
Related Articles
Scottsdale Scenic Drive Post 1. Roadside Sprawl Heading Our Way? – Published 5/27/2014
Scottsdale Scenic Drive Post 2. Road to Groundhog Land – Published 5/28/2014
Scottsdale Scenic Drive Post 3. Four Henchmen of Urban Sprawl – Published 5/28/2014
Scottsdale Scenic Drive Post 4. Roadside Gorilla – Published 5/31/2014
Scottsdale Scenic Drive Post 5. Dig Reveals Original Sprawl Solution – Published 6/1/2014
Scottsdale Scenic Drive Post 6. Two Game Changers – Published 6/11/2014
Scenic Drive Post 7. After the Crash, An Update – Published 6/12/2014
Scottsdale Scenic Drive Post 8. New Scenic Drive Commercial Zoning? – Published 6/29/2014
Related Websites
Related Websites
Friends of the Scenic Drive (www.scenicdrive.org)
McDowell Sonoran Conservancy (www.mcdowellsonoran.org)
City of Scottsdale, Preserve (www.scottsdaleaz.gov/Preserve
Arizona Land Department (www.azland.gov)
Arizona Preserve Initiative (from azland.gov website)
Recent Comments