'Mini-town' edging Rio Verde Foothills

Nov. 22—You might forgive the thirsty-for-water residents of Rio Verde Foothills sour faces. After struggling with water woes for the last year, they heard about plans for a mini-town on their doorsteps being approved.

Over the objections of a neighbor concerned about flooding, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors last month approved two requests from developer Toll Brothers — paving the way for 1,200 homes.

That would be about the size of Rio Verde Foothills.

On 500 acres midway 4 miles east of Scottsdale (on the way to Fountain Hills), the development is aimed for the southeast corner of 176th Street and Rio Verde Drive.

Unlike neighboring Rio Verde Foothills, developers of this project say it has plenty of water.

According to the county application, West 36 worked with private water and sewer company EPCOR "prior to submittal to ensure there are the necessary infrastructure capabilities for the property ... The developer, not the public nor the county, will be responsible for planning and constructing improvements to EPCOR's water and sewer infrastructure as necessary to support the project."

Andrea Meck, a spokeswoman for national builders Toll Brothers, confirmed West 36 will have plenty of water.

"The community falls within the service area of EPCOR's Rio Verde Water District," she said.

And that district — not to be confused with Rio Verde Foothills, which is not part of it — has a "100-year water affirmation" from the Arizona Department of Water Resources.

Meck said construction of West 36 should begin in 2025 "and finish sometime in the early 2030s, subject to governmental approvals and the pace of future sales."

Neighbors support?

According to the West 36 application, "The Rio Verde Foothills to the west of the Property is filled with 'wildcat' lot splits and development that is not planned.

"This includes roadways, homes, accessory buildings, and 'storage' areas that have graded and cut through the natural environment, disrupting wash corridors and existing drainage patterns while exacerbating erosion and sedimentation.

"In contrast, West 36 will maintain its natural wash corridors ... the internal roads will be paved and maintained by the HOA, which also cuts down on dust control issues that the lot split areas typically experience."

According to the West 36 application, "residents in the Rio Verde Foothills area and in adjacent master planned communities are in support of the proposed community."

Public open houses were attended by about 50 Rio Verde Foothills residents — "but the majority of these residents were involved in the Rio Verde Foothills Water standpipe issue," the application states.

What do those described by Toll Brothers as dusty wildcatters think of the new project?

Contrary to the West 36 application, some RVF residents challenged the developer's assertion that their neighbors are welcoming them with open arms.

"I doubt there was much outreach to the Foothills residents," Christy Jackman said.

And she's not a fan: "I think it's awful to destroy that much desert with further high density with habitat destruction and light pollution."

Ditto for Cody Reim, Jackman's RVF neighbor.

"I'm not quite sure who they surveyed or what community outreach was performed," Reim said of West 36, "but I do not know of one single person in RVF that supports the construction of 1,200 additional homes out here."

Galvin recusal

A major amendment and rezoning were needed, as the previous plan — approved 32 years ago — called for about half as many homes, surrounding a golf course.

The new plan ditched the golf course but doubled the density.

"The project's estimated population is approximately 2,508," according to the application.

The development covers nearly 500 acres of "vacant desert land with terrain sloping at about a 1% grade to the east towards the Verde River and Tonto National Forest. There are a number of washes or arroyos traversing the site from west to east towards the Verde River."

One citizen, who identified himself as a developer, spoke in opposition to the project — stating he has concerns about flooding when "rooftops" replace natural vegetation.

"They have put as many units in there as they can...there's enormous problems with flood control," said Hans Kempers, who asked that the application be tabled "and ask them for a flood study, first."

Instead, the supervisors swiftly and unanimously gave the green light to Toll Brothers.

The vote by the county board was taken after Supervisor Thomas Galvin stepped away.

"I have a potential conflict, so I'm going to recuse myself," Galvin told the board.

Galvin did not respond to a request from the Progress to explain why he recused himself from the Toll Brothers/West 36 case.

Galvin is an attorney at Rose Law Group where, according to his bio, "his legal practice focuses on land use, real estate, and water law."

Galvin and Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega spent the last year taking potshots, with each blaming the other for Rio Verde Foothills' water woes.