Economic development advisory board reviews Village Center plans, hires market consultant and updates code‑enforcement work

The Carefree Economic Development Advisory Board received a work‑plan update covering circulation and parking, build‑out assumptions, a consultant‑led market positioning study and ongoing code‑enforcement work that staff said are designed to help the town reposition and support its Village Center.

Staff updates and consultants

Steve Prokopack (economic development staff) summarized the board’s role aligning the council’s strategic plan with implementation steps and said town consultants have provided a draft circulation and parking plan (Kimley‑Horn) that staff will present in greater detail in November. Prokopack said the plan will include conceptual restriping and potential capital improvement projects for Tom Darlington and Cave Creek Road and that the board’s November discussion will feed recommendations to council.

The board also heard that the Town Council approved an 18‑month contract to update the zoning ordinance and that Michael Baker International will lead that process. Separately, staff said the town hired a market‑positioning consultant, Evolve Ventures, to analyze tenant mix, visitation patterns and opportunities to attract investment; staff said the firm’s two consultants (Amy Malloy and Heather Person) will begin stakeholder interviews and return to present interim findings in November. Prokopack said the Evolve contract was modest in scope (reported by staff to be about $12,500) and intended to provide a short, focused analysis to inform marketing, tenant targeting and outreach.

Build‑out, Northeast Corner and façade program

Staff recapped a build‑out analysis that measures town capacity and noted that larger projects such as the Northeast Corner (Carefree/Cave Creek Road) remain uncertain and are conservatively not counted in short‑term revenue assumptions; one slide noted that the Northeast Corner’s timeline shows limited activity before 2027.

On small business support, the facade improvement program received two applications: staff reported one approved application (Spanish Village shade structures) awaiting final signature and another for 100 Easy Street (post‑office building) moved into the next quarter for additional scope work.

Town hall redevelopment and timeline

Staff confirmed an open house on Nov. 6 for the town‑hall redevelopment effort and said a draft RFP and budget estimates for reuse or redevelopment of town hall will follow; staff suggested a January discussion of a draft RFP with the goal of a February recommendation to council if schedules permit.

Market positioning work and outreach

Evolve Ventures will interview property owners, business owners, staff and council members and conduct broker/developer outreach. Staff said the firm will help clarify Carefree’s competitive positioning — how it fits relative to nearby Cave Creek, Scottsdale and other regional retail destinations — and recommend tenant mix and marketing strategies to attract repeat visitation and investment.

Code enforcement and compliance push

Stacy (zoning administrator) reported that staff formed an interdepartmental group to address long‑standing commercial code issues and residential work‑without‑permit complaints. She said common commercial problems included unpermitted uses (notably storage), missing business licenses, and improper signage (temporary signs used as permanent); on the residential side, staff saw many projects built without the necessary permits. Stacy said staff are pursuing compliance through education and, where necessary, legal action and that several violations have moved to the Cave Creek‑Carefree Court. She asked for the board’s support in publicizing compliance successes and educating owners and contractors about permit requirements.

Next steps and timing

Staff expects the Kimley‑Horn circulation/parking draft to be discussed in detail at the EDAB November meeting and for Evolve Ventures to present interim findings the same month; the comprehensive zoning overhaul led by Michael Baker International will proceed over an 18‑month schedule. Staff said it will return to the board with cost estimates, sidewalk/striping concepts and recommended sequencing for implementation of Village Center improvements.

Quotes (selected)

"We were able to hire [Evolve Ventures] for just a little bit of I think it was, like, 12,500," Prokopack said of the contract for market analysis.

"We sat down, we created this group, and it's a good, it's a diverse group," Stacy said about the interdepartmental code‑enforcement effort.

What remains unresolved

Key deliverables — the circulation/parking final recommendations, Evolve Ventures' completed market study, town‑hall redevelopment cost estimates and a formal code‑enforcement policy — are scheduled but not yet complete. Staff proposed bringing draft deliverables to the board in November and returning with firmer recommendations on timing and funding in subsequent months.