Council weighs selling town parcels; directs staff to begin focused review of Ashbrook lots

Fountain Hills leaders spent an extended portion of the meeting discussing whether the town should consider selling some vacant, town-owned parcels that are not connected to washes. Mayor Friedel said the intent was to identify unused parcels that could be sold to fund road repairs and future needs such as a lake-liner replacement.

Staff emphasized the item was for discussion only and presented sample parcels for council consideration. Public Works Director Weldy acknowledged an error in the staff report late in the afternoon: one parcel previously listed as not on the parks-and-rec master plan is in fact designated as a future park site (corner of Sunridge Canyon and Desert Canyon). Staff said the overall review would likely take 12+ months and that any sale would follow state-required processes (competitive bid for fair market value or auction).

Council debate split between members who favored conserving open space and those who supported assessing the town's inventory for potential revenue. Vice Mayor Skilicorn and several council members emphasized preserving open space and protecting neighborhood expectations about zoning; others noted the town faces long-term infrastructure needs and that some parcels could be appropriate candidates for sale. Councilmembers repeatedly stressed parcels should be examined individually and that any rezoning decisions would return to the council.

Five residents spoke during public comment. Crystal Kavanaugh and Kim Woborski urged preserving the Sunridge Canyon parcel as natural open space and called for any future development to be limited to single-family homes consistent with the neighborhood. Shelby Blecker and others said the small Sunridge parcel could be sold if protections and setbacks ensured compatibility.

After discussion the council asked staff to focus first on a small set of building lots on Ashbrook Drive (single-family lots that require minimal zoning work) and return with detailed information—survey, appraisal, likely market value, and timeline—so the council can consider whether to move forward. Town staff reiterated that any sale would require council approval and that some parcels may require rezoning and additional public input before disposal.

The town manager also noted that municipal sales are constrained by state law to specific sale methods (competitive bid or auction) and that staff will be careful to evaluate impacts to neighbors and any park-designated parcels before returning to the council.