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Town staff outlines multiple development projects and unveils public site-plan map after HB 2447 changes
Summary
At the May 5 Cave Creek council meeting, Development Director Luke Hautzman reviewed ongoing projects (Black Mountain Marketplace, a boutique hotel, retail and live-work proposals, API office relocation, Aldis, Mercado Dos), described water-capacity constraints, and introduced a public web map to improve transparency following Arizona House Bill 2447.
Development Services Director Luke Hautzman gave an expansive report to the Cave Creek Town Council on May 5, summarizing multiple commercial and residential projects, grant pursuits and a new public tracking tool intended to preserve transparency after the state's House Bill 2447 reduced council-level site-plan review.
Hautzman said staff filed an application with the Arizona State Land Department and is working with Logan Simpson and State Parks and Trails on a Land and Water Conservation Fund pre-application (pre-app due June 30; final due July 31) that could reimburse up to $2,000,000. He also told council that DFLT has approved a draft agreement, prepared by counsel Bill Sims, to act as a fiscal agent for donations; that agreement is slated for council consideration on May 19.
On developments, staff reported the Black Mountain Marketplace (Bullington property) site plan is approved and a transfer-development-right agreement is anticipated; a boutique 114-room, two-story hotel on the former Bob Kite/Galloway Crossing remnant would use an existing water entitlement and meets the town's 25-foot height limit. Other projects discussed included a small retail center near Starbucks and Dunn Edwards, seven live-work units south of Town Hall, the API corporate-office relocation with an associated streetscape and trail, and a project named Javelina Crossing in site-plan review.
Hautzman explained that House Bill 2447 converted certain site-plan approvals from legislative to administrative actions, so staff created a publicly accessible web map that allows residents to click on projects, see status, and contact the staff member administering each case. He emphasized that variances or exceptions still come to council and staff will continue to mail circumference notices for pending development.
Hautzman also updated council on projects constrained by water availability: Mercado Dos (Retablo) is vested but in a holding pattern until water resources or council action on allocations are available. Aldis has submitted permits and is in plan review. Staff said the town is monitoring water-capacity implications before advancing projects.
Why it matters: The combination of continued development interest, limited water supply and administrative shifts under HB 2447 makes the town's transparency and water-policy decisions central to future approvals and community concerns. The web map is intended to help the public track projects even when administrative staff handle site-plan approvals.
What comes next: The DFLT fiscal-agent agreement will be presented to council on May 19; staff will continue to update the web map, track permit status and report back on water-capacity matters as projects advance.
