Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Asld Acquisition topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Cave Creek council votes to pursue purchase of roughly 4,000 acres from Arizona State Land Department
Summary
The Cave Creek Town Council authorized staff to file an application with the Arizona State Land Department for an auction of approximately 4,000 acres of state trust land and directed staff to begin required surveys and studies while pursuing grants and financing. The council also endorsed a revenue-bond funding path to reduce immediate budget impact.
The Cave Creek Town Council on a unanimous 7–0 vote authorized town staff to file an application with the Arizona State Land Department to initiate an auction for roughly 4,000 acres of state trust land and directed the town manager to approve the studies, surveys and plans required by the department.
The action, carried in two votes during the meeting, follows presentations from Arizona State Land Department assistant directors Karen Dada and Ruben O’Hada, who described the department’s sale process, and a town-financing briefing from financial advisers with Stifel. Karen Dada emphasized the department’s legal constraints, saying the department “cannot sell for less than fair market value” and that any sale or lease longer than 10 years requires a public auction and independent appraisal.
Why it matters: The acquisition would expand the town’s preserved open space and link with existing facilities such as Spurcross Ranch and Cave Creek Regional Park. The council approved filing an application to secure a place in the State Land Department’s queue and to start necessary due diligence (ALTA survey, Phase I environmental, cultural resources/SHPO consultation) so the town can move quickly while grant and financing plans are developed.
What the council directed: Councilmember Joe moved to provide staff with a preferred funding option and later moved to file the ASLD application; both motions carried 7–0. The town manager was authorized to administratively approve the technical studies the application requires so staff can complete the application and prepare for an eventual auction.
Funding and next steps: Town staff and advisers presented financing scenarios that assume an illustrative acquisition price of about $14.5 million (subject to appraisal). The council favored a revenue-bond approach (debt repaid from excise/TPT revenues) because it avoids the cost and delay of a voter bond election and produced lower near-term household impact in the advisers’ examples. Stifel’s advisers noted the town currently has roughly $4.1 million of potential equity and recommended the revenue-bond path as the lowest-impact option for residents.
Grants and partnerships: The council and staff will pursue federal Land and Water Conservation Fund grants and other smaller state grants to supplement town funds. Consultant R.J. Carden told councilors that LWCF applications have recently distributed $6–9 million statewide and that the state program recently increased per-application awards to about $2 million. LWCF grants require a one-to-one cash match and place perpetual public‑use restrictions on funded parcels; staff said those restrictions align with the town’s stated conservation plans.
What happens now: Staff will proceed with studies and finalize application materials for ASLD, pursue grant applications and refine financing terms. The town emphasized keeping momentum to remain in the ASLD queue while grant windows and ASLD timing are both possible; staff noted ASLD processing timelines typically take 12–18 months but can be longer depending on complexity and applicant responsiveness.
No vote recorded on final price or closing terms: The council’s approvals permit staff to move forward with the application and funding planning; any final purchase, auction action or contract will require the ASLD auction outcome and subsequent town-level approvals. The meeting adjourned after the council’s unanimous votes.
