Cave Creek council accepts ad hoc report, directs staff to pursue appraisal updates and funding for 405-acre open-space purchase

The Cave Creek Town Council on Jan. 27, 2026 voted to accept the final report and recommendations of an ad hoc committee studying the possible acquisition of about 405 acres of Arizona State Land Department trust land and directed staff to update appraisals, prepare a memorandum of understanding with the Desert Foothills Land Trust for private donations and return with funding options.

Steve Lamar, chair of the ad hoc open-space committee, told the council the committee had walked and evaluated each parcel and grouped members into three work streams for communications, parcel prioritization and financing. "These are our recommendations based on what we know now," Lamar said, adding that the group had purposely avoided recommending steps they could not substantiate. He urged the council to view the executive summary and maps to identify priority parcels and financing needs.

Public commenters praised the effort. David Phelps thanked the committee and invited council and residents to continue the conversation at a Thursday library meeting. "This is really putting us on the map," Phelps said. Bill Man, identifying himself as board chair of the Desert Foothills Land Trust, expressed the land trust's intent to continue the partnership: "We live in an amazing part of the world," he said, and called the project "a noble undertaking." Michael Wener, a resident, asked the committee and council to weigh the relative risk of each parcel being targeted for development when setting priorities.

Vice Mayor Royer moved to accept the committee's report, to acknowledge the ad hoc committee's work is complete and to dissolve the task force; to direct staff to update an appraisal of the roughly 405 acres; to prepare an updated memorandum of understanding, acceptable to the Desert Foothills Land Trust, under which the trust would administer an account for private donations expressly pledged for acquiring those parcels; and to return with funding options. An amendment, moved by the vice mayor and seconded by Council member Cynthia, directed staff that once updated appraisals are received the town should work with the state land department to initiate an auction to purchase high-priority parcels using town funds.

Luke (town staff) told council that about $2.5 million in dedicated open-space funds is available now and that the open-space account grows by roughly $500,000 a year; he said the updated appraisals should be complete in approximately four to six weeks. Council members said the funding and amendment put "skin in the game" and stressed urgency, noting potential political changes at the state level and recent land purchases along the I-17 corridor as reasons to move promptly.

Council members also discussed financing mechanics. Staff said the town's dedicated sales-tax-based open-space fund could be pledged for bonds without voter approval under state statute, potentially increasing purchasing power beyond current cash-on-hand if the council pursues bonded financing.

After discussion, the council took a roll-call vote and approved the motion and amendment. The motion directs staff to return with updated appraisals, a proposed memorandum of understanding with the Desert Foothills Land Trust for donation administration, and funding options; it further directs staff, once appraisals are updated, to pursue auction purchases for high-priority parcels.

The council recorded the motion as carried and adjourned the special meeting. The staff timeline for returning with appraisal updates and funding recommendations was stated as roughly one to six weeks for the appraisal update and likely within the next few council meetings for a funding plan.