By Linda Bentley | DECEMBER 9, 2015
Meritage Homes proposes 55-home project on 12 acres in SAP
When asked if Meritage would consider lower density, Davis stated he was not even sure if 55 units would be financially viable
CAVE CREEK – Greg Davis of Iplan Consulting, a land planner working with Meritage Homes, conducted a required neighborhood meeting to present Meritage’s proposed 55-home subdivision on approximately 12 acres immediately west of Lowe’s within the Specific Area Plan (SAP) and to obtain citizen feedback.
The SAP, located on the north side of Carefree Highway between 48th and 54th streets, was approved by council last year as a special zoning district that allowed for hospitality use on these particular parcels of up to three stories or 33 feet in height to transition from the adjacent high intensity commercial uses in Carefree (Lowe’s) to Cave Creek’s low-density residential zoning.
The initial concept is for a mix of triplex and duplex town homes, or attached single-family homes, which Davis differentiated from condominiums by pointing out the homeowner owns the land the home is on.
The primary entrance to the non-gated community would be on 53rd Street.
Davis said the reason they decided on an attached-home product was to allow for additional open space.
Cheryle Carmitchel, who lives near the project on El Sendero Drive, asked if a traffic study had been conducted.
Davis said one would be done but he was not aware if one had been done by anyone else.
He stated the project was not “affordably driven,” and Meritage sees it as an upper-end product.
When asked if Meritage currently owned the property, Davis said it was in escrow contingent upon the viability of the project.
Timothy Spence, who lives adjacent to the proposed subdivision at its southwest corner, asked if the project would include solar panels.
A Meritage representative stated it would not and said they offered solar as an option on another project but no one purchased it.
He said, “It’s not cost effective.”
Responding to questions, Davis said the homes would be approximately 1,400 to 1,500 square feet with a community pool off the main entrance and paver walkways and landscaping throughout the community.
When asked if Meritage would consider lower density, Davis stated he was not even sure if 55 units would be financially viable and the project was still very conceptual at this point.
