The community of Fountain Hills has been in existence in some form for more than 40 years, and one constant during that time has been debate over its ongoing development.

The City of Scottsdale and others had trepidation back in the late 1960s when original developer McCulloch was laying the groundwork for building a brand new community east of the McDowells. Community debates have continued since that time as different re-zonings have come forward for approval by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors (prior to incorporation) or the Town Council (from 1990 and since then).

With the Great Recession and all, we haven’t had a Great Debate in a while over a zoning issue, but the Adero Canyon changes sought by MCO Properties have ignited a neighborhood (Cordabella) and fueled back-and-forth debate on what exactly Adero should look like once it is developed.

It’s been our experience over the decades that many zoning debates have an underlying feeling of “I really would prefer that the land remain vacant and nothing be developed there.” Such debates often lend themselves to much hyperbole on the part of neighbors who are fighting a particular issue or development.

Typically, once a development goes in, the long-term impacts and negative effects once brought up as “the sky is falling” arguments never do materialize.

The suggested changes to Adero Canyon are worth serious examination and consideration. Many factors must be weighed by the Town Council, not just the nuts and bolts of traffic counts and construction traffic (which would exist no matter what type of zoning is given on the property). Fountain Hills at one time was master planned to “contain” up to 75,000 people. That, obviously, will no longer happen for many reasons. We have had many “down zonings” with densities over the decades. Where multi-family zoning once existed we now have single-family homes.

The Adero Canyon zoning request stands as an exception to that trend, but it shouldn’t be dismissed simply for that reason. There are many valid reasons why the changes would be good for the entire Town of Fountain Hills.