The Town Council has approved a series of requests allowing Toll Brothers Homes to continue its efforts in developing the Adero Canyon subdivision along the Scottsdale/Fountain Hills boundary.

Toll Brothers made a request to allow some grading of home lots to encroach onto land that is within the Fountain Hills McDowell Mountain Preserve.

In exchange for that permission to disturb Preserve land Toll Brothers has agreed to deed 82 acres of property it owns over to the town to be added to the Preserve.

The 82-acres had been designated as a parcel of land to be platted for single family custom home lots when MCO Properties owned the land.

The land is on a steep slope and is not conducive to the style of development used by Toll Brothers.

In response to a question from Councilwoman Sherry Leckrone, Development Services Director Bob Rodgers told the council a past environmental study done with the original platting of the subdivision had turned up no sensitive habitat for flora or fauna in the area to be disturbed.

Councilman Henry Leger called on Bill Myers, chairman of the McDowell Mountain Preservation Commission, to get input from the commission’s perspective.

Myers said the commissioners are very much in support of the land exchange.

“I know these 82 acres well,” Myers said. “It is directly south of the [trailhead] and is great ground.

“It’s a very steep slope and not good for development, but great for the Preserve.”

Myers said the additional land provides the opportunity for another trail along the ridge running south of the trailhead.

Comparing the size of the site to a local landmark, he said the 82 acres is more than double the size of Fountain Park. The Preserve now totals 1,022 acres including the base 740 acquired by the town by purchase and trade, as well as another 200 acres with the Preserve that is owned by the City of Scottsdale.

Bill Craig, head of the Sonoran Conservancy Trailblazers group that cuts trails by hand within the Preserve, said they are very pleased to support the exchange. He said there is a knob at the southern tip of the ridge that provides outstanding panoramic views, but has been on the private land. It is within the 82 acres just deeded to the town, allowing for the access.

“We have hopes of adding a trail down the leg that runs adjacent to the 82 acres,” Craig said.

The actions taken by the council at its Nov. 6 meeting amended the Town Code and the Town Zoning Ordinance to allow for the council to issue encroachment permits within the Preserve land. It also approved the encroachment permit for the Toll Brothers project, and separately accepted the gift of the 82 acres of land to be added to the Preserve. All votes were 6-0 in favor with Councilman Alan Magazine absent.

In a separate and unrelated action, the council also approved a final plat for Adero Canyon Parcel 2A. This is an approximately five-acre parcel with a 13-lot subdivision to be added to the home sites available in Adero Canyon.