It’s been exactly a year since the Planning and Zoning Commission first considered a Planned Area Development proposal for Adero Canyon in the lower McDowell Mountains.

Today, with one more final plat approval (expected to come from the Town Council this week), MCO Properties will move one step closer to beginning the development’s construction phase.

MCO President Jeremy Hall said he hopes construction can begin by late March.

However, he points out there is still some paperwork to handle regarding recording the new plats and waiting for completion of an archeological study on the site.

Hall said he has not heard from those conducting the archeological study but believes any historical finds will be “underwhelming.”

The PAD covers an 80-acre area of the overall parcel and will include plats with 31 semi-custom home lots, 44 townhouse lots and 120 multi-family/resort hotel units.

The new platting also includes a parcel with an additional 30 semi-custom home lots outside the PAD area.

Toll Brothers is designated builder for the semi-custom homes.

The beginning of construction will also bring closer to reality the long-awaited public roadway into the Fountain Hills McDowell Sonoran Preserve and, by extension, access to a myriad of desert hiking trails into McDowell Mountain Park and Scottsdale.

The development plan calls for a paved public street through the PAD area with an all-weather improved roadway continuing to the preserve boundary.

Once that access is in place the town can proceed with a plan for a trailhead at the preserve entry.

There is already a design and set of construction plans for the trailhead, as well as nearly $2 million in designated construction funds.

The money was set aside from development fees collected for open space projects, which is no longer a category for which the town can collect development fees.

With Adero Canyon development beginning, the town can start making budget plans for the trailhead construction.

Town Community Services Director Mark Mayer said they will need to wait for MCO to have a construction schedule firmly established before making specific plans for the trailhead.

The McDowell Mountain Preserve Commission is the advisory board that will make recommendations related to the trailhead.

The MMCP is set to be consolidated into the Community Services Advisory Commission at the end of 2017, or upon completion of the trailhead, whichever comes first, Mayer said.