The Town of Fountain Hills is currently in the midst of updating its General Plan to comply with the state requirement that the plan be updated and sent to voters for ratification at least every 10 years.

The last General Plan went to the voters in 2010 and the current update is slated to be on the ballot for the November 2020 election. The Planning Center, the consultant hired to prepare the update, has completed its outreach/input phase of work and has provided the town with a visioning report. Development Services Director John Wesley presented the report to the council at its Sept. 17 meeting. The Planning and Zoning Commission will hear a presentation and comment on the plan so far when it meets this week on Thursday, Sept. 26.

A couple of council members expressed some irritation with the process.

“I personally wish the legislature hadn’t mandated this update every 10 years at a cost of $100,000,” Councilman Alan Magazine said.

There is a significant amount of work involved in a General Plan update and many communities, particularly the size of Fountain Hills, do not have adequate staff to do the work in house, requiring consultants to be hired.

“We are paying a lot of money for what we have at this point,” Councilman Art Tolis said. He added that in his opinion the consultant did not do an adequate job collecting public and stakeholder input for the document.

Tolis said that based on his observation of the outreach process there were not large numbers in attendance at meetings and the report does not reflect what he heard in those sessions.

Mayor Ginny Dickey said the General Plan is an important tool for the town and council to use in guiding the town.

“This is a voter-approved document that grounds us when it comes to future development,” Dickey said.

There is a vision proposal that describes Fountain Hills as a unique small town within the Sonoran Desert with mountain views and a welcoming nature that presents in many events, activities and recreational, dining and shopping options.

Wesley said this plan is taking a different approach than previous General Plans. He said the town would be defined by various “character” areas rather than depending on land use definitions, which he said will offer flexibility in planning.

State statute requirements are integrated into the plan to allow for addressing issues “holistically,” Wesley said.

He adds that the overarching principle is to achieve the vision by integrating neighborhoods, environment and the economy to create a thriving community.

The character approach defines different areas of town based on land use, building height, lot coverage and circulation system.

The plan focuses on the character but allows flexibility to respond to both neighborhood and market concerns, Wesley said.

Proposed character areas within Fountain Hills include primary and secondary gateway neighborhoods, residential neighborhoods, commerce center, town center, Shea gateway, Saguaro Boulevard, natural open space, golf courses and the State Trust Land is defined as development reserve.

The plan will describe each character area with its primary uses and complementary uses. For example, a residential area may be defined by one of three subcategories including large lot, mixed neighborhood or urban. It would also allow for uses such as schools, parks and churches. The objective of the plan is to maintain the existing character and allow for the continuation of existing non-residential uses.

The Town Council will be presented with the draft General Plan when it meets in November. There will be a period for public review and comment with the revised draft presented by late winter.

Planning and Zoning will hold hearings and make a recommendation before passing it to the council for approval in the spring. It goes to the voters for ratification in November 2020.

The plan information is available for review at the town’s website, fh.az.gov.