Past Activities
2003
Plant Parent Day I
celebration showcases Scenic Drive vitality [Read
More]
Carl and Carole
Schneider named Scenic Drive "Friends of the Month" [Read
More]
"Own" a piece of the Scenic Drive.
Put your name on Plant Parent plaque. [Read
More]
Critter and Plant Note Cards
Illustrated by Scottsdale Artists Available. [Read
More]
Now or never! Scottsdale considers
ordinance changes to protect foothills area [Read
More]
It is essential
that Foothills residents support Foothills Overlay [Read
More]
Cookout proceeds
fund beautification projects [Read More]
Friends volunteers attend
class on illegal sign
removal [Read More]
T-shirts
"Serge" to the Volga [Read More]
Friends volunteers work and celebrate on Pride
Day [Read More]
Voluntary political sign ban achieves 100%
compliance [Read More]
Don't miss "Treasures and Trash"
litter pickup, free t-shirts, prizes, awards, refreshments on 10/26 [Read
More]
Important! Scenic Corridor Guidelines Updated.
What do you think? [Read More]
Arizona Joe, Prop 202 advocates ignore sign
ban [Read More]
All political candidates
observe voluntary ban of signs. Thank you! [Read
More]
McDowell Sonoran Land Trust Thanks
Friends for Donation [Read More]
Cookout at the Ranch VII
the best ever! [Read More]
2002
McDowell Sonoran
Preserve closed because of extreme fire danger [Read
More]
Friends announces
annual fund raiser, Cookout at the Ranch VII, to preserve desert and scenic
roadsides . This is a critical time in the development of our area and your
support is needed right now! Please support our efforts by purchasing tickets or
making a donation.
Friends completes project to paint Scenic Drive
utility boxes [Read More]
Carol and Howard Myers
Friend of the Month honorees [Read
More]
Outback Steakhouse and
MacDonald's Ranch to co-sponsor Cookout at the Ranch VII on September 28th.
New Web site focuses on
Pima Road Scenic Corridor [Read More]
5/16 at La Mirada
Community Center.
Key planning meeting regarding Scenic Drive, McDowell Sonoran Preserve,
Scottsdale Road's future [Read
More]
5-11: Volunteers
needed to help make "little boxes" disappear ... [Read
More]
By Special Request: Galapagos - The Ultimate
Preservation Project ... enjoy slide show [Read
More]
Despite hail and lightening,
Pick-of-the-Litter winner named, Don Schoenau honored, Scottsdale Council
members on-hand... enjoy slide show... [Read
More]
Is this a Harris Hawk? Susan in Phoenix wants to know. [Read
More]
Two "Friend of the Month"
honorees pick up
litter on the Scenic Drive and deliver t-shirts, positive message about American
volunteerism abroad... [Read More]
See 40-year Scenic Drive
Timeline for list of important dates and events in Scenic Drive's
history... [Read
More]
Learn about
Scottsdale's Scenic Corridors and Guidelines... [Read
More]
Jane Rau donates
saguaro to Scenic Drive honoring Don Schoenau.... [Read
More]
Don't miss latest Peek
at the Peak articles, by and for the people who live in north Scottsdale,
Cave Creek and Carefree. [Read More]
Scenic Drive victimized... [Read More]
Special treat! Enjoy
monsoon sunsets [Read More], a Sedona Get-Away
[Read More], and Valley of the Sun sites and trips [Read
More].
Please check out the list of businesses
and organizations that have been named Friends of the Scenic Drive - 2001.
[Read More]
Friends
Announces Vision and Recommendations for Scenic Drive. [Read
More]
Scenic Drive Cleanup on Saturday, February 10th
Succeeds. [Read
More]
Saguaro Exhibit
Disappears!
Do we have a new solution for keeping our roads clean? [Read
More]
December 9th Scenic Drive
Litter Pickup a Success. More than 50 volunteers cleanup 8 miles of roadside. Thank you.
Newly discovered copies
of Black Mountain News from early 60's describe beginning of scenic road preservation effort, starving horses on
Scottsdale Road and much more! [Read More]
April 6th - Big day.
Volunteer recognition celebration, Don Schoenau memorial dedication and Scenic
Drive litter pickup... [Read More]
Will this election's
voluntary ban of political signs be as successful as in the past? Use our
checklist and go for a drive... [Read More]
PS. For the first time, a candidate did not participate in this voluntary sign
ban. The candidate was overwhelmingly defeated.
Volunteers needed for
Saturday, February 9 PLUS meet Bob Miller, Friend of the Month [Read
More]
2001
Saturday, October 28.
Don't miss Scottsdale Pride Day cleanup! [Read More]
THANK YOU EVERYONE
FOR A GREAT COOKOUT.
Event was a great success. ... [Read
More]
To Scottsdale Mayor
and Council: Here are the ordinance changes that will eliminate sign
pollution from Scottsdale's Scenic Corridors! [Read More]
Volunteers do it
again! Scenic Drive cleared of litter. Thank you. [Read
More]
State
Land Department Should Reclassify Parcels Along Scenic Drive, and More.
[Read More]
Planners
Provide Scenic Corridor Update. [Read
More]
The
Black Mountain Conservancy Conducts Photo Contest. Hopes to focus attention on the preservation of Black Mountain's beauty. [Read
More]
The Peek at the Peak
Gets New Look Find out what's going on in north
Scottsdale. [Read More]
A big thank you to the more than 1500 people who
attended the critical State Department Land Department hearing regarding
Scottsdale's McDowell
Sonoran Preserve. State officials put it best, "We never had a turnout
anywhere, as large as this." A special thanks to all who took advantage of
the free bus transportation donated by Friends and the Greater Pinnacle Peak
Association. Watch this space for updates on Scottsdale's petition. [Read
More]
Scottsdale residents quiz leaders at forum. North Scottsdale Town
Meeting provides healthy exchange of information ... [Read
More]
Friends launches on-line
discussion group to discuss 4 preservation topics: Scenic Drive, Scenic
Corridors, McDowell Sonoran Preserve, Arizona growth management initiatives. [Read
More]
2000
Black Mountain Conservancy seeks to preserve
Black Mountain's natural beauty and wildlife habitat ... [Read
More]
"Treasures and Trash",
September 28th, will benefit north Scottsdale. Volunteers
can sign-in ... [Read More]
Listen. Ask. Learn.
Influence. Meet the Scottsdale Mayor and City Council at the North Scottsdale
Town Hall Meeting, November 9th. [Read More]
Friends joins
Arizona's other preservation, outdoor and wildlife groups in opposing
Proposition 100 ... [Read More]
Home
Depot withdraws
development application . Thank you! Celebration rally and litter
pickup held. [Read More] Scottsdale
expedites passage of ordinance to restrict development of "Big Box"
outlets to prevent "geography of
nowhere." [Read More].
Scenic Drive loses a
good, good friend, Don Schoenau. [Read
More]
Friends joins forces
with other groups to sponsor community service
activities and improve communications. [Read More]
Japanese visitor
helps the Scenic Drive. [Read More].
Thank you! Kohl
Development and Donahue Shriber donate $25,000 in plants and trees to
re-vegetate Scenic Drive. Volunteers plant cholla, prickly pear and other
cactuses at intersections. [Read More]
"Friends hopes others will expand on
their work." See June, 3rd Arizona Republic article about Scenic
Drive. [Read More]
Great Arizona
evening! Cookout at the Ranch V a success. Thank You. [Read
More]
Valley Forward
volunteers provide litter pickup reinforcements Saturday, April 8th. [Read
More]. Friends march in Fiesta Days Parade [Read
More]
Thank You! Scottsdale candidates
refrain from posting campaign signs. [Read More]
Developers of master planned communities asked to reduce visual pollution.
[Read More]
Desert Foothills
Property Owners' Association proposes changes to Zoning Overlay to help preserve Desert Foothills Character Area.
Community Topics has the latest information.
Don Schoenau researches
the history of the Carefree Sundial. Do you know how its construction was related to the creation of the Desert Foothills Scenic Drive? [Read
More]
Volunteers picked up
litter along 6 miles of roadway on February 12th.
Rawhide and the City of Scottsdale support effort. [Read
More]
Friends unveil plaque honoring "fallen giant", conduct litter pickup efforts and assist with Scenic Drive
beautification. [Read More]
Progress
on Scottsdale's Scenic Corridor Recommendations! [Read
More] Scottsdale uses
environmentally-sensitive color to paint poles along Scenic Drive. Mayor and City
officials visit Scenic Drive. City Council votes to
eliminate weekend directional signs as first step to reducing sign pollution. See latest Scenic
Corridor Implementation Status Report. [Read
More]
"The Summit" featuring 325,000-square foot, "big box" shopping center
targeted for property along Scenic Drive. Developer gathers input from concerned
community. [Read More]
1999
Land Trust leads hike
to Windgate Pass. [Read More]
Friends
announces litter pickup schedules through January 2000.
Scottsdale Pride Day effort a big success with more than 60 Friends' volunteers
participating. Rawhide, Albertsons and Coyotes provide coffee, donuts and T-Shirts for
volunteers.
And a great time
was had by all! Cookout at the Ranch IV will be a tough act to follow. [Read
More]
Scenic Drive
receives "Scottsdale Places" Award. [Read
More]
Friends kicks
off Giant Saguaro Raffle, conducts successful road clean up effort
[Read More] and marches
in Fiesta Days Parade ... yahooo! [Read More]
Time to celebrate! A review of Friends'
1998 activities and accomplishments. [Read More]
1998
Thank you for your support of the December 5th clean up.
More than 90 Friends and sponsoring businesses participated in "Treasurers
and Trash"
road clean up on Saturday, October 24th.
[Read More]
November 3rd election shows overwhelming support for
expansion of Scottsdale's McDowell Sonoran Preserve by approving Propositions 410 and 411.
Targeted lands include parcels that would link Scenic Drive to Preserve. [Read
More] Friends of the Scenic Drive has supported expansion
propositions. [Read More]
Can our scenic roads be saved? Big step forward!
Scenic corridor recommendations were approved by the McDowell Sonoran Preserve
Commission on 10/8/1998. [Read
More]
Out-of-state
environmentalists help clean with clean up. [Read More]
Mark your calendars: Be sure
to vote for desert preservation
in November! [Read More]
June 1998.
Community to benefit from Cookout at the Ranch III! Plans for enhancements outlined.
FAQ for McDowell Sonoran Preserve added to site (visit AboutDrive). [Read
More]
Early May, 1998. City of Scottsdale to hydroseed and
revegetate roadside areas graded by APS during power line burial project. City staff
also agrees to rapidly move ahead with our 1996 request to use common color theme for
poles, traffic masts along the Scenic Drive.
June 6, 1998. The wagons
really rolled! Residents and visitors packed our annual Cookout at the Ranch III
benefit at Mac Donald's Ranch and the support of volunteers,
local businesses and exhibitors was absolutely incredible.
Proceeds will be used to promote preservation and enhance the Scenic Drive.
Late April, 1998. Major milestone reached. Finishing
touches put on major enhancements and new exhibit, Drive identification signs
and Drive entry signs unveiled. Thank you for your support! [Read
More]
April 3rd. New signs installed. Friends have
a barrel of fun! [Read More]
Scottsdale's Neighborhood Enhancement Commission
has approved matching funds for the Scenic Drive Visitor Exhibit.
The money will be used to pay for photometal plaques describing history, flora and
fauna. [Read More]
Scottsdale's Proposed Desert Open Space Plan calls
for Scenic Drive link to be part of 19,500 acre
desert preserve. [Read More]
Cookout at the Ranch III
to be held on Saturday, June 6th at Mac Donald's. [Read
More]
1997
A special thank you
- Mayor Drinkwater's Support Remembered. [Read More]
Scenic Drive to get major improvements. The Del Webb Corporation has funded new signs and
other improvements. Saturday, October 25th was a historic day for the Desert Foothills
Scenic Drive with the mayors of Scottsdale, Carefree and Cave Creek participating in a
public announcement and ceremony at the Monument Sign. [Read
More]
"Treasures and Trash" litter pickup effort of
Scenic Drive draws 60 volunteers. The pickup preceded the event described above and was
organized by the Scottsdale Pride
Commission and Friends of the Scenic Drive. Many thanks to:
- Rawhide for donating coffee, juice and breakfast rolls
- Outback Steakhouse donated a brunch consisting of scrambled eggs, bacon and french toast
- Dutch's Water for donating ice
- Basha's for donating water and granola bars
- Grayhawk for donating T-shirts
Scouts re-establish plant sites on east side of
Scenic Drive. [Read More]
Friends thanks volunteers, sponsors, contributors for
success of Cookout at the Ranch. See "Thank
You!!" for a list of contributors and Fun at Cookout at the
Ranch II for pictures of volunteers in action.
MacDonalds Ranch gets five year extension on lease from
State. [Read More]
Cave Creek Unified School District falculty and
students are creating an interpretive trail on 20 acres that have been set aside for the
education and enjoyment of all Cave Creek School District students and community members.
The trail, which is part of the school districti's Desert Education Center is not ready
for public access but is being used to teach classes on the desert. For additional
information contact the Cave Creek Unified School District in Cave Creek, Arizona.
Maricopa County recently released a plan to
establish the Carefree Highway Scenic Corridor, an 18-mile stretch of road extending from
Lake Pleasant Road east to Scottsdale Road ( Desert Foothills Scenic Drive). The
recommendations have to be approved by the county board of supervisors and the affected
municipalities need to update their General Plans.