On March 1^st staff members from Scottsdale’s planning department updated the McDowell Sonoran Preserve Commission on the status of Scenic Corridor Guidelines [Read More] that had been approved by the commission early last year. Several members of the commission had requested the update.

In 1999, a subcommittee of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve Commission worked with Scottsdale’s planning department and drafted Scenic Corridor Guidelines. The purpose of the guidelines is to preserve desert character and scenic vistas along Scottsdale’s scenic corridors. The corridors include the northern part of Scottsdale and Pima Roads. Dynamite Road, Carefree Highway and the eastern part of Shea Boulevard and Cave Creek Road. [Read More]

Since Scottsdale Road is Scottsdale’s signature road, planners made  decision to enhance it first and create an example of what can be done. In September 2000, Scottsdale voters passed a $27 million bond for improvements to the length of Scottsdale Road including the Scottsdale Road Scenic Corridor (Desert Foothills Scenic Drive).

The major points made during the update were:

• A draft of the Scenic Corridor Guidelines will completed by May, 2001
• Planning work for the use of the bond improvements will begin in the fall 2001
• There will be public hearings to obtain resident input
• Formal policy will be developed by the end of 2001
• Policy will be reviewed for adoption by Scottsdale’s Development Review Board
• Construction to begin in 2002
• On average, $ 1 million per mile can be spent on improvements

One piece of very good news was that City of Phoenix have agreed to meet with City of Scottsdale planners to discuss developing common standards for the portions of Scottsdale Road that the two cities share.

Many Considerations

The goal is to adopt design standards and a unified approach that will be applied to the roadscape for the entire length of Scottsdale Road. The plan calls for the early development of a "typical street section" that could be studied by residents.

Long-term both bond funds and money from Scottsdale’s capital improvement budget will be used to achieve the desired look. Planners did say that they are calling for a 100’ scenic setback and planted medians. They also said that medians would be large enough to accommodate possible future widening of Scottsdale Road (although it appears now that widening may not be required … "but forever is a long time." Many other decisions regarding the northern part of Scottsdale Road will be made in the coming months.

• Will the edge of the roadway have vertical (more formal) or ribbon curbs?
• What will requirements for bike lanes and sidewalks be handled?
• How will the transition for lighted to unlighted roadsides be handled?
• What will the speed limit be?
• How close will plants and trees be to the road?

Staff promised to provide the Preserve Commission with an updated Scenic Corridor Guideline matrix. The matrix shows the various guidelines and indicated implementation milestones and dates for each. Commission members requested that staff be invited back in the future to provide another update.

Friends of the Scenic Drive has published a pamphlet that outlines it recommendations for the Scottsdale Road Scenic Corridor. To receive a free copy of the pamphlet send an email to friends@scenicdrive.org. The information is also available on Friends’ Web site at www.scenicdrive.org.