Rural living has a place in the Maricopa County of the future. That’s the takeaway from the Daisy Mountain/New River Area Plan approved this week by the Board of Supervisors.
In addition to more than 20 cities and towns, Maricopa County is also home to several unincorporated areas, including one encompassing the communities of New River, Desert Hills, and Anthem. The Board of Supervisors periodically approves plans concerning the development of these areas.
“This is a special part of Maricopa County full of people who care deeply about retaining their rural quality of life. We heard that loud and clear through the many community meetings and other forms of public participation that the county prioritized during the process of updating the area plan” said Board of Supervisors’ Chairman Bill Gates, District 3, who represents the area. “The result is a plan that addresses critical, present-day issues and prepares residents for the future, while also assuring the uniqueness of this area will not be compromised. I want to thank the folks in New River, Desert Hills, and Anthem for being so involved in the process and would encourage all residents to go to our website to read the plan for themselves.”
The approval of the Daisy Mountain/New River Area Plan follows an extensive outreach campaign to the nearly 39,000 residents and property owners of the Planning Area that started last fall. Hundreds of people participated by attending community workshops or completing surveys.
Area Plans provide a specific guide for citizens, Maricopa County Planning and Development staff, Planning and Zoning Commission, and the Board of Supervisors concerning growth and development in the Planning Area. The Area Plan was last updated in 1999. Since then, the area has seen significant changes including the development of Anthem, widening of Carefree Highway from two to four lanes, and the surge of growth northward with the opening of the Loop 303 Highway.
Read the 2019 Daisy Mountain/New River Area Plan