Town Signage and Circulation Plan

As outlined in the Village Center Master Plan, the Town of Carefree is committed to building upon its core to improve the value of the Town Center area for both visitors and residents. In particular:

1. Improve arrival awareness

2. Improve wayfinding signage

3. Improve internal pedestrian connectivity

4. Create safer and improved pedestrian and bicycle connectivity from adjacent and proximate Carefree neighborhoods

5. Slow traffic on Cave Creek Road and Tom Darlington Drive

6. Ensure an adequate and functionally accessible parking distribution

PROCESS

The Town has hired Kimley-Horne to prepare the plan, which will include:

- Master Signage Plan

- Conceptual Circulation and Parking Plan (vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians)

- 30% engineering plans for Tom Darlington and Cave Creek Road adjacent to Town Center

In October 2021, a 14 member stakeholder group was comprised of residents and businesses. This group provided input and guidance on the plan as it evolves in the form of technical memorandums.

On April 4, 2022, the most recent version of the plan was presented to the Planning and Zoning Commission for review and comment. This included the first two of four technical memos and the most recent conceptual drawings.

On October 12, 2022, the Town hosted an Open House at Council Chambers inviting the public to learn and ask questions about the Town Center revitalization efforts. Citizens were asked to provide their input on Signage, Parking & Circulation, and ideas for the Town Center Revitalization.

On October 17 and October 25, 2022, the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) and Town Council respectively each reviewed the document for a final time in order to incorporate any last thoughts before the draft goes through the formal adoption process. Those public meetings are tentatively scheduled for P&Z November 4^th and Council December 6^th.

Selected Consultant

On October 4, 2022 Town Council voted to select Michael Baker International as the consultant to update the existing General Plan 2030. Michael Baker International, who created the 2015 Village Center Master Plan and now updating/transitioning it into the Town’s Redevelopment Plan, is well-positioned to carry on the update effort with its working knowledge of Town policies, current initiatives and programs, data collection, and public interactions and viewpoints. They are also poised to engage in a robust public participation process with Town Council, Planning Commission, Town residents and property owners that requires quick responses, detailed explanations by experts on that topic, and planning on unexpected meetings to accommodate focused discussions that may arise during the process.

Please check back here for more information related to the upcoming process.