Cave Creek unanimously approves Abrazo Health Systems micro hospital rezoning on four acres

Cave Creek Unanimously OKs Micro Hospital Rezoning; Council Confronts Wildfire Risk and Invasive Globe Chamomile Crisis

On August 20, 2019, Cave Creek's town council approved the second reading of a zone change permitting Abrazo Health Systems to develop a state-licensed acute care micro hospital on approximately 4 acres near the Sprouts commercial development on the south side of Carefree Highway between 52nd and 53rd Streets. The unanimous vote capped a two-hearing rezoning process and cleared the way for a facility intended to deliver emergency stabilization within six minutes—a dramatic improvement over the current 26-minute response time to regional hospitals. The same meeting featured presentations on the town's multi-agency wildfire response capabilities and an urgent but complex crisis: invasive globe chamomile, a drought-adapted weed creating unprecedented fire risk across residential properties. The council also heard the Desert Foothills Library report surpassing $1 million in annual spending for the first time, reflecting expanded community programming.

Key Speeches

"For most of you sitting here, in the future within six minutes your life can be stabilized, and instead of 26 minutes or more where we live now—six minutes is a game changer. I think that from a safety and health and welfare of those who live here it could be minor, but you can be stabilized and taken to another hospital. That to me is critical. Someday I may need it, but at least it'll be there for family and friends." — Bill Gilchrist, council member

"When I arrived in Cave Creek there was no ambulance service. If a situation appeared to need medical attention the deputy would put you in his car and over a two-lane road with many dips take that person to the emergency room... I'm grateful to Abrazo for looking north. I encourage the council for their support of the request before you." — Martha Arnold, resident and historical advocate

"Unfortunately it's about two weeks ago we had a structure fire at a home in Cave Creek which resulted in the destruction of an outer building, looking on their property [was] a very large area of globe chamomile... We're very lucky again through the response of our fire department [and] mutual aid partners that we have, that were on site... It's just another view, but again it's in our best interest that the globe chamomile's are looted from your best interest not to have it around your property as well. It is extremely flammable." — Marshall Adam Stein, town emergency services planner

"The problem here is the problem is so pervasive and so honestly all you can do is educate, because I can't tell you of the seven cities and eight cities and towns now that I'm covering as a town attorney that has actually abated a public nuisance successfully. It's hard because you've got to cite them; they have property rights; you can't invade their property without a judge letting you know you can. There is a statute that allows you a government to go in and abate it yourself, but you have to come up with a cost yourself at the outset and there are limits on your ability to collect your costs." — Town Attorney (identity withheld in transcript), on legal barriers to government abatement of globe chamomile

Timeline

Carefree Highway Mixed-Use Development Update

• Manager's report: The Sprouts project remains on schedule; building turnover targeted for January 3, 2020, with Sprouts opening the first Wednesday of February (traditional opening policy). Chase Bank, Chipotle, Mod Pizza, and Heartland Dental are scheduled to co-open, tied to contractual obligations requiring simultaneous occupancy.

Finance Department Recognition

• Manager's announcement: The Town of Cave Creek Finance Department has been awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association for its comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR), the highest recognition in governmental accounting.

Desert Foothills Library Presentation

• Applicant presentation (David Cort, Executive Director; Robert Hindle, Board President): The library reported 110,000 annual visitors, 91,000 circulated physical items, 5,500 ebooks, 1,076 adult programs (15,699 attendees), 198 youth programs (2,345 children). Budget exceeded $1 million for the first time. Strategic priorities include reinvention as a community gathering space, raising the library's public profile, and exploration of virtual reality programming and a demonstration kitchen.
• Council questions: Councilmember Stancarre asked whether the library is adequately linked on the town website. Cort confirmed a link and noted the town's website is new; council endorsed improved visibility.

Town Case Z 1901 — Cave Creek Hospital Zone Change (Second Reading)

• Staff recommendation (Manager Kaufman): The Planning Commission approved the site plan 6-0 on the preceding Thursday. Staff noted a new condition requested by council: the town may schedule a public hearing and cause the property to revert to DR-43 if the site is not developed or a permit is not issued within three years of site plan approval.
• Applicant overview: A micro hospital (state-licensed impatient emergency care facility) providing full-service acute care. Off-site work coordinated with the adjacent Sprouts development; a traffic signal at 53rd Street will be installed by Sprouts and adjusted to accommodate the hospital.
• Public comment: Two speakers.
  • Howard Sykes (long-time resident, documented concerns since 2006): Objected primarily to increased traffic on 52nd Street, citing speeding and short-cutting. Noted that a 2006 letter to the county sheriff prompted radar deployment but no lasting solution. Acknowledged the hospital as "probably as good as anything to put on the corner" but expressed concern about cumulative traffic impacts.
  • Martha Arnold (resident): Delivered a historical narrative of Cave Creek's medical and ambulance services, from volunteer ambulance crews in the 1950s through the arrival of Rural Metro and the Cave Creek clinic. Advocated strongly for the hospital as a life-saving resource.
• Council discussion: Bill Gilchrist spoke first, endorsing the hospital for its six-minute emergency response capability versus the current 26-minute regional standard.
• Vote: Motion to approve Town Case Z 1901, second reading, rezoning approximately 4 acres (parcels 211-46-03-4-B and 211-46-05-0-B) from Desert Rural Residential (DR-43) to General Commercial (GC). Vote: unanimous (all members present voted yes). Ordinance takes effect 30 days from the vote date.

Traffic Safety on 52nd Street — Separate Item

• Public comment (Bill Gilchrist, council member and resident): Announced that local traffic only signs have been approved for placement at both ends of 52nd Street, intended to reduce speeding and cut-through traffic. Council continues to advocate for speed bumps and requested the issue be placed on the council agenda for formal discussion. Goal: preserve neighborhood walkability and safety for children and cyclists.
• Manager's follow-up: Manager noted he would add the speed-bump request to the council agenda after the traffic-only signs take effect.

Wildfire Preparedness and Globe Chamomile Assessment

• Council requester: Councilmember Clancy (not fully identified in transcript) requested a comprehensive assessment of existing organizations' capabilities to respond to brush fires and major wildfire incidents, including prevention strategies, water systems, communications, and the invasive globe chamomile hazard.

• Presentations:

  • Marshall Adam Stein (Maricopa County Emergency Services Planner): Detailed Cave Creek's multi-tiered fire response, mutual aid agreements, available assets (230 fire hydrants, 3.5 million gallons water storage capacity, 3 water trucks, 2 fire warning signs, Code Red emergency notification system). Rural Metro operates two fire stations in the area (Cave Creek and Carefree); standard structure fire response includes 3 engines, 1 ladder truck, 1 battalion chief plus surrounding jurisdiction mutual aid. First alarm response: 7 engines, 2 ladder trucks, 2 rescue trucks, 4 battalion chiefs. Brush fire escalation: initial response 2 engines, 2 brush trucks, 1 tender, 1 battalion chief; first alarm brush: 5 engines, 4 brush trucks, 2 tenders, 4 battalion chiefs. Cave Creek has access to air tankers and helicopters; annual drills with Arizona Department of Public Safety helicopter bucket drops.
  • Chief John Kratz (Rural Metro Fire Department): Reported 592 service calls in past 12 months, but only 12 actual fires (3 structure, 9 brush). Noted construction site fires as a recent surge—almost daily across the valley; the Forest Service has been called in to assist city departments at an unusual frequency. Cautioned that education and holding contractors accountable for suppression costs is critical to prevention.
  • David Ramirez (Division Chief, Tonto National Forest):** Discussed chemical (roundup) and manual removal of globe chamomile; noted that wet years (like the current monsoon) expand chamomile proliferation dramatically. Manual removal is labor-intensive but labor is available. Offered community partnership model: Tonto will treat forest boundaries and work with adjacent towns on shared fuel reduction projects (e.g., 11 miles along Dynamite Road in Rio Verde). Encouraged towns to request and support boundary treatments.
  • Steve Waters (Maricopa County Flood Control Manager):** Oversees streamflow gauges, flood warning devices, and emergency notification via Code Red utility and weather alerts. Noted open availability for exercise planning and scenario simulations with town emergency planners.

• Globe Chamomile Crisis Details:

  • Hazard: Invasive species, extremely flammable, creates 5-foot flame lengths (vs. 1–2 feet for native vegetation), conducts fire into mesquite and Palo Verde trees, leading to rapid spread.
  • Recent incident: Structure fire two weeks prior destroyed an outer building; large globe chamomile area on property adjacent to structures. Fire was knocked down quickly due to multiple mutual aid agencies (Daisy Mountain, City of Phoenix, Rural Metro, others) and calm weather; high wind would have allowed spread.
  • Town's role: Has removed globe chamomile from public properties and rights-of-way; cannot enforce removal on private property without legal process (costly, requires property-owner consent or judicial order).
  • Property owner responsibility: Residents are advised to remove globe chamomile from their private property and assist neighbors. Cutting to ground level (using a weed eater) reduces flame length even if full eradication is not achieved.
  • Legal constraints (Town Attorney): Government abatement of public nuisances is hindered by property rights protections. While a town can cite or sue property owners civilly or criminally, or can itself abate a nuisance, the town bears upfront costs and recovery is limited by statute. Pervasiveness of the problem town-wide makes individual property abatement impractical; education is the primary tool.
  • Prevention emphasis: 30-foot defensible space around homes; fuel load reduction along roadways (source of ignition from vehicles); construction site fire prevention through contractor accountability and word-of-mouth enforcement of suppression cost liability.

• Public Q&A:

  • Councilmember question (identity unclear, likely Clancy): Asked if roundup is effective; Ramirez confirmed effectiveness in small spots but notes it requires many applications and labor in large areas; wet seasons worsen the problem.
  • Chief Kratz addition: Noted that a 5-foot flame length from globe chamomile pushes fire into tree crowns; flattening it with a weed eater (even without removal) significantly reduces fire risk.
  • Councilmember question: Asked about construction site fire scenarios and penalties. Chief Kratz stressed education, social media outreach, and holding contractors responsible for suppression costs, which encourages community-wide awareness.
  • Town Attorney response: Acknowledged civil and criminal liability for negligent property owners but noted enforceability challenges and resource limitations.
  • David Ramirez closing remarks: Invited neighboring communities to request Tonto National Forest fuel reduction treatments on forest boundaries. Cited successful 11-mile treatment along Dynamite Road and noted ongoing planning for community partnership projects.

• Councilmember Clancy closing remarks: Emphasized that residents are overwhelmed by acreage and the unexpected invasive species; education and neighbor-to-neighbor cooperation are essential. Praised the surrounding support infrastructure (Tonto National Forest, Rural Metro, county agencies) and her own role in learning about the community's vulnerabilities. Thanked the presenters and reaffirmed the town's commitment to responsible property stewardship.

Opposition

Cave Creek Hospital Zone Change:

• Number of speakers against: 1 (Howard Sykes)

• Main concerns:

  1. Increased traffic on 52nd Street exacerbating a 13-year-old problem (documented since 2006)
  2. Short-cutting and speeding on 52nd Street will worsen with new development
  3. Previous attempt to address speeding (sheriff's radar) had no lasting impact
  4. Hospital approval will add more traffic to an already problematic corridor
  5. While hospital itself is acceptable, cumulative traffic impact is a concern

• Most compelling argument: Sykes cited a documented 13-year history of complaints and demonstrated that even law enforcement intervention (radar) did not result in sustainable solutions. The core complaint—that traffic management on 52nd Street remains unresolved despite prior attention—carries credibility and sets a precedent for concern about new traffic loads.

• Organized groups: None identified.

Support

Cave Creek Hospital Zone Change:

• Number of speakers in favor: 2 (Bill Gilchrist, Martha Arnold)

• Main themes:

  1. Six-minute emergency response capability vs. current 26-minute regional standard; life-saving value
  2. Historical perspective: Cave Creek has long lacked emergency medical infrastructure; hospital represents major quality-of-life improvement
  3. Volunteer ambulance service of the 1950s–1970s could not match modern acute care; this facility fills a 40+ year gap
  4. Safety and health welfare for residents and their families
  5. Applicant (Abrazo) has shown good faith by coordinating with adjacent Sprouts development
  6. Community appreciation for improved medical access, especially for aging population and rural emergency response

• Most compelling arguments: Martha Arnold's historical narrative established that Cave Creek has chronically lacked professional emergency medical facilities and that the community has lived with life-threatening delays for decades. Bill Gilchrist's emphasis on the six-minute vs. 26-minute differential quantified the life-safety benefit in concrete terms. Both speakers positioned the hospital not as a nuisance but as essential infrastructure addressing a long-standing vulnerability.

• Organized support: None identified.

Project Details

Cave Creek Hospital Micro Hospital (Town Case Z 1901):

• Case number: Z 1901
• Applicant / developer: Abrazo Health Systems
• Attorney: Not named in transcript
• Location / address: South side of Carefree Highway, between 52nd and 53rd Streets, adjacent to Sprouts development
• APN (if stated): 211-46-03-4-B and 211-46-05-0-B
• Current zoning → Proposed zoning: Desert Rural Residential (DR-43) → General Commercial (GC)
• Density / units / square footage: Approximately 4 acres; state-licensed acute care emergency facility, full-service hospital (not otherwise specified in transcript)
• Adjacencies and coordination: Coordinating off-site improvements (traffic signal at 53rd Street) with adjacent Sprouts commercial development; all tenants of Sprouts project (Chase Bank, Chipotle, Mod Pizza, Heartland Dental) contractually bound to co-open February 2020
• Conditions: Property must be developed or permitted within three years of site plan approval, or zoning reverts to DR-43
• Site plan status: Site plan approval (planning commission 6-0) pending council review at a subsequent September meeting; full details (grading, drainage, landscaping) to be presented then

Vote Breakdown

Town Case Z 1901 — Cave Creek Hospital Zone Change (Second Reading):

• Final: Unanimous (all members present voted yes)
• Yes: All council members present (specific names not individually called in transcript)
• No: None
• Abstentions / absences: Individual votes not stated in transcript; motion passed unanimously on voice vote

Consent Agenda (including tasting room application):

• Final: Unanimous approval
• Items included: Approval of July 15, 2019 meeting minutes; Remote Tasting Room Application for "Elation Desert Distill Raising Corporate" (agent Renee DeAnne McGuigan)
• Note: September 30, 2019 regular town council meeting was cancelled

Outcome & Next Steps

Hospital Zone Change: The zone change (Town Case Z 1901) was unanimously approved on second reading and becomes effective 30 days from August 20, 2019. Contingent conditions: (1) Abrazo must obtain site plan approval at a subsequent council meeting; (2) development or permit issuance must commence within three years of site plan approval, or the property reverts to DR-43. The council will review the detailed site plan (grading, drainage, landscaping) at a September meeting. No further legislative or zoning action is required unless the developer fails to meet the three-year trigger.

Traffic and 52nd Street: Bill Gilchrist announced local traffic only signs have been approved for both ends of 52nd Street. The council requested that speed bumps be formally discussed at a future council meeting agenda item. No date set; action is pending completion of the traffic-only sign rollout.

Wildfire and Globe Chamomile: The council received informational briefings only; no votes or binding directives were issued. Key action items are educational and voluntary:

• Residents are urged to remove globe chamomile from private property and cut remaining patches to ground level to reduce flame length.
• Tonto National Forest offered to coordinate community fuel-reduction projects on forest boundaries; interested communities should contact the National Forest.
• Town staff and emergency agencies will continue education efforts via Town Hall literature, Code Red utility alerts, and Rural Metro home safety reviews (by request).
• No enforceable government abatement of private property globe chamomile is anticipated due to property rights and resource limitations acknowledged by the Town Attorney.

Library: David Cort requested enhanced visibility on the town website. Councilmember Stancarre affirmed that a website link exists; council endorsed marketing and expanded visibility of library programs.

Finance Department: The Finance Department's Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting was recognized; no further action required.

Controversies & Context

Traffic on 52nd Street — Unresolved Long-Term Issue: Bill Gilchrist's statement that local traffic only signs would be "at least a beginning" in reducing speeding and short-cutting, and his hope that speed bumps would eventually be on the council agenda, underscores frustration with a 13-year-old problem. Howard Sykes's statement that he first wrote to the county sheriff about 52nd Street traffic in April 2006 demonstrates that Cave Creek has carried this problem for over a decade without a permanent solution. The hospital approval adds to traffic load in an area with a documented history of enforcement failures. This sets up a potential tension: will the six-minute emergency response benefit of the hospital be undermined by traffic congestion and safety issues on the very corridor (52nd Street) through which ambulances and vehicles will flow?

Globe Chamomile Invasion — Property Rights vs. Public Safety: The town attorney's frank admission that government abatement of the invasive species is legally and fiscally impractical exposes a gap between the severity of the hazard (five-foot flame lengths, rapid fire spread, recent destructive fires) and the government's enforcement capability. The problem is described as "town-wide" and "pervasive," yet the town can only educate and encourage voluntary removal. A recent structure fire that could have spread catastrophically underscores the urgency. The attorney's observation that property rights protections and the cost-recovery limits of abatement statutes make individual property enforcement "harder" reveals a structural tension between land-owner autonomy and wildfire-prone urban-interface safety. David Ramirez's comment—"we're beyond the preventative side of this now and we're at the world danger point"—captures the escalating risk.

Construction Site Fires — New Phenomenon: Chief Kratz reported a dramatic surge in construction fires (grinding, cutting, welding) across the valley, with the Forest Service being called to assist city fire departments at an unusual frequency. No code enforcement or permitting solution is discussed; prevention relies on contractor education and financial accountability (holding companies liable for suppression costs). This emerging risk may compound traditional brush-fire challenges.

Historical Medical Infrastructure Gap: Martha Arnold's historical narrative revealed that Cave Creek operated for decades without professional acute care, relying on volunteer ambulance crews and distant hospitals. The hospital approval addresses a genuine 40+ year gap in emergency medicine infrastructure. However, the approval was contingent on a three-year development deadline—suggesting that the town views the benefit as sufficiently important to accept upfront zoning risk (and potential reversion if the applicant fails to perform).

General Plan Amendment Context (2011): The hospital site falls within "Area 18," a group of 18 properties reclassified in the 2011 general plan update to allow mixed-use development. The zone change is thus permitted under prior planning decisions, reducing the novelty of the application. However, it marks one of the first actual deployments of that 2011 mixed-use vision.

Duration

• Hospital zone change item: Approximately 30–40 minutes (presentations, public comment, council discussion, vote)
• Wildfire and globe chamomile briefing: Approximately 90–120 minutes (comprehensive presentations by four agencies, extensive Q&A, council remarks)
• Library presentation: Approximately 30 minutes (presentation and brief council Q&A)
• Total meeting: Estimated 3–3.5 hours (meeting ran through multiple agenda items with public comment)

Other Notable Items

Carefree Highway Mixed-Use Development (Sprouts Project): The manager reported that the multi-tenant commercial project (Sprouts, Chase Bank, Chipotle, Mod Pizza, Heartland Dental) is on schedule for building turnover January 3, 2020, and retail opening February 1, 2020, contingent on contractors meeting contractual deadlines. This project is coordinating off-site improvements (traffic signal at 53rd Street) with the adjacent hospital development. No zoning or permitting action was required at this meeting; the update was informational.

Desert Foothills Library Milestone: The library exceeded $1 million in annual budget for the first time. David Cort presented data on 110,000 annual visitors, 1,076 adult programs, 198 youth programs, and strategic initiatives including a demonstration kitchen and virtual reality exploration. The library was recognized by the Carefree–Cave Creek Chamber of Commerce with an Impact Award and listed as the 28th largest nonprofit in the Phoenix Business Journal's culture and education category—a notable achievement for a small town library. Council endorsed enhanced website visibility and marketing.

Finance Department Recognition: The Town of Cave Creek Finance Department received the Government Finance Officers Association Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for its comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR), the highest recognition in governmental accounting. No further action required; recognition serves as a mark of fiscal management quality.