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This plan sets forth the long-range vision created for the Desert Foothills area through the character area planning process. The goals and strategies in this report lay out the intentions for this area. A separate companion document titled Implementation, includes methods that will illustrate how to attain this vision.

The Desert Foothills character area is approximately eight square miles, generally located between Dixileta Road to the north, Jomax Road to the south, the City's western boundary and 96th Street to the east.

One of the prominent factors that has contributed a great deal to defining the character of this area is the fractured land ownership pattern, with parcel sizes ranging between one and five acres. This land ownership pattern contributes to random or what is also known as piecemeal development. Piecemeal development can be associated with minimal infrastructure, unpaved streets and diversity in housing styles and lifestyles. Residents have chosen to reside in this area due to many of these aforementioned characteristics. This character plan sets forth the vision to balance this rural lifestyle with the unique and fragile upper Sonoran desert experience in the study area.

Goals and Strategies

Three common goals have been identified and refined through the Desert Foothills public outreach process outlined on pages 2-4 of this plan. The essence of these goals is to balance the anticipated physical development in the area and the rural lifestyle of the residents with the sensitive lush upper Sonoran desert.  The vision, goals and strategies set forth in this plan detail a logical direction to preserve the character of this unique region of the city.

The following strategies have been identified to help achieve each of the plan's three goals, and thus, promote the Rural Desert character of the Desert Foothills area. (For more detailed information, refer to the 'Goals and Strategies' pdf document provided above.)

Goal 1 - Preserve the natural, visual qualities of the lush upper Sonoran Desert by using desert-sensitive building techniques that retain and blend with the natural desert character of the area.

1. Blend all types of buildings and structures into the natural desert setting by using principles of minimal visual impact set forth by the Great Sonoran.
2. Promote the use of site planning techniques which minimize the visual impact of development and promote a Rural Desert character.
3. Sensitively integrate infrastructure into the natural desert setting and rural lifestyle.

Goal 2 - Promote connected areas of desert open space and trails through visual and functional linkages within and between local neighborhoods and a regional open space network.

1. Promote a continuous trail system which connects the local neighborhoods to each other and a regional trail system leading into the preserves.
2. Encourage the development of an open space system which links open space throughout the Desert Foothills area to the scenic and vista corridors and preserves.
3. Promote recreation opportunities to enhance and preserve a Rural Desert character.

Goal 3 - Identify and celebrate the Rural Desert character experienced in the Desert Foothills study area that will result in or maintain a unique desert community distinguished from other parts of Scottsdale and the metropolitan area.

1. Use physical elements within the improvement/expansion of local infrastructure to create thematic elements.
2. Create gateways that reflect the area's identity and highly visible focal points within the study area.
3. Scenic corridors should be designed to reflect an identity for the entire length of the corridor and respond to the unique character the road bisects.
4. The design of all nonresidential structures should respect the existing rustic, rural character and scale of buildings across the area.