As the early developmental construction phases of the Camp Verde Sports Complex make headway, residents along McCracken Lane are raising concerns over a 100-foot buffer zone between the park and neighborhood.
The Town of Camp Verde first acquired the 114-acre property off State Route 260 and McCracken Lane back in 2008. Last summer, Town Council approved a $7 million cap in revenue bonds to begin construction — the largest expenditure in the town’s history, said Camp Verde Town Manager Russ Martin in a Nov. 16 Town Council meeting.
Prescott-based engineering consultant Kimley-Horn was commissioned to design the infrastructure. When the original park plan was approved, residents requested a 300-foot buffer. The two parties eventually compromised on a 100-foot buffer between the park and residences.
Now, residents say the buffer is being violated. In a letter addressed to Town Council, resident Cheri Wischmeyer said the town has failed to honor its commitment.
“My husband John filed a complaint with the town, on Feb. 12, 2018, addressing the town’s unexpected grading of a dirt space 33 feet in width, adjacent and parallel to our residence property on Feb. 9 and 10, 2018,” she wrote in the letter. “As the grading was accomplished, it was approximately 20 feet or less from our property line.”
According to Camp Verde’s Planning and Zoning ordinances, the definition of a buffer is: “Undeveloped or landscaped property used to separate the activity from surrounding properties. Required landscaping or setbacks do not qualify as buffer.”
Wischmeyer continued to detail meetings with Martin, the town manager, noting that he did not offer to remove construction of the ditch.
“The recently completed grading and future construction of a storm-water drainage ditch would constitute improvements to the property and are infringements into the undeveloped land of the buffer,” she wrote in the letter. “We request that the Town of Camp Verde stop any further infringement of the approved buffer zone including grading, construction of a stormwater drainage system, or any other activity that fails to maintain the property as a buffer as was intended when the Complex’s plan was approved by the Camp Verde Town Council.”
In another letter to council, resident Carol German expressed that the agreed upon buffer should be left in its natural state.“Currently, plans have been created, without Council approval, to destroy the natural landscape of the buffer area,” she wrote in a letter.
As residents question the buffer zone, Martin said in an email interview that the buffer is still intact.“When drainage plans were done, we utilized the area as a way to collect and transfer drainage to and from the property as any property owner is encouraged to do,” he wrote. “Council never looks at utility plans normally and defers to staff for getting this standard work done for all projects.”
Martin also said he doesn’t approve these plans and that it is standard for the town engineer to work with a consultant to develop plans for construction and the general design.
“The buffer remains, and we have and continue to honor it,” Martin wrote in an email. “In fact, a trail putting people nearer to their property [that] was approved by council years ago is now moved out of the 100-foot [buffer] to further provide privacy.”
During a Feb. 21 Town Council meeting, Martin said that it is the town’s intention to be good neighbors and has taken measures to ensure that.
“Concerns have been expressed loudly to me … I don’t know if we are going to agree on what we should do as opposed to what the plans say,” he said. “We had no ill intent … In fact, I have no desire to be here in this conversation and would have attempted to avoid that if I thought that at any point, we would be dealing with neighbors who felt like the 100-foot buffer was an off-limits 100-foot buffer.”
Martin said he discussed taking the drainage outside the buffer zone with Kimley-Horn.“They gave us an estimate of about $25,000,” he said. “They would attempt to do it right away if that’s something you’d direct us or give us any indication to do. But we believe that will delay the bidding until April.”
Camp Verde Mayor Charlie German said he wanted to take the time to read letters from the public before moving forward. Council took no action on this item.
Later in an interview, German said it was never agreed that the buffer zone would be a natural buffer and that any kind of grading of landscaping on the buffer is necessary for public safety.
“Flood measure takes a higher priority,” he said. “If we are going to be accused of being erroneous, better to err on the side of caution.”
Kelcie Grega can be reached at 634-8551, or email kgrega@larsonnewspapers.com
