The Fountain Hills Town Council unanimously approved an updated Downtown Strategy during its regular meeting on Sept. 4, which had not been changed since 2009.
In September 2023, the council unanimously approved a three-year Community Economic Development Strategy. One of the implementation strategies within the CEDS is to “create a new Downtown Strategy consistent with current economic trends.” In November 2023, the council provided support for a staff-driven process to update the Downtown Strategy.
“It is exciting to be building on and expanding our downtown into a walkable, bustling, mixed-use district that spans several blocks, helped by creative zoning, sidewalks, banners, lighting and new signage. The Linear Park environment is so inviting—great for lunch, shopping, and happy hours. We will add additional gathering spaces, boosting that desired, welcoming vibe,” said Mayor Ginny Dickey.
The area considered for this updated strategy is north of El Lago, east of La Montana, and west of Fountain Park, divided into five sub-areas to address the unique aspects of different portions of the downtown. Staff held six focus group meetings with residents and businesses, conducted four electronic surveys, and hosted a public open house in May. During the open house, staff gathered feedback on the concepts for the strategy developed through a survey process. Residents shared their feedback by reviewing the concepts boards and then highlighting the ideas they liked best.
The survey results found that a majority (52.73% for each response) of residents are interested in improvement in connectivity of downtown areas, and shade. It also found that more than 67% of respondents want more live music considered in downtown programming.
Over the next several months, staff will begin drafting policy changes such as flexible zoning districts to create unique, integrated sub-areas. The development of comfortable, shaded public spaces and interesting sidewalks will also begin, including new picnic tables at The Avenue Linear Park among other improvements.
Based on the feedback received, the Downtown Strategy will focus on four key areas:
- Land Use
- Infrastructure
- Economic Vitality
- Public Spaces/Placemaking
To view the full Downtown Strategy, visit FountainHillsAZ.gov/899/Downtown-Strategy.