What You Need To Know Before Buying A Horse Property
If you have a horse, or multiple horses, there are plenty properties in the Carefree, Cave Creek, Rio Verde and North Scottsdale to chose from. Most horse properties are located in unincorporated areas without HOA’s restrictions but there are still various guidelines and regulations that you need to be aware of if you are considering purchasing a horse property.
The issues you should consider are if proper proper permits have been filed by prior/current owners or there is a judgement filed against the property by a bank, a lien holder, or even a level of government. Unless you take the time to investigate and research a piece of property prior to purchasing it, you could find yourself with great financial implications as well as legal issues.
The areas of Carefree, Cave Creek, Rio Verde Foothills, or Scottsdale are within Maricopa County. The county in itself has ordinances and restrictions based on where the property is situated. While Maricopa County is ultimately the authority in approving land usage. Carefree and Cave Creek municipalities have their own restrictions in addition to the ones in place by the county.
County Islands – The Unincorporated Land In Maricopa County
“County Islands”, are the unincorporated Maricopa County” are areas in Maricopa County that aren’t subject to the municipality’s overlays, unless, the property is situated in a specific incorporated area. These properties are only restricted to Maricopa County, which the Maricopa County Flood Control District could be included. Properties that fall within a floodplain will have a Maricopa County Floodplain overlay.
The zoning of North Scottsdale horse property focuses primarily on setbacks and covered roof area percentages which pertains to square footage overall. Another factor is the number of residential structures located on a zoned property and its usage. The Maricopa County Zoning Ordinances will provide all Information that relates ordinances, setbacks, use, and zoning.
The Water Issues in North Scottsdale
Horse property in the Cave Creek area is on municipal water and is known to have significant water issues. The water supply in other areas may be either hauled in or come from a water well production, dependent on how deep the water is below the ground, the quality of the water, and the water table.
The Floodplain of North Scottsdale
Maricopa County has areas suitable for horse property are subject to floodplain and floodway, and as such there are additional restrictions regarding building horse arenas, horse barns, horse fencing as well as homesites. For example, erecting a fence across a floodway requires you to obtain a engineer’s report that determines the flow of water as well as the height and type of the fence structure to be put built.
The Soil of North Scottsdale
Horse properties in North Scottsdale Arizona area of Maricopa county vary between locations. The Rio Verde Foothills for example, soil type is stated to as “decomposed granite”, a combination of clay and a fine gravel. When dry, it is hard and slick like concrete, but when wet, becomes gooey. Areas of North Scottsdale have this type of soil, which can be an issue for horses because it does not offer sound footing. Sound footing is needed for those raising horses for barrel racing, cutting, jumping, roping, or working cow horse. Water is required to minimize dust, compact the dirt and maintain evenness of the ground. Therefore, the water issues combined with the soil in this area both need to be considered when buying land for horse usage.
The Regulations of North Scottsdale
In regard to buying property for horse use, there are overlays of Maricopa County regulations in Carefree, Cave Creek, Phoenix, and Scottsdale municipalities. Before purchasing property in these areas to use for horses, investigations and research are recommended, which is something we can help you with.
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