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Notes from Historic Preservation Commission meeting considering application for Fountain Park/Fountain and its consideration for historic landmark designation. The panel called the site worthy but considered the application incomplete. They voted 6-0 against recommending the designation without prejudice asking to see it again in the future. A couple of the key points they wanted to hear more about included hubris and conflict related to Native American issues particularly the use of the water resource as a marketing tool to sell property, also the Orme Dam conflict. I know there was discussion about the site for Chaparral City being chosen because of the proposed lake, but I’m not sure there is historic documentation that still exists to support that. It was called “in a way a battlefield of Indian wars.” It was suggested that we should be willing to address the uncomfortable, controversial parts of the history, but is the town willing to advocate an application that discusses these issues that were outside of its own history/control? Maybe include that relations between the town and Yavapai Nation today are good. They also brought up the desire for background related to the design and landscape architecture for the park/fountain. Ryan brought this issue up previously, but I could not locate anything significant. We may have to see if we can reach out to the company in Houston to see if they can help with this information. Also, brought up were other planned communities in Arizona. The speaker brought up Ajo, but I would think there are other considerations for the time period such as Del Webb Sun City, Maryvale section of Phoenix, Sun Lakes south of Chandler that might provide more interesting comparisons to Fountain Hills. Mr. Collins might be able to explain this better. One asked who the columnist was who suggested the fountain in the desert and how it related to Fountain Hills. I believe that information was in my narrative, at least I know there is a version of it. Not sure how they might want to expand on that. They asked about the engineering behind the Fountain, and I think we have that, not sure how it was presented in the application. It was mentioned that one source was the article about CV Wood as a Disney villain, and they wondered about that. Much of that article about the falling out between Wood and the Disneys was inconclusive and speculative, so that is why I didn’t go too far into it. It was noted that it should not be a celebration of the developer, calling the history so much richer. Based on the discussion I heard, I think there might be room for discussion related to ranching in the area and the acquisition of the land parcel through that connection. Ryan, not sure what Mr. Collins will be sending back to you, but these are my impressions of the discussion and thoughts. Bob B.