Desert Mountain: An Overview

History

The area that is now Scottsdale was originally inhabited by the Hohokam from about 300 BC to 1450 AD. This ancient civilization farmed the area, and developed a complex network of canals for irrigation to sustain their crops. At its peak, the canals stretched over 250 miles, and some of them are still used today. The Hohokam people disappeared around 1450, mostly likely due to a prolonged drought.

Before European settlement, the Scottsdale area was a Pima village. Many Pima and Maricopa people still live in the Salt River-Maricopa Indian Community, which borders Scottsdale on the south and east.

In the 1880s, U.S. Army Chaplain Winfield Scott and his wife Helen purchased 640 acres for $3.50 an acre in the area where downtown Scottsdale is now located. Winfield and his brother George planted acres of citrus groves, and became the first non-native residents. In honor of the Scott brothers, the town’s name was changed from Orangedale to Scottsdale in 1894, and the city was incorporated in 1951.

Our Community

Desert Mountain is located in the northern-most part of Scottsdale, bordered by the Town of Carefree and the Tonto National Forest. Situated on 8,000 acres in the high Sonoran Desert, it offers a stunning array of custom homes, elegant estates and courtyard homes. We take a lot of pride in the architectural diversity of our community.

It was originally designed and developed by The Lyle Anderson Companies in the late 80’s. With this project, they established the standard for private-club centered communities, and they went on to develop Desert Highlands, Superstition Mountain, Hokuli’a in Hawaii, Las Campanas in New Mexico and Loch Lomand Golf Club in Scotland.

There are 2,395 lots in Desert Mountain and 1,820 homes—with several homes under construction. We have 27 distinct villages, each with its own neighborhood feel.

Partnership With Desert Mountain Club

While the Desert Mountain HOA and the Desert Mountain Club are separate entities, we look at our partnership like a long and successful marriage.

The Club is responsible for:

• Seven Jack Nicklaus Signature golf courses • Seven unique clubhouses • Ten restaurants and grills managed by a world-class

French chef • The Sonoran Fitness Center, featuring state-of-the-art equipment, personal trainers, nine tennis courts with three surfaces, pickleball courts, croquet court, lap and resort-style pools, a Spa and a Youth Center

The HOA has an office on site, and they are responsible for security, maintenance of the common areas, roadways and entrances, enforcement of the CC&Rs, design review for new construction and exterior remodeling projects, and the day-to-day administration of the community.

The HOA and the Club meet on a regular basis, and through a strong partnership and commitment to excellence, they work together to make sure that Desert Mountain remains one of the best private communities in the United States. ✺

Desert Mountain is a unique community. Most residents are Club members; however, there are residents who are not Club members and Club members who are not residents. The Desert Mountain Master Association serves the needs and interests of Desert Mountain residents.

The Desert Mountain Master Association represents the interests of all property owners through the work of the Board of Directors and its professional staff. The role of the Board of Directors is to guide and formulate policy, to make decisions in the best interests of the community, and to manage strategic planning for Desert Mountain’s future. The Board of Directors is comprised of nine Desert Mountain property owners elected to serve three-year terms by their fellow residents; the Association’s professional staff implements the decisions of the Board. Desert Mountain’s Board of Directors and staff rely heavily on input and participation of individual members through an extensive network of committees and an advisory group known as the Council of Presidents, which is comprised of the presidents of the eight incorporated village associations and representatives of 19 unincorporated village associations.

Primary Responsibilities

As a property owner, you automatically become a member of both the Master Association and your Village Association. The fees you are assessed help operate both Associations and maintain the appearance of the community. You may be surprised to learn that the common areas located in Desert Mountain total hundreds of acres and include 68 miles of private roadways, landscaped boulevard medians, and the main access gates to the community. Some of the HOA’s specific responsibilities in these areas include: general maintenance of roadside directional signs, accent lighting and access gates; conducting property inspections for safety concerns; and street sweeping, road preservation, painting and much more. DLC Resources, the Association’s landscape provider, enhances the appearance of Desert Mountain’s common areas by cleaning the community’s almost 700 culverts, removing weeds, trimming the shrubs and trees in the roadway areas, maintaining the community’s walking paths, and, as needed, planting new trees, bushes and cacti. Security

The Association has retained Anderson Security to contribute to the protection of the community. In addition to manning the access gates into the community (no easy feat, as more than 950,000 cars enter and exit the community each year!), Anderson Security performs regular patrols throughout Desert Mountain to ensure parking restrictions and speed limits are enforced. What you may not know is that Anderson patrol officers will check on your home (per your request) if you are away for an extended period of time, jump-start your car and remove snakes and wildlife from your property. They are also trained in emergency medical response and CPR, which is a great benefit to homeowners, as the patrol officers will get to you immediately if you need first aid or assistance, and will stay with you until the ambulance arrives.

Design Review and CC&Rs

Finally, in order to preserve the aesthetic continuity of the community with new home builds or modifications while protecting existing property values within the community’s established guidelines, the HOA exerts architectural control on all properties in the community and maintains a thorough and active Design Review Process. The work of the Design Review Committee is the primary reason the entire Desert Mountain community is admired by everyone who lives or visits here. The HOA also enforces the Association’s Codes, Covenants and Restrictions, which are intended to protect the quality of life in Desert Mountain.

Staffi ng

The HOA presently functions with a staff of 13 who effectively carry out all of the administrative and clerical functions of the community, process all assessment and member communications, facilitate the community’s governmental process, and supervise all contractors that maintain the Association’s common areas.

Desert Mountain residents should be assured that the work of the HOA, professional staff and contractors help to protect, preserve, and enhance the value of the collective assets and the quality of life in the community and enhance community-wide safety. ✺