Thank goodness Ellman did not come in and destroy this beautiful desert land and leave it barren as so many developers have done.

Now is a great opportunity for the town and the people of Fountain Hills to do something really special with this land just north of town by the Middle School. If you have not gone out and hiked this land, now is your opportunity to see some really special desert.

The town makes such a big deal out of the McDowell Preserve when we have this jewel of land that is easily accessible without having to trudge through gated communities or restricted, no trespassing zones.

I don’t see how this land will help with bringing more young families to the town as the most probable development will be higher end homes. Due to neglect, there are some areas of this land that have been used as dump sites and overused by off-road vehicles.

Still I hope people will get out and enjoy the land while it is again open to the public (technically you need to obtain a year pass from the State Trust department for about $20).

There are many trails and lots of wildlife, cactus and interesting land formations; even a nice waterfall during heavy rainfalls. Preserving this land may not be an option because of costs and limited town finances. However, there may be other options such as a nice resort or attraction that requires an isolated desert setting (think Boulders or Rawhide). Or develop some land and preserve the rest.

It would be nice to know if others in this town think this area needs a fresh look or if the majority of the town just thinks like developers do and want to build, build, build!