Is Cottonwood/Cornville/Camp Verde area growing or declining?

[Hschlick84]

Originally Posted by moving12

Stopped by Cottonwood Public Works office. New Starbucks and Dunkin Doughnuts being built. Marathon Gas Station to be built on corner of 89 A and Cornville Rd. 89 & Vine project to start construction soon with a commercial center on 89 A in front of project that will have between 1500 to 2000 new homes.

With Phoenix growing as the #1 place in the country last year, there 's bound to be spill over to northern AZ. Not everybody wants to live in an oven.

[curly5759]

Originally Posted by moving12

Stopped by Cottonwood Public Works office. New Starbucks and Dunkin Doughnuts being built. Marathon Gas Station to be built on corner of 89 A and Cornville Rd. 89 & Vine project to start construction soon with a commercial center on 89 A in front of project that will have between 1500 to 2000 new homes.

I didn't know about the Marathon station, guess it was bound to happen with the building of 89 and Vine. The traffic on Cornville road has gotten noticibly heavier in the last year or 2. All this growth is going to ruin the charm of this rural area.

[trouillot]

Growing for sure. In fifteen years saw many changes. It's just not the rapid changes occuring all over the coutry in more populated areas. Lived in Camp Verde, Clarkdale and Cottonwood and rented for five months in Prescott near Thumb Butte. Of the three Verde Valley towns I'd choose Cottonwood as first choice. Prescott Valley from end to end has too many strip shops for my taste. Cottonwood just enough to tide you over until you need to visit Flag or Prescott Valley for Target, Sprouts and Costco shopping (;
Fifteen-twenty years ago liked Sedona. Not anymore unless during winter months. Trail walking and mountain biking are OK. Traffic has grown too much. The small town feel mostly evaporated. It's gotten to much about money. Still some good neighbors and nice people in Sedona though. Go to Sedona library and chat with senior age volunteers. Many of them have interesting stories about Sedona back before I first started visiting with my late wife in 1990.
The Cottonwood Recreation Center is nice. The Cottonwood and Sedona libraries have good selections of films to rent. Old Town Cottonwood has a nice restaurant serving good Italian dishes in fun atmosphere. It's on left side of road where road curves toward Clarkdale. Pizzeria Bocce is the name. Crema Restaurant, also in Old Town Cottonwood, is worth a visit. Especially for the gelato. The Cottonwood Movie Theater was a popular place for those of us who worked with Yes the ARC (developmentally challenged) adults. They loved going to the movies even more than we did.
Many baby boomers are moving to Verde Valley and Prescott/Prescott Valley. Think Clarkdale. Think buildings on main drag that keep looking promising for development, but it never seems to take off. Clarkdale known for it giant slag mound and its cement plant. The Copper Museum gets the occasional tour bus and lots of California visitors passing through. Prescott. Everyone who visits the Prescott Court House Square digs it. Nice place to lull with the kids and/or dogs. The drive across Mingus Mountain up through Jerome and on to Prescott Valley is a favorite of mine. It was the way I drove to the Prescott Veterans Hospital every week. Beautiful in every season, especially after a light snowfall. Just be patient driving across Mingus. People get in a hurry and attempt dangerous passes. Don't do that. Stay alive and enjoy life.
Moved recently to burbs north of Atlanta it be near elderly parents. Now that's an area that's changed DRAMATICALLY since I was teenager. Atlanta makes me seriously pine for small towns of Central Arizona. Be thankful for simpler life. Especially when you've gotten old(er) (:

[curly5759]

The state has recently upgraded Highway 260 from Camp Verde to Cottonwood, 2 lanes each way and 7 roundabouts in there. You know they did that so that retail shops can set up there. Our section of 260 is about to look like the strip mall that Highway 69 in Prescott Valley already is.

The county wants to put in a road from Beaver Head flats on Cornville road to Middle Verde road. The county Supervisors even admit that a new road won't help with congestion on Cornville road or 179. The only reason they want is is for more growth.

[wba1]

I hear plans are afoot to have massive construction in the area around Cornville. Condominium and RV park construction is rumored along with several single family housing developments.

Since the road work was completed on highway 260, traffic on east Cornville Road has gotten much worse. People try to avoid the roundabouts on highway 260 by driving on East Cornville road. I believe we will see some kind of work on East Cornville Road in the future. The road needs either traffic lights or roundabouts in several key locations.

I still like living here and for now, zoning restrictions is keeping massive development away from me, but that might change. Democratic candidates are already talking about making local zoning laws illegal and removing restrictions on multi-family dwellings construction (apartments, trailer parks and condos). If something like that occurs, this community will have problems. This area does not have the infrastructure to support a large population increase. Road capacity and water supplies will be issues plus quality of life.

Let us hope large scale development does not happen.