Frequently Asked Questions

Please note that you may have a Cave Creek mailing address but not live within the town boundaries.

• Water - 480-488-6620
• APS (electric) - 602-371-7171 or 800/253/94
• Southwest Gas - 602-861-1999
• Century Link -  866-963-6665
• Garbage companies with business license to service within the Town
  • Area Disposal - 480-515-4300
  • Waste Management - 602-268-2222

Any registered voter who resides in the Town of Cave Creek boundaries (see the Jurisdictional Boundaries video) may vote in a Town of Cave Creek Election.  You may register to vote online through Service Arizona, or contact the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office to request an Arizona Voter Registration Form or call 602-506-1511.

To register to vote you must be:

• A citizen of the United States
• An Arizona resident at least 29 days before the date of the election
• 18 years of age or older on or before the date of the election
• Not have been convicted of a felony or treason, unless your civil rights have been restored

You may register to vote online through Service Arizona, or contact the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office to request an Arizona Voter Registration Form or call 602-506-1511.

Maricopa County is moving to a “vote anywhere” election model, complemented by in-person early voting including some evenings and weekends leading up to Election Day. 

Voters can vote early at any of the Vote Centers, or on Election Day voters can go into any Vote Center location and vote.

To find your polling place, visit the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office.

The Town of Cave Creek’s Water distribution system is designed to keep the water flowing from the distribution system to the customer. However, when hydraulic conditions within the system change from "normal" conditions, such as during a water main break, water flow can be reversed. When this backflow happens, contaminated water can enter the distribution system.

Backflow is possible in two situations, backsiphoning and backpressure.

When there is a sudden reduction in the water pressure in the distribution system, such as during water main breaks, or when a fire hydrant is opened, water flow can be reversed. This can create a suction effect, drawing water from your home, pool, horse trough, etc., into the Town’s potable water system.

Backpressure is created when pressure in a nonpotable system, such as in a recirculating system containing soap, acid, or antifreeze, exceeds that in the potable system that provides make up water to the nonpotable system. This can force the potable water to reverse its direction of flow through the cross connection. Nonpotable substances can then enter the potable water system.

The Town of Cave Creek recognizes three methods of backflow prevention:

• Air Gap
• Reduced Pressure Principal Assembly
• Pressure Vacuum Breaker Assembly

The Town of Cave Creek Utilities Department will determine which type of protection is required based on the degree of hazard that the property represents to the potable water supply.

A backflow preventer is an approved, testable assembly which uses valves, in different configurations, to prevent polluted or contaminated water from reversing direction and flowing backward.

An approved backflow prevention assembly has gone through an approval process at the Foundation for Hydraulic Research and Cross Connection Control at the University of Southern California. This is a two step process consisting of laboratory tests and a twelve month field test. Only assemblies approved by the USC Foundation are recognized by the Town of Cave Creek.

Federal and State law require that water suppliers protect their water systems from contamination. State regulations exempt single family residences used solely for residential purposes from assembly requirements, unless a cross connection exists, or the residence is used for other purposes. Commercial and industrial customers are also required by §52-215 of the Cave Creek Town Code of Ordinances and State Administrative Code rule R18-4-215 to install and maintain backflow prevention assemblies. (Copies of §52-215are available in the Town Clerk’s office.) When a determination is made by the Town of Cave Creek Utilities Department that the potable water system may be subject to contamination through backflow, a backflow prevention assembly will be required. The Town of Cave Creek Utilities Department makes these decisions on a case by case basis.

A Town of Cave Creek field representative will visit your property to do an evaluation for backflow requirements. The field representative will determine if a backflow device is needed, and if one is needed, what type must be installed.

Yes. Unless you make other arrangements with Town of Cave Creek Utilities Department, the backflow assembly must be in compliance within 30 days from the date of the initial compliance notification. You will receive a follow up notice after 30 days. After 45 days, you will receive a notice informing you that your water service may be discontinued unless you achieve compliance. If at any time during this process you have a problem meeting this compliance schedule, it is extremely important that you contact the Utilities Department at 480-488-6619 immediately, and make special arrangements for an extension.

The installation of the backflow prevention assembly is the responsibility of the customer. The assembly may be installed by a property owner, plumbing contractor, or a general contractor. Permits are required to install or replace these assemblies. Permits are issued by the Town of Cave Creek Building Safety Department. Please call 480-488-6622 for additional information on permits.

The backflow prevention assembly must be located as close as possible to the water meter, on the customer side of the meter, on their own private property.

 It is the sole responsibility of the water customer to ensure their assembly is in satisfactory operating condition at all times. A notice of the annual test due date will be issued to the water customer of record by our third party contractor, BSI, 60-days prior to the annual due date. The customer must contact a certified Backflow Assembly Tester to perform the test. If any repair work or maintenance is performed on the assembly, a certified Tester must retest the assembly immediately and submit the test results to BSI.

BSI is a third party contractor that the Town of Cave Creek utilizes to administer our backflow program record keeping. All certified backflow testers need to register with BSI to be recognized by the Town of Cave Creek. All test results need to be uploaded to their website. Registration and test result uploading can be done at the BSI Online website.

The Town of Cave Creek’s trail system is a work in progress. The Town’s trails are planned to connect the two major regional parks and recreation ares (Cave Creek Park and Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area) within the Town’s jurisdiction.

Trails along the Town’s rights-of-way do have trail signs and markers. There are some primitive trails that are not signed.

The Arizona State Land Department controls access to state trust land. There are many informal hiking and equestrian trails which pass through State Trust Lands. To legally access these trails, you must have a valid current permit.

Any use of land, building, or structure lawfully established and lawfully existing at the time the Town of Cave Creek‘s zoning ordinance became effective which would not now conform.

Staff researches Town files located in the planning department to verify, or find information on the use of the property. If we have no previous record of substantiation, the owner is required to provide written, notarized independent third party documentation that the use was legally established prior to the adoption of the current Town of Cave Creek zoning ordinance. Please refer to the Town of Cave Creek zoning ordinance for further clarification.

A subdivision means improved or unimproved land or lands divided or proposed to be divided for the purpose of sale, lease, or for cemetery purposes, whether immediate or future, into four or more parcels or fractional interests.

• A citizen of the United States
• A resident of Arizona
• A convicted felon whose rights have been restored
• A person who is 18 years or older before the next general election

When registration form is completed and mailed to the elections department on or before 29 days before an election. Retain the copy of the registration form receipt.

• By completing a voter registration form and answering all of the questions
• By signing and dating the registration form
• By placing a stamp on the self-mailing registration form
• By completing the registration form at a County Elections office

• Because the voter has moved from one residence to another
• Because of a name change
• Because the voter wishes to change political parties

• From any Elections office in Maricopa County
• City or Town Clerk’s office
• Libraries throughout Maricopa County
• Some banks
• Some grocery stores
• United States Post Offices

The polling place is always on the address label of the sample ballot which is mailed 11 days before an election.

On election day all polls open at 6:00 am and close at 7:00 pm.

Yes! Arizona is now an open primary state. Independents may vote for candidates of recognized parties in the primary election.

By visiting a county elections office, or by calling a county elections office at (602) 506-1511. A new I.D. card will be mailed to you in two to four weeks.

PND means "party not designated". That means when you registered to vote, you didn’t list a party choice, so it was marked as PND.

Review the Submittal Requirements Checklist (PDF) for specific project.

Check the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s flood insurance maps, or you can call the flood control district’s floodplain division at (602) 506-2939 and ask for floodplain determination. Prior to calling make sure you have the Tax Assessor Number. If you have an internet connection, you can find your parcel number and determine if your parcel is in a floodplain by accessing Maricopa County’s GIS website.

The Town will determine fees at the time of submittal.

An Arizona registered civil engineer is needed for all single-family homes, subdivisions, and commercial properties. For fence and pool permits, engineering will not be required unless specified by the Town reviewer.

The location of the structure in proximity to a wash is dependent on the size of the wash; the amount of flow the wash carries, and if any bank stabilization is required. The Town engineering plan reviewer will determine if a location is acceptable during the plan review. In general, stay away from all major washes. A good rule for proposed structures within twenty feet would be to provide bank protection and set the footers three feet below the bottom elevation of the wash. For larger washes, a civil engineer will need to determine appropriate erosion control. Erosion control may need to meet Arizona State Standard Attachment 5-96 (PDF). Refer also to Drainage Guidelines (PDF).

Yes, any roadway grading can change historical drainage patterns. An Arizona registered civil engineered site plan showing existing and proposed contours in profile is required. The plans need to justify that historical drainage patterns are maintained. Additionally, the engineer needs to provide calculations and a detailed site plan to show the culvert is designed correctly. A building permit is mandatory if a structure such as a culvert is required.

Whether a site inspection is needed or not depends on the location of the site and if the Town already has drainage information for the site. A Town representative will determine if a site inspection is needed at the time of the plan submittal.

After everything has been completed, all the concrete has been poured, all trenches have been filled, stockpiles / berms removed, and the site has been final graded.

A stem wall inspection is not required. Prior to our final inspection, as-builts for the finished floor elevations must be submitted by the registered engineer or surveyor of record (developer of the approved site plan).

Building permits and plan submittals are to be taken to Town Hall at 37622 North Cave Creek Road. For questions regarding Building Permit submittals, call Tracie Wilgus at (480) 488-6622 or email Tracie Wilgus. Applications and information regarding the submittal of building permits can be obtained from Town Hall.