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ITEM 9.e. TOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS STAFF REPORT Meeting Date: 6/16/2026 Meeting Type: Town Council Regular Meeting Submitting Department: Development Services Prepared by: John Wesley, Development Services Director Staff Contact Information: Phone: 480-816-5138 Email: jwesley@fountainhillsaz.gov Request to Town Council Regular Meeting (Agenda Language) PUBLIC HEARING, with CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION: Regarding Ordinance 26-11, amending Zoning Ordinance Chapter 6, Sign Regulations, Section 6.08 A. 6. Drive-Through Sign, to increase the allowed size of these signs. Staff Summary (background) Chapter 6 of the Zoning Ordinance sets the standards and regulations for signs. Sign regulations are based on time, place, and manner provisions and cannot be based on content. Section 6.08 provides the standards and allowances for each type of sign allowed in Fountain Hills. One of the sign types is Drive-through Sign. Based on some recent inquiries regarding the provisions for this sign type, staff have looked at the need to recommend some changes. A major update was made to the sign ordinance in 2021 to bring it into conformance with the US Supreme Court Decision in Reed v. Town of Gilbert to make such ordinance content neutral. The Town sign ordinance prior to that update had the limitation on menu board signs at 5' tall and 20 sq. ft. That same standard was continued in the revised ordinance for drive- through signs. Cities and towns use different approaches and language to describe sign types. Two cities that also specifically list drive-through signs in their sign ordinance are Gilbert and Scottsdale. The Town of Gilbert zoning ordinance states drive-through signs can be 7' tall and up to 50 sq. ft., the City of Scottsdale also allows these signs to be 7' tall but limits the size to 45 sq. ft. An internet search of standard drive-through menu board sizes provided the following common sizes: Small (Coffee Shops): 3' - 4' width, 2' - 3' height (6 - 12 sq. ft.) Medium (Fast Food): 4' - 6' width, 3' - 4' height (12 - 24 sq. ft.) Large (Full-Service QSRs): 6' - 8'" width, 4' - 5' height (24 - 40 sq. ft.) Digital Menu Boards: The best visibility is obtained with dimensions between 55" and 75" giving customers a clear view of the board from a distance An increase in the allowed sign area to 30 sq. ft. and a maximum height of seven feet would be in keeping with industry standards. Related Ordinance, Policy or Guiding Principle Zoning Ordinance Chapter 6 Risk Analysis N/A Recommendation(s) by Board(s) or Commission(s) The Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing on this text amendment at their May 11, 2026, regular meeting. There were no public comments. The Commissioners agreed this amended was warranted and voted unanimously to recommend approval. Staff Recommendation(s) Staff finds that our current code allowance is smaller than what is standard in the industry and recommends approval of Ordinance 26-11. Suggested Motion MOVE TO APPROVE Ordinance 26-11. FISCAL IMPACT Fiscal Impact: N/A Budget Reference: N/A Funding Source: N/A ATTACHMENTS 1. ORDINANCE NO 26-11