05. BA250006 BOA Staff Report
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Report to the Board of Adjustment Prepared by the Maricopa County Planning and Development Department Case: BA250006 – Black Canyon Hwy Billboard Hearing Date: April 17, 2025 Supervisor District: 3 ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Applicant: William Allison, Withey Morris Baugh Property Owner: M&J GROUP LLC Request: Variance to the development standards of the Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance to permit: 1) Proposed maximum height of a static billboard of 70’ where 48’ is the maximum permitted per MCZO Article 1403.3.1.F.2.A. 2) Proposed maximum sign face of 672 sq. ft where 300’ is the maximum allowed per MCZO 1403.3.1.G Site Location: APN 202-22-021A @ 44026 N Black Canyon Hwy – Black Canyon Hwy and Circle Mountain Rd., in the New River/Anthem area Site Size: 130,736 sq. ft. Current Use / Zoning: Commercial Vehicle Storage / Billboard / C-3 CUPD Open Violation: N/A Background: 1. April 19, 2000: Z 99-109 rezoned the subject parcel from Rural-43 to C-3 CUPD with plan of development (POD) for a trailer sales and service center. 2. October 23, 2012: Z2012050 amended the POD for redevelopment of the site for a similar use after the prior business suffered a catastrophic fire in 2008. 3. November 26, 2013: Z2013077 amended the POD to add a billboard. The billboard was subsequently built to its maximum allowable size and height of 300 sq. ft and 30’ respectively (today’s ordinance permits taller and larger billboards proximate to freeways). It was determined during the entitlement process that the billboard was not oriented to I-17 but rather fronts onto and is oriented to the freeway’s east side frontage road, Black Canyon Hwy. This allowed the billboard to be closer than 1,000’ to other billboards along I-17. At that time, the required separation between billboards was based upon street orientation, a linear separation along the same street, whereas the current ordinance is based upon a radius separation (unless separated by a freeway) without regard to street orientation. Staff notes that despite it ostensibly fronting Black Canyon Hwy, it was clearly visible to traffic on I-17 until recent erection of a sound wall as part of a freeway widening project. Page 2 of 10 4. November 20, 2019: The latest update of the Daisy Mountain / New River Area Plan is adopted by the Board of Supervisors. Goal 4.4.3 discourages off-site billboards within the New River/I-17 Scenic Corridor. 5. December 15, 2021: The Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance (MCZO) billboard regulations are updated via TA2018001. Billboards are now prohibited within scenic corridors. The subject billboard is legal non-conforming regarding its location in a scenic corridor. 6. 2024: Arizona Department of Transportation builds a sound-barrier along the freeway in such a way that the subject billboard is no longer visible to traffic on I-17. This prompts the submission of this application to raise the billboard so that it is once again visible from I-17. Existing On-Site and Surrounding Zoning/Land Use: 7. On-site: C-3 CUPD / Commercial vehicle storage and billboard North: City of Phoenix / USPS facility South: C-3 CUPD / Commercial vehicle storage East: I-17 then City of Phoenix / Commercial vehicle storage West: C-3 CUPD / Vacant Variance Request: 8. The applicant proposes raising the subject V-shaped billboard from 30’ to 70’ and to increase the square footage of the sign from 300 sq. ft to 672 sq. ft. This would once again allow the billboard to be seen by traffic on I-17. The billboard would have no illumination once rebuilt. Excerpt from proposed site plan, facing north – I-17 is approximately 110’ east of the billboard Page 3 of 10 Photographs of subject billboard as provided by the applicant – the left photo is the current view from I-17, the right photo is what is proposed Partial elevation of the proposed billboard – the sign face measures 14x48 (672 sq. ft) Site Analysis: 9. The existing site is fully developed containing a vehicle storage facility and is of a flat topography. It borders an adjacent commercial vehicle storage site to the south, and a USPS facility to the north within City of Phoenix jurisdiction. The site is within the New River/I-17 Scenic Corridor. Billboards are prohibited within scenic corridors. Staff believes that billboards – regardless of whether new or existing – should not be granted entitlement to increase beyond what is allowed under the Ordinance. The existing billboard is legal non-conforming with regard to location in a scenic corridor. It would not be permitted under the current ordinance. It was permitted as a billboard oriented to Black Canyon Hwy. It is fully visible form Black Canyon Hwy. With that in mind, it should matter little whether traffic from I-17 could see the board as it was not oriented to nor intended for view by I-17 traffic. 10. Staff would be open to allowing the applicant to seek a special use permit (SUP) for relocation of the subject billboard to a different location outside of the scenic corridor. MCZO, Art. 1301.1.21.2 Page 4 of 10 allows an SUP for relocation of a billboard due to a freeway widening project. (Also, MCZO, Arts. 1403.3.1.K & 1301.1.21.1 allows SUP for alteration of an LNC billboard.) Aerial photo of subject site – the billboard is at the northeast corner Aerial image & surrounding environs Page 5 of 10 Zoning District map – all parcels shaded in yellow are City of Phoenix jurisdiction Zoning District Standards: 11. The following table is included to illustrate and contrast the standards for the underlying zoning district with those proposed by the applicant (Note: changes to proposed standards are indicated in bold). Standard C-3 CUPD Standards Proposed with Variance Maximum billboard height < 300’ from an existing freeway 48-feet 70-feet Maximum sign face of a billboard < 300’ from an existing freeway 300 sq. ft 672 sq. ft Location within a scenic corridor Prohibited Continuing use* Note: Standards indicated in bold do not meet base zoning standards *The billboard location within a scenic corridor is LNC. State Statute / County Zoning Ordinance Tests - ARS § 11-816.B.2 and MCZO Article 303.2.2 states the Board of Adjustment may, “Allow a variance from the terms of the ordinance if, owing to peculiar Page 6 of 10 conditions, a strict interpretation would work an unnecessary hardship and if in granting the variance the general intent and purposes of the zoning ordinance will be preserved.” 12. Statutory Test -1 Does the applicant’s property contain any peculiar condition– Discuss and explain what is/are the peculiar conditions facing the property and include reference to the Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance Regulations or Development Standards to be varied. A 30 foot high, 300 square foot, illuminated billboard with two faces – one oriented to north-bound traffic and one oriented to south-bound traffic – has been on the property at 44026 North Black Canyon Highway since 2014. On December 3, 2013, the County Planning & Development Department approved a minor amendment to a Plan of Development for the property to allow the billboard; the case is Z2013077. The size and height of the billboard were the maximum allowed at the time of approval. On June 24, 2013, then Planning & Development Director Debra Stark issued an interpretation of the Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance that found the separation standard between billboards did not apply across a freeway; this interpretation specifically addressed separation of the sign on the property from billboards that existed, and still exist, on the east side of I-17. The Board of Supervisors memorialized this interpretation in the Zoning Ordinance when it updated the billboard regulations effective December 2021. When erected, the billboard complied with all provisions of the Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance. It became a legal, nonconforming sign with the December 2021 billboard regulation amendment as new billboards are prohibited in scenic corridors. See Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance Article 1403.3.1.E. The County designated I-17 north of Carefree Highway as a scenic corridor. The billboard functioned well from installation until ADOT erected a sound mitigation wall along the west side of I-17 in 2024. This wall completely blocks views of the billboard from south-bound traffic on I-17, as seen on the next page. Page 7 of 10 Lamar Advertising and the Property owner propose an increase in height of the billboard from its current 30 feet to 70 feet above grade to make it visible again for both north-bound and south- bound traffic. Although the County Zoning Ordinance, as amended, prohibits billboards in the I-17 scenic corridor, this application does not seek to add a new billboard to the area. The application simply seeks variance of the height standard to overcome the significant hardship the ADOT sound wall works on the existing, legal sign. The increased height requires variance to one (1) County standard as follows: 1. Request to increase the height of a billboard from 30 to 70 feet. Maximum height of 48 feet permitted for a billboard within 300 feet of an existing freeway. Maricopa County Zoning Page 8 of 10 Ordinance Article 1403.3.1.F.2.a. Enforcement of the applicable sections of the Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance to maintain the height of the legal, nonconforming billboard at its current 30 feet imposes a hardship on the Property as the legal use is non functional for south-bound traffic. A billboard oriented to a freeway has no meaningful function if it is not visible from that freeway. But for the location of the property west of the newly constructed ADOT sound mitigation wall, the sign would continue to function in its legal, nonconforming condition. 13. Statutory Test 2 – Does applying the requirements of the Ordinance to the applicant’s property create an Unnecessary Hardship – Explain how the peculiar condition identified in #1 causes an unnecessary hardship to the property when the requirements of the Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance are applied. Explain how the that the peculiar condition of the property came to be and whether the condition was created by the applicant or someone in the property’s line of title. Explain the proposed use of the property with the variance request. Identify and explain all peculiar conditions on your property in regard to the following areas: slope, narrowness, shallowness, irregular shape, location, washes, vegetation, and easements, etc. Explain how enforcement of the Zoning Regulations or Development Standards would impose a hardship on the property. As discussed above, strict application of the Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance will deny the ability to retain visibility for a legal billboard that has stood on the Property for over 10 years. The proposed height increase is necessary to overcome the complete blocking of the billboard for south-bound traffic by the ADOT sound mitigation wall. But for the location of the billboard on a parcel that the recently constructed sound mitigation wall significantly and negatively impacts, the billboard would be fully visible and functional. Lamar had no role in construction of the sound mitigation wall and did not create the peculiar condition requiring variance relief. 14. Statutory Test 3 – General Intent and Purpose of the Zoning Ordinance – Discuss the purpose of the zoning requirement from which the variance is being sought. Then, discuss and explain how, provided statutory tests #1 and #2 are satisfied, the granting of the requested variance would preserve the general intent and purpose of the Zoning Ordinance. Granting the requested variances would not cause a negative impact on the general intent of the Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance as follows: A legal billboard has stood on the Property for over 10 years. The sign functioned as intended until erection of the ADOT sound mitigation wall on the western edge of I-17 in 2024. The Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance does not require removal of the legal, nonconforming billboard at this location; the intent of the Ordinance cannot be to allow a use, whether fully conforming to Ordinance standards or legal and nonconforming, that loses its function due to circumstances that are beyond the control of the sign owner. This request does not contravene the intent of the Zoning Ordinance regulating billboards in Articles 1403.3.1.E or F. Granting the requested variance will also not cause a negative impact on the intent of the Daisy Mountain / New River Area Plan, which was updated in November 2019, five years after construction of the subject billboard. The Area Plan discourages off-site advertising, i.e. billboards, in its Development Guideline 4.4.3. This guideline is not regulatory and is direction regarding new billboards in the Area Plan’s boundaries. Improving a long existing billboard with increased height needed to overcome the significant, limiting impact of a new sound mitigation wall will simply restore that billboard to a fully useful function. This application importantly does not propose to add a billboard to the corridor. To reduce impacts from the billboard, the sign owner agrees to remove illumination from the rebuilt sign. The sign will remain static and will have no lighting that could interfere with the night sky. Finally, the Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance allows modification of a nonconforming billboard through the Special Use Permit process in Article 1403.3.K. This provision, on its face, is not exclusive. Nothing in the Ordinance prevents this Page 9 of 10 variance application to address the peculiar condition that rendered the billboard nonfunctional for south-bound traffic. Findings: 15. The applicant has the burden of proving to the Board that, in accordance with the standard set forth in ARS §11-816.B.2 and MCZO Article 303.2.2, the property requires a variance. To grant the relief, the applicant must prove, and the Board must find and identify, a physical condition of the applicant’s property that is peculiar and not common to the area or the universe of the zoning district. Also, any such peculiarity must not have been created either by the applicant or anyone in the chain of title. If the Board determines that there is no such peculiar physical condition, its inquiry stops, and the application must be denied. If the Board identifies a peculiar physical condition of the applicant’s property which is not self- imposed, then the applicant must prove, and the Board must find and identify, an unnecessary hardship imposed upon the property due to the strict application of the requirements of the zoning ordinance which the applicant wishes to have varied such that there is no viable use of the property without the variance. If the Board identifies a peculiar physical condition of the property which is not self-imposed, and that in applying the requirements of the zoning ordinance to the property, because of the peculiar physical condition, an unnecessary hardship exists, the applicant must prove, and the Board must find and identify, how the granting of the variance will preserve the general intent and purpose of the zoning ordinance. In order to approve the variance the Board must make findings and articulate them in motion memorializing the above. 16. Based upon what the applicant has submitted and the staff analysis in this report, staff offers the following positive and/or negative observations the Board may consider in its findings: • Staff does not believe the construction of the offsite noise-barrier within the freeway’s right-of-way constitutes a peculiar condition of the property. The billboard was originally permitted as oriented to Black Canyon Hwy. Therefore, no undue physical hardship was created by the noise-barrier. The existing billboard is clearly viewed from Black Canyon Hwy. • The billboard is an LNC with regard to location in a scenic corridor. Staff considers it inappropriate to foster increased intensity of an LNC billboard within a scenic corridor. Variance approval would be counter to the intent and purpose of the MCZO. • The variance will result in a billboard that is more visible to I-17 traffic. 17. And further, if the Board finds the applicant has satisfied the statutory test, and has stated its findings on the record, the grant of this variance will memorialize the following: a) Variance approval establishes a 70’ maximum height for alteration an existing LNC off- site advertising sign (billboard) located within a scenic corridor at APN 202-22-021A. b) Variance approval establishes a maximum sign face of 672 sq. ft for alteration of an existing LNC off-site advertising sign (billboard) located within a scenic corridor at APN 202-22-021A. Page 10 of 10 Presented by: Joel Landis Reviewed by: Darren V. Gérard, AICP, Planning Manager Attachments: Case Map (1 page) Application / Supplemental Questionnaire (5 pages) Site Plan (2 pages) Letters of Opposition (4 pages) / Maricopa County Planning & Development - Phoenix, AZ 4 Gross Acres: 6 approx. Generated April 9, 2025 10:55 AM BA250006 Application Name: Legal Description 44026 North Black Canyon Highway Applicant Case Address 6N 2E 10 Hannah Bleam 44026 N BLACK CANYON HWY Applicant Phone/Email Parcel Primary:202-22-021A (602) 230-0600 hannah@wmbattorneys.com NEW RIVER, AZ 85087 Map scale 1:951 Supervisor District No. Request to increase the height of a billboard from 30 to 65 feet. Maximum height of 48 feet permitted for a billboard within 300 feet of an existing freeway. Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance Article 1403.3.1.F.2.a. Planning & Development Department 301 W. Jefferson St., Suite 170 Phoenix, Arizona 85003 P: 602.506.3301 Non-Residential Variance Application Packet 12/2/24 NON-RESIDENTIAL VARIANCE PROPERTY OWNER AUTHORIZATION APPLICATION FORM ALL FEES ARE DUE AT TIME OF APPLICATION AND ARE NON-REFUNDABLE Is this Design Build? Yes No Is this Residential? Yes No Is this subject property within an area of 15% or greater hillside slopes? Yes No REQUEST Description of Request: Existing Zoning District and Use of Property: Related Case Number(s): PROPERTY INFORMATION Address (if known): General Location (include nearest city/town): Size in Acres: Square Feet: Legal Description: Section: Township: Range: Assessor’s Parcel Number(s): Subdivision Name (if applicable): APPLICANT INFORMATION Name: Contact: Address: City: State: Zip: Phone #: Fax #: E-mail Address: PROPERTY OWNER INFORMATION Name: Contact: Address: City: State: Zip: Phone #: Fax #: E-mail Address: PROPERTY OWNER AND APPLICANT AUTHORIZATION I (property owner) authorize (applicant’s name) to file this application on all matters relating to this request with Maricopa County. By signing this form as the property owner I hereby agree to abide by any and all conditions that may be assigned by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, Maricopa County Planning and Zoning Commission, or Maricopa County Planning and Development Department staff as applicable, as part of any approval of this request, including conditions, development agreements, and/or any other requirement that may encumber or otherwise affect the use of my property. PROPOSITION 207 WAIVER – SIGNATURE REQUIRED The property owner acknowledges that the approval being sought by this application may cause a reduction in the existing rights to use, divide, sell or possess the private property that is the subject of this application. The property owner further acknowledges that it is the property owner who has requested the action sought by the filing of this application. Therefore, with full knowledge of all rights granted to the property owner pursuant to A.R.S.§1§12-1132 through 1138, the property owner does hereby waive any and all claims for diminution in value of the property with regard to any action taken by Maricopa County as result of the filing of this application. Property Owner Signature: Date: INSPECTIONS By submitting this application, I am inviting County staff to conduct all site inspections they deem necessary. VERIFICATION OF APPLICATION INFORMATION – SIGNATURE REQUIRED I certify that the statements in this application and support material are true. Any approvals or permits granted by Maricopa County in reliance upon the truthfulness of these statements may be revoked or rescinded. Owner or Authorized Agent Signature: Date: ARS § 1605 TIMEFRAME EXTENSION I authorize a 50% timeframe extension for the review of my application as adopted by the Board of Supervisors per ARS § 1605 and as amended. Property Owner Signature: _________________________________________________________ Date: ______________________________ Variance to increase height of billboard from 30 feet to 70 feet Z2013077 44026 N Black Canyon Hwy SWC Circle Mountain Rd and I-17; Phoenix, AZ 3.00 130,736.00 10 6N 2E 202-22-021A N/A Withey Morris Baugh, PLC William F. Allison 2525 E Arizona Biltmore Cir, A-212 Phoenix AZ 85016 (602) 346-4615 (602) 212-1787 bill@wmbattorneys.com M&J Group, LLC Jonathon Justice 1840 W Sierra Sunset Trail Phoenix AZ 85085 (575) 693-4395 akeyproperties@gmail.com M&J Group, LLC/ Withey Morris Baugh/William F. Allison ✔ ✔ ✔ CUPD; RV and Boat Storage with a billboard oriented to I-17. 2-27-25 2-27-25 2-27-25 Planning & Development Department 301 W. Jefferson St., Suite 170 Phoenix, Arizona 85003 P: 602.506.3301 Non-Residential Variance Application Packet 6/17/24 NON-RESIDENTIAL VARIANCE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE ARS §11-816 B.2 The Board of Adjustment may allow a variance from the terms of the ordinance when, owing to peculiar conditions, a strict interpretation would work an unnecessary hardship, if in granting such variance the general intent and purposes of the zoning ordinance will be preserved. 1. Please discuss and explain what is/are the peculiar condition(s) facing the property and include reference to the Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance Regulation(s) or Development Standard(s) to be varied. Explain the proposed use of the property with the variance request. Identify and explain all peculiar conditions on your property in regard to the following areas: slope, narrowness, shallowness, irregular shape, location, washes, vegetation, and easements, etc. Explain how enforcement of the Zoning Regulation(s) or Development Standard(s) would impose a hardship on the property. A 30 foot high, 300 square foot, illuminated billboard with two faces – one oriented to north-bound traffic and one oriented to south-bound traffic – has been on the property at 44026 North Black Canyon Highway since 2014. On December 3, 2013, the County Planning & Development Department approved a minor amendment to a Plan of Development for the property to allow the billboard; the case is Z2013077. The size and height of the billboard were the maximum allowed at the time of approval. On June 24, 2013, then Planning & Development Director Debra Stark issued an interpretation of the Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance that found the separation standard between billboards did not apply across a freeway; this interpretation specifically addressed separation of the sign on the property from billboards that existed, and still exist, on the east side of I-17. The Board of Supervisors memorialized this interpretation in the Zoning Ordinance when it updated the billboard regulations effective December 2021. When erected, the billboard complied with all provisions of the Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance. It became a legal, nonconforming sign with the December 2021 billboard regulation amendment as new billboards are prohibited in scenic corridors. See Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance Article 1403.3.1.E. The County designated I-17 north of Carefree Highway as a scenic corridor. The billboard functioned well from installation until ADOT erected a sound mitigation wall along the west side of I-17 in 2024. This wall completely blocks views of the billboard from south-bound traffic on I-17, as seen on the next page. Planning & Development Department 301 W. Jefferson St., Suite 170 Phoenix, Arizona 85003 P: 602.506.3301 Non-Residential Variance Application Packet 6/17/24 View of Billboard – Before Sound Wall Installation. Current View of Billboard – After Sound Wall Installation. Planning & Development Department 301 W. Jefferson St., Suite 170 Phoenix, Arizona 85003 P: 602.506.3301 Non-Residential Variance Application Packet 6/17/24 Although the County Zoning Ordinance, as amended, prohibits billboards in the I-17 scenic corridor, this application does not seek to add a new billboard to the area. The application simply seeks variance of the height standard to overcome the significant hardship the ADOT sound wall works on the existing, legal sign. The increased height requires variance to one (1) County standard as follows: 1. Request to increase the height of a billboard from 30 to 70 feet. Maximum height of 48 feet permitted for a billboard within 300 feet of an existing freeway. Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance Article 1403.3.1.F.2.a. Enforcement of the applicable sections of the Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance to maintain the height of the legal, nonconforming billboard at its current 30 feet imposes a hardship on the Property as the legal use is non- functional for south-bound traffic. A billboard oriented to a freeway has no meaningful function if it is not visible from that freeway. But for the location of the property west of the newly constructed ADOT sound mitigation wall, the sign would continue to function in its legal, nonconforming condition. Lamar Advertising and the Property owner propose an increase in height of the billboard from its current 30 feet to 70 feet above grade to make it visible again for both north-bound and south-bound traffic. Planning & Development Department 301 W. Jefferson St., Suite 170 Phoenix, Arizona 85003 P: 602.506.3301 Non-Residential Variance Application Packet 6/17/24 2. Please explain the unnecessary hardship the Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance creates because of a peculiar condition/the peculiar conditions on site. Please discuss and explain that the peculiar condition of the property is not self-created in the line of title. 3. Please discuss and explain how the granting of the requested variance would not cause a negative impact on the general intent and purpose of the Zoning Ordinance. Granting the requested variances would not cause a negative impact on the general intent of the Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance as follows: A legal billboard has stood on the Property for over 10 years. The sign functioned as intended until erection of the ADOT sound mitigation wall on the western edge of I-17 in 2024. The Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance does not require removal of the legal, nonconforming billboard at this location; the intent of the Ordinance cannot be to allow a use, whether fully conforming to Ordinance standards or legal and nonconforming, that loses its function due to circumstances that are beyond the control of the sign owner. This request does not contravene the intent of the Zoning Ordinance regulating billboards in Articles 1403.3.1.E or F. Granting the requested variance will also not cause a negative impact on the intent of the Daisy Mountain / New River Area Plan, which was updated in November 2019, five years after construction of the subject billboard. The Area Plan discourages off-site advertising, i.e. billboards, in its Development Guideline 4.4.3. This guideline is not regulatory and is direction regarding new billboards in the Area Plan’s boundaries. Improving a long existing billboard with increased height needed to overcome the significant, limiting impact of a new sound mitigation wall will simply restore that billboard to a fully useful function. This application importantly does not propose to add a billboard to the corridor. To reduce impacts from the billboard, the sign owner agrees to remove illumination from the rebuilt sign. The sign will remain static and will have no lighting that could interfere with the night sky. Finally, the Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance allows modification of a nonconforming billboard through the Special Use Permit process in Article 1403.3.K. This provision, on its face, is not exclusive. Nothing in the Ordinance prevents this variance application to address the peculiar condition that rendered the billboard nonfunctional for south-bound traffic. As discussed above, strict application of the Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance will deny the ability to retain visibility for a legal billboard that has stood on the Property for over 10 years. The proposed height increase is necessary to overcome the complete blocking of the billboard for south-bound traffic by the ADOT sound mitigation wall. But for the location of the billboard on a parcel that the recently constructed sound mitigation wall significantly and negatively impacts, the billboard would be fully visible and functional. Lamar had no role in construction of the sound mitigation wall and did not create the peculiar condition requiring variance relief. 70’ This Message Is From an Untrusted Sender You have not previously corresponded with this sender. Please use caution when you receive messages from new senders. Always validate the sender first. Outlook Re: BA250006 - Black Canyon Hwy Billboard - APN 202-22-021A From Edward Taylor <etaylor@estentinc.com> Date Mon 3/3/2025 6:54 PM To Joel Landis (PND) <Joel.Landis@maricopa.gov> BA250006. This application should be denied. The billboard is unobstructed from the freeway in both directions as it is now. There will be no building in the right of way that would block it in the future. The billboard will block the view shed already limited by the new sound wall along the freeway. The Scenic Corridor in the Daisy Mountain/New River Area Plan and Dark Skies initiative addresses this very situation. I strongly oppose approval of this application and ask members of the board to not approve the variance. Thank you for the opportunity Ed Taylor, President EST Enterprises Inc, 602.739.1235 On Fri, Feb 21, 2025 at 11:18 AM Joel Landis (PND) <Joel.Landis@maricopa.gov> wrote: Hello, The above variance request has been made to raise an existing billboard from 30' to 65' where a maximum of 48' is allowed in Maricopa County jurisdiction, case BA250006. You are receiving this request because you are on our Area of Interest list for this parcel. Files are available on Permit Center. This case is likely to be heard at the March 13th Board of Adjustment hearing. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments on this request via email. Maricopa County Logo Joel Landis PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT 301. W Jefferson St. Phoenix, AZ 85003 Planner O: 602-506-8358 MARICOPA.GOV Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube Maricopa County is developing the Framework 2040 Comprehensive Plan – a document which guides growth and development for the next decade and beyond. Visit Framework 2040 to learn how to participate, attend meetings and be heard! This Message Is From an External Sender This message came from outside your organization. Please use caution when corresponding outside the county. Outlook Re: BA250006 - Black Canyon Hwy Billboard - APN 202-22-021A From Eileen Baden <eileenbaden@gmail.com> Date Mon 3/3/2025 9:24 AM To Joel Landis (PND) <Joel.Landis@maricopa.gov> 1 attachment (10 MB) I17 Scenic Corridor Phx New River.png; Hi Joel, We are very concerned about an increase in height to any billboards because the I-17 in this location is a Scenic Corridor. The I-17 Scenic Corridor is identified in the Daisy Mountain/New River Area Plan (Plan). See attached (this map was taken from the plan, PDF page 7.) The Plan identifies very strong public support for the scenic corridors. Our major concern is the adverse effect on the views of the mountains in this area. This will set a precedent and every other business will also want to increase their billboard sign, creating a cumulatively adverse effect to views. Much of the lands in the viewshed are public lands and which have Visual Resource Standards. For example, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will do a viewshed analysis to see how projects impact views from different areas. In general, for this location is does not seem appropriate to allow an increase in height of one billboard as it will make every other billboard owner do the same and will ruin views from a major travel corridor to Daisy Mountain, BLM, and other public lands. Many tourists fly into Phoenix and drive up to Sedona, the Grand Canyon, and other northern AZ cities and drive this route. We want to protect the mountain views of the North Phoenix and New River Area not only for residents, but travelers as well. With the new Bela Flor housing development being built just east of this site (and just east of the I-17 N frontage road), it does not seem appropriate to increase the height of the billboard as this is becoming a residential area as well. Where can we find more details about this? When looking it up, it said, "No documents found". Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you for your time. -Eileen Baden, AICP & Byron Baden, RG Residents of New River, AZ Eileen Baden, AICP President, Friends of Daisy Mountain Trails Bureau of Land Management, AZ Resource Advisory Council Member Arizona State University, School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning - Planning Advisory Board eileenbaden@gmail.com (all views expressed are our own) On Fri, Feb 21, 2025, 11:18 AM Joel Landis (PND) <Joel.Landis@maricopa.gov> wrote: Hello, The above variance request has been made to raise an existing billboard from 30' to 65' where a maximum of 48' is allowed in Maricopa County jurisdiction, case BA250006. You are receiving this request because you are on our Area of Interest list for this parcel. Files are available on Permit Center. This case is likely to be heard at the March 13th Board of Adjustment hearing. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments on this request via email. Maricopa County Logo Joel Landis PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT 301. W Jefferson St. Phoenix, AZ 85003 Planner O: 602-506-8358 MARICOPA.GOV Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube Maricopa County is developing the Framework 2040 Comprehensive Plan – a document which guides growth and development for the next decade and beyond. Visit Framework 2040 to learn how to participate, attend meetings and be heard!