Title
Public Hearing - Amend City Code and Ordinance Adoption Off-Premise Signs Along the Western Portion of the State Route Loop 202 Freeway - Z-TA-6-19 (Ordinance G-6747)
Description
Request to hold a public hearing on a proposed text amendment Z-TA-6-19 and to request City Council approve Z-TA-6-19 as proposed which amends Chapter 7, Section 705.2 (Off-Premise Signs) of the Phoenix Zoning Ordinance to allow off-premise advertising along the western portion of the State Route (SR) Loop 202, “Ed Pastor Freeway” from Interstate 10 to the north side of Estrella Drive.
Report
Summary
Application: Z-TA-6-19
Proposal: Amend Chapter 7, Section 705.2 (Off-Premise Signs) of the Phoenix Zoning Ordinance to allow off-premise advertising along the western portion of the State Route (SR) Loop 202, “Ed Pastor Freeway” from Interstate 10 to the north side of Estrella Drive.
Applicant: City of Phoenix, Planning Commission
Representative: City of Phoenix, Planning and Development Department
The intent of this text amendment request is to allow off-premise signs along the western portion of the SR Loop 202, “Ed Pastor Freeway” from Interstate 10 to the north side of Estrella Drive. Currently the only freeways that permit off-premise signs are Interstate 17, Interstate 10, inner SR Loop 202, SR 143, and the west SR Loop 101 to Camelback Road.
Historically, off-premise signs have been located along freeways to advertise to the many residents who travel these freeways within the City of Phoenix. With the construction of the SR Loop 202, “Ed Pastor Freeway,” the addition of off-premise signs on a portion of this freeway would provide similar advertising opportunities that are permitted on similar and adjacent freeways.
Off-premise signs are required to be located within 300 feet and oriented towards permitted freeways. In addition, off-premise signs are only permitted in the A-1 and A-2 zoning districts and within Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) on properties a minimum of 20 acres in size. While the addition of this freeway corridor creates opportunities for additional billboards to be constructed, properties without the aforementioned zoning entitlements will be required to obtain approval through the rezoning process in order to construct an off-premise sign.
The text amendment makes no changes to the current spacing standards for off-premise billboards. There is a minimum spacing standard of 1,000 feet required from one off-premise structure to another. Additional spacing standards exist for residential districts and residential uses outside of a PUD. Off-premise signs are also restricted from locating within 2,000 feet of the Phoenix or South Mountain Preserves. The proposed southern applicability boundary for this new freeway corridor, Estrella Drive, is more than 2,000 feet from South Mountain Park.
The text amendment would change Section 705.2.A.1 to include the western portion of the SR Loop 202, “Ed Pastor Freeway” from Interstate 10 to the north side of Estrella Drive. The other regulations including but not limited to zoning, size, spacing, and setbacks in Section 705.2 of the Phoenix Zoning Ordinance would apply to any proposed off-premise signs within the freeway corridor.
Concurrence
Staff Recommendation: Approval, per the language in Exhibit A of the Attachment B - Staff Report.
VPC Action: The Estrella Village Planning Committee heard this case on July 21, 2020 and recommended denial by a 5-2 vote. The Laveen Village Planning Committee heard this case on Aug. 10, 2020 and recommended approval, per the staff recommendation with a modification to move the southern boundary from Estrella Drive to Lower Buckeye Road by an 8-0 vote. The Village Planning Committee summaries are compiled in Attachment C - VPC Summary.
PC Action: The Planning Commission heard this case on Sept. 3, 2020 and recommended approval, per the language in Exhibit A of the Staff Report with a modification to change the boundary line from the north side of Estrella Drive to the 2,000-foot distance from the boundary of the South Mountain Preserve by a 9-0 vote, as reflected in Attachment D - PC Summary.
Location
Western portion of the State Route (SR) Loop 202, “Ed Pastor Freeway” from Interstate 10 to the north side of Estrella Drive.
Council Districts: 7 and 8.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Mario Paniagua and the Planning and Development Department.