2 illuminated signs approved for Living Word Church in Mesa
City of Mesa
The Mesa Board of Adjustment voted 4-0 June 3 on a consent agenda including the approval of a permit for a comprehensive sign plan for the church on 15.7 acres at 3520 E. Brown Road.
A special-use permit was recently approved for a sign plan with two illuminated monument signs for Living Word Church near Val Vista Drive and Brown Road.
The Mesa Board of Adjustment voted 4-0 June 3 on a consent agenda including the approval of the permit for a comprehensive sign plan for the church on 15.7 acres at 3520 E. Brown Road. Vice Chair Shelly Allen and board member Gerson Barrera were absent.
An existing monument sign will be replaced with a 44-square-foot sign where the zoning district only allows a maximum of 32 square feet for nonresidential land uses. An illuminated electronic messaging sign is planned, Staff Planner Emily Johnson said during a study session prior to the meeting.
“As part of this (comprehensive sign plan) the applicant is requesting ... two detached monument signs along the one frontage — Brown Road — where code would only permit one sign per street frontage. They will be approximately 787 feet apart,” she said. “Both of the signs on the property will be illuminated... No other signs — attached or detached — exist or are proposed on the site.”
Living Word Bible Church is seeking two illuminated monument signs along a single street frontage, one of which includes an illuminated electronic message display; and an increase to the maximum permitted sign area for detached monument signs at each approved location along East Brown Road, according to a written project narrative.
The electronic message panel will allow the church to show service times, events and community information, it states.
“These requested modifications are intended to improve visibility from the public right of way and allow clear identification of the church campus for motorists and visitors,” it states in the narrative. “The monument (sign)’s design, illumination and scale are intended to be compatible with surrounding development while supporting safe vehicular movement and effective wayfinding,”.
The seven-member Board of Adjustment conducts public meetings to hear and decide requests for variances, special-use permits and interpretations of the city of Mesa zoning ordinance and sign code. Members are appointed for staggered terms of three years, according to the city’s website.
Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines, https://www.yourvalley.net/civility-checklist/.
Meet Richard Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.
Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions.
Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.
Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.
Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.
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