Thomasson: Taking steps to improve public noticing for Paradise Valley residents

Three to six months is too long for residents to wait to be notified about a project in their neighborhood. Sooner is usually better.

Your Town Council is currently studying Planning Commission recommendations to improve public notification for residential lot changes and Special Use Permits.

Often referred to as SUPs, these are the dozens of churches, schools, resorts, and medical centers that require approval before changes can be made.

Depending on the magnitude of the change requested, it is classified as either a minor, intermediate, or major SUP amendment and different notification requirements apply.

At the direction of council, the Planning Commission studied our noticing requirements and recommended changes to the council, which is currently reviewing them during our study sessions --- on Zoom, open to the public, of course.

Your council was in agreement with Planning Commission’s recommendation to use much bigger on-site signs (4’ by 4’) to let neighbors know of a coming application for change.

Planning Commission also recommended that the number of residents we mail notices to vary with the size of the change requested, i.e., notification of smaller changes (like moving the carpool lane in a church parking lot) is sent to fewer residents than notification of a larger change such as complete rebuild of a medical plaza, which would be sent to more residents.

Although the Planning Commission wanted to help reduce costs for these applications ($200- $500 per mailing), especially for our churches and schools, your council generally favored mailing notices to a broader range of residents whether it is a minor or major amendment.

Having attended the Planning Commission meetings and hearing the discussion first hand, I respect their recommendation, but agree with our mayor who said that if you weigh the risk of not notifying enough people against the $200-$500 cost burden to a church or school, it is better to mail notification to more people.

I concur. More is usually better.

Importantly, the council is also considering notifying residents much sooner in the SUP application process. Currently residents are notified only 15 days before a Planning Commission hearing and vote, which is far too late.

I spent much of 2018 following all the SUP applications including Paradise Valley Medical Plaza (on Scottsdale Road) and Mountain View Medical Plaza (at Tatum and Shea) and heard the frustrations of many residents who did not know about the project soon enough to be able to react.

I will strongly advocate for earlier resident notification when the application is made, before multiple council meetings to draft a Statement of Direction followed by multiple Planning Commission meetings to review the application.

Three to six months is too long for residents to wait to be notified about a project in their neighborhood. Sooner is usually better.

Very soon after taking office last year I made a motion to consider much earlier resident notification. Although this issue has been supported prior to my tenure, I’m grateful for the thoughtful work of our volunteer Planning Commission and am confident, as a council, we can work together to implement improved notification.

Editor’s Note: Anna Thomasson is an elected member of Paradise Valley Town Council.