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Chino Valley planning commission approves electronic message center sign for Living Waters Church
Summary
The Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of a conditional use permit allowing a freestanding electronic message center sign at 718 S. State Route 89 for Living Waters Church, subject to conditions and a one-year construction commencement requirement.
The Chino Valley Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously Oct. 7 to approve a recommendation to the Town Council for conditional use permit CUP2025-03, allowing a freestanding electronic message center (EMC) sign for Living Waters Church at 718 South State Route 89.
The request, presented by Jessica Verrigan, senior planner with the Development Services Department, concerns an EMC with an overall height of approximately 13 feet and an 8-foot minimum clearance from ground to the bottom of the display panel. Verrigan told commissioners the proposal meets the town's Unified Development Ordinance signage standards and that the applicant has provided manufacturer documentation showing preset, non-user-adjustable brightness levels, automatic dimming with ambient light sensors, a default freeze mode in the event of a malfunction, six-second message durations, no flashing, and weather-resistant construction intended to support dark-sky goals.
Why it matters: the EMC will allow the church to communicate events to the public from a high-visibility location on State Route 89. Staff said the sign design conforms to town code and that Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) provided generic conditions for EMC signs along the state highway. All parcels within a 500-foot radius were notified of a neighborhood meeting held Aug. 28, 2025; no residents attended, and staff reported no neighborhood objections.
Supporting details: Verrigan said the site plan demonstrates the required minimum 6-foot separation between the edge of the property abutting State Route 89 and the sign. Staff recommended forwarding CUP2025-03 to council with the conditions listed in attachment A of the packet. The commission asked staff whether the permit would carry an expiration; staff said the town imposed a one-year deadline for commencement of construction but did not put an expiration date on the installed sign permit itself, noting that once infrastructure is installed it is unusual to require removal after a fixed number of years.
Public input and applicant: The owner of the property was present but declined to speak. The public comment period for the item drew no speakers. After closing public comment, a commissioner made a motion to approve CUP2025-03 as written, a second was recorded, and the motion carried unanimously.
What the approval does and next steps: The commission's action forwards a recommendation to the Town Council to approve CUP2025-03 subject to the listed conditions of approval. The council will consider the permit at a subsequent meeting.
Ending: The commission moved on to information items after the vote; staff remains available to answer council questions about the conditions included with the permit recommendation.
