Planning commission approves home-based barbershop permit in La Fontana Heights

GLENDALE, Ariz. — On Sept. 25, 2025, the Glendale Planning Commission voted to approve CUP25-03, a conditional use permit that will allow a barbershop to operate as a Class 2 home-based occupation at a single-family property in the La Fontana Heights subdivision east of the southeast corner of 70 Fifth Avenue and Oregon Avenue.

The permit, approved with two staff stipulations, limits the operation to the current property owner, Daisy Martinez Sanchez, and is subject to a written appeal filed within 15 days. The permit allows one customer at a time, by appointment only, with operating hours Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; the applicant said there will be no additional employees and no walk-ins.

Staff presentation and findings

Planning staff told commissioners the property is zoned R-16 (single-family residential) and is developed with an approximately 1,800-square-foot residence and a roughly 256-square-foot accessory structure. Staff said the applicant proposes to operate the barbershop either inside the accessory structure or by converting a single room inside the residence, and customers would use a designated parking area in the existing driveway during business hours. Staff recommended approval, citing Section 35.30.204(g) of the Unified Development Code, the project narrative and site plan, and offered conditions intended to limit impacts and preserve the residential character of the neighborhood.

Concerns and discussion

Vice Chair Edwin Nyberg said he had concerns about allowing businesses in residential areas generally. Planning staff responded with an explanation of the code that distinguishes Class 1 (no customer traffic) and Class 2 (customer traffic; requires a conditional use permit) home-based occupations and said the permit process and proposed conditions are intended to mitigate traffic and neighborhood impacts. Commissioner John Crowe asked whether the case followed any code-enforcement action; staff said there was no active code-compliance case for the site.

Public input and applicant

No members of the public submitted speaker cards or addressed the commission. The applicant was present but made no formal presentation. Commissioner John Crowe told the applicant, “I just wanna commend you for doing the right thing by your neighbors and, the city.”

Vote and next steps

Commissioner Tom Cole moved to approve CUP25-03 subject to the two stipulations in the staff report; the motion was seconded. The roll call recorded votes included ayes from Commissioner Kohl, Commissioner John Gears, Commissioner Brian Hooper and the chair; Vice Chair Edwin Nyberg voted no. The planning commission’s action is final unless a written appeal is filed within 15 days.

Stipulations noted by staff require substantial conformance with the project narrative and the site plan dated 08/07/2025, and the permit is limited to the current property owner, Daisy Martinez Sanchez.