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Cochise County panel approves setback variance for two fiber‑equipment buildings
Summary
The Cochise County Planning commission approved a variance reducing the north property‑line setback from 20 feet to 10 feet for two existing unmanned fiber‑optic equipment buildings at a 20‑acre site at Glen and Rocky roads; the approval applies only to the two buildings and not to future structures.
The Cochise County Planning and Zoning Commission approved a variance June 25 reducing the required north property‑line setback for two existing unmanned fiber‑optic equipment buildings from 20 feet to 10 feet at a 20‑acre site near the intersection of Glen Road and Rocky Road (tax parcel 407‑53‑021).
Staff said the buildings already sit about 10 feet from the north property line and that utility installations are a permitted use in the R36 residential zoning district, so the requested relief would not create obvious adverse impacts to nearby homes. "Based on the factors in favor, staff recommends approval of docket VAR 25‑005 without any special conditions, reducing the minimum required setbacks for 2 existing fiber optic equipment buildings from 20 feet to 10 feet along the north property line," said a county planning staff member.
The variance request covered two existing unmanned equipment buildings on the property the applicant identified as a fiber‑optic site owned by Zayo Group. An applicant representative described the buildings as housing fiber lines and related wiring for providers including Amazon, Google, Microsoft and AT&T and said the smaller of the two structures appeared to have been permitted previously. The staff presentation said the site totals approximately 20 acres, is located about 1 mile east of Highway 191 and roughly northwest of Douglas, and that the nearest residence is approximately 1,000 feet to the southwest.
Staff reported it mailed six notices to property owners within 300 feet, published a legal ad and posted the property; no written responses were received. The staff report cited Section 2.60.010 of the Cochise County zoning regulations — the section that identifies factors for evaluating variances — and concluded the request met the minimum five criteria staff typically requires to grant relief, while acknowledging that the common variance criteria of "hardship, site conditions, or self‑created hardship" were not obviously satisfied.
Commissioners asked whether the approval would apply to any future buildings on the site. The commission clarified — and the motion reflected — that the variance applies only to the two existing buildings described in the docket; any additional buildings would have to comply with the 20‑foot setback or seek a separate variance. The applicant indicated there may be future sites but did not provide plans for additional buildings at this parcel during the hearing.
After brief discussion, a board member moved to approve docket VAR 25‑005 without special conditions. The chair called for the vote; commissioners answered "aye," and the chair announced, "Motion carried." The commission did not record individual vote tallies in the hearing transcript.
For context, staff noted the parcel also contains a separate wireless communication facility approved in 2024 on another part of the property; staff said that prior approval is unrelated to this variance request.
The commission had no additional dockets that day; staff also told the panel that Christine has accepted the county's development services director position and that a new deputy county attorney, Mr. Whitehead, will introduce himself at a future meeting.
