Commission approves 5‑year renewal for faux‑palm wireless facility near McDowell & Hayden

The Scottsdale Planning Commission voted on the consent agenda to recommend approval of a conditional use permit renewals that would allow existing concealed wireless facilities (faux palm antennas) to remain in place for up to five additional years.

Keith Nieder of the Planning Department presented the consent item, noting two existing faux‑palm wireless communication facilities have been in place since about February 2014: one near McDowell and Hayden and the other near Hayden and Indian School. “This specific one that's on the screen … southeast of the intersection of McDowell and Hayden Road,” Nieder said, adding the sites were initially approved in 02/2015, built in 2017, and renewed in 2020. He said conditional use permits for wireless sites are valid for up to five years and Verizon is not planning modifications at this time.

Commissioner Gonzales said the staff presentation answered his questions, and a motion to recommend approval to City Council for case CUP2014‑3 (recorded in the minutes as 8UP2014 number 3) passed on the consent vote. The motion’s language recommended approval per staff‑recommended stipulations after finding the conditional use permit criteria were met and that the proposed permits are consistent with the adopted general plan.

Because this matter was on the consent agenda, the commission took no separate public‑hearing‑style testimony; staff and the applicant reported no changes to the existing facilities. The recommendation will go to City Council for final action.