Florence staff recommends raising notice radius for large projects; public hearing set for May 1

Florence Planning and Zoning Commission on April 17 reviewed staff research and a draft amendment to the Town of Florence Development Code (Chapter 150) that would expand mailed-notice requirements for certain land-use applications.

The recommendation from planning staff would keep the current 300-foot mailed-notice radius for projects smaller than 20 acres, increase the radius to 600 feet for projects of 20 acres or larger, and require that neighborhood associations (HOAs) within a quarter mile be separately notified for all applications, regardless of project acreage. No ordinance vote was held; staff said a public hearing is scheduled for the commission’s May 1 meeting.

The change responds to commissioners’ direction to research wider notice distances after recent rezoning protests and public concerns that some nearby residents did not receive mailed notices. Staff presented comparisons with other Arizona jurisdictions, including Phoenix, Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Avondale and Buckeye. “We looked at a range from 300 to 1,000 feet in other cities,” staff said, noting Buckeye’s approach that increases the radius for projects over 20 acres inspired the draft.

Commissioner Lehman urged simplicity: “I just like to simplify things…rather than have a 300 and 600, simplify it all to 600 feet,” he said, arguing a single standard would be easier for applicants and the public to understand. Several commissioners said they supported larger notice for big developments but were reluctant to mandate a single larger radius for all projects. Commissioner Proulx said he liked staff’s tiered recommendation.

A recurring concern was whether homeowners would actually receive notice if the town mailed only to HOAs. Commissioner Wooley pressed staff on that point and on who bears the cost: “They pay the postage,” he observed about applicants who pay mailing costs. Staff confirmed the applicant pays for mailed notices and that the proposed code language would not replace individual homeowner notice within the shorter radius—rather it would add an HOA notice within the quarter-mile buffer.

Town attorney Matisse provided statutory context: he said the state’s rezoning-notice baseline is 300 feet and noted the statute also defines the narrower protest-interest measurement (about 150 feet) that triggers a higher legislative vote threshold for rezoning in Arizona. “The statutory minimum is 300 feet when you’re rezoning…you can do more,” he summarized.

Commissioners asked staff to clarify ordinance language before publication. Attorney Matisse advised that the public hearing notice must publish a single proposed ordinance text, not multiple options. Staff said the formal advertisement for the May 1 hearing had not yet been sent.

The commission did not adopt an ordinance at the April 17 meeting. Staff will revise the code language for clarity, incorporating commissioners’ feedback about homeowners versus HOA notice and the 20-acre trigger, and return the ordinance for the advertised May 1 public hearing.