Planning commission votes 5-0 to recommend Assante Trails sign program to City Council

The Surprise Planning and Zoning Commission on Sept. 4 voted 5-0 to recommend City Council approve a comprehensive sign program for the Assante Trails development at the southwest corner of 160th Avenue and Pat Tillman Boulevard.

The program (Case FS241519) would establish materials, color, size and placement standards for signage across the Assante Trails commercial parcel and the adjacent Tavalo multifamily site. Planning staff said the proposal generally conforms with the city Land Development Ordinance (LDO) but requests a limited deviation for the Tavalo entry monuments.

Planning staff presented the item and explained that the site is in the Assante planned area development (PAD) with R-3 and C-2 zoning across the combined properties. The comprehensive sign program (CSP) covers four class-6 major monument signs sited along 160th Avenue and Pat Tillman Boulevard and several smaller monument and directional signs within the commercial and multifamily areas. Drive-through preview/menu signage and directional signs were included in the CSP. Staff said the proposed major monuments meet LDO separation, height and area standards and that materials are consistent with an earlier-approved master site plan.

Staff noted one requested deviation: minor increases in sign area for some entry monuments on the Tavalo property (the applicant requested about a 1-square-foot increase for a smaller class-5 monument sign). The staff report said all other standards for height and separation would remain in conformance with the LDO. Staff also reported a neighborhood meeting held June 23 that two people attended; concerns raised then focused on directional signage and were addressed by the applicant in the CSP.

No members of the public signed up to speak during the public hearing. After the presentation, one commissioner said they had met with the project's design team and voiced strong support for the program, calling it “something good” for the corridor as an entry to northwest Surprise. That commissioner moved to recommend approval; a second was recorded. The motion passed on a voice vote recorded as 5 in favor, none opposed.

Planning staff recommended the commission forward the CSP to City Council with stipulations A and B as outlined in the staff report. The commission’s action is a recommendation; the final decision rests with City Council. No City Council hearing date was specified in the transcript.