Staff outlines Maricopa rules for neighborhood meetings and public‑hearing signs and notices

On Sept. 13 planning staff reviewed City of Maricopa municipal code provisions governing neighborhood‑meeting and public‑hearing notices and posted signs.

Planner Rick said the code (cited as sections 18.1.40050 and 18.1.40060 in his presentation) requires mailed notice to properties within 600 feet for neighborhood meetings at least 15 days before the meeting. For public hearings, staff said mailed notices must be within a 90‑day window before the hearing so staff can send a single consolidated notice rather than multiple mailings. Rick also described newspaper notice requirements (not less than 15 days and not more than 90 days before a hearing).

Rick explained the city uses larger 4‑by‑8 signs for rezonings, annexations, general‑plan amendments and development review permits, and smaller 24‑by‑36 signs for conditional use permits, variances and temporary‑use permits. He illustrated sign choices with recent examples including the Boland and Hartman rezone, the Apex Auto Club site and the Terrible’s rezone, and said staff determines the number and placement of signs on a case‑by‑case basis to maximize visibility and public access to project information.

Commissioners asked why multiple large signs were used on a rezone; Rick said obstruction by utility cabinets, drainage features and signals sometimes requires additional signs and that in some large projects staff extends the mailed‑notice radius to 1,000 feet to reach more residents. Commissioner Yoakam asked whether a single diagonal corner sign could substitute for two parallel signs; Rick said yes when visibility allows and staff would prefer that placement when feasible.

Rick stressed that sign content must include project description, meeting time/date/location, contact names and telephone numbers and that the zoning administrator (or designee) determines the number of signs.