Planning commission approves DoubleTree resort amendment after neighbors cite noise, parking and light concerns; operator agrees to new restrictions

The Paradise Valley Planning Commission on June 16 approved a minor amendment to the DoubleTree resort’s special use permit (SUP26-03) after residents raised sustained concerns about noise, off‑site parking and lighting. The approval included a package of new or clarified stipulations offered by the applicant to address neighborhood impacts.

Staff presented the multi-part amendment, which includes a proposed 4,500-square-foot outdoor event lawn (north of the porte‑cochere) that would remove 17 parking spaces, activation of meeting rooms in an existing basement area (about 7,700 square feet of meeting/breakout rooms), sign revisions, perimeter wall and lighting updates, and revised stipulations addressing noise, lighting and event operations. Staff said the net increase in enclosed meeting area was under the 5,000-square-foot threshold that would require a major amendment, and that the site meets the town’s lot-coverage and setback guidelines.

Neighbors from the Jackrabbit Road and nearby neighborhoods provided detailed complaints. Paul Olsen said frequent early‑morning construction and late‑night events have produced persistent noise, overflow parking on neighborhood streets, and occasional criminal incidents. Multiple neighbors said they have recorded events and that string lights and landscape lighting are visible and intrusive. Several asked that the commission require more enforceable protections before approving new outdoor event areas.

Applicant representatives (Benjamin Tate and the resort’s management team) presented consultant reports: a photometric plan showing zero foot‑candles at the property line, a noise study demonstrating compliance with the town’s decibel limits at perimeter points, and a parking study (Sivtech) showing adequate peak capacity even with the removal of 17 spaces. The operator said the resort has no recorded complaints to Paradise Valley police in the town’s three‑year pull and had earlier held a neighborhood meeting with roughly 50 attendees before submitting the application.

To address neighborhood concerns, the applicant agreed to several measures during the hearing, which staff recorded for inclusion in the SUP: a prohibition on string lights on the Camelback Lawn; no amplified sound on the Camelback Lawn (the lawn is intended as a pre‑function space for the adjacent ballroom); a requirement that the applicant hold a neighborhood meeting and send notice to residents within the 1,500‑foot radius within three months of approval (with a second meeting before the end of 2026 and provision of meeting minutes to the town); provision of an on‑site contact name and phone number to neighbors; and that events exceeding 1,265 attendees must obtain a special-event permit and provide off‑site or valet parking to mitigate off‑site overflow.

Commissioners debated the evidence and enforcement mechanisms. Town staff and the town attorney noted that enforcement of noise limits rests with the town code and police; SUP stipulations provide additional mechanisms (including the ability to revisit conditions) but may require legal caution under Proposition 207 if the town later changes entitlements. Ultimately, the commission found the request qualified as a minor amendment and, after incorporating the evening’s modifications, voted 4–2 to approve the SUP amendment. Commissioner Brown and Chair George Ellis recorded dissenting votes citing concerns that the neighborhood issues warranted more work, while Commissioners Curtis, Nagel, Nesikis and Rose supported approval tied to the applicant’s commitments.

Next steps: Staff will finalize the SUP with the modified stipulations, track the applicant’s required neighborhood outreach and report back per the schedule recorded in the approval. The approval becomes subject to the 15‑day appeal period.