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Board approves conditional use permit for hospital helistop with strict conditions and July 31 compliance deadline
Summary
On June 18, 2026, the Prescott Board of Adjustment approved CUP 26-002 allowing an ambulance service with a helicopter landing pad at 4822 E. State Route 69, subject to screening, landscaping, a building permit and a July 31, 2026 compliance deadline; failure to comply may trigger daily fines and revocation proceedings.
The City of Prescott Board of Adjustment on June 18 approved conditional use permit CUP 26-002 to allow an ambulance service with air transport (a helistop) at 4822 East State Route 69, subject to specific conditions and a July 31, 2026 compliance deadline.
Tammy Dewitt, community planner, told the board the property’s original CUP (approved Nov. 21, 2024) had been revoked on June 19, 2025 for failure to meet three conditions: a 6-foot masonry screening wall along the north and west property lines, additional landscaping along State Route 69, and completion of required improvements before building permit final and initiation of use. Dewitt said the applicant has since begun work—posts are in, planting started—and staff recommended re-approval with time-bound conditions to bring the property into compliance.
Dewitt outlined the recommended conditions: the applicant must (1) install a 6-foot solid screening wall along the north and west property lines as approved under building permit 2503-01A, (2) install the additional landscaping along State Route 69 per the approved rendering, and (3) submit for and receive a building permit for the helistop. All three conditions and final inspection must be completed on or before July 31, 2026; if conditions are unmet, the community development director will issue notice per LDC procedures and the CUP may be considered for revocation at the Aug. 20, 2026 Board of Adjustment meeting.
Pamela Boyer, a nearby Robin Drive resident, said she has documented helicopters flying over her house since January, described repeated nighttime noise and light ("the green helipad is lit 24 hours a day"), and said windblown tumbleweeds from the site have reached Highway 69 and nearly caused accidents.
Vern McKinney, who provided his address, said the air ambulance is used infrequently but is necessary in life-or-death situations; he cited recent local shortages of ground ambulances (instances with no ground transport available for six hours and one 24-hour shortage during the Wickenburg fire).
Blake Moscatello, attorney for Exceptional Healthcare, said permitting and materials are in place, landscaping and wall construction have started, and the operator intends to comply with the conditions. When asked whether failure to use medevac when indicated would create liability, Moscatello said it would.
City legal counsel and planning staff explained enforcement options: one civil violation has already been filed, the city may seek a $2,500 daily fine for each day of noncompliance, and after three civil violations a criminal prosecution (class one misdemeanor) could be pursued under city code. Board members asked staff to add specific language to condition three to define 'helistop' for this CUP and explicitly prohibit fueling, fuel storage, repair/maintenance, or stationing of helicopters on site so the facility cannot become a heliport; staff agreed to include that restriction in the approval letter and to consider adding a helistop definition in the LDC update.
A motion to approve CUP 26-002 with the added helistop restrictions carried 5-0. The approval includes the July 31, 2026 compliance deadline; staff will pursue civil enforcement and potential revocation procedures if the conditions are not met.
