The Planning and Zoning Commission meeting scheduled for Monday, May 11 will be the first town meeting in which the public is invited back. Seating has been spaced in council chambers to allow for about 18 members of the public.

The commission has two public hearings scheduled for the meeting that begins at 6 p.m. in council chambers at Town Hall. The commission will also be considering a recommendation on a special use permit for the Fountain Hills Medical Center now under construction. Development Services Director John Wesley said he is anticipating public interest in the permit for the hospital.

The special use permit request will allow the medical center to operate on a 24 hour basis. The C-1 zoning on the hospital site allows businesses to operate only between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. If approved by the council the permit would allow operations between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.

The applicant chose to leave the zoning C-1 rather than rezone it to C-2 based on concerns of neighboring residents about C-2 uses.

The medical center is located on Saguaro Boulevard at Trevino Drive.

The commission will hold a public hearing and consider a recommendation on amendments to the Zoning Ordinance, public art requirements. The changes are needed to be consistent with the town’s Public Art Master Plan which was recently updated and approved by the Town Council.

The commission will also hold a hearing and consider the first step in an overhaul of the town’s sign regulations in the Zoning Ordinance.

The commission will be considering a repeal of Chapter 6 of the Zoning Ordinance, Signs, replacing it with a new Chapter 6, and making amendments to other sections related to definitions.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, meetings of the Fountain Hills Planning and Zoning Commission will be limited to meet distancing requirements. The meeting will also be broadcast live on Cox Channel 11 and streamed from the internet atwww.fh.az.gov for those who wish to see the proceedings, but not attend in person.

While meetings will be limited to meet distancing requirements due to the COVID-19, residents wishing to address the Planning and Zoning Commission on an agenda item are encouraged to fill out an agenda comment card. The comment cards are available to the public and will be read by the executive assistant when the Planning and Zoning Commission is addressing the individual agenda items.

The comment cards can be obtained from the town’s website at: fh.az.gov/publiccomment and should be completed no later than 3 p.m. on the day of the meeting.