Scottsdale considers allowing more outdoor merchant displays

Scottsdale, which has historically exerted tight control over conspicuous commercial and political advertising, is considering whether to allow retailers to set up outdoor merchandise displays without a permit to better attract business.

Right now, retailers must get a permit from the city to set up outdoor displays, and only in commercial areas. The proposal calls for amending the city's zoning laws to allow shops selling items such as clothing, books, antiques, furniture and flowers to set up outdoor displays adjacent to their stores in all the city's zoning districts without a permit, said Brad Carr, a city planner.

Carr said officials are working on design criteria governing things like location, size and screening of the displays to make sure they don't turn into eyesores. The Planning Commission is slated to consider the proposal Jan. 14.

"We want to do it in a way that's still aesthetically pleasing for the community," he said.

The idea arose out of a recent Planning Commission meeting in which a Lowe's home improvement store at McDowell and Hayden roads requested a permit for an outdoor display of items such as barbecues and other home amenities, he said. Planning commissioners felt that rather than deciding whether to grant permits on a case-by-case basis, there should be a citywide set of regulations governing outdoor displays.

However, "intensive" uses like home improvement stores, including Lowe's, likely would still need a permit, even if the zoning laws are changed, Carr said. Outdoor automotive and motorcycle displays fall under a separate permitting process, he said.

Scottsdale has been touchy in the past about other advertising methods, particularly commercial signs and political campaign signs. Last year, code enforcement officers cracked down on "A-frame" sandwich board-style signs put up by retailers in the Airpark business district, situated south of Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard between Scottsdale Road and Loop 101.

The city last year also banned the placement of commercial signs and political campaign signs on public property and along public roadways, and officials are quick to confiscate any political campaign signs put up in violation of the city's stringent restrictions.

Rick Kidder, Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce president, said those advertising restrictions pose an obstacle to raising awareness of Scottsdale retailers.

"We have some inherent challenges that don't exist in other communities," Kidder said.

The business community favors allowing more outdoor merchandise displays to attract customers, he said, provided it's done in a manner pleasing to the eye.

"What you don't want to have is retail merchandise piled in front of stores so it becomes an unattractive nuisance," Kidder said.