Plan Review Detail
Review Status: Approved
Review Details: ENTITLEMENT REVIEW v.1
Plan Number - TP-ENT-0626-00012
Review Name: ENTITLEMENT REVIEW v.1
Review Status: Approved
| Review Date | Reviewer's Name | Type of Review | Description | Status | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPC - Fire New Construction | NOT REQUIRED | ||||
| Real Estate | NOT REQUIRED | The Real Estate Division has no objections or comments. Please contact the Real Estate Division if any property rights need to be addressed. 520-791-4181 | |||
| Entitlement Review Coordinator Express | REVIEW COMPLETED | ||||
| Entitlements | REVIEW COMPLETED | DATE: August 11, 2026 For August 27, 2026 Hearing TO: Linus Kafka FROM: Koren Manning Zoning Examiner Planning & Development Services Interim Director SUBJECT: SPECIAL EXCEPTION LAND USE PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT SERVICES REPORT TP-ENT-0626-00012 Church Steeple – S Midvale Park Rd, O-3 Zoning (Ward 1) Issue – This is a special exception land use request in the O-3 Office zone by Bruce R. Call, AECM on behalf of the property owner, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The request is to allow a 67-foot steeple on a church proposed on a 3.49-acre parcel located at 5295 S Midvale Park Road. The steeple would exceed the 10 feet above maximum allowed building height in the O-3 zone for ornamental architectural elements, requiring approval through the Zoning Examiner Special Exception Procedure. Height exceptions for ornamental architectural elements are governed by UDC 6.4.4.C.1. When an ornamental structure is proposed to exceed ten feet above the permitted height in a zone, it must be reviewed by the Design Review Board, who then forwards a recommendation to the Zoning Examiner on the proposal. Planning and Development Services Recommendation – The Planning & Development Services Department recommends approval of the height exception, subject to the attached preliminary conditions. Background Information Existing Land Use: The project is located on a vacant lot at 5295 S Midvale Park Rd. It is located in the middle of several residential subdivisions, and while not part of any of them it is identified in subdivision plat maps as a future site for a church. Existing Zoning Description: Office (O-3) – This zone provides for mid-rise, office, medical, civic, and select other uses, such as urban agriculture and renewable energy generation, that provide reasonable compatibility with adjoining residential uses. Surrounding Zones and Land Uses: North – O-3; Residential Subdivision East – R-2; Residential Subdivision South – R-2; Residential Subdivision West – R-2; Residential Subdivision Previous Cases on the Property: There are no previous Special Exception cases on property. Related Cases: None Applicant’s Request – The applicant request is for a special exception to allow a church steeple to exceed more than the maximum permitted building height of 10 feet in the O-3 zone. The proposed exception requires Zoning Examiner approval in accordance with UDC 3.4.3. The Zoning Examiner holds a public hearing and renders a decision 5 working days after the hearing. Planning Considerations – Land use policy direction for this area is provided by Plan Tucson and the Santa Cruz Area Plan. Plan Tucson: This location is within the Neighborhoods building block, which typically include places of worship. This project is supported by Plan Tucson policy. Santa Cruz Area Plan: This development conforms with Plan policies, which indicates this parcel is long-term planned for Office use. Churches and other places of worship are allowed land uses in the Office Zone. Design Considerations Land Use Compatibility – The project proposal is an approximately 17,000 square-foot church on the currently vacant lot, with the front facing southwest towards the intersection of Midvale Park Road and Oak Tree Drive. Parking is arranged beside and behind the church. The maximum building height in the O-3 zone is 40 feet, and most of the church is planned up to 27 feet high. The steeple extends up to 67 feet in height, which is 17 feet greater than would be allowed by-right. The steeple is placed on the southwest face of the building, closer to the intersection than any residential land use. Drainage/Grading – The parcel is not located within a floodplain. No significant changes to grading are proposed. Road Improvements/Vehicular Access/Circulation – Vehicle access is proposed from Newcastle Court Rd on the south side of the parcel, and Midvale Park Road on the west side. No off-site improvements are shown. Use Specific Standards – Ornamental element height exceeding 10 feet above the maximum building height requires special approval through the Zoning Examiner Special Exception Procedure, in accordance with UDC Section 3.4.3. It must also be constructed in accordance with UDC Section 6.4.4.C, requiring: a) The ornamental element is an integral part of the building’s architecture, and is not for human occupancy; The applicant provided renderings showing a steeple as an integral part of the architectural design of the church and would not be for human occupancy. b) The ornamental elements proposed to exceed ten feet above the allowed structure height shall not be used for signage; The applicant’s materials demonstrate the ornamental element is not used for signage. c) The applicant shall demonstrate how the proposal minimizes impacts to existing land uses by including a viewshed analysis and an analysis of the project site grades and adjacent property grades as part of their submittal; or, The applicant included viewshed analysis showing the steeple, while higher than any building in the area, is confined to a very small portion of the parcel. It is also smaller than existing tall objects – nearby power poles are 75 feet high. d) Setbacks required for the architectural element will be one foot for each additional foot in height that it exceeds the base allowance of ten feet. Non-residential development in the O-3 zone has a minimum setback of 10 feet. The steeple exceeds the base allowance by 17 feet, which would require the steeple to be at least 27 feet from the property line. As presented, the church building is no closer than 40 feet from the western property boundary and so meets this standard. Staff find the proposal to be in compliance with all applicable UDC Use-Specific Standards. Conclusion –The proposal is in compliance with the performance criteria for a building height exception. The request is consistent with policy direction in Plan Tucson, and the Santa Cruz Area Plan. Subject to compliance with the attached preliminary conditions, approval of the requested special exception is appropriate. |
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| External Reviewers - Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) | REVIEW COMPLETED | ADOT has no comments. Thanks, Rick Freije, M.S.C.E., P.E. Regional Traffic Engineer SOUTHERN REGION TRAFFIC 1221 S 2nd Ave. Tucson, AZ 85713 Office: 520.388.4203 Mobile: 520.576.8614 | azdot.gov |
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| External Reviewers - AZ State Land | REVIEW COMPLETED | ||||
| External Reviewers - COT Environmental Services | REVIEW COMPLETED | ES has no objections to the special exception request. | |||
| External Reviewers - COT Parks & Recreation | REVIEW COMPLETED | ||||
| External Reviewers - Davis Monthan AFB | REVIEW COMPLETED | Sir/Ma’am DMAFB Planning Staff have reviewed this request and find the church steeple shouldn’t negatively impact our flying mission give it is not under any of our overlay zones for the airfield. Kacey V/r B. Kacey Carter, DAFC, USAF ≡✪≡ Installation Community Planner 355th Civil Engineer Squadron/CENPL Davis-Monthan AFB AZ ☎DSN: 312-3291 ☎Comm: 520-228-3291 bonnie.carter@us.af.mil |
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| External Reviewers - PC RFCD | REVIEW COMPLETED | ||||
| External Reviewers - Pima Association of Governments | REVIEW COMPLETED | ||||
| External Reviewers - Pima County Addressing | REVIEW COMPLETED | Good afternoon, Pima County Addressing does not have comments for TP-ENT-0626-00012. Thank you, David Wilging Planner I - Addressing Division Pima County Development Services 201 N. Stone Avenue 1st Floor Tucson, Arizona 85701 520-724-6381 |
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| External Reviewers - Pima County Assessor | REVIEW COMPLETED | ||||
| External Reviewers - Pima County Development Services | REVIEW COMPLETED | Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on City of Tucson TP-ENT-0626-00012 – S. Midvale Park Rd, for a building height special exception for proposed church steeple in the O- 3 zone, located on the east side of S. Midvale Park Rd., near the intersection of S. Midvale Park Rd and S. Newcastle Ct. The request represents aa proposal to construct a new 67-foot-tall church steeple. The site is a vacant site surrounded by single-family residential houses. Pima County Planning does not forsee significant negative impact by this use on surrounding land uses. Pima County Development Services Department, Planning Division supports the proposed rezoning request. Sincerely, Spencer Hickman Planner II Pima County Development Services Department, Planning Division |
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| External Reviewers - Pima County Natural Resources | REVIEW COMPLETED | ||||
| External Reviewers - Pima County Transportation | REVIEW COMPLETED | ||||
| External Reviewers - Pima County Wastewater (RWRD) | REVIEW COMPLETED | ||||
| External Reviewers - Tohono Oodham | REVIEW COMPLETED | ||||
| External Reviewers - Tucson Airport Authority | REVIEW COMPLETED | July 6, 2026 Gabriel Sleighter Public Works Building 1st Floor 201 N. Stone Avenue Tucson, AZ. 85701 RE: TP-ENT-0626-00012, Church Steeple – S Midvale Park Rd, Ward 4, Received July 6, 2026 Dear Mr. Sleighter, Thank you for the opportunity to comment on TP-ENT-0626-00012 – 5295 S Midvale Park Road, a request by Architecture Engineering Construction Management for a special exception land use permit of an approximately 3.48 acres to allow for a church steeple to exceed the maximum allowed height in an Office 3 (O-3) zone. This special exception land use permit is located 50 feet northeast of intersection of South Midvale Park Road and Newcastle Court. The Tucson Airport Authority approves the subject special exception land use request and does not have any additional comments to provide. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding this comment letter. I may be reached by email at srobidoux@flytucson.com or by telephone at 520- 573-4811. Respectfully, Scott Robidoux, C.M. Manager of Planning |
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| External Reviewers - Tucson Electric Power (TEP) | REVIEW COMPLETED | ||||
| External Reviewers - Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) | REVIEW COMPLETED | ||||
| Fire New Construction | REVIEW COMPLETED | ||||
| Historic | REVIEW COMPLETED | ||||
| IPC - Entitlements | REVIEW COMPLETED | ||||
| IPC - Site Engineering | REVIEW COMPLETED | No Comments Stephen Blood (520) 837-4958 Stephen.blood@tucsonaz.gov |
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| IPC - Site Zoning | REVIEW COMPLETED | 1. COMMENT: Demonstrate on the site plan/PDP, where the steeple is proposed and state the maximum height of the proposed steeple. 2. COMMENT: Per UDC 6.4.4.C.1.b.1.d - "Setbacks required for the architectural element will be one foot for each additional foot in height that it exceeds the base allowance of ten feet." Demonstrate compliance with this standard by providing a note stating the required setback and proposed setback of the steeple from the property line on the site plan/PDP. Loran Shamis loran.shamis@tucsonaz.gov |
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| IPC - Traffic Engineering | REVIEW COMPLETED | No comments | |||
| ROW Engineering Review | REVIEW COMPLETED | No comments - GS | |||
| Signs | REVIEW COMPLETED | Any proposed signage shall be per current sign code standards and applied for under separate permit. | |||
| Site Engineering | REVIEW COMPLETED | No Comments Stephen Blood (520) 837-4958 Stephen.blood@tucsonaz.gov |
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| Site Landscape | REVIEW COMPLETED | 1. During the development package submittal, full site landscape compliance will be required. IE: Street and interior landscape borders, parking lot trees, irrigation, commercial rainwater harvesting and all applicable details, notes and specifications required to construct the project. 2. Site landscape has no further concerns with regard to the church steeple height exception. Thank you. Chad Keller, PLA chad.keller@tucsonaz.gov |
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| Site Zoning | REVIEW COMPLETED | 1. COMMENT: Demonstrate on the site plan/PDP, where the steeple is proposed and state the maximum height of the proposed steeple. 2. COMMENT: Per UDC 6.4.4.C.1.b.1.d - "Setbacks required for the architectural element will be one foot for each additional foot in height that it exceeds the base allowance of ten feet." Demonstrate compliance with this standard by providing a note stating the required setback and proposed setback of the steeple from the property line on the site plan/PDP. Loran Shamis loran.shamis@tucsonaz.gov |
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| Streetcar Track Access Review | REVIEW COMPLETED | ||||
| Sun Tran Review | REVIEW COMPLETED | ||||
| Transportation - Bike/Ped | REVIEW COMPLETED | ||||
| Transportation Landscape Review | REVIEW COMPLETED | no comments at this time | |||
| Tucson Water New Area Development | REVIEW COMPLETED | Based on the information provided, Tucson Water has no objections to the proposed development. Potentially serving this development is an 8-inch PVC (B Zone) potable water main located on the east side of the parcel. Water pressure in this area ranges from approximately 62 to 69 PSI at an elevation of 2440 ft. Water pressure may vary by an additional ±5 PSI. There is an existing 2-inch irrigation water meter connected to the same water main referenced above. Please note that there is a designated easement located on the northeast side of the parcel. This easement is reserved for utility and/or access purposes as recorded in the property documentation. If any new domestic water, irrigation water, or fire water services are required to serve the proposed development, please contact Tucson Water’s New Services Section at 520-791-5164 or by email at TW_Common@tucsonaz.gov. The above comments are based on the limited preliminary information provided by the applicant and should not be construed as a complete review of the proposal. Any questions, comments, or concerns regarding these comments may be directed to Abdullah Salman, Project Manager, at Abdullah.Salman@tucsonaz.gov. |