Prescott P&Z recommends approval of directional sign plan for Ponderosa Professional Plaza

The Prescott City Planning and Zoning Commission voted to recommend approval of Comprehensive Sign Plan CSP 26-001 on March 12, allowing a 6-foot-by-4-foot freestanding directional sign at Ponderosa Professional Plaza, 919 12th Place.

Jacob Lund, community planner, told the commission the proposal would add a directional sign—six feet tall and four feet wide, totaling 24 square feet—to a landscaped area near the complex entrance. Lund said the complex already has an 8-foot monument sign approved in October 2025 that nearly maxed the property's freestanding signage allowance under city code, so the comprehensive sign plan is intended to manage multi-tenant signage.

“The sign is going to be located in this area that says sign location,” Lund said, describing the site plan and how the new panel would supplement existing identification at the entrance.

Robert Markoff, representing Morgan Sign Company, said the directional sign is meant to help patrons find multiple businesses inside the complex. “The main purpose of the directional sign is to help people find their way to the different businesses,” Markoff said, adding that a small 2-by-3 directional sign could not contain all tenant information.

Commissioners asked whether parked cars could block the lower portion of the sign and whether sight-line or traffic safety issues might arise. Lund said permit-level review can re-examine placement and sight-line concerns; several commissioners noted trade-offs between placing more information on the street-front monument sign (which can create "stacking" or curiosity on 12th Place) and providing on-site wayfinding to reduce circulation inside the parking area.

Vice Chair Tom Reilly, who moved the recommendation, said the complex has long struggled with wayfinding and that a larger directional sign would improve safety and access for visitors, including older drivers. The commission's roll call recorded approvals by the attending commissioners; the motion passed.

Because the site includes multiple tenants and the comprehensive plan addresses multi-tenant signage limits in the city code, staff said the permitting process will confirm final placement and any necessary adjustments.