Scenic Corridor Implementation Status

May 17, 2002

 These pages list the 75 recommendations comprising Scottsdale’s Scenic Corridor Guidelines. The information is based on awpe3.jpg (20809 bytes) report prepared by Planning, City of Scottsdale. The report was produced in July 1999 and lists the initial estimates of the time required to implement the various recommendations. Since 1999, despite several requests, no formal update of the original report has been made available by staff.   

Since the original report some recommendations have been implemented either by the City of Scottsdale or by Friends of the Scenic Drive. These include:  

  • Roadside railings, traffic lights, masts and poles have been painted the same dark green color. See recommendation #20.
  • Paint any utility boxes that cannot be buried the same color as streetlight poles. Friends of the Scenic Drive, with the cooperation of Scottsdale and the utilities, painted all boxes in the utility right-of-way on the Scenic Drive (part of the Scottsdale Road Scenic Corridor) using the same dark green color mentioned above.  Friends hopes the same practice will be adopted by Scottsdale for its other scenic corridors.
  • The Scottsdale City Council voted to ban temporary weekend real estate and development directional signs. See Recommendation #16.
  • Friends of the Scenic Drive has implemented a voluntary ban of political signs along the Scenic Drive. All candidates have observed the ban for the last 5 elections (including runoffs). Again, Friends hopes that the same practice will be adopted by Scottsdale for its other scenic corridors.
  • Scottsdale has been obtaining 100’ minimum scenic corridor setbacks/easements for most new development.  This was not the case for a school constructed on the Scenic Drive because the property was not large enough. A 75’ scenic corridor setback was obtained. See Recommendation #39.
  • Recently, a single-point of contact for scenic corridors was identified as called for in Recommendation #67

 

 July 1999: Part 1

 

This information is based on a report prepared by Planning, City of Scottsdale. The report was produced in July 1999  and provides initial estimates of the time required to implement the various recommendations.  Since July, several recommended actions have been implemented.

  • Roadside railings, traffic lights, masts and poles have been painted the same dark green color. See Recommendation #20. Scottsdale cannot force utility companies to adopt the same policy for roadside boxes and other equipment. It is our hope that local utility companies will voluntarily follow the recommendations.
  • The Scottsdale City Council voted to ban temporary weekend real estate and development directional signs. See Recommendation # 16. No action has been taken to ban political signs and large temporary development signs along Scenic Corridors.

Part 1. # 1-24 Part 2. # 25-49 Part 3. # 50-75

#

Recommendation

Time Frame
1 Maintain 150' ROW even if traffic projections are reduced in most northern areas 3-9 months
2 Begin planning on city projects to install medians on scenic corridors where development will not build 1-3 years
3 Install medians where setbacks are maintained and vegetation can be retained 1-5 years
4 Develop guide for median maintenance, including role of private maintenance 1-3 years
5 Budget sufficient funding and staffing for an appropriate level of city maintenance of medians 1-5 years
6 Preserve natural features by using split alignments When built
7 Limit number of new intersections and driveways 6-15 months
8 Provide ribbon curbs on edges of pavement and medians 6-15 months
9 Provide paved pullouts with ribbon curbs for educational sites 2-10 years
10 Consider using lower speeds to allow vegetation closer to road 6-15 months
11 Preserve existing vegetation where possible 6-25 months
12 Prune or remove vegetation only as necessary to prevent safety hazards 1-3 years
13 Develop a guide for maintaining ROW's for city utilities and property owner associations 1-3 years
14 Use same proportion of plants in revegetated areas that occur naturally 1-4 years
15 Revegetation to add plants may be accepted (particularly where screening is desirred) 6-18 months
16 No signs should be permitted along scenic corridors except traffic, street or historic signs; ban political and development signs 2-5 years
17 Master community entries should be behind corridor 9-24 months
18 Traffic signs should be kept to the minimum neccessary 3-6 months
19 Limit light pole installations as much as possible based upon necessity and consistency of historic character 1-2 years
20 Define a consistent color and design for poles that minimizes visibility 1.5-3 years
21 Consider reduced lighting standards for scenic corridors 1.5-3 years
22 Install signals at major intersections only and not neccessarily for new developments 1-2 years
23 Underground all utilities, including boxes and cabinets 1.5-10 years

 
24 Blend above ground boxes/cabinets by shielding with vegetation 6-15 months

Part 1. # 1-24 Part 2. # 25-49 Part 3. # 50-75