Sign request goes before council

Since becoming the owner of the Maricopa Business Barn in 1984, Maricopa resident Nadine Edwards has seen tenants revolve in and out of the center.

“I don’t even know how many businesses have come and gone,” she said.

Now she is hoping City Manager Kevin Evans’ help will bring an end a three-year battle to get the businesses some much-needed exposure, as the City Council is scheduled to take action on a comprehensive sign plan for the center at Tuesday night’s meeting.

“I have had some issues with the city the past several years, but Kevin is a charm and has helped me greatly up to this point,” she said.

Evans spoke to the Planning and Zoning Commission two weeks ago about issues involving the sign request, which has taken five months from the initial submittal to go before the council. Due to some miscommunication, the signs for the seven businesses in the center are already installed. If the approval isn’t granted, they will have to come down.

“I am not trying to get ahead of myself, but I am hopeful the signage gets approved,” Edwards said.

She added that since the signs went up almost a month ago, her tenants have seen a sizable increase in the amount of business and calls they are receiving.

The sign package that the city will decide on allows the Maricopa Business Barn, on John Wayne Parkway just south of the railroad tracks, to display 16 individual signs, eight on each side of the barn, each 3 feet by 8 feet.

“Too many people drive by the center so fast that they don’t even know what is in the center. These signs make the businesses visible to all,” she said.

It isn’t the first time Edwards has tried to get signage approved by the council.

Years ago, Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino was considering renting a space from Edwards with the intention of hanging a sign, only to have the permit denied.

“I lost out on a good client that time,” she said.

The City Council will also have a joint meeting with the Maricopa Chamber of Commerce before its regular meeting.

To view the agenda, click here.

If You Go

What: City Council Meeting
Where: Global Water Center, 22590 N. Powers Parkway
When: Tuesday, March 24, Joint meeting with Chamber of Commerce – 5 p.m.; Regular session – 7 p.m.