Payson Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting – December 1, 2025
Payson Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting – December 1, 2025
The Payson Planning and Zoning Commission met on December 1, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. in the Town Hall Council Chambers. Six commissioners were present (Doug Martin, Laura Malone, Karen Schaier, Jimmy Lee, Jeremy Gephart, and Rima Urban); Nathan Morris was absent. The meeting included a conditional use permit hearing for a reptile zoo, adoption of the 2026 meeting calendar, and election of a vice chairman. Note: The official minutes provided for this meeting conflict with the agenda and transcript – the minutes reference an Ordinance No. 973 and a General Plan Annual Report, which were not listed on the agenda or discussed in the transcript. The summary below reflects the actual proceedings as recorded in the agenda and transcript.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes (October 6, 2025): The commission unanimously approved the minutes from the October 6, 2025, meeting as presented. Motion carried 6–0.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Applicant Presentation (Ben Shakespeare, owner of Arizona Rattlesnake Aversion): Mr. Shakespeare described the proposed animal education and exhibit facility ("The Zoo") at 512 S. Beeline Hwy, Suite 7. He emphasized his qualifications (master herpetologist), safety protocols (muzzling rattlesnakes, coordination with Banner Health on snakebite protocols), and the educational and tourism value of the facility. He requested a modification to staff’s recommended condition requiring all activity to remain indoors, asking permission to hold outdoor meet-and-greet events with ambassador animals (large slow-moving lizards) in a rear gravel area.
- Public Comment – Greg (Department of Economic Policy): Greg expressed support, stating the zoo aligns with the town’s goal of encouraging tourism and activities related to tourism. No other public comments were received.
Discussion Items
- CUP25-002 – Conditional Use Permit for Animal Education and Exhibit (The Zoo): Staff reported the use is appropriately classified as a zoo/animal exhibit in a C-2 district, requiring a conditional use permit. Staff found minimal impacts on noise, light, traffic, and utilities; adequate shared parking; and completed citizen participation (mailed/hand-delivered notices and a November 24 public meeting with no significant concerns). Staff recommended approval with conditions, including the indoor-only restriction. The commission discussed the outdoor modification; commissioners asked about neighbor feedback (none negative) and the use of the rear area (other tenants do not use it). The commission approved the permit with the modification allowing outdoor meet-and-greets. Motion carried 6–0.
- 2026 Meeting Calendar: The commission reviewed and unanimously approved the 2026 meeting calendar as presented. Motion carried 6–0.
- Election of Vice Chairman: Laura Malone was nominated and elected as Vice Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission. Motion carried 6–0.
Key Outcomes
- CUP25-002 Approved: Conditional use permit granted for the reptile zoo at 512 S. Beeline Hwy, Suite 7, with the modification to allow limited outdoor use for meet-and-greet events. All other staff-recommended conditions apply. The applicant must maintain all Arizona Game and Fish licensing.
- 2026 Meeting Calendar Adopted: The commission will meet on the dates specified in the adopted calendar.
- Vice Chairman Elected: Laura Malone will serve as Vice Chairman.
- No Requests for Future Agenda Items: No commissioners requested items for future agendas.
- Staff Updates: Staff announced that a General Plan status update and proposed code modifications related to HB 2447 (Administrative Development Approval, Objective Standards, Self-Certification) will be presented at the January 2026 meeting. Ongoing project updates will be provided via email.
Meeting Transcript
Karen, would you uh start our pledge of allegiance? Thank you. Thank you. Can we have roll call, please? Um Martin is absent. Uh Laura Malone here, Aaron Cher here, Nathan Morris, here Jimmy Lee, here, Jeremy Gephardt, here, and Rima Urban has got so we're gonna move on to item A approval of minutes. So these are the minutes from the October sixth, twenty twenty-five planning and zoning commission meeting. Uh did anybody have a chance to review the minutes? Are there any concerns or issues? Do I have a motion to approve the minutes from October sixth, twenty twenty-five? Oh my good motion. I move to approve the minutes of the October sixth, twenty twenty-five planning and zoning commission meeting as presented. Do we have a second second? Second. All in favor? Aye. Hi. Any opposed? Okay. Thank you. Moving on to um scheduled hearings. So this is uh B1. So it's a continual use permit twenty-five-zero zero two request for conditional use permit for an animal education and exhibit, aka the zoo at Arizona Rattlestake Aversion at five twelve South B Line Highway, suite seven, Payson, Arizona, eight five five four one, and it's APN three zero four-zero three-zero two six. Um can I ask the staff for the report? Yes. B Line Highway LLC. All venomous species would be maintained and reinforced, locking zoo grade enclosure, and the applicant will be required to maintain all Arizona game and fish licensing. The zoning administrator reviewed the use and determined it is appropriately classified as a zoor animal exhibit rather than a museum, which requires a conditional use permit in the C2 building district in which it's located. Staff finds the use will have minimal impacts on noise, light, traffic, or utilities, and that existing shared parking is adequate. The applicant also has implemented appropriate safety protocols, including staff supervision, secure enclosures, and surveillance. The required citizens participation process was completed, including mailed and hand delivered notices and a public meeting held on November 24th. No significant concerns have been reported to staff. And staff finds the request meets the conditional use permit review criteria and recommends approval with the conditions outlined at the staff report. I will note that the applicant has requested a modification to the condition requiring that all activity remain indoors. And he is here present today to give a brief description of his project and also explain his request for that modification to that condition. Okay, thank you. So at this time I'm going to open it for public comment. Thank you very much, everyone. My name is Ben Shakespeare. I'm the owner of Arizona Rattlesnake Aversion. I just wanted to take a few minutes, not so much to focus on the recreational, the tourism, and the educational opportunities that a zoo, albeit one dedicated to snakes, lizards, and amphibians presents. Because honestly, if I was in your position, I wouldn't be going. Zoo sounds weird. I'd be going, everyone I know who's into snakes keeps a hundred snakes. It is a weird person. We all know people into snakes. We all know people into snakes. There's two types of snake people. There's the weird people. They're sketchy, they come out at night, they live in a lot of basements.
openpublica.com