Phoenix County Day School has plans for major renovations to the campus including improvements to the existing baseball field, a new wellness center and two new digital information signs.
To fulfill those renovations, the school, represented by Rose Law Group, will need to receive council approval of a statement of direction and then approval of an intermediate special use permit amendment.
Phoenix Country Day School is a top-ranked pre-K-12 independent and private school on 40 acres at 3901 E. Stanford Drive in Paradise Valley.
Senior Planner George Burton said that for intermediate special use permit amendments, Paradise Valley code requires town council to issue a statement of direction, which provides general guidelines and/or project parameters for the proposed project.
The statement of direction is not a final decision of the town council and creates no vested right to the final action of the special use permit.
The application for the improvements was submitted in May 2025. The statement of direction is currently being reviewed and is expected to be considered by council Feb. 26.
If the statement of direction is approved, officials expect planning commission review of the special use permit by April and town council consideration by May.
The town council held a study session Feb. 12 to discuss the statement of direction, which will provide the planning commission with general guidance on a variety of development aspects of the project such as height, setbacks, design, density, landscaping, lighting, noise, and others.
It also provides guidance on procedural aspects such as timing and completion, as well as guidance on policy aspects.
Burton said that since it is an intermediate amendment the code states the project will not: change or add any uses; increase floor area over 40%; or have significant material effect on adjoining property owners that cannot be sufficiently mitigated.
“These improvements are school uses and retains the school use and only adds about 17.7% in floor area, and the impacts will be vetted during the planning commission and town council review process,” he said.
The updates to the baseball field will include three new bleachers that are 14’6” tall with shade canopies.
The baseball field has a current seating capacity of 128 which is proposed to increase to a maximum seating capacity of 165.
The new field is also proposed to include 6’-tall chain link fencing, a 34’-tall chain link backstop, and two new foul poles.
Burton said the baseball field will remain unilluminated and will only be used by the school. The improvements are replacing many of existing structures and facilities with new ones at similar heights and locations, he said.
“Basically they are going to replace what they have now,” Burton said. “They are pretty much replacing the existing structures in the same locations.”
Under the plans, the new wellness center will provide a workout facility for students and facility. It will include a multi-purpose room for dance classes and other physical education programs; concession stand for athletic events; and two locker rooms used by Phoenix Country Day School teams and visiting teams.
The two digital information signs will provide parents with school information during drop-off and pick-up; as well as display static text messages, pictures and graphics.
The signs will be illuminated Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. They will also be operational during evening events and turn off by 10 p.m., as well as be used on weekends when needed and will adhere to the same restrictions.
Staff’s primary concerns regarding the new improvements are the potential lighting impacts of the digital information signs on neighboring properties and the potential noise from the improved baseball field, which will have increased spectator seating capacity, according to a staff report.
The planning commission will vet these concerns in the coming weeks.
At the study session, some councilors had concerns about the digital signs disturbing neighbors.
Attorney Jordan Rose, who represents Phoenix Country Day School, said the school currently uses sandwich boards to convey messaging and would like to update their technology.
Rose also noted that the signs are more internal and people won’t see them from the street, as well as be turned off overnight. The signs will not sell advertisements, she added.
Cherokee and Kiva elementary schools, both located in Paradise Valley, have digital signs.
“When (Phoenix Country Day School) looked at the options, they really liked the idea of having digital signage that can change every day so they can stop using sandwich boards,” Rose said. “This is simply informational conveyance that happens every day and could be helpful to parents and students.”
Senior News Editor Philip Haldiman can be reached at phaldiman@iniusa.org, or on X @philiphaldiman. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@inusua.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
Philip Haldiman
Senior News Editor | Peoria
Meet Philip
Haldiman is an award-winning journalist who most recently took first place for investigative reporting in 2023 from Arizona Newspapers Association. He joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2015, covering Sun City West his first year. Since 2016, he has covered the city of Peoria. Prior to coming to INI, he was a reporter with The Arizona Republic for seven years, covering numerous cities throughout the Valley. Before that, he was a freelance writer.
Community: Haldiman spearheads the Peoria Independent Hometown Heroes Awards program, honoring local individuals and businesses that give back to the community. He has hosted local candidate forums over the years and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists. Haldiman also served as a member of the Journalism Program Community Advisory Board at Glendale Community College. Outside journalism, Haldiman served as a member of the city of Peoria Complete Count Committee for the Census, 2019-2020. Lastly, he has served as a member of his HOA governing board since 2021.
Education: Arizona State University with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications and a BA in Theater.
Random Fact: Haldiman is a fourth-generation Arizonan as well as wrote and produced an autobiographical comic book about his time spent in Hollywood and his life as a cult film star.
Hobbies: He enjoys hiking Arizona’s mountainous landscapes and is currently working on a play for the stage.
Keywords
Phoenix County Day School,
major renovations,
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Paradise Valley