BY LINDA BENTLEY | JANUARY 25, 2012
Cycle shop owners just wanted a sign – a ‘For Sale’ sign
Just a few months later the property was listed for sale as a “unique commercial property”
Cameron Smith and Leslie Gustafson were granted commercial rezoning last year for their property at the southeast corner of Cave Creek Road and Seven Palms Drive after stating they just wanted to put up a sign to post their business hours.
Photos by Linda Bentley
CAVE CREEK – It appears after being granted commercial rezoning last August so they could simply “put up a sign” to display the days and hours of operation for their motorcycle repair business, previously operated as a home occupation, Cameron Smith and Leslie Gustafson are now going for a second sign – a “For Sale” sign.
The couple’s 2.2 acre property on the southeast corner of Cave Creek Road and Seven Palms Drive, after being rezoned from Desert Rural residential to General Commercial, is now up for sale for $1.5 million.
In July 2011, while appearing before the planning commission, Smith said he had no intention of changing anything on the property and just wanted to put up a sign to advertise his business, which is not permitted for home occupations.
Smith said people come to his home all days and hours and he would just like to put up a sign saying when they’re open and closed – nothing fancy – no variance request.
After the planning commission voted unanimously in favor of recommending rezoning to commercial, the same story was told before council, which passed their rezoning application unanimously.
Shortly thereafter a sign went up. Smith was right, it is nothing fancy.
And, while the sign is highly visible along Cave Creek Road, it doesn’t post any days or hours of operation.
Shortly after that sign went up, the property went up for sale as a “unique commercial property” where one can “live and work on the same property or have a large office and shop/warehouse.”
The listing touts the property as, “Located right on Cave Creek road with lots of traffic, very visible. Close to new Walmart.”
