Approvals for Bearizona

By PATRICK WHITEHURST
Associate Grand Canyon News Editor
Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Signage, master plan gets approved Sept. 10

The Bearizona attraction moved a few steps closer to becoming a reality, thanks to recent approvals from the city of Williams. Members of Williams City Council voted to approve the facility's developmental master plan during their regular meeting Sept. 10. City officials also voted to approve a variance for signage at the park during the meeting. Bearizona officials hope to have the park open by May of next year.

Williams City Planner Harry Holmes said four billboards are planned for the highway area, as well as additional LED billboards.

"The signage for this project requires variances at least for the size, and the height, as well as the locations, being that many of them will be offset, and possibly for the type of sign," Holmes said.

Planning and Zoning Commissioners approved the project as well, Holmes added.

Vice Mayor Don Dent said he attended the Planning and Zoning meeting and cited a few points in regards to their approval, such as questions about the involvement of Coconino County officials and the proposed hotel that will be built on the site at a later date.

"The septic system is a county issue," Dent told council members. "That's the only thing the county has to do. I think the Planning and Zoning was very favorable and there were some questions about signage. That's obviously an issue that we'll have to deal with."

Bearizona developer Sean Casey said he was happy to see his project moving quickly through city's processes, including the city's Departmental Review Team and the Planning and Zoning Commission.

"It's been great; the support we've heard from you guys, as well as staff, and the community," Casey said.

When asked about security measures at the proposed Bearizona location in Williams, Casey said he plans to look into at his options when it comes to the park.

"We don't have a detailed security plan yet. I have realized talking to a few people throughout town this week that we do one," Casey said. "We have cameras at the other place, we have, not night watchmen, but we have people living there on site. We have a perimeter fence that doesn't allow people to get in and doesn't allow contact between people and animals without jumping a fence and it's the people I worry about it."

The proposed project would feature a number of animals for visitors, including bears, bighorn sheep, and more. The park is set for a location near the Highway 64 and Interstate 40 junction on a parcel of land owned by the Keethler family. Bill Keethler Jr. was on hand for the Sept. 10 meeting and originally presented the idea to members of Williams City Council during their regular meeting July 23. Council members also agreed to allocate water for the property, estimated at four million gallons, and approved the preliminary concept plan for the proposed park during the July 23 meeting.

Casey and other members of his family operate Bear Country U.S.A. in South Dakota, online at www.bearcountryusa.com. The South Dakota park is one of the top four attractions in the area, Casey said. While Casey said the proposed park is not affiliated with Bear Country U.S.A., the park would be similar in a number of ways. The Bear Country U.S.A. facility rates as one of the top four attractions in the Black Hills area of South Dakota.