Are Mountain Views Protected By Law In Cochise County?

Something I have always loved about Cochise County is the amazing view of the mountains. Whether it is the Huachucas, the Dragoon Mountains, or the distant Chiricahuas, these peaks make southeastern Arizona unique.

For years, the low height of local buildings has kept these stunning horizons perfectly visible from almost anywhere in the valley. But as modern development slowly expands, it begs the question: are there laws explicitly designed to protect these iconic views, or is it just a byproduct of standard zoning regulations?

Photo by Val Davidson/TSM.

Building Regulations

While no countywide law guarantees every mountain view will remain unobstructed, Cochise County regulates land development through zoning laws and development standards. In most rural and residential districts, principal structures (such as houses) are strictly limited to a maximum height of 30 feet above grade. Detached accessory structures such as barns and sheds are limited to 20 feet.

Even in commercial and industrial business districts, strict height baselines remain localized to keep corporate construction low-profile. For instance, commercial districts like Neighborhood Business (NB) maintain a protective baseline maximum height of 30 feet, while General Business (GB) and Light Industry (LI) cap standard structures at 40 to 50 feet.

RELATED: Understanding Arizona's Vehicle Headlight Regulations And Safety

Photo by Val Davidson/TSM.

History of local zoning laws

Growing up, I was always told Sierra Vista didn't have a lot of two-story homes because of laws protecting the view of the mountains. While local height limits do help preserve those views, the rules were not written specifically as scenery protection laws.

Decades ago, rapid development threatened to crowd the high desert with high-density buildings. To prevent this, city planners intentionally kept architecture low-profile in Sierra Vista's development code. Instead of building upward like a big metropolitan city, local rules focused on spreading out horizontally. Because of this intentional design, the lack of towering two-story neighborhoods naturally saved our mountain views.

Get our free mobile app

Sedona Mountains. / Photo by Val Davidson/TSM.

Dark Sky Regulations

Limiting the height of buildings isn't the only way Cochise County protects the beautiful scenery. Under the Light Pollution Code (Article 16) all permanently installed outdoor lamps in unincorporated areas must be fully shielded to face downward, preserving our star-filled night skies.

To limit community brightness, lots of an acre or larger are capped at 20,000 shielded lumens, while smaller properties must stay under 10,000. Even light color matters; codes restrict harsh, blue-white light in favor of warmer tones.

While Cochise County offers a protective baseline, other Arizona communities go even further. Sedona has strict laws on light pollution, limiting outdoor bulbs to an ultra-warm 3000 Kelvin or lower. Unlike Cochise County, Sedona's rules extend further, even regulating the color of buildings. Sedona's laws famously forced its local McDonald's to swap its trademark golden arches for turquoise, preventing the bright yellow from clashing with the iconic red rocks.

Photo by Val Davidson/TSM.

CONTINUE READING: How Dark Sky Cities Enhance Night Sky Views In Arizona