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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, First Regular Session
administrative review; approvals; developments
Purpose
Allows a municipality's legislative body, by ordinance, to authorize administrative personnel to review and approve site plans, development plans, preliminary plats or final plats and design review plans based on objective standards without a public hearing.
Background
A municipality's legislative body must regulate the subdivision of all lands within its corporate limits and exercise its authority by ordinance to prescribe: 1) procedures to be followed in the preparation, submission, review and approval or rejection of all final plats; 2) standards governing the design of subdivision plats; and 3) minimum requirements and standards for installation of subdivision streets, sewer and water utilities and improvements as a condition of final plat approval (A.R.S. § 9-463.01). If a municipality has a planning commission, the planning commission must hold at least one public hearing on a specific plan or regulation prior to any hearing by the legislative body (A.R.S. § 9-461.09).
A preliminary plat is a preliminary map, including supporting data, indicating a proposed subdivision design prepared in accordance with any applicable local ordinance. A final plat is a map of all or part of a subdivision essentially conforming to an approved preliminary plat, prepared in accordance with any applicable local ordinance and other state statute (A.R.S. § 9-463).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Allows the legislative body of a city or town by ordinance to:
a) without a public hearing, authorize administrative personnel to review and approve site plans, development plans, preliminary plats or final plats and design review plans based on objective standards;
b) adopt a self-certification program allowing architects and professional engineers to certify and be responsible for compliance with all applicable ordinances and construction standards for projects that the ordinance identifies as being qualified for self-certification;
c) allow at-risk submittals for certain on-site preliminary grading or drainage work; and
2. Subjects applications for a license to the statutes governing the license application process and license review time frames.
3. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
January 30, 2023
AN/SB/slp