TA2019002 BOS REPORT.PDF

Maricopa County — Formal (2020-10-07)

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October 7, 2020 
TA2019002 
Page 1 of 1 
Report to the Board of Supervisors 
Prepared by the Maricopa County Planning and Development Department 
 
 
 
Board Hearing Date: 
October 7, 2020 
 
Case #/Title:  
 
TA2019002 –  Variance Timeframe   
 
Supervisor District: 
All 
 
Applicant:  
Commission-initiated   
 
Request: 
Text Amendment to amend Chapter 3, Administration; 
Board of Adjustment; Section 303, Article 303.5; of the 
Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance (MCZO) 
 
EROP: 
This item is being processed through the County’s Enhanced 
Regulatory Outreach Program (EROP). This matter was 
discussed at the February 27, 2020 Stakeholder meeting. 
 
 
  
 
Municipal Comments: 
 
No comments received from EROP Notification process.  
 
Support/Opposition: 
 
No letters of opposition/suggested changes to the proposed 
text. (No new public comment since the February 27, 2020 
Stakeholder meeting.) 
Additional 
Comments: 
Proposed verbatim language is attached to the Commission 
report. 
 
  
Commission  
 
Recommendation: 
On 9/10/20, the Commission voted 6-0 to recommend 
approval of TA2019002.  
 
 
 
Presented by: 
 
Rachel Applegate, Senior Planner 
Reviewed by: 
 
Darren Gérard, AICP, Deputy Director  
 
Attachment: 
 
9/10/20 P&Z Packet (5 pages)  
 
 
Note: 
9/10/20 Draft P&Z Minutes are not available as of the writing of this report, but can 
be provided upon request later when available.

TA2019002 
Page 1 of 2 
Report to the Planning and Zoning Commission 
Prepared by the Maricopa County Planning and Development Department 
 
 
 
Case: 
TA2019002 –  Variance Timeframe   
 
Hearing Date: 
September 10, 2020 
 
Supervisor District: 
All 
 
 
 
  
 
Applicant: 
Commission-initiated   
 
Request: 
Text Amendment to amend Chapter 3, Administration; Board of 
Adjustment; Section 303, Article 303.5; of the Maricopa County 
Zoning Ordinance (MCZO)  
 
 
  
 
EROP: 
This item is being processed through the County’s Enhanced 
Regulatory Outreach Program (EROP). This matter was discussed at 
the February 27, 2020 Stakeholder meeting.  
 
Municipal Comments: 
No comments received from EROP Notification process.  
 
Support/Opposition: 
No letters of opposition/suggested changes to the proposed text. 
(No new public comment since the February 27, 2020 Stakeholder 
meeting.) 
 
Recommendation: 
Approval  
 
Discussion:  
 
This text amendment will amend the Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance (MCZO), Chapter 3 
Administration, Board of Adjustment, Section 303, Article 303.5. In accordance with the adopted 
Moratorium on Increased Regulatory Burden, the Planning and Development Department is 
seeking your approval to proceed with TA20190002 – to delete MCZO language that requires 
construction to occur within 120 days after Board of Adjustment approval of a variance.  
 
Staff notes there are various circumstances that may prevent property owners from not being 
able to commence construction within 120 days of Board of Adjustment approval of a variance. 
Currently, if the 120 day deadline isn’t met a property owner is required to apply for and seek 
approval of a new variance application for the same hardship. However, the Board of 
Adjustment is mandated to determine whether peculiar conditions exist on a subject property 
in order to grant a variance from the zoning ordinance standards. Theoretically, the peculiar 
condition for which the variance was granted will exist in perpetuity, thus eliminating need for 
construction within a certain timeframe in most instances. There will be no prohibition against 
the Board of Adjustment approving a variance subject to a temporal condition, but the 
ordinance should not mandate one for all variance approvals. This change will lessen regulatory 
burden.   
 
Proposed changes are shown in legislative edit format. There is no new language to be added. 
Language to be deleted is struck through in red font.

TA2019002 
Page 2 of 2 
 
SECTION 303. 
BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT 
 
ARTICLE 303.5. 
APPLICATION FOR VARIANCE:*1, *3, *8, *13, *25 Application for any 
Variance from the regulations of this Zoning Ordinance shall be made to the 
Board of Adjustment.  Such applications shall be made on forms prescribed 
by the Board of Adjustment, shall be filed with the Director, and shall be 
accompanied by: 
 
303.5.1. 
Accurate site plans to scale and a description of the property involved, description 
of the request or requests, preliminary floor plans and elevations of all proposed 
buildings.  The zoning inspector may authorize omission of any or all of the plans 
and drawings required by this section if they are not necessary. 
 
 
 
303.5.2.  
Evidence, satisfactory to the Board of Adjustment, of the ability and intention of the 
applicant to proceed with actual construction work in accordance with said plans within 
120 days after allowing any Variance.*8  
 
303.5.3. 
Reasons for requesting the Variance including a detailed description of a statutorily based 
hardship and evidence that granting of said Variance will not in any way adversely impact 
the intent and purpose of the Zoning Ordinance. 
 
 
Next Steps:  
 
A projected timeline for completion includes a tentative Board of Supervisors hearing date of 
October 7, 2020 with adopted language to become effective 30 days later, November 6, 2020. 
 
Recommendation: 
 
Staff recommends the Commission motion for Approval  of TA2019002. 
 
 
Prepared by:  
Rachel Applegate, Senior Planner  
Reviewed by:  
Darren V. Gerard, AICP, Planning Manager 
 
Attachment: 
8/6/2020 ZIPPOR Packet (3 pages)

TA2019002 
Page 1 of 2 
Report to the Planning and Zoning Commission 
Prepared by the Maricopa County Planning and Development Department 
 
 
 
Case: 
TA2019002 –  Variance Timeframe   
 
Meeting Date: 
August 6, 2020 (ZIPPOR) 
 
Supervisor District: 
All 
 
 
 
  
 
Applicant: 
Commission-initiated   
 
Request: 
Text Amendment to amend Chapter 3, Administration; Board of 
Adjustment; Section 303, Article 303.5; of the Maricopa County 
Zoning Ordinance (MCZO)  
 
 
  
 
EROP: 
This item is being processed through the County’s Enhanced 
Regulatory Outreach Program (EROP). This matter was discussed at 
the February 27, 2020 Stakeholder meeting.  
 
Municipal Comments: 
No comments received from EROP Notification process.  
 
Support/Opposition: 
No letters of opposition/suggested changes to the proposed text. 
(No new public comment since the February 27, 2020 Stakeholder 
meeting.) 
 
Recommendation: 
Initiate 
 
Discussion:  
 
This text amendment will amend the Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance (MCZO), Chapter 3 
Administration, Board of Adjustment, Section 303, Article 303.5. 
In accordance with the adopted Moratorium on Increased Regulatory Burden, the Planning 
and Development Department is seeking your approval to proceed with TA20190002 – to delete 
MCZO language that requires construction to occur within 120 days after Board of Adjustment 
approval of a variance.  
 
Staff notes there are various circumstances that may prevent property owners from not being 
able to commence construction within 120 days of Board of Adjustment approval of a variance. 
Currently, if the 120 day deadline isn’t met a property owner is required to apply for and seek 
approval of a new variance application for the same hardship. However, the Board of 
Adjustment is mandated to determine whether peculiar conditions exist on a subject property 
in order to grant a variance from the zoning ordinance standards. Theoretically, the peculiar 
condition for which the variance was granted will exist in perpetuity, thus eliminating need for 
construction within a certain timeframe in most instances. This change will lessen regulatory 
burden.   
 
Proposed changes are shown in legislative edit format.

TA2019002 
Page 2 of 2 
SECTION 303. 
BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT 
 
ARTICLE 303.5. 
APPLICATION FOR VARIANCE:*1, *3, *8, *13, *25 Application for any 
Variance from the regulations of this Zoning Ordinance shall be made to the 
Board of Adjustment.  Such applications shall be made on forms prescribed 
by the Board of Adjustment, shall be filed with the Director, and shall be 
accompanied by: 
 
303.5.1. 
Accurate site plans to scale and a description of the property involved, description 
of the request or requests, preliminary floor plans and elevations of all proposed 
buildings.  The zoning inspector may authorize omission of any or all of the plans 
and drawings required by this section if they are not necessary. 
 
 
 
303.5.2.  
Evidence, satisfactory to the Board of Adjustment, of the ability and intention of the 
applicant to proceed with actual construction work in accordance with said plans within 
120 days after allowing any Variance.*8  
 
303.5.3. 
Reasons for requesting the Variance including a detailed description of a statutorily based 
hardship and evidence that granting of said Variance will not in any way adversely impact 
the intent and purpose of the Zoning Ordinance. 
 
 
Recommendation: 
 
Staff recommends the Commission initiate TA2019002.  
 
Next Steps: 
 
If the Commission takes action to initiate the proposed text amendment, the amendment would 
be scheduled for the September 10, 2020 Planning and Zoning Commission. A projected timeline 
for completion includes a tentative Board of Supervisors hearing date of October 7, 2020 with 
adopted language 30 days after Board hearing for completion by November 6, 2020. 
 
 
Prepared by:  
Rachel Applegate, Senior Planner  
Reviewed by:  
Darren V. Gerard, AICP, Planning Manager 
 
Attachment: 
2/27/20 EROP Stakeholder Meeting sign in sheet (1 page)