Attachment B - Z-TA-8-24-Y - Staff Report.pdf

City of Phoenix — Formal (2024-11-13)

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Staff Report 
Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment 
Z-TA-8-24-Y 
September 30, 2024 
 
 
Application No. Z-TA-8-24-Y: Amend Chapter 5, Section 506 (Text Amendments and 
Rezonings) of the Phoenix Zoning Ordinance to address changes to the Arizona 
Revised Statutes regarding an exemption for government owned properties when 
processing written protest petitions for the three-fourths votes and rezoning application 
review timeframes (Senate Bill 1162).  
 
Staff recommendation: Staff recommends approval of Z-TA-8-24-Y as shown in the 
proposed text in Exhibit A. 
 
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 
This text amendment is a response to Senate Bill 1162, approved by the Fifty-Sixth 
Legislature, Second Session (2024) which included provisions that modified the Arizona 
Revised Statutes to require municipalities to add an exemption for government owned 
properties when processing written protest petitions for the three-fourths voting 
requirement, and to impose rezoning application review timeframes.  This text 
amendment will bring City of Phoenix zoning regulations in compliance with the 
modified State regulations.   
 
SB 1162 also requires municipalities to adopt these new provisions on or before 
January 1, 2025. 
 
PROPOSAL 
Staff recommend changes to Chapter 5, Section 506 of the Phoenix Zoning Ordinance 
to comply with the provisions of SB 1162, together with a few minor formatting changes. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED TEXT  
The proposed text amendment includes two main components, both in Section 506: 1) 
addition of the exemption for government owned properties as related to written protest 
petitions, and 2) revision of the rezoning application review process to comply with 
timeframes mandated by SB 1162. 
 
1. Government Owned Property Exemption 
 
ATTACHMENT B

Staff Report: Z-TA-8-24-Y 
September 30, 2024 
Page 2 
 
 
SB 1162 modified Arizona Revised Statutes §9-462.04 to add a new exemption 
(shown in capitals) and now reads as follows: 
 
H.  If the owners of twenty percent or more of the property by area and number of 
lots, tracts and condominium units within the zoning area of the affected property, 
EXCLUDING GOVERNMENT OWNED PROPERTY, file a protest in writing 
against a proposed amendment, the change shall not become effective except by 
the favorable vote of three-fourths of all members of the governing body of the 
municipality. 
 
Section 506.A.9 of the Zoning Ordinance has therefore been updated to match 
(change shown in capitals): 
 
506.A.9 In the event that a written protest against a proposed amendment is filed 
in the office of the City Clerk, or the City Clerk’s designee, no later than 
seven days following Planning Commission action by the owners of 20 
percent or more of the property by area and number of lots, tracts and 
condominium units within the zoning petition area, EXCLUDING 
GOVERNMENT OWNED PROPERTY, such amendment shall not 
become effective except by the favorable vote of three-fourths of all the 
members of the City Council of the City of Phoenix. 
 
2. Revision of the Rezoning Application Review Process 
 
SB 1162 modified the Arizona Revised Statutes to add a new section §9-462.13, 
which imposes timeframes for rezoning applications, as follows: 
 
• 30 days for initial Administrative Completeness review; 
 
• 15 days for resubmitted Administrative Completeness review; 
 
• 180 days to either approve or deny application after application deemed 
Administratively complete. 
 
The modifications by SB 1162 exempt historic districts/properties and Planned Unit 
Developments (PUD) from these timeframes.   The modifications also address 
extensions to the prescribed timeframes, in a very restricted manner, as follows: 
 
• The City may initiate a single 30-day extension beyond the 180 days, for 
“extenuating circumstances”, which are not defined in the modified statute. 
 
• The applicant may request multiple extensions which may be granted by the 
City, but each extension is limited to 30 days.

Staff Report: Z-TA-8-24-Y 
September 30, 2024 
Page 3 
 
 
Section 506.B.5 has therefore been revised to comply with the timeframe 
requirements of SB 1162, as shown in the attached Exhibit A. 
 
 
CONCLUSION 
The proposed amendment to the Zoning Ordinance, provided in Exhibit A, will bring the 
City into compliance with the requirements of SB 1162.   
 
Staff recommends approval of the changes to the Zoning Ordinance as proposed in Exhibit 
A. 
 
 
Writer 
C. DePerro 
September 30, 2024 
 
Exhibit 
 
A. Proposed Language

Exhibit A: Z-TA-8-24-Y 
September 30, 2024 
 
 
Page 4 
 
Exhibit A 
 
Staff proposed language that may be modified during the public hearing process is as 
follows: 
 
Amend Chapter 5, Section 506 (Text amendments and rezonings) as follows: 
Section 506. Text amendments and rezonings. 
 
A. 
Amendments. 
*** 
9. 
In the event that a written protest against a proposed amendment is filed in 
the office of the City Clerk, or the City Clerk’s designee, no later than seven 
days following Planning Commission action by the owners of 20 percent or 
more of the property by area and number of lots, tracts and condominium 
units within the zoning petition area, EXCLUDING GOVERNMENT OWNED 
PROPERTY, such amendment shall not become effective except by the 
favorable vote of three-fourths of all the members of the City Council of the 
City of Phoenix. If any members of the City Council are unable to vote on 
any such amendment because of a conflict of interest, then the required 
number of votes for passage of such amendment shall be three-fourths of 
the remaining membership of the City Council; provided, that such required 
number of votes shall not be less than a majority of the full membership of 
the City Council. For the purposes of this section, the percentage of the 
favorable vote shall be rounded to the nearest whole number. 
*** 
 
SeB. Rezonings. 
*** 
5. 
REZONING APPLICATIONS.  No application for a change of zone shall be 
set for public hearing until a formal Planning and Development Department 
review of the application has taken place. and the applicant has submitted 
all the following materials in a form acceptable to the Planning and 
Development Department, unless submission of the specific item is waived 
by the Planning and Development Department.

Exhibit A: Z-TA-8-24-Y 
September 30, 2024 
 
 
Page 5 
 
a. 
APPLICATION.  A REZONING APPLICATION SHALL INCLUDE, 
BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, THE ITEMS LISTED BELOW UNLESS 
WAIVED BY STAFF.  ADDITIONAL MATERIALS MAY BE 
REQUESTED BY STAFF WHEN PERTINENT TO THE REZONING 
REQUEST: 
a. 
(1) 
Legal description. 
b. 
(2) 
Letter of authorization to file.  WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION TO 
FILE FROM PROPERTY OWNER.  
c. 
(3) 
Filing fee. 
d. 
(4) 
Map OR OTHER DOCUMENTATION to include the following: 
(1) 
(a) 
Parcel identification. 
(2) 
(b) 
Existing zoning and uses on-site and adjacent property. 
 
(3) 
(c) 
Intensity and/or density proposals. 
(4) 
(d) 
Traffic and parking study, if required by Planning and 
Development Department. 
(5) 
(e) 
Phasing schedule. 
(6) 
(f) 
Statement on conformance to existing adopted City 
plans. 
(7) 
(g) 
Ownership map of property owners within three 
hundred feet or nearest residence in all directions. This 
shall be the most current ownership information 
supplied through the Maricopa County Assessor’s 
office. 
(8) 
(h) 
Infrastructure: existing and proposed. 
e. 
(5) 
Site plan and building elevations.

Exhibit A: Z-TA-8-24-Y 
September 30, 2024 
 
 
Page 6 
 
(1) 
(a) 
Building configuration and heights. 
(2) 
(b) 
Setbacks. 
(3) 
(c) 
Landscaped areas. 
(4) 
(d) 
Appropriate calculations. e.g., parking, lot coverage. 
(5) 
(e) 
Access points and modifications to existing street 
improvements. 
(6) 
(f) 
Street names, north point, date, right-of-way. 
b. 
APPLICATION REVIEW PROCESS.   
(1) 
PRIOR TO SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION FOR 
REZONING, THE APPLICANT SHALL REQUEST AND 
ATTEND TWO SEPARATE MEETINGS:  A REZONING PRE-
APPLICATION MEETING, AND A DEVELOPMENT PRE-
APPLICATION MEETING, UNLESS WAIVED BY THE 
PLANNING DIRECTOR. 
(2) 
AFTER COMPLETING ANY REQUIRED PRE-APPLICATION 
MEETINGS, A REZONING APPLICATION MAY BE 
SUBMITTED WITH APPROPRIATE FEES AS PROVIDED IN 
APPENDIX A, ZONING FEE SCHEDULE. 
(3) 
ONCE AN APPLICATION HAS BEEN SUBMITTED, THE 
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLETENESS REVIEW PERIOD 
SHALL BEGIN, WHERE STAFF WILL DETERMINE IF THE 
APPLICATION INCLUDES ALL REQUIRED INFORMATION. 
(4) 
ONCE AN APPLICATION HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO BE 
ADMINISTRATIVELY COMPLETE, THE SUBSTANTIVE 
REVIEW PERIOD SHALL BEGIN, WHERE STAFF 
EVALUATE THE REZONING REQUEST AND SET PUBLIC 
HEARING DATES.

Exhibit A: Z-TA-8-24-Y 
September 30, 2024 
 
 
Page 7 
 
(5) 
FOLLOWING THE SUBSTANTIVE REVIEW PERIOD, 
PUBLIC HEARINGS, UP TO AND INCLUDING CITY 
COUNCIL, SHALL BE CONDUCTED AS PROVIDED IN 
SECTION 506. 
c. 
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLETENESS REVIEW.   
(1) 
FOR REZONING APPLICATIONS REQUESTING REZONING 
TO OR FROM HP, HP-L, OR PUD, OR APPLICATIONS FOR 
PROPERTIES CURRENTLY DESIGNATED AS HISTORIC 
ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES, 
STAFF SHALL REVIEW EACH APPLICATION FOR 
COMPLETENESS IN THE MANNER OUTLINED IN THE 
APPLICATION PACKET PUBLISHED ON THE CITY OF 
PHOENIX WEBSITE. 
(2) 
FOR ALL OTHER REZONING APPLICATIONS, STAFF 
SHALL CONDUCT AN ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLETENESS 
REVIEW AS FOLLOWS: 
(a) 
STAFF SHALL CONDUCT THE ADMINISTRATIVE 
COMPLETENESS REVIEW WITHIN 30 DAYS OF 
SUBMISSION. 
(b) 
IF AN APPLICATION IS NOT ADMINISTRATIVELY 
COMPLETE, STAFF SHALL PROVIDE THE 
APPLICANT WITH A NOTICE THAT INCLUDES A 
COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF THE SPECIFIC 
DEFICIENCIES.  
(i) 
ONCE THE NOTICE IS ISSUED, THE 
APPLICANT SHALL RESUBMIT THE 
APPLICATION, ADDRESSING ALL 
DEFICIENCIES.  IF NOT RESUBMITTED 
WITHIN 15 DAYS OF ISSUANCE OF THE 
NOTICE, THE APPLICATION MAY BE 
CONSIDERED VOID AND APPLICATION FEES 
REFUNDED, MINUS AN ADMINISTRATIVE 
CHARGE.

Exhibit A: Z-TA-8-24-Y 
September 30, 2024 
 
 
Page 8 
 
(ii) 
FOR A RESUBMITTED APPLICATION, STAFF 
SHALL CONDUCT ANOTHER 
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLETENESS REVIEW 
WITHIN 15 DAYS OF RECEIPT TO 
DETERMINE WHETHER ALL DEFICIENCIES 
HAVE BEEN RESOLVED. 
(iii) 
IF A RESUBMITTED APPLICATION IS STILL 
NOT ADMINISTRATIVELY COMPLETE, STEPS 
(i) AND (ii) SHALL BE REPEATED UNTIL THE 
APPLICATION IS ADMINISTRATIVELY 
COMPLETE, OR THE APPLICATION IS 
WITHDRAWN. 
(3) 
WHEN AN APPLICATION IS DEEMED ADMINISTRATIVELY 
COMPLETE, THE CITY SHALL ISSUE A NOTICE OF 
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLETENESS TO THE APPLICANT. 
d. 
SUBSTANTIVE REVIEW. ALL REZONING APPLICATIONS SHALL 
BEGIN THE SUBSTANTIVE REVIEW PROCESS ONCE 
DETERMINED TO BE ADMINISTRATIVELY COMPLETE.   THE 
SUBSTANTIVE REVIEW INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, 
THE FOLLOWING: 
(1) 
STAFF EVALUATION OF THE REQUEST RELATED TO 
ADOPTED CODES, ORDINANCES, AND POLICIES. 
(2) 
NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS, IF REQUIRED. 
(3) 
POST-APPLICATION MEETING WITH STAFF, WHERE THE 
REQUIRED PUBLIC HEARING DATES ARE SET. 
(4) 
REQUIRED PUBLIC NOTIFICATION. 
e. 
APPLICATION REVIEW TIMEFRAMES.

Exhibit A: Z-TA-8-24-Y 
September 30, 2024 
 
 
Page 9 
 
(1) 
FOR REZONING APPLICATIONS REQUESTING REZONING 
TO OR FROM HP, HP-L, OR PUD, OR APPLICATIONS FOR 
PROPERTIES CURRENTLY DESIGNATED AS HISTORIC 
ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES, 
THE SUBSTANTIVE REVIEW AND PUBLIC HEARINGS 
SHALL BE CONDUCTED PER THE TIMEFRAMES 
OUTLINED IN THE APPLICATION PACKET PUBLISHED ON 
THE CITY OF PHOENIX WEBSITE. 
(2) 
FOR ALL OTHER REZONING APPLICATIONS, THE 
SUBSTANTIVE REVIEW SHALL BEGIN A 180-DAY PERIOD 
WITHIN WHICH THE SUBSTANTIVE REVIEW AND ALL 
REQUIRED PUBLIC HEARINGS SHALL BE CONDUCTED.  
THE CITY COUNCIL MUST APPROVE OR DENY AN 
APPLICATION BEFORE THE END OF THE 180-DAY 
PERIOD, WITH THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTIONS: 
(a) 
FOR EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES, THE CITY 
MAY EXTEND THE REVIEW PERIOD ONCE, FOR 
NOT MORE THAN 30 DAYS. 
(b) 
AT THE REQUEST OF THE APPLICANT, THE CITY 
MAY GRANT EXTENSIONS OF THE REVIEW 
PERIOD IN INCREMENTS OF 30 DAYS. 
f. 
At the applicant’s request, the formal Planning and Development 
Department review may be postponed for up to ninety days from the 
date the application was filed. In the event the applicant is unable to 
submit the above-referenced materials within the ninety-day period, 
the application shall be considered terminated and all fees paid by 
the applicant shall be forfeited.  IN THE EVENT THAT AN 
APPLICATION IS WITHDRAWN, NO FEES SHALL BE REFUNDED 
UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED BY ADOPTED PLANNING AND 
DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT POLICIES. 
***