Assigned to RAGE AS PASSED BY COW
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
AMENDED
FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1286
counties; board; administrative review; approval
Purpose
Expands the administrative review and approval of certain planning and development
documentation by a county.
Background
In 2023, the Legislature enacted legislation allowing a county by ordinance to: 1) authorize
administrative personnel to review and approve site plans, development plans, land divisions, lot
line adjustments, lot ties, preliminary plats, final plats, plat amendments and design plans based
on objective standards without a public hearing; 2) adopt a self-certification program allowing
registered 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; 3) allow at-risk submittals for certain on-site preliminary
grading and drainage work or infrastructure; and 4) allow applicants with a history of compliance
with building codes and regulations to be eligible for expedited permit review (A.R.S. § 11-269.27;
Laws 2023, Ch. 1)
Statute outlines county subdivision regulations, including plat approvals. A county board
of supervisors (BOS) must regulate the subdivision of all lands within its corporate limits, except
subdivisions that are regulated by municipalities. A plat of subdivision of land within the area of
a county's jurisdiction must not be accepted for recording or recorded until it has been approved
by the county BOS (A.R.S. Title 11, Chapter 6, Article 3).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1. Allows a county BOS by ordinance to authorize administrative personnel to review and
approve assurances without a public hearing.
2. Specifies that a county employee authorized by an adopted county ordinance, rather than only
the county BOS, may review and approve subdivision plats.
3. Defines license as the whole or part of any municipal permit, certificate, approval, registration,
charter or similar form of permission required by law, excluding a transaction privilege tax
license.
4. Makes technical and conforming changes. FACT SHEET – Amended
S.B. 1286
Page 2
5. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendment Adopted by Committee of the Whole
• Clarifies that a county employee, rather than a person, authorized by an adopted ordinance may
review and approve subdivision plats.
Senate Action
RAGE 2/5/25 DP 6-0-1
Prepared by Senate Research
February 20, 2025
JT/JRM/ci