Arizona 2025 Regular Session

Arizona Senate Bill SB1286 Compare Versions

OldNewDifferences
1-CORRECTED Senate Engrossed counties; board; administrative review; approval State of Arizona Senate Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025 CHAPTER 8 SENATE BILL 1286 AN ACT amending sections 11-269.27, 11-822 and 11-823, arizona revised statutes; relating to county planning. (TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
1+CORRECTED Senate Engrossed counties; board; administrative review; approval State of Arizona Senate Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025 SENATE BILL 1286 AN ACT amending sections 11-269.27, 11-822 and 11-823, arizona revised statutes; relating to county planning. (TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
22
33
44
55 CORRECTED
66
77
88
99
1010
1111 Senate Engrossed counties; board; administrative review; approval
1212 State of Arizona Senate Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025
13-CHAPTER 8
1413 SENATE BILL 1286
1514
1615 Senate Engrossed
1716
1817
1918
2019 counties; board; administrative review; approval
20+
21+
2122
2223
2324
2425
2526
2627
2728
2829 State of Arizona
2930
3031 Senate
3132
3233 Fifty-seventh Legislature
3334
3435 First Regular Session
3536
3637 2025
3738
3839
3940
4041
4142
4243
4344
44-CHAPTER 8
45+SENATE BILL 1286
4546
4647
47-
48-SENATE BILL 1286
4948
5049
5150
5251
5352
5453
5554
5655 AN ACT
5756
5857
5958
6059 amending sections 11-269.27, 11-822 and 11-823, arizona revised statutes; relating to county planning.
6160
6261
6362
6463
6564
6665 (TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
6766
6867
6968
7069 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona: Section 1. Section 11-269.27, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read: START_STATUTE11-269.27. Administrative review and approval; self-certification program; expedited approval; definitions A. Notwithstanding any other law, the board of supervisors of a county may by ordinance do the following: 1. Authorize administrative personnel to review and approve site plans, development plans, land divisions, lot line adjustments, lot ties, assurances, preliminary plats, final plats and plat amendments without a public hearing held by the board of supervisors. 2. Authorize administrative personnel to review and approve design plans based on objective standards without a public hearing. 3. 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. 4. Allow at-risk submittals for certain on-site preliminary grading and drainage work or infrastructure. 5. Allow applicants with a history of compliance with building codes and regulations to be eligible for expedited permit review. B. Applications for a license pursuant to this section are subject to chapter 11, article 1 of this title. C. For the purposes of this section: , 1. "license" has the same meaning prescribed in section 9-831. 2. "Objective" means not influenced by personal interpretation, taste or feelings of a county employee and verifiable by reference to an adopted benchmark, standard or criterion available and knowable by the applicant or proponent. END_STATUTE Sec. 2. Section 11-822, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read: START_STATUTE11-822. Subdivision approval; platting regulations; violation; classification; easement vesting A. No A plat of a subdivision of land within the area of jurisdiction of the county shall not be accepted for recording or recorded until it has been approved by the board or a county employee who is authorized by the adopted county ordinance. The approval of the board or a county employee who is authorized by the adopted county ordinance shall be endorsed in writing on the plat and shall also include specific identification and approval of the assurances, except those for hiking and equestrian trails required by this section. If a county planning and zoning commission exists, the plat may be referred to the commission for its consideration and the board may receive the recommendation of the commission. If the subdivision is comprised of subdivided land lands, as defined in section 32-2101, and is within an active management area, as defined in section 45-402, the plat shall not be approved unless it is accompanied by a certificate of assured water supply issued by the director of water resources, or unless the subdivider has obtained a written commitment of water service for the subdivision from a city, town or private water company designated as having an assured water supply by the director of water resources pursuant to section 45-576 or is exempt from such a requirement pursuant to section 45-576. The board shall note on the face of the plat that a certificate of assured water supply has been submitted with the plat or that the subdivider has obtained a commitment of water service for the proposed subdivision from a city, town or private water company designated as having an assured water supply pursuant to section 45-576. B. The ground of refusal or approval of any plat submitted, including citation of or reference to the rule or regulation violated by the plat, shall be stated on the record of the board. C. Approval of a plat shall not be deemed to constitute or effect an acceptance by the county for designation of any street, highway, bicycle facility or other way or open space shown on the plat into the county maintenance system except for hiking and equestrian trails that are constructed and maintained by the county. However, at the time the streets, highways, bicycle facilities or other ways are fully completed in accordance with the approved plat and written specifications made by the county board or a county employee who is authorized by the adopted county ordinance, the county shall accept the streets, highways, bicycle facilities and other ways into the county maintenance system within one year of after completion. D. Any person causing a final plat to be recorded without first submitting the plat and obtaining approval of the board or a county employee who is authorized by the adopted county ordinance is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor. A county recorder shall not accept for recording or record any plat that has not been approved as provided by this article. E. On recording of a plat, the fee of the streets, alleys, avenues, highways, easements, parks and other parcels of ground reserved to the use of the public vests in trust in the county for the uses and to the extent depicted on the plat, including ingress and egress easements depicted on the plat. On annexation by any city or town the fee automatically vests in the city or town. F. For any subdivision that consists of lots, tracts or parcels, each of which is of a size as prescribed by the board of supervisors, the board or a county employee who is authorized by the adopted county ordinance may waive the requirement to prepare, submit and receive approval of a preliminary plat as a condition precedent to submitting a final plat and may waive or reduce infrastructure standards or requirements except for improved dust-controlled access and minimum drainage improvements. END_STATUTE Sec. 3. Section 11-823, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read: START_STATUTE11-823. Water supply; adequacy; exemptions A. To protect the public health and safety, the general regulations adopted by the board pursuant to section 11-821, subsection B, if approved by unanimous vote of the board of supervisors, may provide that, except as provided in subsection C and subsection D, paragraph 1 of this section, the board or a county employee who is authorized by the adopted county ordinance shall not approve a final plat for a subdivision composed of subdivided lands, as defined in section 32-2101, located outside of an active management area, as defined in section 45-402, unless one of the following applies: 1. The director of water resources has determined that there is an adequate water supply for the subdivision pursuant to section 45-108 and the subdivider has included the report with the plat. 2. The subdivider has obtained a written commitment of water service for the subdivision from a city, town or private water company designated as having an adequate water supply by the director of water resources pursuant to section 45-108. B. If the board unanimously adopts the provision authorized by subsection A of this section: 1. The board may include in the general regulations an exemption from the provision for a subdivision that the director of water resources has determined will have an inadequate water supply because the water supply will be transported to the subdivision by motor vehicle or train if all of the following apply: (a) The board determines that there is no feasible alternative water supply for the subdivision and that the transportation of water to the subdivision will not constitute a significant risk to the health and safety of the residents of the subdivision. (b) If the water to be transported to the subdivision will be withdrawn or diverted in the service area of a municipal provider as defined in section 45-561, the municipal provider has consented to the withdrawal or diversion. (c) If the water to be transported is groundwater, the transportation complies with the provisions governing the transportation of groundwater in title 45, chapter 2, article 8. (d) The transportation of water to the subdivision meets any additional conditions imposed by the county. 2. The board shall promptly give written notice of the adoption of the provision to the director of water resources, the director of environmental quality and the state real estate commissioner. The notice shall include a certified copy of the provision and any exemptions adopted pursuant to paragraph 1 of this subsection. Water providers may be eligible to receive monies in a water supply development fund, as otherwise provided by law. 3. The board shall not rescind the provision or amend it in a manner that is inconsistent with subsection A of this section. If the board amends the provision, it shall give written notice of the amendment to the director of water resources, the director of environmental quality and the state real estate commissioner. The board may rescind an exemption adopted pursuant to paragraph 1 of this subsection. If the board rescinds the exemption, it shall give written notice of the rescission to the director of water resources, the director of environmental quality and the state real estate commissioner, and the board shall not readopt the exemption for at least five years after the rescission becomes effective. 4. If the board or a county employee who is authorized by the adopted county ordinance approves a subdivision plat pursuant to subsection A, paragraph 1 or 2 of this section, the board shall note on the face of the plat that the director of water resources has reported that the subdivision has an adequate water supply or that the subdivider has obtained a commitment of water service for the proposed subdivision from a city, town or private water company designated as having an adequate water supply pursuant to section 45-108. 5. If the board or a county employee who is authorized by the adopted county ordinance approves a subdivision plat pursuant to an exemption authorized by paragraph 1 of this subsection or granted by the director of water resources pursuant to section 45-108.02 or 45-108.03: (a) The board shall give written notice of the approval to the director of water resources and the director of environmental quality. (b) The board shall include on the face of the plat a statement that the director of water resources has determined that the water supply for the subdivision is inadequate and a statement describing the exemption under which the plat was approved, including a statement that the board or the director of water resources, whichever applies, has determined that the specific conditions of the exemption were met. If the director of water resources subsequently informs the board that the subdivision is being served by a water provider that has been designated by the director as having an adequate water supply pursuant to section 45-108, the board shall record in the county recorder's office a statement disclosing that fact. C. Subsection A of this section does not apply to: 1. A proposed subdivision that the director of water resources has determined will have an inadequate water supply pursuant to section 45-108 if the director grants an exemption for the subdivision pursuant to section 45-108.02 and the exemption has not expired or the director grants an exemption pursuant to section 45-108.03. 2. A proposed subdivision that received final plat approval from the county before the requirement for an adequate water supply became effective in the county if the plat has not been materially changed since it received the final plat approval. If changes were made to the plat after the plat received the final plat approval, the director of water resources shall determine whether the changes are material pursuant to the rules adopted by the director to implement section 45-108. If the county approves a plat pursuant to this paragraph and the director of water resources has determined that there is an inadequate water supply for the subdivision pursuant to section 45-108, the county shall note this on the face of the plat. D. If the subdivision is composed of subdivided lands as defined in section 32-2101 outside of an active management area and the board has not adopted a provision pursuant to subsection A of this section: 1. If the director of water resources has determined that there is an adequate water supply for the subdivision pursuant to section 45-108 or if the subdivider has obtained a written commitment of water service for the subdivision from a city, town or private water company designated as having an adequate water supply by the director of water resources pursuant to section 45-108, the board or a county employee who is authorized by the adopted county ordinance shall note this on the face of the plat if the plat is approved. 2. If the director of water resources has determined that there is an inadequate water supply for the subdivision pursuant to section 45-108, the board or a county employee who is authorized by the adopted the board or [person] [a county employee who is] authorized by the adopted county ordinance shall note this on the face of the plat if the plat is approved. END_STATUTE
7170
7271 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
7372
7473 Section 1. Section 11-269.27, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
7574
7675 START_STATUTE11-269.27. Administrative review and approval; self-certification program; expedited approval; definitions
7776
7877 A. Notwithstanding any other law, the board of supervisors of a county may by ordinance do the following:
7978
8079 1. Authorize administrative personnel to review and approve site plans, development plans, land divisions, lot line adjustments, lot ties, assurances, preliminary plats, final plats and plat amendments without a public hearing held by the board of supervisors.
8180
8281 2. Authorize administrative personnel to review and approve design plans based on objective standards without a public hearing.
8382
8483 3. 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.
8584
8685 4. Allow at-risk submittals for certain on-site preliminary grading and drainage work or infrastructure.
8786
8887 5. Allow applicants with a history of compliance with building codes and regulations to be eligible for expedited permit review.
8988
9089 B. Applications for a license pursuant to this section are subject to chapter 11, article 1 of this title.
9190
9291 C. For the purposes of this section: ,
9392
9493 1. "license" has the same meaning prescribed in section 9-831.
9594
9695 2. "Objective" means not influenced by personal interpretation, taste or feelings of a county employee and verifiable by reference to an adopted benchmark, standard or criterion available and knowable by the applicant or proponent. END_STATUTE
9796
9897 Sec. 2. Section 11-822, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
9998
10099 START_STATUTE11-822. Subdivision approval; platting regulations; violation; classification; easement vesting
101100
102101 A. No A plat of a subdivision of land within the area of jurisdiction of the county shall not be accepted for recording or recorded until it has been approved by the board or a county employee who is authorized by the adopted county ordinance. The approval of the board or a county employee who is authorized by the adopted county ordinance shall be endorsed in writing on the plat and shall also include specific identification and approval of the assurances, except those for hiking and equestrian trails required by this section. If a county planning and zoning commission exists, the plat may be referred to the commission for its consideration and the board may receive the recommendation of the commission. If the subdivision is comprised of subdivided land lands, as defined in section 32-2101, and is within an active management area, as defined in section 45-402, the plat shall not be approved unless it is accompanied by a certificate of assured water supply issued by the director of water resources, or unless the subdivider has obtained a written commitment of water service for the subdivision from a city, town or private water company designated as having an assured water supply by the director of water resources pursuant to section 45-576 or is exempt from such a requirement pursuant to section 45-576. The board shall note on the face of the plat that a certificate of assured water supply has been submitted with the plat or that the subdivider has obtained a commitment of water service for the proposed subdivision from a city, town or private water company designated as having an assured water supply pursuant to section 45-576.
103102
104103 B. The ground of refusal or approval of any plat submitted, including citation of or reference to the rule or regulation violated by the plat, shall be stated on the record of the board.
105104
106105 C. Approval of a plat shall not be deemed to constitute or effect an acceptance by the county for designation of any street, highway, bicycle facility or other way or open space shown on the plat into the county maintenance system except for hiking and equestrian trails that are constructed and maintained by the county. However, at the time the streets, highways, bicycle facilities or other ways are fully completed in accordance with the approved plat and written specifications made by the county board or a county employee who is authorized by the adopted county ordinance, the county shall accept the streets, highways, bicycle facilities and other ways into the county maintenance system within one year of after completion.
107106
108107 D. Any person causing a final plat to be recorded without first submitting the plat and obtaining approval of the board or a county employee who is authorized by the adopted county ordinance is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor. A county recorder shall not accept for recording or record any plat that has not been approved as provided by this article.
109108
110109 E. On recording of a plat, the fee of the streets, alleys, avenues, highways, easements, parks and other parcels of ground reserved to the use of the public vests in trust in the county for the uses and to the extent depicted on the plat, including ingress and egress easements depicted on the plat. On annexation by any city or town the fee automatically vests in the city or town.
111110
112111 F. For any subdivision that consists of lots, tracts or parcels, each of which is of a size as prescribed by the board of supervisors, the board or a county employee who is authorized by the adopted county ordinance may waive the requirement to prepare, submit and receive approval of a preliminary plat as a condition precedent to submitting a final plat and may waive or reduce infrastructure standards or requirements except for improved dust-controlled access and minimum drainage improvements. END_STATUTE
113112
114113 Sec. 3. Section 11-823, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
115114
116115 START_STATUTE11-823. Water supply; adequacy; exemptions
117116
118117 A. To protect the public health and safety, the general regulations adopted by the board pursuant to section 11-821, subsection B, if approved by unanimous vote of the board of supervisors, may provide that, except as provided in subsection C and subsection D, paragraph 1 of this section, the board or a county employee who is authorized by the adopted county ordinance shall not approve a final plat for a subdivision composed of subdivided lands, as defined in section 32-2101, located outside of an active management area, as defined in section 45-402, unless one of the following applies:
119118
120119 1. The director of water resources has determined that there is an adequate water supply for the subdivision pursuant to section 45-108 and the subdivider has included the report with the plat.
121120
122121 2. The subdivider has obtained a written commitment of water service for the subdivision from a city, town or private water company designated as having an adequate water supply by the director of water resources pursuant to section 45-108.
123122
124123 B. If the board unanimously adopts the provision authorized by subsection A of this section:
125124
126125 1. The board may include in the general regulations an exemption from the provision for a subdivision that the director of water resources has determined will have an inadequate water supply because the water supply will be transported to the subdivision by motor vehicle or train if all of the following apply:
127126
128127 (a) The board determines that there is no feasible alternative water supply for the subdivision and that the transportation of water to the subdivision will not constitute a significant risk to the health and safety of the residents of the subdivision.
129128
130129 (b) If the water to be transported to the subdivision will be withdrawn or diverted in the service area of a municipal provider as defined in section 45-561, the municipal provider has consented to the withdrawal or diversion.
131130
132131 (c) If the water to be transported is groundwater, the transportation complies with the provisions governing the transportation of groundwater in title 45, chapter 2, article 8.
133132
134133 (d) The transportation of water to the subdivision meets any additional conditions imposed by the county.
135134
136135 2. The board shall promptly give written notice of the adoption of the provision to the director of water resources, the director of environmental quality and the state real estate commissioner. The notice shall include a certified copy of the provision and any exemptions adopted pursuant to paragraph 1 of this subsection. Water providers may be eligible to receive monies in a water supply development fund, as otherwise provided by law.
137136
138137 3. The board shall not rescind the provision or amend it in a manner that is inconsistent with subsection A of this section. If the board amends the provision, it shall give written notice of the amendment to the director of water resources, the director of environmental quality and the state real estate commissioner. The board may rescind an exemption adopted pursuant to paragraph 1 of this subsection. If the board rescinds the exemption, it shall give written notice of the rescission to the director of water resources, the director of environmental quality and the state real estate commissioner, and the board shall not readopt the exemption for at least five years after the rescission becomes effective.
139138
140139 4. If the board or a county employee who is authorized by the adopted county ordinance approves a subdivision plat pursuant to subsection A, paragraph 1 or 2 of this section, the board shall note on the face of the plat that the director of water resources has reported that the subdivision has an adequate water supply or that the subdivider has obtained a commitment of water service for the proposed subdivision from a city, town or private water company designated as having an adequate water supply pursuant to section 45-108.
141140
142141 5. If the board or a county employee who is authorized by the adopted county ordinance approves a subdivision plat pursuant to an exemption authorized by paragraph 1 of this subsection or granted by the director of water resources pursuant to section 45-108.02 or 45-108.03:
143142
144143 (a) The board shall give written notice of the approval to the director of water resources and the director of environmental quality.
145144
146145 (b) The board shall include on the face of the plat a statement that the director of water resources has determined that the water supply for the subdivision is inadequate and a statement describing the exemption under which the plat was approved, including a statement that the board or the director of water resources, whichever applies, has determined that the specific conditions of the exemption were met. If the director of water resources subsequently informs the board that the subdivision is being served by a water provider that has been designated by the director as having an adequate water supply pursuant to section 45-108, the board shall record in the county recorder's office a statement disclosing that fact.
147146
148147 C. Subsection A of this section does not apply to:
149148
150149 1. A proposed subdivision that the director of water resources has determined will have an inadequate water supply pursuant to section 45-108 if the director grants an exemption for the subdivision pursuant to section 45-108.02 and the exemption has not expired or the director grants an exemption pursuant to section 45-108.03.
151150
152151 2. A proposed subdivision that received final plat approval from the county before the requirement for an adequate water supply became effective in the county if the plat has not been materially changed since it received the final plat approval. If changes were made to the plat after the plat received the final plat approval, the director of water resources shall determine whether the changes are material pursuant to the rules adopted by the director to implement section 45-108. If the county approves a plat pursuant to this paragraph and the director of water resources has determined that there is an inadequate water supply for the subdivision pursuant to section 45-108, the county shall note this on the face of the plat.
153152
154153 D. If the subdivision is composed of subdivided lands as defined in section 32-2101 outside of an active management area and the board has not adopted a provision pursuant to subsection A of this section:
155154
156155 1. If the director of water resources has determined that there is an adequate water supply for the subdivision pursuant to section 45-108 or if the subdivider has obtained a written commitment of water service for the subdivision from a city, town or private water company designated as having an adequate water supply by the director of water resources pursuant to section 45-108, the board or a county employee who is authorized by the adopted county ordinance shall note this on the face of the plat if the plat is approved.
157156
158157 2. If the director of water resources has determined that there is an inadequate water supply for the subdivision pursuant to section 45-108, the board or a county employee who is authorized by the adopted the board or [person] [a county employee who is] authorized by the adopted county ordinance shall note this on the face of the plat if the plat is approved. END_STATUTE
159-
160-
161-
162-
163-
164-#
165-
166- APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR MARCH 25, 2025. FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE MARCH 25, 2025.
167-
168-
169-
170-
171-
172-APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR MARCH 25, 2025.
173-
174-
175-
176-FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE MARCH 25, 2025.