Zoning Actions
Each property in the Town of Sahuarita has a zoning designation shown on the official Zoning Map that determines the allowable uses for that property and the applicable development standards. A rezoning or Specific Plan changes the zoning designation.
A Specific Plan is a zoning document that establishes a unique set of development and design standards for a specific property, typically larger developments with multiple phases.
Zoning must be in conformance with Aspire 2035: Sahuarita's General Plan. An application for rezoning that is not in conformance with the General Plan will be rejected and must be submitted after a General Plan Amendment has taken place.
Before you submit
- A public neighborhood meeting is required before you submit for a new Specific Plan and strongly encouraged before you submit for a rezoning.
- A pre-application meeting with staff is required before you submit for a new Specific Plan and strongly recommended before you submit for a rezoning.
Application
The Specific Plan process and application requirements are found in STC 18.90.
The Rezoning process and application requirements are found in STC 18.91.
Site Analysis and Preliminary Development Plan
A Site Analysis is always required for rezoning to a new Specific Plan.
For standard rezonings, the Town of Sahuarita follows Pima County standards for determining whether a site analysis and Preliminary Development Plan are required:
- Greater than one acre in size to be developed for nonresidential uses; or
- Greater than one acre in size to be developed at a residential density of four or more residences per acre; or
- Greater than five acres in size; or
- Greater than one acre in size to be developed as a mixed use residential/nonresidential project.
If the above standards are not met, a site plan and biological impact report are required.
Review Timeframes
A rezoning, whether to a standard zoning designation or to a Specific Plan, requires public hearings before both the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Town Council.
- A 10-day administrative review ensures that all of the required pieces of the submittal package have been provided and are in the correct format. Also, during this period the Planning Director will determine whether the rezoning request is in conformance with the General Plan. If all submittal criteria are met, your submittal will be accepted for substantive review.
- Typical substantive review review timeframes depend on the complexity of the request. In general. you can expect the first review of an application to take:
- Rezonings of 25 acres or less - 6 weeks
- Rezonings of greater than 25 acres - 8 weeks
- New Specific Plan 50 acres or less - 8 weeks
- New Specific Plan greater than 50 acres - 12 weeks
- Staff may determine that a new Specific Plan requires a study session before the Planning and Zoning Commission.
- Planning and Zoning Commission meetings are held on the first Monday of every month as needed. Expect at least three weeks to schedule for a Planning and Zoning Commission hearing once staff has found your materials to be acceptable.
- Town Council meetings are held the second and fourth Monday of every month. Expect at least one month after your Planning and Zoning Commission meeting to be scheduled for your Town Council public hearing.
The Specific Plan Amendment process and application requirements are found in STC 18.90.
Substantial amendments to a specific plan
Certain Specific Plan amendments are considered Substantial Amendments:
- Density regulation changes, if the number of residences per acre increases by more than 10 percent or exceeds the Specific Plan's maximum number of dwelling units; or
- Policy changes; or
- Design regulation changes, such as changes to setbacks, bufferyards, etc.; or
- Including a new land use that is not otherwise permitted.
A Substantial Amendment requires a public hearing before the Planning and Zoning Commission followed by a public hearing before the Town Council.
insubstantial amendments to a specific plan
The Zoning Code identifies insubstantial amendments as those not meeting the criteria for a substantial amendments. The process identified in the Zoning Code is a decision by the Town Council at a noticed public hearing.
Administrative amendments to a Specific Plan
While the Zoning Code does not identify a process for administrative amendment of a Specific Plan, most Specific Plans include a provision to allow certain amendments to follow an administrative process. Typical administrative amendments are:
- The addition of new information to the Specific Plan maps or text that does not change the effect of any regulations or guidelines; or
- Changes to community infrastructure that do not increase or decrease development capacity or change the concept of the Specific Plan; or
- The determination that a use be allowed which is not specifically listed but which is similar to a listed permitted use.
To apply for a Specific Plan Amendment
Submit a completed Specific Plan Amendment Application along with fees and required support materials to the Planning and Zoning Division.
Review Timeframes
- A 5-day administrative review ensures that all of the required pieces of the submittal package have been provided and are in the correct format. If so, your submittal will be accepted for substantive review.
- Typical substantive review timeframes depend on the complexity of the request. In general, you can expect the first review of an application to take:
- Substantial amendments - 6 weeks
- Insubstantial amendments - 4 weeks
- Administrative amendments - 3 weeks
- Planning and Zoning Commission meetings are held on the first Monday of every month as needed. Expect at least three weeks to schedule for a Planning and Zoning Commission hearing once staff has found your materials to be acceptable.
- Town Council meetings are held the second and fourth Monday of every month. Expect at least one month after your Planning and Zoning Commission meeting to be scheduled for your Town Council public hearing.