municipal self-certification; approvals; population

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text states cities must adopt rules for administrative review but may choose whether to create a self-certification program; this distinction is preserved.

SB1469: Rules for City Approvals in Large Towns

This law requires cities with more than 75,000 people to let staff approve certain plans without public meetings and allows them to create programs where architects certify their own work.

What This Bill Does

• Requires legislative bodies of large cities to pass rules letting administrative staff review site plans, development plans, land divisions, lot line adjustments, lot ties, preliminary plats, final plats, and plat amendments without holding a public hearing.
• Allows these cities to let administrative personnel approve design review plans based on objective standards without a public hearing.
• Permits applicants who have followed building codes in the past to get faster permit reviews.
• Gives cities the option to create self-certification programs where registered architects and professional engineers sign off on their own projects instead of waiting for city approval.
• Defines 'objective' standards as rules that are not influenced by a worker's personal interpretation, taste, or feelings.

Who It Names or Affects

• Cities and towns with populations greater than 75,000 people
• Administrative personnel who review development plans
• Registered architects and professional engineers in cities that adopt self-certification programs
• Applicants seeking building permits or land divisions

Terms To Know

Self-certification program

A system where licensed professionals certify their own projects meet all rules instead of waiting for city staff to approve them.

Objective standards

Rules that are clear and measurable, not based on a person's personal taste or feelings.

Limits and Unknowns

• This law does not apply to land in areas marked as historically significant by the state, national register, or local government.
• The effective date of this bill is not listed in the provided text.
• Cities may choose whether or not to adopt a self-certification program; it is optional for them.

Official Summary Text

SB1469 - municipal self-certification; approvals; population

Current Bill Text

SB1469 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
municipal self-certification; approvals; population

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SB 1469

Introduced by

Senator
Finchem

AN
ACT

amending section 9-500.49, arizona
revised statutes; relating to municipal development.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 9-500.49, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
9-500.49.

Administrative review and approval; self-certification
program; expedited approval; applicability; definitions

A. Notwithstanding any other law, the legislative
body of a city or town
with a population of more than seventy-five
thousand persons
shall by ordinance do the following:

1. Authorize administrative personnel to review and
approve site plans, development plans, land divisions, lot line adjustments,
lot ties, preliminary plats, final plats and plat amendments without a public
hearing.

2. Authorize administrative personnel to review and
approve design review plans based on objective standards without a public
hearing.

3. Allow at-risk submittals for certain on-site
preliminary grading and drainage work or infrastructure.

4. Allow applicants with a history of compliance
with building codes and regulations to be eligible for expedited permit review.

B. Notwithstanding any other law, the legislative
body of a city or town may by ordinance 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.

C. Applications for a license pursuant to this
section are subject to chapter 7, article 4 of this title.

D. This section does not apply to any of the
following:

1. Land in an area that is designated as a district
of historical significance pursuant to section 9-462.01, subsection A,
paragraph 10.

2. Land in an area that is designated as historic on
the national register of historic places.

3. Land in an area that is designated historic by a
local government.

E. 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 municipal employee and
verifiable by reference to an adopted benchmark, standard or criterion
available and knowable by the applicant or proponent.
END_STATUTE