municipal self-certification; approvals; population

SB1469 - municipal self-certification; approvals; population

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Mark Finchem
Last action: 2026-02-03
Official status: Senate second read
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Municipal Self-Certification for Large Cities

This bill allows large cities with more than 75,000 people to review and approve certain development plans without public hearings.

What This Bill Does

Allows city officials in large cities (more than 75,000 residents) to review and approve site plans, development plans, land divisions, lot line adjustments, lot ties, preliminary plats, final plats, and plat amendments without holding a public hearing.
Permits city officials to review design review plans based on clear standards without needing a public hearing.
Enables certain construction work like grading and drainage to start before full approval if it's safe and won't harm the environment.
Gives faster permit reviews for applicants who have followed building codes in the past.
Allows cities to create programs where architects and engineers can certify their own projects, as long as they meet city rules.

Who It Names or Affects

Large cities with more than 75,000 residents
Builders and developers who want to build or change land in these cities

Terms To Know

Self-certification program: A system where architects and engineers can check if their projects meet city rules without needing a city official to do it.
Objective standards: Clear, fair rules that don't depend on personal opinions or feelings.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not apply to areas with historical significance.
It is unclear how this will affect smaller cities and towns.

Bill History

2026-02-03 Senate
Senate second read
2026-02-02 Senate
Senate Rules: None
2026-02-02 Senate
Senate Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency: None
2026-02-02 Senate
Senate first read

Official Summary Text

SB1469 - municipal self-certification; approvals; population

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored 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