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The General Plan is designed to be a broad, flexible document that changes as the community needs, conditions, and direction change. It can be revised through city-initiated amendments, through citizen/property owner requests, or through referenda (citizen petition and vote). Ultimately, the decision to amend the General Plan is in the hands of the City Council.
The amendment process involves a lengthy review and notification process, and requires 2 separate Planning Commission hearing before going to the City Council for final approval or denial.
What is a "major" amendment?
The Growing Smarter (1998) and Growing Smarter Plus (2000) legislation changed some of the requirements regarding the administration of General Plans throughout the state. In many cases, Scottsdale was already doing the new things required. It provided a new definition of a major amendment to the General Plan, and proposed a more involved citizen process in the General Plan. The Growing Smarter Plus legislation put into place more requirements for community acceptance of the General Plan, and re-defined "major amendments" to the General Plan.
State Statutes define a major amendment as a proposal that results in a substantial alteration of the municipality's land use mixture or balance, established in the city's General Plan land use element. Each city is required to establish its own criteria for what is or is not a major General Plan amendment. The Scottsdale City Council generally determined that a land use designation change from a lesser to more intense land use is a major GP amendment. Also, any change in the designation that includes 10 or 15 acres or more (depending on the location in the city) is considered a major General plan amendment.
Non-Major Amendments
General Plan Amendments that do not meet the criteria for a "major" amendment can be submitted and processed at any time in the year and do not require the additional Planning Commission hearing. The requirements are the same in all other ways: notice sent to General Plan notification list, etc.