ScottsdaleAZ.Gov

The city of Scottsdale’s Planning Commission (PC) consists of seven (7) members appointed by the City Council. The Commission’s task is to review, evaluate and approve rezoning requests, general plan amendments, use permits, abandonment’s and Municipal Use master site plans, maintaining the applicable standards and policies of the city of Scottsdale. The Planning Commission acts as an advisory board to the City Council on land use and zoning matters; the Council has the final ruling. The Planning Commission is also authorized to confer with other advisory commissions, such as the Transportation or Historic Preservation Commissions.

Typical cases to be heard before the Planning Commission include, but are not limited to:

• Rezoning Request (ZN)- rezone from current zoning designation to another.
• General Plan Amendment (GP)- change the general plan from current land use designation to another designation. Major GP Amendments have added requirements.
• Use Permit (UP)- request for a use listed as “conditionally permitted” in the zoning district. View listing of uses that require a UP.
• ***Abandonment’s (AB)- request for the City to release its interest in public right of way, roadway easement and alleys.
• Municipal Use Master Site Plan (MUP) - all City projects over 1 acre

The PC is a public hearing process, which begins with a pre-application meeting between the applicant and City staff, and then moves forward through the public hearing process.

PC Approval Process Flowchart (PDF / 58 kb / 1 pg)

Public Involvement

At the time of formal submittal, a postcard notification will be sent to surrounding property owners notifying them of the request. In addition, a large white early notification sign will be posted on the property. Prior to the public hearing, a hearing date sign will be posted on the subject property and case information will be posted to the Case Fact Sheets.

Current Planning Commission Case Fact Sheets:

• Abandonments (AB)
• Annexations (AN)
• General Plan Amendments (GP)
• Master Plans (MP)
• Text Amendments (TA)
• Use Permits (UP)
• Zoning (ZN)

If you have questions regarding the Planning Commission hearing process please contact Current Planning at 480-312-7000.

Heightened Concern for Abandonments

Planning & Development Services, in most cases, will not recommend approval for Government Land Office (GLO) abandonments in the Foothills Overlay (FO) or roadway easements located within the Goldie Brown plats until the transportation master planning for these areas is completed. A map of the FO area is available online at www.scottsdaleaz.gov/codes/FoothillsOverlay/.

WHY? The city will be assessing transportation needs in these areas as part of future planning processes, and until those processes are completed, we will not have a comprehensive overview of vehicular and non-vehicular circulation systems. Abandonments associated with preliminary plats in these areas, where transportation analysis has been completed, will be processed in the normal manner. Abandonment requests in other parts of the community will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.