Oro Valley is preparing to change how it approves some development projects due to a new state law—House Bill 2447—which takes effect in 2026. Under the new law, development and design review applications that fully comply with all zoning and design standards must be approved administratively by staff, with no public hearing or Council vote. This is a significant shift from the current process, where routine projects like site plans, subdivisions, and building designs—even when code-compliant—often required public hearings and Council or Commission approval, giving residents an opportunity to comment before a decision was made.
Requests for exceptions or new uses still will require Council approval
Not all projects are affected. Any proposal that asks for a rezoning, general plan amendment, conditional use permit, or exception to the code will still go through the full public review process, including hearings and Council votes. Only these “discretionary” applications will continue to be reviewed in public meetings.
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HB 2447 means residents will have fewer opportunities to comment on routine development proposals. While neighborhood meetings will still be held for some projects, the step where residents could address the Commission or Council at a public hearing is being eliminated for non-discretionary, code-compliant cases. Appeals will only be allowed if someone can show that staff did not correctly apply the law—not simply because they disagree with the decision.
But will that really matter?
The most visible change for residents is that routine, code-compliant development projects—such as commercial buildings and subdivisions—will now move forward faster, as they no longer require public hearings or Council approval. If a project meets all the rules, staff must approve it. For some projects, the end result may not change, but the process does.
Residents and Council members will still have the say when it comes to the important projects. These are projects that seek exceptions from the code or rezonings or general plan amendments or any other special approval. These projects will still undergo the traditional public review process.
Law tightens private school height increase request approvals
One major change is that any request for a height increase in the Private School zoning district will now require a conditional use permit. This means projects such as the new sanctuary at Oro Valley Church of the Nazarene will continue to receive the same level of public review and discussion about building height as they have in the past year.
And leaves room for "interpretation"in other areas
The law also has a bit of “wiggle room.” For example, under Arizona House Bill 2447, applicants with a history of compliance with building codes and regulations are eligible for expedited permit review. However, the law does not define what constitutes a “history of compliance,” so each municipality, including Oro Valley, must establish its own criteria for eligibility. This leaves plenty of room for interpretation.
Council direction: Move forward to develop code changes with commission and resident input
At their May 21 meeting, the Town Council unanimously directed staff to move forward with the changes required by HB 2447, emphasizing the need to maintain strong design standards and keep residents informed. Over the summer, staff will draft the new code amendments, which will be reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Commission and Town Council during public meetings this fall. Residents will have opportunities to comment before the updated code is finalized, with adoption required by December 31, 2025, to comply with state law.
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