This summary was inspired by an article written by Benjamin Tate, partner and land use attorney at Withey Morris Baugh, PLC.
ARIZONA (December 3, 2025) -- Arizona’s House Bill 2447 takes effect on December 31, 2025, and it’s set to fundamentally reshape how cities and towns handle site plan and development reviews statewide.
Under the new law, municipal staff must review and approve certain development applications—such as site plans, plats, landscape plans, and design reviews—administratively, without a public hearing. HB 2447 requires every municipality to adopt objective, quantifiable review standards that are clearly defined, measurable, and free from subjective judgment.
For developers, the impact is immediate and significant:
- Faster approvals with fewer bottlenecks.
- Less procedural uncertainty as staff must apply objective criteria.
- More predictable timelines that support financing and construction schedules.
For municipalities, HB 2447 represents a significant shift. Cities must rewrite zoning codes, design standards, and review procedures, and train staff to apply objective criteria consistently.
Many jurisdictions—especially those that relied heavily on design review boards—are now racing to update their ordinances before the year-end deadline.
The result? Streamlined reviews and faster development execution. Many applications that once required public hearings will now bypass commissions and councils entirely, reducing opportunities for subjective or inconsistent decision-making.
However, rezonings, variances, and conditional use permits will still require public hearings. For routine, code-compliant projects, HB 2447 shifts Arizona toward an efficient, rules-based system focused on certainty and objectivity.
As December 31 approaches, applicants should:
- Review updated checklists, flowcharts, and ordinance sections.
- Understand new objective design standards in each jurisdiction.
- Confirm timelines, resubmittal procedures, and review cycles.
- Account for these changes when negotiating PSAs or preparing proformas.
Practice Tip – Site Plan and Design Review:
Familiarize yourself with each municipality’s updated process, as some will see significant changes that could affect timelines and submittal requirements. This preparation will be invaluable as you navigate early development stages.