TUCSON, AZ (December 3, 2025) — The City of Tucson is pleased to announce the appointment of Laura Dent as the new Director of Federal and State Relations, effective November 16, 2025.

In this role, Laura will lead the City’s intergovernmental strategy, advancing Tucson’s priorities with state and federal partners and securing resources that strengthen City services and infrastructure.

Laura joins the City with more than 17 years of experience in public affairs, including previous leadership roles in policy development, legislative advocacy, and campaign management. She will serve as Tucson’s primary liaison to Arizona’s congressional delegation, state legislators, and key agency partners, ensuring the City’s voice is heard on issues including infrastructure funding, housing, climate resilience, public safety, and economic development.

Mayor Regina Romero welcomed Dent’s appointment, emphasizing the importance of strong intergovernmental relationships.

“Tucson’s success is tied to our ability to work effectively with our partners in Phoenix and Washington, D.C.,” said Mayor Romero. “Laura’s experience and relationships will help ensure Tucson has a strong advocate for the resources and policy support we need to build a safer, more sustainable, and more equitable city.”

“Laura brings exceptional experience and energy to this position,” said City Manager Tim Thomure. “Her deep understanding of government relations and her passion for our community will be vital as we continue to advocate for Tucson’s residents and ensure our community’s needs are reflected in state and federal policy.”

Dent said she is honored to join the City’s leadership team.

“I am very excited to be returning to the City of Tucson,” Dent said. “I look forward to representing Tucson’s interests at every level of government and working to build strong partnerships that deliver real results for our residents and our community.”

Laura is a double graduate from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Master of Public Administration. She is an experienced organizer, policy analyst, executive, and political advisor. She most recently served as Campaign Manager for Arizona for Abortion Access, a statewide citizens’ initiative that successfully enshrined the right to an abortion in Arizona’s constitution in 2024.

Laura was named one of the Southern Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s 2025 40 Under 40 Honorees.

The Director of Federal and State Relations is part of the City Manager’s Office and coordinates closely with departments across the organization to support grant opportunities, policy advocacy, and legislative strategy.

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.

Local homeowners and businesses can join for free to fight rising energy costs

Tucson, AZ (December 3, 2025) – The 2025 Tucson Solar Co-op announced the selection of installer Solar Gain to serve the group. Started by nonprofit Solar United Neighbors (SUN) the solar co-op helps Tucson-area residents go solar. This is SUN’s fifth solar co-op in the area. More than 500 homeowners have already gone solar through SUN’s previous Arizona co-ops. There will also be a free online “Solar 101” info-session on Tuesday, December 9th, at 6:00 pm (RSVP here).

“We’re proud to be selected as the solar provider for the 2025 Tucson Solar Co-op,” said Cole Morelli, Solar Gain’s residential sales manager. “With more than 17 years in business and NABCEP-certified expertise, Solar Gain is rooted in this community and committed to delivering a higher standard of service for our neighbors. Partnering with SUN strengthens that mission and continues to push the industry toward transparency, value, and true homeowner empowerment.”

The solar co-op is free to join and open to homeowners and business owners in Tucson. Together, co-op members learn about solar energy and leverage their collective purchasing power to purchase individual solar systems at competitive prices and high quality.

“If you’ve ever thought about going solar, now’s your chance,” said Jess White, Arizona Program Associate for Solar United Neighbors. “Solar is a great way to hedge against rising energy prices.”

While the federal solar tax credit has been repealed, solar remains an increasingly cost-effective and popular way to address rising energy bills. Bulk-purchasing programs like the Tucson Solar Co-op are an excellent way for consumers to see if it’s right for them.

“My experience with Solar United Neighbors (SUN) was very positive,” said previous solar co-op member Michael Shaefer. “Everyone was very friendly and helpful. They anticipated any issues before they happened, and kept me informed throughout the whole process.”

A selection committee made of solar co-op members elected Solar Gain through a competitive bidding process facilitated by SUN, which remains vendor-neutral. The committee chose Solar Gain because they are a local company with 17 years of solar experience.

“I really appreciated the thoroughness of Solar United’s process,” said selection committee member Lynn Fleischman. “Not only did Solar United solicit very detailed bids for the selection committee’s review, they also provided summaries that allowed us to see clearly how the bids compared and then carefully assess the pros and cons of each. During the actual selection committee meeting, Solar United staff provided us with clear explanations of technical terms and processes that would help us come to a good decision.”

Joining the co-op does not obligate members to purchase solar. Members will have the option to individually purchase panels and batteries based on the Solar Gain’s proposal.

Partnering with SUN on the co-op are: Sustainable Tucson, Physicians for Social Responsibility (Arizona Chapter), and the Sierra Club (Grand Canyon Chapter).

SUN has completed dozens of solar co-ops in Arizona. According to the group’s estimates, the 590 homes and businesses across the state that now have solar panels because of SUN’s co-ops represent 4.8MW and $25 million in savings.

Individuals interested in going solar can sign up for the co-op at solarunitedneighbors.org/Tucson

Individuals interested in learning more can sign up for the free online “Solar 101” info session (on Tuesday, 12/9, at 6:00 pm) here.