18.15.010 General procedural requirements.
(A) Application Process. The purpose of this chapter is to provide procedures for the various requests for amendments to the text of this title, amendments to the official zoning map(s), use permits, variances and appeals, site plan review, specific area plans, and General Plan amendments. The specific procedures followed in reviewing the various applications differ. The procedures for all applications have three common elements: (1) submittal of a completed City application, including required fee payment along with appropriate information; (2) review of the submittal by appropriate City staff, agencies, commission, and boards; and (3) action to approve, approve with conditions, or deny the application. In order to have an application accepted by the City the applicant shall progress through the following steps:
(1) Pre-Application Conference. The applicant may be required to meet with the Zoning Administrator to discuss the nature of the proposed application, the specific submittal requirements, the procedure for action, and the standards for evaluation of the application.
(2) Sketch Plan. The applicant shall provide the Zoning Administrator with a sketch plan at the time of the pre-application conference. A sketch plan shall, at a minimum, depict the boundaries of the property being considered and a tentative development proposal for the property.
(3) Formal Submittal. The applicant shall submit all of the required materials to the Zoning Administrator. Only complete applications/submittal packages shall be accepted.
(B) Notice Provisions. The notice requirements for each type of application for development approval are prescribed in the individual subsections of this title. When the Zoning Administrator determines that a development application/submittal package is complete, the Zoning Administrator shall cause the public notice of the hearing to be made at the expense of the applicant.
(C) Citizen Review Process. In accordance with A.R.S. § 9-462.03, prior to the Planning and Zoning Commission public hearing, all rezoning and specific plan application(s) that require a public hearing must first be presented to the public at a “citizen review” public meeting. The Zoning Administrator shall be responsible for conducting the citizen review meeting. The meeting shall be held at least one week prior to the scheduled Planning and Zoning Commission meeting at which the application will be presented. The purpose of the citizen review meeting is to provide adjacent landowners and other potentially affected citizens an opportunity to ask questions and express any issues or concerns that they may have with the proposed rezoning or specific plan application prior to the public hearing. The City will mail notice of the meeting which shall state the date, time, and place of the meeting and shall include a general explanation of the application.
(D) Planning and Zoning Commission. The Planning and Zoning Commission shall hold public hearings, at their regular or special meetings, to receive and review public input on those items required by this title. On those items where the Commission has review authority only, the Commission shall make a recommendation to the City Council that the Council: (1) approve; (2) approve with conditions; or (3) deny the application. The Commission’s recommendations and actions shall be based on consideration of the following evidence and analysis including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(1) Conformance with this title, and adopted City standards and policies;
(2) Compliance with the City of San Luis General Plan and other adopted specific area plans;
(3) Staff recommendations;
(4) Outside reviewing agency input;
(5) Public input and testimony received during the citizen review session and at the Commission hearing; and
(6) Overall effects of the proposal on the neighborhood, area, and community at large.
(E) City Council. The City Council shall hold public hearings to act upon those items as required by this title at their regular or special meetings. The City Council shall decide whether or not to: (1) approve; (2) approve with conditions; or (3) deny an application. Action on those items heard will be based on consideration of evidence presented including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(1) Planning and Zoning Commission recommendations;
(2) Conformance with this title, and adopted City standards and policies;
(3) Compliance with the City of San Luis General Plan, and other adopted specific area plans;
(4) Staff recommendations;
(5) Outside reviewing agency input;
(6) Public input and testimony received at the Commission hearing as well as the Council’s hearing; and
(7) Overall effects of the proposal on the neighborhood, area, and community at large.
(F) Scope of Action. The reviewing body may take any action on the application that is consistent with the notice given, including approval of the application, conditional approval of the application or denial of the application. The reviewing body may allow amendments to the application if the effect of the amendments is to allow a less intense change than that requested on the original application or to reduce the impact of the development or to reduce the amount of land involved from that indicated in the notices of the hearing. The reviewing body shall not, in any case, permit a greater amount of development, or a use falling in a different general use category, or a larger land area than indicated in the original application, or a greater variance than was indicated in the notice.
(G) Records. The City shall provide for minutes to be written and retained, shall record the evidence submitted, all staff and advisory board reports and/or recommendations, and shall include a summary of the consideration and the action of the Commission, Board, and Council. All such records shall be public records, open for inspection at reasonable times and upon reasonable notice. Public records are to be retained in accordance with A.R.S. public retention requirements. (Ord. 312 § 2(3.0), passed 4-11-2012; Ord. 379 §§ 1, 2, passed 2-28-2018. Code 2012 § 152.040.)