18.15.080 General Plan amendments.
(A) Purpose. In accordance with the provisions of Arizona law, the City Council may update and amend the City of San Luis General Plan. Such amendments or changes may be initiated by the City Council, Planning and Zoning Commission, City staff or by a property owner or his/her designated representative.
(B) Pre-Application. Before the City accepts any applications, the applicant may schedule and attend a pre-application meeting. The purpose of the pre-application meeting is to discuss, in general, the procedures and requirements for the General Plan amendment pursuant to these regulations and the City of San Luis General Plan.
(C) Application. All applications shall be filed on a form provided by the Zoning Administrator and shall be accompanied by the required fee and all required materials as outlined in this title and/or on the application. Depending upon the specific circumstances of the amendment additional materials may be required by the City in order to adequately review the application.
(D) Procedures. There are two types of amendments to the General Plan: minor amendments and major amendments. All applications for any type of General Plan amendment shall be processed and public hearings shall be held in accordance with A.R.S. § 9-461.06, and SLCC 18.15.010(C) and 18.15.030(G), and those provisions prescribed in the City of San Luis General Plan.
(1) A major amendment to the General Plan must be filed prior to March 15th of every year in order to be heard at the one City Council hearing designated each year to review major amendments to the General Plan. Major amendments shall require an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the City Council.
(2) A minor amendment to the General Plan may be processed throughout the year and/or in conjunction with a development application.
(E) Approval Criteria. In determining whether the proposed General Plan amendment shall be approved, the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council shall assure that the proposed amendment meets all of the following criteria:
(1) The development pattern contained in the existing San Luis General Plan – Land Use Plan does not adequately provide appropriate optional sites for the use or change proposed in the amendment;
(2) The amendment constitutes an overall improvement to the San Luis General Plan and is not solely for the good or benefit of a particular landowner or owners at a particular point in time;
(3) The amendment will not adversely impact the community as a whole or a portion of the community by:
(a) Significantly altering acceptable existing land use patterns;
(b) Requiring additional and more expensive improvements to roads, sewer, or water delivery systems than are needed to support the prevailing land uses and which, therefore, may impact developments in other areas;
(c) Adversely impacting existing or previously planned uses through increased traffic generated by the proposal on existing systems; or
(d) Affecting the livability of the area or the health and safety of the residents.
(4) The amendment is consistent with the General Plan’s overall intent, vision, goals and objectives as well as being compliant with other adopted plans, codes, and ordinances.
(F) Burden of Proof. It shall be the burden of the party requesting the General Plan amendment to prove that the change constitutes an improvement to the General Plan. It shall not be the burden of the City to provide a reason that an amendment should be denied. (Ord. 312 § 2(3.7), passed 4-11-2012; Ord. 411 § 1, passed 2-10-2021. Code 2012 § 152.047.)