06/06/2025
“HB2447 has already passed & SB1229 is likely to pass. With these bills... the new council will not have any say on development. So why do we need to incorporate?" - this is a statement posted to another FB page that we wanted to respond to.
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(This is a long response, but we wanted to provide all the facts! So thanks for bearing with us and reading it through to the end!)
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What HB2447 and SB1229 Actually Do (and Don’t Do)
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HB2447 (Amends A.R.S. § 9-500.49, effective Jan 1, 2026)
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Municipalities still control zoning laws and long-term land use plans. That hasn’t changed.
(Zoning: A.R.S. § 9-462; General Plans: A.R.S. § 9-461)
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Municipal councils still hold public meetings and vote on zoning changes and updates to general plans.
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What’s changing: paperwork-based approvals (like site plans, lot line adjustments, and subdivision plats) will be handled primarily by professional staff, not by elected councils.
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These types of approvals are already non-discretionary—if an application follows the rules and meets the technical requirements, it must be approved.
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HB2447 just makes the process more consistent by assigning it to staff, where decisions are based on existing standards—not opinion.
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Municipalities still set the rules (the zoning and development codes) that staff must follow.
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SB1229
(Not yet passed; draft language impacts cities over 70,000 residents)
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This bill is currently stalled due to a disagreement between the legislature and the governor. A similar version was vetoed in 2024.
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If passes, it would apply to municipalities with more than 70,000 people—including San Tan Valley, which is projected to start with over 100,000 residents.
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It would limit local control over some design details for new residential construction, including:
o Minimum lot sizes
o Setback distances
o Floor plans and home styles
o Aesthetic rules (like exterior finishes or roof types)
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It would not change a municipality’s ability to create its own zoning code and make decisions about land use, including rezones for homes, apartments, or other buildings; it would only affect certain residential design standards that municipalities can enforce.
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Bottom Line:
⭐Neither HB2447 nor SB1229 eliminates zoning control or land use planning authority.
⭐Municipalities still have authority to adopt zoning codes and regulations, designate areas for various land uses, and guide growth through planning tools like general plans.
⭐These bills just streamline a few technical parts of the process or set limits on certain building design rules.
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What This Means for Incorporation:
⭐These laws don’t make incorporation unnecessary.
⭐If San Tan Valley becomes a town, it gains the same land use authority as any other municipalities in Arizona.
⭐Having our own council means local decisions are made by local people, even with these state laws in place.
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Visit us at www.santanvalleyinc.com for more FAQS & Myths!
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Thanks for sticking it out to the end to get the full FACTS around HB2447 and SB1229!
