The Phoenix City Council on Wednesday approved changes to streamline the plat approval process, reducing the time businessses and individuals will wait to receive the final go-ahead to build by about 30 days.

The amended code is designed to accelerate the building of affordable housing and other developments in Phoenix while making the process more efficient for developers and property owners, according to a release.

“This is another process improvement the city is implementing to assist in building more affordable housing projects,” Vice Mayor Debra Stark said.

“This change makes the process more efficient by allowing administrative approval of plats. Instead of awaiting City Council approval, city staff, who are in the office daily, can now record plats quicker. Avoiding delays in the homebuilding process helps keep housing prices affordable.” 

After SB 1103 went into effect in October 2023, state law permitted the Planning and Development Department to authorize administrative personnel to review and approve various plans without Phoenix City Council approval, including final plats and plat amendments, the release stated.

Planning and Development Department Director Joshua Bednarek said “by modernizing and simplifying procedures, we can better serve the needs of residents, developers and businesses, making it easier for them to navigate through the approval process.” 

For more: phoenix.gov/pdd.

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