New land development ordinances and planning and engineering design standards are coming to the city after the Surprise City Council approved them Dec. 15.
The update of the city’s LDO and PEDS replaces the previous Surprise Unified Development Code. It replaces Chapters 101-122 of the Surprise Municipal Code.
The city’s code update was designed to simplify its land development ordinances and planning and engineering design standards. Officials wanted it to be easy to read, administer and enforce.
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New land development ordinances and planning and engineering design standards are coming to the city after the Surprise City Council approved them Dec. 15.
The update of the city’s LDO and PEDS replaces the previous Surprise Unified Development Code. It replaces Chapters 101-122 of the Surprise Municipal Code.
The city’s code update was designed to simplify its land development ordinances and planning and engineering design standards. Officials wanted it to be easy to read, administer and enforce.
The SUDC, which was adopted in 2009, effectively acted as the zoning code, but it didn’t incorporate all aspects of development regulations.
Regulations focused on large subdivision scale development, and they’re difficult for the individual land owner to apply.
The new document includes changing the names of some of the zoning areas to align with industry standards.
But the council decided to allow developers to install real natural turf grass in front yards if they so choose after initially appearing inclined to ban them.
“If we’re going to allow residents to put it in after the fact, it makes no sense that we should restrict builders specifically,” District 5 Councilman Jack Hastings said.
The council originally toyed with banning real grass as part of an overall water conservation effort in the desert.
“Our intention was in the right place, but at the same point we don’t want to create issues,” Mayor Skip Hall said.
The grass decision was only a small part of the overall adoption of the new standards, which were two years in the making and go into effect around Thursday, Jan. 14.
The approved update also allows the city to align its ordinances and design standards to comply with the Surprise General Plan 2035 as well as implement new state statutes and federal guidelines.
It will also consolidate the design standards guides into one document.
All existing entitlements, including planned area developments, planned unit developments and development agreements will be retained.
However, future subdivisions must provide forms of usable open space and recreation amenities. That includes those looking to build homes on smaller lots.
To reach Community Development Planner Joshua Mike, email joshua.mike@surpriseaz.gov or call 623-222-3134.
Meet Jason Jason Stone joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2019, after a distinguished three decade media career that included stops at the Arizona Republic, iHeart Media/Clear Channel and Beckett Sports Card magazine. He remembers when airports sold newspapers.
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