Mayor and Council approve expanded use of Individual Parking Plan, request additional engagement on Electric Vehicle Readiness Requirements
Streetery

During a July 12 meeting, an updated proposal for changes to commercial parking requirements was presented to Mayor and Council for a public hearing continued from April 19.

The proposed changes included:

Requiring new multifamily, commercial, and retail development to include electric vehicle (EV) readiness infrastructure
Expanded eligibility for the Individual Parking Plan (IPP) to affordable housing developments, restaurants, and bars
After the public hearing was closed, Mayor & Council discussed the proposed components separately.

Mayor and Council voted 5-1 in favor of allowing restaurants, bars, and affordable housing to apply for an IPP. This will allow these types of establishments to request to provide less parking onsite than required by the City code, based on their expected parking demand. Approval of reduced parking will be based on a review of site-specific parking and transportation needs, a required neighborhood meeting, and compliance with certain criteria. This will allow restaurants and bars that have been participating in the temporary program to allow expanded outdoor seating as a pandemic relief measure as an option to make their expanded outdoor seating permanent, should they choose.

EV Charging
During the July 12 meeting, Mayor and Council postponed a vote on EV readiness to allow for an additional round of stakeholder feedback.

View and review the presentation made by Planning and Development staff during the July 12 meeting.

After incorporating input from additional rounds of feedback into a more refined proposal, Planning and Development staff will return to Mayor and Council on August 23.

TDC Online Launching Fall 2022

In the Fall of 2022, City of Tucson Planning and Development Services will debut its new online permitting system to help bring clarity to a complex task and help make things easier for our customers.

The Tucson Development Center Online will provide customers with a fully online process to apply, track, pay, etc. If you need to obtain a permit from Planning and Development Services, Tucson Fire, Tucson Water, Department of Transportation and Mobility, and Code Enforcement, this new system will allow you to do it streamlined online.

Visit our TDC Online information page to learn more about what you can expect this Fall.

Permit Fee Payments

On Monday, August 1, 2022, the City of Tucson Planning and Development Services Department reinstated the pre-pandemic requirement of payment prior to the issuance of a permit. This will apply to all new permits issued by the City of Tucson.

To pay any outstanding permit fees, head to the Permit Payment Portal (only enter permit number, do not enter business name).

The City of Tucson appreciates the cooperation of permit applicants and looks forward to the continued partnership of growing and developing a sustainable and vibrant Tucson.

Updated policies make it easier to build casitas in Tucson

Since 2021, Tucson has permitted casitas, or Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in zones that allow residential uses. A casita is a small, secondary home located on the same lot as an existing residence. Some recent policy updates help simplify the process and reduce the cost of adding a casita.

The two recent clarifications to building code policy are:

Separate utility requirements do not apply to accessory structures, including casitas. Utilities may be shared with the primary structure on the property.
Casitas that are created by altering existing, permitted structures (like guesthouses, garages, or sheds) do not have to meet the same requirements for solar, greywater, and electric vehicle charging as new construction.
Use this handout to learn more about the new regulations, and how to design and permit a casita. For more background about Casitas in Tucson, visit the project page.

Planning and Development Services is hiring

The City of Tucson Planning and Development Services Department is currently recruiting for several positions to grow our customer-centric team and help shape the future of Tucson.

Business Analyst I: The primary function of the Business Analyst I will be managing technology systems for enterprise-level permitting and licensing software powered by EnerGov. This is critical in supporting the Planning and Development Services Department’s mission to serve the Tucson community by evaluating technologies and implementing innovative solutions.

Building Inspector II & III: The Building Safety Division includes staff that process permit applications, perform plan review, conduct inspections in various categories, and authorize buildings to be occupied in the City of Tucson. Building Inspection employees perform critical functions related to residential and/or commercial property inspections to assure compliance with a variety of regulations for health, life safety, and fire protection.

Building Inspection Manager: The Building Inspection Manager is responsible to supervise staff who inspect residential and commercial buildings to assure compliance with building codes, plans, and standards.

Building Plans Examiner: The Building Plans Examiner will perform building code plan review of new and existing structures for compliance with the applicable ICC Codes in one or more (combination reviewer) of the following disciplines: Commercial Architectural/Structural, Commercial Mechanical & Plumbing, Commercial Electrical, and Residential. The Building Plans Examiner will consult with general and specialty contractors, building owners, design professionals and the public in matters related to building construction and applicable code requirements.

Planner: The Planner position assists with a variety of land use planning projects. This position reviews proposed land use changes for compliance with codes, area plans and policies and provides assistance to the public regarding zoning issues and transportation programs. This position will drafts code amendments and coordinates projects.

Want to learn more about open positions, City of Tucson benefits, and apply to join the team? Check out the job listing page for more information.

Share suggestions for code changes

On June 7, Mayor and Council provided direction to begin code updates to streamline Planning and Development Services Department (PDSD) processes.

PDSD is currently collecting input from stakeholders, staff, and the public on potential code changes. It is anticipated those proposed code changes will fall into the following three categories:

Clean-ups / Clarifications
Improvements / Enhancements
Policy Driven
Based on the input received, PDSD will refine the feedback into a suite of code amendments that would be most impactful in terms of streamlining the code processes. 

Any remaining items on the list not immediately used will be saved for consideration in future code amendment packages presented to Mayor and Council.

PDSD would like for you to share your suggestions for code changes to help streamline processes via this survey form.

The survey will close for input on August 12, 2022.

The Safety Pen

Each month, Building Inspectors with Planning and Development Services will provide quick safety tips to keep you and your family safe.

As temperatures rise in Tucson, cooling demands on an electrical system also increase. Portable air conditioners can provide relief from the heat indoors when used safely. These types of appliances must be connected the way the manufacturer intended and that typically means it must be plugged directly into an electrical receptacle. Extension cords can be a fire hazard and should not be used with portable air conditioners.

Two important considerations for selecting the right extension cord for the job are length and rating.  Only use one cord with the correct length and be sure it is sized for the electrical demand.  Every wire size has a limit of electrical current flow to preventing overheating.  Check the current demand in ampere rating of the device and the user manual for the appliance.

Do you have something you would like to see covered in The Safety Pen, send an email to [email protected].