COVID-19 UPDATE: How are Planning and Development Departments proceeding with business?

Due to containment and quarantine measures in response to COVID-19, cities and towns are offering alternative options to keep development projects moving along. Below is a listing of information from each municipality on how they are handling office closures, submittals, and hearings. We will keep you updated as we learn more. As always, you are welcome to contact us directly with any questions you may have.

Thanks to our friends at Valley Partnership for helping us compile this information!

PHOENIX: City offices are open and some staff is on-site – but the City is strongly discouraging in-person submittals. Staff is utilizing alternative work hours to maintain employee and customer health. Digital submittals, requests for information, and access to web services can be conducted through the Electronic Plan Review Website. Inquiries can be directed to epr.support@phoenix.gov and 602-534-5933. Review timelines are expected to be extended. TEMPE: Community Development is limiting in person contact. Submittals for any divisions including Planning, Historic Preservation, Signs, Code Enforcement, Plan Review, Private Development Engineering, etc. should be submitted electronically through the City’s online portal. Electronic submittals less than 15MB – main online portal Electronic submittals 15MB or more – email PermitCenter@tempe.gov to request an LF file transfer email Bundle documents into one (1) pdf or bundle by discipline before uploading. The maximum file size allowed is less than 15MB). Inspections will be conducted remotely in as many cases as possible SCOTTSDALE: City offices are closed to the public. All submittals should be made electronically during this time. Most City of Scottsdale Board and Commission meetings are cancelled at least through the end of March unless the public body has a specific business or statutory need to meet. In cases where the board or commission needs to meet, remote participation is encouraged. Public comment will be taken via email. Check ScottsdaleAZ.gov search “boards and commissions” for information and schedules specific to different city boards and commissions. GLENDALE: City Hall and other city facility services are currently open and active – but the City is strongly discouraging in-person submittals and directs applicants to online resources. MESA: The offices at 55 N. Center are closed until further notice. Development Services is currently conducting business online and via the telephone.Development Services, which includes planning, plan review, and building inspections, is continuing to provide online services at the Development Services Website to submit applications and submittals. For any questions about permits, including any planning officer, call 480-644-4273. The call center is open Monday-Thursday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. If you need to pay for a permit by check, please place the check and invoice in the payment utility box on the north side of 55 N Center. All public meetings, including Planning and Zoning Board, Board of Adjustment and Design Review Board will continue to meet on a regular schedule but will use a modified online format. They are in the process of arranging to have the meetings livestreamed at Mesa11.com/live and encouraging public comments to be submitted electronically using the Online Comment Card. CHANDLER: As usual, the City requests that applications be made electronically at the Development Permits Website. GILBERT: All municipal buildings are closed.All Public Hearings will be held live online on the Gilbert website. Utilize the Gilbert One Stop Shop Customer Service Center to register, submit, and schedule a variety of applications and inspections. Online payment option is also available. Contact the department at onestopshop@gilbertaz.gov or 480-503-6700. Temporary Signs:Due to the Mayor’s State of Emergency declaration, the Town of Gilbert is allowing additional temporary signage with no sign permit required for signs that comply with the requirements of the Land Development code.The signs may remain until the spread of COVID-19 has been contained; after that date, all temporary signs must be removed or permitted. PEORIA: All city buildings (including City Hall), facilities, and public counters closed until further notice. This will affect paper plan submittals as well as over-the-counter plan review. Those who normally submit paper plans are encouraged to submit them electronically at https://devservices.peoriaaz.gov. All planning submittal inquiries should be directed to planning.applications@peoriaaz.gov or to speak to a planning staff member, call 623-773-7200. Over-the-counter permits will need to be submitted via email to otc.building@peoriaaz.gov and will be reviewed in a shorter timeframe than a standard review. Please refer to the over-the-counter guidelines (PDF) for the types of reviews allowable. Inspection services will remain in place. All inspections should continue to be scheduled online at https://devservices.peoriaaz.gov. For those customers who cannot submit electronically, Peoria will provide limited building access by appointment only. To find out more, call 623-773-7225, option 1. City Council and Planning and Zoning Meetings conducted online Watch Public Meetings Online on Peoria Channel 11 SURPRISE: Development services is closed to in-person submittals. Permitting and submittals for all planning review, engineering permits and construction permits will be conducted via email, through developmentservices@surpriseaz.gov. Review times are expected to be extended by 6 business days. Questions can be directed to luis.lopez@surpriseaz.gov. BUCKEYE Planning staff will only be available on an appointment basis. Appointments must be made for picking up or dropping off plans/permits. Access will not be permitted without an appointment. Please call 623-349-6200 to make appointments and for all other requests for information email: permitcenter@buckeyeaz.gov for building and permitting questions planningandzoning@buckeyeaz.gov for planning and entitlement questions engineering@buckeyeaz.gov for civil and engineering questions; All paper submittals will be quarantined for 48 hours prior to review distribution. In-person Submittals by appointment only: It’s strongly preferred that commercial, civil, and residential standard plans as well as all planning applications be submitted via USB rather than with paper copies. The number of USBs should equal the number of copies listed in application guidelines for review distribution. Mailed Submittals: Applications such as solar and sign permits, discovery/due diligence meetings, planning consultation, pre-application conferences, single-lot design reviews, temporary signs, temporary use permits, and zoning verifications can also be submitted via mail to City of Buckeye, Attention: Development Services Department, 530 E Monroe Ave, Buckeye, AZ 85326 with USBs and payment. Emailed Submittals: Pool, Fence and Gasline permits can be submitted via email to permitcenter@buckeyeaz.gov with payments taken over the phone. All on-site and off-site meetings will be changed from in person to telephone conference call, go-to or video conference. There are no current changes to the inspection process The City is working quickly to transition to electronic plan review AVONDALE: All over-the-counter plan review and permitting is suspended. Online plan submittal is available at the Development Services Website. Conference calls and video conferencing in lieu of in-person meetings. GOODYEAR: City offices are open and staff is on-site. Staff is allowing in-person submittals but encouraging electronic submittals. Review timelines are expected to be extended by an additional 3-5 days, to a total of approx. 30 days. Inspections are currently unchanged, with the exception of occupied structures and TIs, which are currently being evaluated for customer and city employee safety. QUEEN CREEK: All development services staff is working from home but available by email and phone. Open business hours remain the same (Monday – Thursday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.). Regular functions continue to be available through their Website. Building and Engineering Field Inspections are expected to continue without adjustment. Questions can be directed to: Development Services Administration: Brett Burningham at 480-358-3097, Brett.Burningham@queencreek.org or Sarah Clark at 480-358-3020, Sarah.Clark@queencreek.org Building Safety Division: Michael Williams at 480-358-3009, Michael.Williams@QueenCreek.org Planning Division: Erik Swanson at 480-358-3013, Erik.Swanson@QueenCreek.org Engineering Division: Chris Dovel at 480-358-3067, Chris.Dovel@QueenCreek.org Code Enforcement: Victor Martinez at 480-358-3307, Victor.Martinez@queencreek.org Online payments: Paid as usual online In-person payments:Can be placed in the Water Department payment drop box located at Town Hall. Place checks in an envelope and write “Building Safety” “Engineering” or “Planning” on the outside of the envelope. MARICOPA COUNTY: Effective March 25, Maricopa County is accepting permits online or via drop-box which is located at 501 N. 44th Street, Suite 200. The Permit Counter is closed to walk-ins. The County is strongly discouraging in-person meetings in order to protect the health of customers, employees and the community. Permits can be submitted digitally through the Online Customer Portal. Inquiries can be directed to PNDpdcustomerservice@maricopa.gov and 602-506-8573.  Building and drainage inspections will still be conducted as long as social distance requirements as defined by the Center for Disease Control can be met.  FOUNTAIN HILLS: Boards and commission meetings will be postponed until further notice. The Town Council meetings will likely be reduced during this time period. To protect the public from possible exposure, the Town Council meetings will only be broadcast live on Cox Channel 11 and stream live from the town’s website at www.fh.az.gov. The general public will not be able to attend Town Council meetings in person until it has been determined safe to do so. In order to accommodate the public during this interim period, residents are encouraged to email their input and feedback about Town Council agenda items to the Mayor and Council before each meeting. Despite not providing in-person customer contact with residents during the closure, Town Hall employees will continue performing their job duties. Employees will be responding to telephone calls and emails from residents with requests for information, building permit requests previously submitted, plan reviews, and other town service requests. PARADISE VALLEY: Public meetings such as Town Council or Planning Commission will be held remotely. The Town of Paradise Valley will post agendas and instructions for public participation per the Open Meeting Law. Please contact 480-948-7411 or for more information.