About The Comprehensive Plan
What is a Comprehensive Plan?
The Comprehensive Plan is the County’s long-range plan for how it will grow and serve its community members in the future. Arizona state law (ARS 11-804) requires all counties to adopt and regularly update Comprehensive Plans that are consistent with state laws, and other requirements and guidelines. The Comprehensive Plan addresses topics such as land use, circulation, water resources, energy, open space, growth, environment, and cost of development.
Why is the Plan Being Updated?
- Identifying and addressing new socioeconomic data, as well as existing and projected conditions, opportunities, and challenges facing the county.
- Allowing the community to re-evaluate and revise its vision for future growth.
- Ensuring that the County continues to plan, rather than react, to new development.
- Establishing a more definitive and effective implementation strategy.
- This plan was last updated and adopted in 2016 to reflect state statutory requirements. Arizona law requires that the Plan be updated every 10-years.
What is the Process?
FAQs
When will the plan be completed?
The Comprehensive Plan update process will be ongoing and take approximately two years to complete. The Comprehensive Plan is expected to be adopted by Spring 2026.
Are Cities and Towns located in Maricopa County part of the plan or planning process?
The comprehensive plan only applies to the area in Maricopa County jurisdiction, which is land located outside the municipal limits of a city or town (i.e. unincorporated land). Conversely, cities and towns located within Maricopa County are governed by those jurisdictions’ General Plans and other regulating documents. Thus, while cities and towns located within Maricopa County are not directly addressed in the Comprehensive Plan, coordination with these municipal partners will be an important aspect of updating the Plan.
Who can participate? Who makes decisions?
The Comprehensive Plan update process will be guided by input from community members of unincorporated Maricopa County. Public input from engagement opportunities will be recorded and catalogued to ensure that decision-makers have a full understanding of public sentiment when considering the final plan. A Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) comprised of key staff from various County departments and associated local and state agencies will also be consulted throughout the planning process to ensure consistency with other planning initiatives. Ultimately, following consideration by the Maricopa County Planning & Zoning Commission, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors will adopt the updated Comprehensive Plan.
How does the Comprehensive Plan relate to other Plans used by the County?
The Comprehensive Plan provides a set of broad policies and land use designations that establish the basis for future land use development patterns and regulations for unincorporated Maricopa County. However, the Comprehensive Plan is not a regulatory document and does not grant entitlements. The County’s Zoning Ordinance and supporting development regulations provide specific controls about how property owners may use and develop their land consistent with state and local laws and other requirements. Therefore, when zoning change requests are made, along with updates to the Zoning Ordinance and other County development regulations, they are reviewed for conformance with the Comprehensive Plan.
In addition, the Comprehensive Plan acts in a guiding role to provide direction in the development and management of other County long-range planning documents such as the Maricopa County Transportation System Plan 2040 and the Strategic Systems Master Plan: Parks Vision 2030.
How is the Comprehensive Plan adopted?
Following a detailed planning and engagement process, the Maricopa County Planning & Zoning Commission will review and ultimately provide a formal recommendation on the Comprehensive Plan update during their regular meeting and work session agendas.
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors is the County’s legislative authority and holds the final decision-making authority on the Comprehensive Plan. The Board of Supervisors will review and act on the Comprehensive Plan update during their regular meetings and work session agendas.
All Comprehensive Plan meetings or work sessions held before the County Planning & Zoning Commission or Board of Supervisors will be noticed on this website as well as through all standard County public notification procedures.
Have Other Questions?
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