Consultant hired for multi-year zoning, subdivision and map overhaul; public outreach emphasized

Logan Simpson consultant Roger Eastman presented the county’s approach to a three-year, phased update of Yavapai County’s zoning ordinance, subdivision regulations and zoning map during the March 27 joint session.

Eastman said the consultant team will emphasize usability, predictability, flexibility and strong public engagement. He told commissioners and supervisors the effort will be guided by the county’s comprehensive plan and a housing needs assessment that the team plans to complete early in the project to inform code recommendations.

Nut graf: The update is intended to replace an older, incremental code structure with a coherent, user-friendly ordinance calibrated to rural character, mapped growth areas and the county’s policy priorities; staff and the consultant said they intend a transparent public process that will include stakeholder interviews, small-group sessions, town halls and online engagement tools.

Project scope and schedule

- Scope: update zoning ordinance, subdivision regulations and the county zoning map; implement the comprehensive plan; provide clearer use tables and development standards; consider tools for clustering, open-space preservation, infill and mixed-use centers where appropriate.

- Housing needs: Eastman said the housing-needs and market analysis is foundational and will be completed early in the project so recommended zoning changes align with economic realities. The consultant team includes a housing-market specialist and civil engineering support.

- Timeline: Eastman presented a phased schedule that begins with discovery and code assessment, includes a housing needs assessment in the first six months, then proceeds to draft subdivision regulations and zoning-code updates over the following 18–30 months with hearings and adoption thereafter. The overall project runs in phases through late 2027 under the current contract plan.

Public engagement approach

Eastman reviewed a public-engagement plan that uses the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) principles: inform, consult and involve. Tools include stakeholder interviews, town halls, online surveys and interactive mapping, plus a dedicated county webpage for the project and digital tools for polling and document review. Staff said they will target outreach across the county (Prescott area, Verde Valley and outlying communities) and hold interviews with supervisors and commissioners in their districts.

Supervisor and commissioner input

Supervisors who spoke urged the consultant to balance protection of rural character and working lands with locations appropriate for more compact development; several supervisors said messaging and outreach will be crucial to explain neighborhood-scale approaches such as “missing middle” housing and clustering in the correct locations.

Ending: next steps

Staff said interviews and background research are already under way, the housing study will begin immediately and the team will return with a public-outreach schedule and draft code-assessment report later this year.