Navajo County supervisors on Thursday voted to adopt a comprehensive rewrite of the county zoning ordinance, including new, uniform standards for wind and solar projects and streamlined procedures for residents and developers.

The update condenses and reorganizes the county code so users can find allowed uses and development standards in single sections rather than searching multiple cross-referenced articles, county planning staff said. The board approved Resolution No. 17-2025 to finalize the update.

The change matters because it alters how property uses are listed, clarifies the county's code-enforcement and permit-review processes, and creates a single renewable-energy development article that adds uniform expectations for fire review, road-use agreements, site studies and bonding for decommissioning.

Planning and Development Services staff told the board the rewrite reduced duplicative text and reorganized rural zoning sections so that uses are presented in one place while differences between RU-20, RU-10, RU-5 and RU-1 are shown in a standards chart. "All of the sections of the zoning ordinance have undergone some form of update," the planning staff member said during the presentation.

The package includes updated permitted, administrative and special-use categories; consolidated administration, enforcement and penalty provisions; clearer checklists for planned developments and a new approach allowing development agreements in lieu of or in combination with special-use permits.

On renewable energy, the ordinance merges wind and solar regulation into a single renewable-energy chapter. It retains long-standing elements such as road-use agreements, decommissioning bonds and public-outreach requirements and adds language to codify the use of "best available commercially proven technology" to limit wildlife and fire risk. Staff said they also strengthened language to clarify fire agencies' role in permitting, inspections and post-incident actions after a series of listening sessions with local fire chiefs.

Public comment at the hearing included three speakers who supported renewable projects. Tim Grubbs said he was "a supporter in general of renewable energy projects" and praised the industry for its economic contributions. Don Fogel told the board, "I'm in favor of clean renewable energy, not dirty and unsustainable energy of the past." Samantha Cloud said renewable projects signaled that "Navajo County cares about its future."

The county received dozens of written and oral comments during the ordinance development and follow-up outreach. Planning staff said they incorporated many public suggestions and presented three minor edits to clarify requirements: adding the term "desktop" before wetland delineation and cultural-resource reports, adding an "and/or development agreement" reference to ensure public outreach applies regardless of process, and changing the word "consult" to "coordinate" when describing interactions with municipalities and tribal entities to avoid implying a formal federal tribal-consultation process.

Planning and Zoning recommended the update unanimously at its April meeting; staff recommended adoption with the minor clarifications. The board moved and seconded adoption on a voice vote and recorded no opposition.

Board members praised staff for condensing a large, technical document and for extensive outreach. Supervisors emphasized the balance the ordinance attempts to strike between protecting public safety and respecting private-property rights. The board also noted the update preserved existing noise and setback standards and did not impose new noise limits as part of the rewrite.

Implementation will follow existing permitting tracks; some actions will still require tentative and final plats, site plans, or special-use proceedings. The ordinance establishes clearer expectations for applicants and provides planning staff and responding agencies with a single reference for enforcement and review.

For now, the adopted ordinance takes effect according to the county's normal code-adoption procedures and will be available from Planning and Development Services for residents and developers who need guidance on permits and special-use processes.