El Mirage council staff review 2020 general plan, zoning code, building rules and development process

City of El Mirage planning, building and engineering staff reviewed the 2020 General Plan, the city’s zoning code (Chapter 154), building-code requirements (Chapter 150) and several development-permit and subdivision chapters during a March 18 work session of the Common Council.

The meeting focused on how developers and residents move from initial inquiries to site plans and permits, fees and time limits for entitlements, the city’s zoning map and overlays, and upcoming code updates. No formal votes were taken at the work session.

Jose Macias, senior planner, summarized the public outreach that produced the 2020 General Plan and described the development application steps. “We started the process in 2019,” Macias said of the outreach that led to adoption in 2020. He said the plan was approved by the council in May 2020 and ratified by voters in November 2020.

Macias described the pre-application and technical-review process used to vet prospective projects before they reach the Planning and Zoning Commission or City Council. “Pre-app” meetings are short, staff-led consultations; Macias said the city logged 10 pre-applications in early 2024 and four proceeded through the full review. He said the pre-application fee is $500 and the development-application (zoning) fee is about $1,450. After city approval the applicant generally has one year to submit construction plans; Macias said extensions are possible and described options for a new owner to use an approved site plan or to start a new review.

On zoning, Macias explained El Mirage uses a…