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Florence council approves code changes to align with Arizona House Bill 2447 amid public concern over reduced hearings
Summary
The Florence Town Council approved Ordinance 776‑25 to amend multiple development‑code sections to comply with Arizona House Bill 2447, a change residents said reduces formal public hearings; staff said they will pursue additional notice and communication measures.
The Florence Town Council on December 2 approved Ordinance 776‑25, amending several sections of the town’s development code to bring the town into compliance with Arizona House Bill 2447.
Community Development staff presented the ordinance as a statutory compliance action that shifts certain approvals — site plans, design review, land divisions and other items — toward administrative review. "This is an attempt to align Town of Florence development codes with House Bill 2447," the community development presenter said, adding that staff will seek ways to continue communicating decisions to the public even when the law allows administrative approvals.
During the public hearing, resident Kathy Lehman urged the council to require the Community Development Department to bring notices of administrative actions to council meetings so residents still have an opportunity to comment: "This bill has taken away the need for a public hearing, but does not prevent the town council from requiring a department to bring notice of actions to the town council," Lehman said.
Council members expressed concern that the state law reduces traditional public‑hearing opportunities but said they would ask staff to develop stronger notice and communication practices. Vice Mayor Adam and other council members asked that ordinance language be drafted to be "very crisp and very black and white" where possible to limit ambiguity about which items remain eligible for administrative approval.
Town Attorney Robert Wingo and staff said they would review options and follow legal constraints set by the state while looking for ways to preserve public awareness. After brief discussion, a councilmember moved to approve Ordinance 776‑25 as written; the motion was seconded and the council approved the ordinance by voice vote.
Next steps: staff said they will present communication options and any recommended procedural clarifications to town management and the council to help residents understand when administrative approvals are used and how they will be notified.
