Navajo County adopts zoning updates to comply with new state ADU and assisted-living rules

Navajo County’s Board of Supervisors voted July 24 to adopt resolution 26-2025, updating county zoning rules to align with new Arizona statutes governing assisted-living group homes and accessory dwelling units.

County planner Cody Cooper told the board the changes respond to state law and clarify administrative procedures. “We must pass an ordinance and regulations by 01/01/2026,” Cooper said, describing a new process that would allow an administrative accommodation to reduce the county’s 1,200-foot separation requirement for certain group homes serving people with disabilities.

Cooper explained the update would also implement provisions from the recent legislation that allow one attached and one detached guest house (ADU) on any parcel where single-family residential use is permitted, and permit additional units on parcels of 1 acre or more. He said the county may not impose certain new restrictions—such as extra parking or design-matching requirements—and that some existing lot-size and valuation submittal requirements were being removed so the county stays within the statute’s limits.

During board discussion, Supervisor Seymour said the state law felt like overreach and raised concerns about local infrastructure. “It doesn’t take into account roads and the impact that it’s gonna have on water systems, sewer systems,” Seymour said, urging caution while noting the county must comply with the statute.

County staff told the board they would continue to enforce building- and safety-related reviews (for example, septic capacity and ‘‘will-serve’’ sewer commitments) and could deny permits that failed to meet health and safety requirements, but they said the county’s authority to limit numbers based on traffic or neighborhood quantity is constrained by the new state provisions.

The board opened and closed a public hearing on the item with no members of the public speaking and then approved the resolution by voice vote. Staff said adopting the ordinance now ensures Navajo County meets the state deadline and retains the ability to apply safety-based conditions where statutorily permitted.

The county’s ordinance changes incorporate language aligned with the state statutory definitions and remove county-imposed minimum lot-size and valuation submittal requirements that conflict with the new law. The updated rules take effect according to the statute’s timetable, and county planning staff will implement administrative procedures for reasonable accommodations and ADU permitting.

The board did not expand on a timetable for additional public outreach beyond the hearing that preceded the vote; staff said they had not received public comments at the time of the presentation.