The Camp Verde Town Council discussed staff recommendations for changes in compliance with House Bill 2447, which requires municipalities to allow administrative approvals of development applications, at their special session on Wednesday, Sept. 24.
House Bill 2447 requires, rather than allows, administrative personnel to review and approve site plans, development plans, plats, lot line adjustments and land divisions without a public hearing, and allows applicants with a history of building code and regulation compliance to be eligible for expedited permit review. It also offers an optional self-certification program allowing architects and engineers to certify and be responsible for compliance with applicable ordinances and construction standards for projects that qualify.
The bill was approved by Gov. Katie Hobbs [D] on March 31 and is effective beginning Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025.
Camp Verde Mayor Marie Moore said she wants to make it very clear this was not a decision made by the Town of Camp Verde.
Town Manager Miranda Fisher said one of the “biggest shockers” of this bill is the requirement of municipalities to allow administrative approvals of development applications. These applications no longer require a public hearing and bypass both the Planning & Zoning Commission and the Town Council and go straight to town staff.
“I think that it would be hard for our community to know that these plats are getting approved and it’s never gone before them,” Fisher said. She said one of her biggest concerns is transparency and she would still like to do a notification process.
In updating the ordinance, she recommended having language that says the town will publish notices on their website and in local newspapers of record for submitted applications. While not in the form of a public hearing, the public can ask questions and engage with the Community Development Department. She also recommended having a quarterly presentation to the commission and council to share the administratively approved designs, making sure it is not while applications are in process.
“We do not recommend the self-certification process,” Fisher said
“Legal doesn’t recommend it. Planning and zoning doesn’t recommend it. We just don’t think that shifting that responsibility makes sense.”
Town Attorney Trish Stuhan recommended not putting the self-certification in code, but that it may work on a case-by-case basis, such as if a project had fast timelines and the town lacked staff capability.
“It’s important that we understand that the development community has raised a lot of concerns to the state legislature, and in particular, as we’re seeing housing prices increase, we’re seeing a need to develop,” Stuhan said.
She said the state has been hearing from that development community that projects take a long time and often get politicized going through council and public comment leading to delays. The state wanted to make it easier to get developments approved by staff and avoid potentially long council meetings.
Stuhan said that, while they now have to approve these things administratively, they can go above and beyond by putting out public notices and letting residents know they can meet with the community development director.
Vice Mayor Wendy Escoffier asked what the impact of these changes will be on town staff.
Fisher said she does not anticipate a huge impact, and she’s only seen three final plats since becoming town manager.
Council provided staff direction to support a public outreach strategy, engage with residents, do quarterly updates and to not move forward with a self-certification process. Staff will work on a draft ordinance to be adopted by council at a later date.
