Planning and Development Services: 2025 Year In Review, 2026 Preview

Published on December 23, 2025

It’s been another banner year for Planning and Development Services. Among our many accomplishments this year was the adoption of the City of Tucson’s General Plan, a milestone that only comes around every 10 years! Plan Tucson and many other initiatives allowed us to work with you, our partners, to continue building a better Tucson for everyone. We are incredibly proud of all we’ve achieved together in 2025 and are excited to share this recap, along with a preview of what’s in store for 2026.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership. We wish you a happy and safe holiday season and all the best in the New Year!

2025 Key Accomplishments

Voters Approve Plan Tucson 2025, Establishing a Roadmap for Tucson’s Future

Voters approved Proposition 417, ratifying Plan Tucson 2025 as the City's updated General Plan. With more than 62% support, Tucsonans endorsed a comprehensive roadmap to guide growth and development over the next decade.

The plan reflects community priorities gathered over nearly three years of engagement in areas including housing affordability, transportation, climate resilience, economic development, water management, public safety, and cultural heritage preservation.

To learn more, visit https://plantucson2025.tucsonaz.gov.

PDSD Delivers Faster, More Reliable Review Times

In 2025, Planning and Development Services (PDSD) implemented targeted service improvements to reduce review times and improve predictability across the permitting process, including:

• Launch of dedicated Residential and Commercial Review Teams to streamline reviews and build specialized expertise
• Expansion of Permit Review Lanes, moving more permits from the Standard Lane to the Fast Lane
• Development package issuance and site inspection process improvements
• Implementation of an Affordable Housing Fast Track program to prioritize qualifying projects
• Introduction of new residential permit checklists to improve submittal quality and reduce re-review cycles

Together, these improvements have had a measurable impact. The Permit Dashboard ends the year reporting a 90% on-time review rate.

Mayor and Council Adopt Community Corridors Tool to foster housing and mixed-use development

Mayor and Council adopted the Community Corridors Tool code amendment on March 18, 2025. The adoption followed a two-year public process involving extensive stakeholder engagement, community feedback, and technical analysis.

The Community Corridors Tool facilitates redevelopment of underutilized sites along Tucson's commercial corridors to increase housing supply and improve affordability. By repurposing vacant lots, empty strip malls, and large parking areas, the tool aims to create dynamic, mixed-use destinations that foster economic and social vibrancy.

To learn more, visit https://corridors.tucsonaz.gov.

Tucson Expands Housing Options with Middle Housing Code Adoption

Starting January 1, 2026, property owners across most of Tucson will have new flexibility to develop middle housing types on residential lots. This includes duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, townhomes, and cottage courts. This creates more diverse housing options while maintaining neighborhood character through established design standards.

Following a public hearing on December 16, Mayor and Council voted 6-1 to approve Middle Housing citywide, except in rural residential areas. Changes to the unified development code take effect on January 1, 2026.

To learn more, visit https://middlehousing.tucsonaz.gov.

New Leadership Team for Planning and Development Services: Koren Manning appointed Director; Elisa Hamblin and Juan Garcia selected as Deputy Directors

A new leadership team is in place for PDSD. Mayor and Council appointed Koren Manning as Director of PDSD in October based on the recommendation of City Manager Tim Thomure. Manning selected Elisa Hamblin and Juan Garcia as Deputy Directors.

Together, this team brings decades of experience at PDSD and in the public and private sectors. They look forward to strengthening the PDSD team, partnering with stakeholders, and enhancing our services to the community.

Growing our Team to Better Serve Tucson 

In 2025, PDSD brought on 36 new team members. These staff members will help us continue delivering efficient, responsive service across all areas of the department and improve our services to the community. Teams that saw significant growth include Historic Preservation and Engineering, significantly improving their capacity to serve customers. Additionally, PDSD added a Project Manager who will help navigate the permitting process for large projects.

Connecting and Strengthening Neighborhoods

The Neighborhood Resources team held an April event with leaders from 40 Neighborhood Associations to share participation strategies and discuss various projects and activities. In August, a forum connected neighborhood leaders with PDSD's divisions and services, explored available resources, and gathered feedback on how to serve Tucson neighborhoods better. Neighborhood Resources also organized virtual sessions on the Safe Streets Mini-Grant Program and the City's 311 non-emergency service.

PDSD also supported neighborhoods in their effort to update the Grant Alvernon Area Plan. The revised plan was adopted by Mayor and Council on August 6, 2025, following nearly 5 years of community engagement and input. The revised plan reflects the current needs and goals of the Garden District, Palo Verde, Cabrini, North Dodge, Dodge/Flower, Doolen/Fruitvale, and Oak Flower neighborhoods within the plan area.

Learn more about Neighborhood Resources by visiting https://tucsonaz.gov/NeighborhoodResources.

Code Enforcement Transitions to PDSD

The Code Enforcement Division transitioned from Environmental and General Services to PDSD in January of 2025.

This transition enhances PDSD's ability to uphold City standards, strengthen neighborhood safety, and provide more cohesive inspection services. By integrating code enforcement with planning and development functions, the City can enforce property maintenance codes more effectively and streamline permitting and compliance efforts.

To learn more about Code Enforcement, visit: https://www.tucsonaz.gov/CodeEnforcement.

Mayor and Council Approve Updated Building Codes

Mayor and Council approved updates to the National Fire Protection Association and International Code Council model building codes on June 3, 2025, with an effective date of January 1, 2026.

On December 16, 2025, Mayor and Council approved the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) with an effective date of July 1, 2026.

New editions of these model codes reflect advancements in building science, incorporating new products and construction techniques to keep Tucson current with the building industry.

Key Projects Bring Housing, Jobs, and New Uses to Tucson

PDSD is proud to contribute to major projects bringing housing options, commercial and industrial space, new and expanded entertainment venues, and new uses to Tucson. Over the past year, many significant development projects have been permitted, completed, or are currently in development across the City of Tucson.

• Numerous affordable housing projects are underway, helping to meet this critical need for our community, including: 
  • Milagro on Oracle – 66 units opened to tenants this year, developed through a partnership led by El Pueblo Housing Development (EPHD), the City of Tucson’s development arm
  • Tucson House – the renovation of 387 public housing units is underway - a Choice Neighborhoods Catalyst Project, and an EPHD public-private partnership
  • Sugar Hill on Stone – 66 units are under development, Phase 1 of Choice Neighborhoods, and another EPHD project 
  • Amazon Flats – 59 units, Phase II of Choice Neighborhoods, also developed by EPHD 
  • Belvedere Terrace – 72 units in the 29th Street Thrive Zone 
  • Lariat Village – 120 units in the Norte Sur Study Area 
  • Shasta Apartments – 100 units for older adults 
  • Rincon Manor - 84-unit apartments, Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) project 
• Other multi-family developments include: 
  • Encantada La Estancia - 320 units, in the La Estancia Planned Area Development near Davis Monthan Air Force Base
  • The Bautista – 256 units with ground floor commercial in the Mercado District
  • Capstone at First and Euclid - 114 units of student housing and 30 workforce housing units with a  commercial ground floor in the Main Gate District
  • Congress and Linda Apartments – 49 and 77 units, respectively, near the Mercado District
• Residential communities in active development include La Escalera, La Estancia, Blackhawk, and The Vistas at Rincon Knolls, with 260 new homes permitted between these four hotspots 
• Commercial development underway includes the Trader Joe’s on Broadway and Bass Pro at the Bridges. The end of the year saw Mayor and Council approval of a plat for a new hub of commercial activity at 29th and Swan. 
• I-10 International was completed, a new modern industrial park offering large warehouse/distribution spaces near the Tucson International Airport 
• Tucson saw new and expanded entertainment options with the opening of La Rosa, a new live music and event venue in the restored Benedictine, as well as an expansion of the Loft Cinema, which added a new screen, open-air cinema, and a new concession stand 

PDSD Honored With Two Prestigious APA State Awards

PDSD was honored to receive two prestigious awards from the American Planning Association, Arizona Chapter, at the 2025 Arizona State Planning Conference in September.

The PDSD team earned the "Planning Excellence" award for the Community Corridors Tool. This innovative solution removes barriers to housing development along major roadways while encouraging transit-oriented, mixed-use communities.

The team also received the "Award of Excellence in Planning" for Activate El Presidio, a community-led initiative transforming Tucson's oldest neighborhood into vibrant gathering spaces, developed with the Rio Nuevo District and the El Presidio Neighborhood Association.

2026 Focus Areas

Improving the Permit Process

PDSD has made important improvements to speed up and streamline permit reviews, and this will remain a key focus in 2026. Efforts will include expanding administrative approvals for plats, streamlining development package reviews, reducing review cycles, prioritizing resubmittals, and shortening review times for residential permits. Staff will also be aligned into dedicated residential and commercial review teams to provide more consistent, knowledgeable support for our customers.

PDSD continues to refine the system based on customer feedback. Share feedback at pdsdinquiries@tucsonaz.gov.

Addressing Tucson's Housing Needs: Policy Updates

PDSD will be focused on implementing new Middle Housing regulations, including:

• Creating resources and guidance materials for builders using the new codes
• Hosting information sessions on zoning and building code standards for middle housing
• Expanding the model plan library to include middle housing options

Mayor and Council will consider declaring a Housing and Homelessness Emergency with short- and long-term actions to temporarily allow more flexible zoning for shelters through a special approval process. Mayor and Council have directed staff to develop permanent code changes to remove barriers to shelter facilities.

Code Updates and Modernization

A Code update package initiated by Mayor and Council in December will modernize and simplify development regulations. Some of the key priorities include:

• Updating the City's Sign Code before it expires on August 31, 2026
• Removing obstacles to housing development
• Modernizing zoning requirements
• Encouraging the reuse of existing buildings

PDSD is working with a Technical Advisory Committee to develop regulations for Large-Scale Data Centers.

Promoting Resilient Design and Development 

City staff are developing Low Impact Development (LID) standards for new development. These new stormwater management rules will promote the use of vegetated features to capture and filter the first flush of rainwater.

The Southwest Building Code Collaborative continues working to advance more resilient building codes tailored to the Southwest environment.

Enhancing Code Enforcement Operations

Focus areas for improved service include:

• Greater Ward office and neighborhood engagement
• Proactive approach to code enforcement
• Prioritization of Vacant and Neglected Structures (VANS) cases
• Education and resources for homeowners to promote compliance
• More transparent data and case tracking