Last Revised: September 23, 2009

The Update of the City of Tucson General Plan is underway.

The General Plan Update will be a revision of the City’s 2001 General Plan to meet new state law provisions and to make the plan more relevant and useful for the community, the elected officials, and for City departments.

The Update of the General Plan will be Tucson’s guide for future course of action for the current and future urban area, integrating sustainability and smart growth principles. The goal is to take an updated General Plan to the voters in November 2011.

• Current Plan approved by voters in 2001
• Update must be approved by November 2011
• Requires 2 public hearings and a recommendation from the Planning Commission
• Requires public hearing from the Mayor and Council

• Developed work plan/timeline
  
• Critiqued 2001 General Plan
  
• Established goals for update
  
• Researched other plans
  
• Developed Framework. The elements of the General Plan will be organized around three areas: 1) smart growth, 2) environmental stewardship, and 3) social equity and the economy
  
• Reviewed legal requirements
  
• Met with various departments/offices (Tucson Water, Police, Fire, Community Services, TREO, Transportation, OCSD, DNR, DSD, General Services, PAG, Downtown Partnership, Convention Center, and Parks and Recreation), requesting their review of the current policies of the 2001 General Plan and to provide new and updated policies that could be considered for the update of the plan.
  
• Reviewing challenges and opportunities identified at various visioning efforts where public participation has been a key component.
  
• Drafting guiding principles

• General Plan Brochure
• Integrating Sustainability and Smart Growth Principles into the General Plan
• Preliminary Table of Contents
• Legal Requirements

There are several ways to get involved!

1. Join the notification list.

Project updates and upcoming meeting notices are distributed through mail and e-mail. Call us at (520)791-4636 or e-mail your contact info to generalplanupdate@tucsonaz.gov.

2. Visit the website regularly.

www.tucsonaz.gov/planning/generalplanupdate.

3. Invite us to meet with your group or organization.

City of Tucson staff is actively engaging groups interested in the future of Tucson. Call us at (520) 791-4636 or e-mail us at generalplanupdate@tucsonaz.gov to arrange a date and time.

4. Be part of discussion forums.

City of Tucson staff will organize opportunities for people to get involved. Those in the notification list will be informed of the dates, times, and information will be posted on the web at www.tucsonaz.gov/planning/generalplanupdate.

5. Review final draft of the General Plan.

The final draft will undergo formal public review through at least two public hearings before the Planning Commission and a public hearing before the Mayor and Council. Notice of the hearings will include mailings, newspaper advertisements, and legal postings.

If you have suggestions for ways we can involve people or get the word out about the project and its status, please let us know by calling (520) 791-4636 or emailing generalplanupdate@tucsonaz.gov.

Have questions, want more information? Please contact Chris Kaselemis, Planning Administrator, or María Gayosso, Lead Planner, at (520) 791-4636 or via email at generalplanupdate@tucsonaz.gov.