B. General Plan Amendments

Major Amendments to the General Plan

A major amendment to the Surprise General Plan 2030 is any proposal that would result in a change to the land use plan that would substantially alter the city’s planned mixture or balance of uses. It is important to examine the implications of the project on the cumulative impact on the entire planning area. The criteria for determining whether or not a proposed amendment to the Surprise General Plan 2030 is a major amendment including the relative size and amount of change proposed in addition to its relationship with surrounding land uses and its impact upon major public infrastructure. Following are the criteria for determining a major amendment to the Surprise General Plan 2030:

• A change in the Land Use Plan land use designation on 320 or more acres.*
• An increase or decrease in the planned number of single family residential dwelling units of 500 or more dwelling units.
• An increase or decrease in the planned number of multi-family residential dwelling units of 200 or more dwelling units.
• An increase or decrease in the planned number of acres designated for employment (e.g., industrial, office, retail, resort) types of uses of 40 acres or more.
• An increase or decrease in the planned number of acres designated for open space uses of 160 acres or more.
• A change in the basic philosophy of a village (i.e., balance of jobs to population) that impacts the sustainability of the plan.
• Any change in the Land Use Plan designation from one of the following land use categories into another that covers 40 acres or more.
  • Residential.
  • Commercial.
  • Employment.

Amendments to the Surprise General Plan 2030 Land Use Element that result in a decrease in land use intensity and are initiated by the property owner will not be considered to be a major amendment.

*Changes to rural residential land use classifications will also require the development of a village plan, if one has not already been developed.

Element Review

Certain sections of Surprise General Plan 2030 may be subject to more frequent revisions. Goals and polices may require adjustments as community circumstances evolve or implementation experiences lead to refinement of future programs. The village planning efforts may make it necessary to change text and maps. Arizona State Statutes may require the creation of additional elements. Community Development staff will review the elements on a yearly basis to determine if revisions are required. Revisions that are not purely technical in nature will be processed as a major amendment to Surprise General Plan 2030.

Minor Amendments to the Surprise General Plan 2030

“Minor Amendments” to the Surprise General Plan 2030 are considered as minor text changes and corrections that do not impact the substantive portions of the land use plan’s mixture or balance.

Procedure for Surprise General Plan 2030 Amendments

Per Arizona State Statutes, the city of Surprise will consider major amendments to the Surprise General Plan 2030 once each year. The major amendment applications must be submitted within the same year they are heard and a two thirds majority vote of the City Council is needed to approve them. In addition, all major amendments must meet the public involvement criteria outlined in the state statutes that reads, “effective, early, and continuous public participation in the development and major amendment of the Surprise General Plan 2030 from all geographic, ethnic, and economic areas of the municipality.”

Surprise General Plan 2030 Amendment Considerations

In considering plan amendments, the proposal will be considered in terms of all the elements. A thorough evaluation shall include, but is not limited to, the following:

• Whether the proposed amendment is justified by an error in the Surprise General Plan 2030 as originally adopted.
• Whether the proposed change is generally consistent with goals, objectives, and other elements of Surprise General Plan 2030.
• Whether the proposed change is justified by a change in community conditions or neighborhood characteristics since adoption of the Plan.
• Whether the proposed change creates an adverse impact on public facilities and services, including roads, sewers, water supply, drainage, schools, police, fire, and parks, that cannot be reasonably mitigated.
• Whether the proposed change creates an adverse impact on landmarks or other historically significant structures or properties that cannot be reasonably mitigated.
• Whether development resulting from the proposed change would create an undue adverse impact on surrounding neighborhoods.
• Whether the proposed change would have a significant adverse impact on the natural environment, including washes, vegetation, slopes, groundwater, and other significant natural resources that could not be mitigated.
• Whether there was a change in city-adopted policies or codes that would justify a change in Surprise General Plan 2030.
• The impact of the proposed change on the city’s adopted development policies, and the fiscal and operational capacity of the city to provide any services, facilities, or programs that might be required if the change were adopted.