Tucson Site Plan Requirements & Permit Guide (2025)

By Site Plan Creator Team •

Guide to creating site plans for building permits in Tucson, including desert-sensitive development requirements and native plant preservation.

Tucson Site Plan Requirements: Complete Guide for Building Permits

Creating a site plan for a building permit in Tucson, Arizona requires meeting specific requirements set by the Planning and Development Services Department (PDSD). Tucson's development is governed by the Unified Development Code (UDC), with stringent native plant preservation, water harvesting mandates, and hillside development regulations that reflect the Sonoran Desert environment. Tucson is recognized nationally as a leader in water conservation and was the first UNESCO City of Gastronomy in the United States, reflecting its deep cultural roots.

What Is a Site Plan and Why Does Tucson Require One?

A site plan is a scaled drawing showing your property boundaries, existing structures, proposed construction, setbacks, and site features. PDSD requires a site plan for all building permit applications to verify compliance with the UDC and the International Building Code as adopted by Arizona. Look up your property's zoning through Tucson's GIS portal at gis.tucsonaz.gov.

Required Site Plan Elements

  • Property boundaries with dimensions and total lot area
  • Setbacks per UDC zone district standards
  • Existing and proposed structures with dimensions, height, and use
  • Lot coverage calculation
  • Native plant inventory per the Native Plant Preservation Ordinance
  • Water harvesting plan per the Commercial Rainwater Harvesting Ordinance
  • Parking spaces per UDC
  • Drainage and grading per Pima County Flood Control District standards
  • North arrow and scale
  • Pima County parcel number

Tucson Zoning and Setback Requirements

  • R-1 (Single-Family, 36,000 sq ft lot): Front 30 feet, side 15 feet, rear 25 feet. Low density estate residential. Lot coverage max 25%.
  • R-2 (Single-Family, 14,000 sq ft lot): Front 25 feet, side 10 feet, rear 25 feet. Lot coverage max 30%. Height max 28 feet.
  • R-3 (Single-Family, 6,500 sq ft lot): Front 20 feet, side 5 feet, rear 20 feet. Lot coverage max 40%. Height max 28 feet.
  • RX-1 (Residential Mixed, compact): Front 10 feet, side 3 feet, rear 15 feet. Lot coverage max 55%. Allows a mix of housing types.
  • RX-2 (Residential Mixed, moderate): Front 10 feet, side 5 feet, rear 15 feet. Lot coverage max 60%.
  • R-4 (Multi-Family, low): Front 20 feet, side 10 feet, rear 20 feet.
  • R-5 (Multi-Family, high): Front 25 feet, side 15 feet, rear 25 feet.
  • Corner lots: Street-side setback equals front setback distance.

Native Plant Preservation Ordinance

Tucson's Native Plant Preservation Ordinance (NPO) is one of the most protective in the nation and significantly affects site design:

  • Complete inventory required: All native plants on the development site must be inventoried by species and size, including saguaro cacti, barrel cacti, ocotillos, ironwood trees, mesquite, palo verde, and cholla
  • Preservation priority: Plants must be preserved in place wherever feasible — site design should accommodate existing plants
  • Salvage and relocation: Plants that cannot be preserved in place must be salvaged and relocated on-site, or donated to an approved salvage program
  • Mitigation requirements: Plants that cannot be salvaged require mitigation through the city's Native Plant Nursery or payment into the mitigation fund
  • Arizona Native Plant Law: State law also protects certain native plants; separate permits required from the Arizona Department of Agriculture for removal of protected species
  • Site plan impact: Building footprints and site layouts are often adjusted to preserve significant specimen plants, particularly mature saguaros

Water Harvesting Requirements

Tucson is a national leader in water harvesting mandates:

  • Commercial Rainwater Harvesting Ordinance: All commercial development must harvest at least 50% of landscape water demand from on-site rainfall — the first such ordinance in the nation
  • Residential water harvesting: Strongly encouraged through the Tucson Water rebate program for cisterns, rain barrels, and rain gardens
  • Greywater: Arizona law allows residential greywater use for landscape irrigation without a permit for systems under 400 gallons per day
  • Low Impact Development: Bioretention, pervious pavement, and rain gardens encouraged as dual-purpose stormwater/irrigation solutions
  • Tucson Water conservation: Tiered water rate structure incentivizes low water use; new development must meet water conservation standards

Hillside Development Zone (HDZ)

Tucson's terrain includes mountains and foothills with specific development restrictions:

  • Slopes 15%+: Subject to the Hillside Development Zone with restricted disturbance percentages
  • Maximum disturbance: Sliding scale — 40% disturbance allowed on 15% slopes, decreasing to 20% on 25% slopes, down to 5% on 40%+ slopes
  • Geotechnical study: Required for all hillside development demonstrating slope stability and drainage management
  • Enhanced native plant preservation: Additional plant preservation requirements in HDZ areas beyond the standard NPO
  • Visual impact: Building colors and materials should blend with the natural desert landscape
  • Ridgeline protection: Development restricted near ridgelines to protect visual character

Historic and Cultural Preservation

  • Tucson-Pima County Historical Commission reviews projects in designated historic districts
  • Historic districts: Including Barrio Viejo, Armory Park, West University, Iron Horse, and Sam Hughes
  • Certificate of Appropriateness required for exterior work in local historic zones
  • Arizona and federal historic tax credits available

How to Submit Your Site Plan

eTRAKiT Portal

Submit through PDSD's eTRAKiT portal at tucsonaz.gov/pdsd for electronic plan review.

In-Person

Walk-in at 201 N. Stone Avenue, 1st Floor.

Permit Fees and Timeline

  • Fees: Per PDSD fee schedule based on construction cost; includes development impact fees for water, sewer, parks, fire, police, and roads
  • Timeline: Residential 10-15 business days. Commercial 20-30 business days. Native plant review and drainage review concurrent.

Creating Your Tucson Site Plan with Site Plan Creator

Site Plan Creator makes it easy to generate a professional, permit-ready site plan for your Tucson property. Simply enter your address, and the tool automatically loads your property boundaries, building footprints, and aerial imagery. You can then add setback lines, label structures, draw proposed construction, and export a scaled PDF ready for PDSD submission.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the typical residential setbacks in Tucson?
In R-3 zones (6,500 sq ft lots), front setbacks are 20 feet, side 5 feet, rear 20 feet with 40% lot coverage and 28-foot height max. R-2 zones require 25-foot front and 10-foot side setbacks with 30% coverage. RX-1 compact zones have 10-foot front and 3-foot side setbacks with 55% coverage. R-1 estate zones need 30-foot front and 15-foot side setbacks. Check gis.tucsonaz.gov.
What native plant preservation is required?
Tucson's NPO requires a complete inventory of all native plants (saguaros, barrel cacti, ocotillos, ironwood, mesquite, palo verde, cholla). Plants must be preserved in place, salvaged and relocated on-site, or mitigated through the Native Plant Nursery. Building layouts are often adjusted to preserve significant specimens, especially mature saguaros. Arizona state permits required for protected species removal.
What water harvesting is required?
Commercial development must harvest at least 50% of landscape water demand from on-site rainfall — the first such ordinance nationally. Residential harvesting is encouraged through Tucson Water rebates for cisterns and rain barrels. Greywater use is legal in Arizona without a permit for systems under 400 gallons/day. Low Impact Development features serve dual stormwater/irrigation purposes.
What hillside development rules apply?
Properties with slopes 15%+ are in the HDZ with restricted disturbance on a sliding scale: 40% allowed on 15% slopes down to 5% on 40%+ slopes. Geotechnical studies required. Enhanced native plant preservation applies. Building colors must blend with desert landscape. Ridgeline development is restricted for visual protection.
What drainage and flood requirements exist?
Pima County Flood Control District manages regional drainage. Drainage studies required for all development due to monsoon flash flood risks. FEMA flood zones along washes and the Santa Cruz River. Grading permits required for earth-moving. Water harvesting features integrate with drainage design for dual benefits.
What historic district requirements apply?
The Tucson-Pima County Historical Commission reviews projects in districts including Barrio Viejo, Armory Park, West University, Iron Horse, and Sam Hughes. Certificate of Appropriateness required for exterior work. Arizona and federal historic tax credits available.
How do I submit plans to PDSD?
Submit through eTRAKiT portal at tucsonaz.gov/pdsd. Walk-in at 201 N. Stone Avenue, 1st Floor. Residential permits take 10-15 business days. Native plant review and drainage review are concurrent.
How long does plan review take and what fees apply?
Residential 10-15 business days. Commercial 20-30 business days. Native plant and drainage reviews concurrent. Fees per PDSD schedule include development impact fees for water, sewer, parks, fire, police, and roads.

How to Create a Site Plan in Tucson

  1. Look Up Your Property Information: Use Tucson's GIS at gis.tucsonaz.gov to find zoning, hillside overlay, flood zone, historic district status, and lot dimensions. Note your Pima County parcel number. Survey native plants on the property early.
  2. Assess Environmental Constraints: Conduct a preliminary native plant survey. Determine water harvesting requirements. Check hillside development restrictions and maximum disturbance percentages. Assess flood zone and drainage requirements.
  3. Create Your Site Plan: Enter your Tucson address in Site Plan Creator to load property boundaries, building footprints, and aerial imagery. Add setback lines per UDC. Design layout to preserve significant native plants.
  4. Include All Required Elements: Include boundaries, setbacks, lot coverage, complete native plant inventory, water harvesting features, parking, drainage, hillside disturbance areas if applicable, and north arrow with scale.
  5. Prepare Supporting Documents: Prepare detailed native plant inventory and preservation/salvage plan. Prepare water harvesting plan for commercial (50% capture). Prepare drainage studies. For hillside sites, prepare geotechnical reports. For historic districts, prepare Historical Commission application.
  6. Submit Through eTRAKiT Portal: Upload plans through eTRAKiT at tucsonaz.gov/pdsd. Pay fees including impact fees for water, sewer, parks, fire, police, and roads.
  7. Manage Review and Obtain Permit: Respond to PDSD reviewer comments on building, native plant, and drainage reviews. Once approved, pay remaining fees, receive permit, and schedule inspections. Ensure native plant salvage is completed before construction.