— Tucson is advancing a package of 78 proposed development code amendments intended to simplify reviews, remove barriers to housing and give businesses more flexibility to occupy existing buildings. The changes address adaptive reuse, parking, permitted uses and development procedures, alongside new battery storage standards.
The Planning Commission recommended conditional approval following two study sessions and a public hearing. Council members are expected to review those conditions as the package moves forward. The proposal follows an earlier code cleanup in 2023 and incorporates surveys, community meetings, stakeholder briefings and written comments.
For commercial property owners, adaptive reuse is a significant component. The draft would replace the fixed 2005 eligibility cutoff with a rolling standard covering qualifying improvements in existence at least 10 years before an application. It would also expand restaurant access to adaptive reuse options and remove an overlay-zone limitation…