Planning Division
QUESTIONS
1. How can I determine the zoning of my property and what does that information tell me?
2. The Planning Department told me that my property is zoned General Business. Can I still build my house on this property?
3. The Planning Department told me that my property is zoned SR-43 (Single Family Residential, minimum lot size 43,000 square feet). Can I put a mobile or manufactured home on this property?
4. Do I need a permit from the Planning Department if I wish to start a business in my home?
5. I have a 400-acre parcel zoned RU-4 (rural, minimum lot size four acres). I want to divide that parcel into 100 four-acre parcels and sell them. What do I need to do?
6. How can I find out my assigned rural address?
7. Will my assigned rural address also be my mailing address?
8. How does the Rural Addressing program benefit me directly?
ANSWERS
In order to determine the zoning of your property, you first need to obtain your tax parcel number. This number looks like a social security number (e.g. 123-45-678) and can be taken from your property tax bill sent out by the Assessor’s office or can be determined from the assigned physical address of your property. Once you have obtained this number, you can call either the Bisbee office at 432-9240 or the Sierra Vista office at 803-3960, provide the tax parcel number and they can inform you how your property is zoned, or fill out and submit the Planning and Zoning Inquiry Form available on this site.
The zoning district is very critical in that it determines the type of uses you can and cannot establish on your property. For example, if your parcel is zoned for residential use, you would generally not be able to place a business on this property. Upon request, the Planning Department can give you a complete listing of what is permissible in your specific zoning district. It is extremely important that you know this information before you purchase and/or develop a piece of property in the County or you could be buying property that can’t be developed as desired.
Yes. You can build a home in a General Business zoning district so long as the property is at least 3600 square feet in size. Homes built in a General business district are not afforded the same type of protection as homes built in residential districts. For example, if a new business such as a convenience store wanted to locate next door to your home, they would not be required to provide any setback from the property line as they would if your house was located in a residential zoning district. Further your home would not be protected from impacts of noise or traffic generated by the market.
The SR zoning district is limited to homes built on the site or factory-built (modular) homes so you could not put a mobile or manufactured home on a property that is zoned SR-43. There is a process called rezoning which enables you to request a change in the zoning of your property to see if you could gain approval for a zoning district that allows manufactured homes. Rezonings require two public hearings and approval by the Board of Supervisors. Further, many criteria are considered for rezonings such as whether the proposed new zoning district fits in with the type of development on neighboring properties. Consequently, a rezoning is not guaranteed. In order to begin this process, you must contact the Planning Department in Bisbee with your tax parcel number and discuss how you wish to develop your property with one of the planners.
If you wish to establish a business or “home occupation” in your residence, you need to contact the Planning Department in Bisbee and speak with one of the planners. They will give you a questionnaire to fill out. Upon submission of this questionnaire along with a hand-drawn sketch plan showing where the business will be located, a determination will be made regarding whether the business qualifies as a home occupation. Please note, however, that “home occupations” by definition are limited in scope and large scale businesses such as auto repair, manufacturing, etc., would not be permitted in residential areas.
The subdivision process is available for dividing large parcels into a number of smaller parcels for sale. Any parcel that is divided into more than 5 new parcels any one of which is smaller than 36-acres must complete the subdivision process. You can contact the Planning Department and talk to a planner for more information.
Contact Rural Addressing personnel at 432-9260 with your tax parcel number. In most cases, rural addresses are provided to the public when you come in to apply for a building permit for construction on your property.
In most cases, however, it is best to check with your local postmaster to determine how your mail will be delivered in your specific area.
The addressing grid system created by the program is fundamental to the creation and maintenance of the Enhanced 911 system. When in place, Enhanced 911 service will ensure that the addresses created under the Rural Addressing program will appear on the computer screen when a caller simply dials 911, allowing emergency service providers (e.g. the fire and sheriff’s department) to more quickly respond to an emergency call. Additionally, the Rural Addressing program has produced a series of address atlases or street maps to assist emergency providers in finding the address in question. Note that the public can purchase these. The Rural Addressing program will also make it easier for delivery services such as UPS to find your property.