Where We Work
Phoenix is where E-Project's residential and multifamily capability overlap most: custom homes and additions alongside townhomes, condominiums and subdivision work. It is also the jurisdiction where knowing which expedited program applies is worth real money.
A house in Phoenix has two fast tracks. Self-Certification lets a City-certified architect certify code compliance in place of City plan review, with permits issued in one to five business days depending on scope. Priority Expedited Plan Review costs three times the base plan review fee and halves the published review goal. If the parcel is hillside, neither program is available and Section 710 caps lot coverage at 25%.
Local Process
| Plan type | Goal | Actual avg |
|---|---|---|
| Custom & standard plans | 30 days | 30 |
| Major remodels & additions | 30 days | 37 |
| Minor remodels & additions | 20 days | 24 |
| Plot plans | 5 days | 2 |
Calendar days, initial review. The City republishes this monthly and advises planning around the longer of goal and actual — worth noting that both remodel and addition categories were running over goal.
The program has run since 2010 and lets registered professionals certify code compliance in place of traditional City review. All new building construction and alterations are eligible — single-family homes, additions, ADUs, multifamily and commercial — unless the project falls into one of the excluded categories below.
Sources: PDD Self-Certification · Self-Certification Eligibility Chart (Rev. 08/26) · PDD Priority Expedited Plan Review
Zoning Reference
| Minimum lot width | 60 ft |
| Minimum lot depth | 94 ft |
| Front setback | 20 ft |
| Rear setback | 25 ft |
| Street side setback | 10 ft |
| Interior side setbacks | 10 ft and 3 ft |
| Maximum height | 2 storeys and 30 ft |
| Lot coverage | 50% + 10% for ADU and attached shade structures = 60% |
Per Table 613.1. The PRD option allows reduced setbacks and up to three storeys within the same 30-foot height cap. Other districts — RE-35, R1-18, R1-10, R1-8, R1-14 — vary and should be confirmed per district table.
Triggered where natural terrain on any lot or portion has a slope of 10% or greater, in all zoning districts.
Source: Phoenix Zoning Ordinance §710
Cited from City-published materials as of 2026. E-Project confirms the current district standards and any overlay for your specific parcel at feasibility.
Beyond Single-Family
Phoenix is where E-Project's non-residential and multifamily capability matters most to developers and investors. The portfolio includes townhome and condominium communities from 4 to 240 units, subdivision work producing multiple home plans for builders, tenant improvements, office buildings and mixed-use.
Bella Victoria (240-unit apartment complex, 2017), Villa Rialto (42 units, 2016), The Crossing at Gila Springs (60 units, 2020), Nido 18 (18 units, 2021), Bella Vita (18 units, 2016), The Luxe (10 units, 2019), Miller Square (10 units, 2019), Earl 6, Turney Court, Wilshire Place and Saguaro Blvd Townhomes.
Alexanor Subdivision (2024, multiple home plans for builders), Paradise Lane (in construction) and Pinchot Square (in design).
Office buildings including USAA, Galleria, Office Building 55-06 and a pharmacy office building; Moda Executive Suites tenant improvement; Portland Center mixed-use.
Yes, in most cases. Under the City of Phoenix Self-Certification Program eligibility chart (revised August 2026), all new building construction and alterations are eligible — including single-family homes, additions and ADUs — except hazardous occupancies, new high-rise buildings, extra-large assembly occupancies, alternative materials, and projects in a Hillside Development Area or a FEMA Special Floodplain Hazard Area. The certifying architect takes responsibility for code compliance in place of City plan review, and the City states permits can be issued within one to five business days depending on scope. To certify building plans the professional must be an architect or structural engineer registered in Arizona for at least three years who has completed the City's training.
PEPR is the City of Phoenix expedited path whose eligibility explicitly includes non-hillside single family residences when resources are available. The fee is three times the base amount for the plan type, and review time is one-half of the published goal for that plan type, with prorated refunds possible if the City misses the deadline. Whether it is worth it depends on your carrying cost — halving a 30-day goal to 15 days on a custom home is meaningful if a construction loan is running. PDD may deny expedited status when staff resources are insufficient.
The City publishes a monthly turnaround report. In the July 2026 edition: custom and standard plans goal 30 calendar days with actual average 30; major remodels and additions goal 30 with actual average 37; minor remodels and additions goal 20 with actual average 24; plot plans goal 5 with actual average 2. The City recommends planning around the longer of goal and actual, and both remodel and addition categories were running over goal.
Substantially. Phoenix Zoning Ordinance Section 710 applies where natural terrain on any lot or portion of a lot has a slope of 10 percent or greater, in all zoning districts. It caps lot coverage at 25 percent where slopes exceed 10 percent, sets a minimum 18,000 square foot lot with 120-foot width and depth for standard single-family, limits density by slope band, and requires a slope analysis and density study before rezoning, preliminary site plan or building permit. Hillside status also disqualifies a project from both Self-Certification and Priority Expedited Plan Review.
Under the standard option in Table 613.1, R1-6 requires a minimum 60-foot lot width and 94-foot depth, with front setback 20 feet, rear 25 feet, street side 10 feet and interior sides 10 feet and 3 feet. Height is limited to two storeys and 30 feet. Lot coverage is 50 percent, plus an additional 10 percent for an accessory dwelling unit and/or attached shade structures, for a total of 60 percent. Other districts vary and should be confirmed against the applicable district table.
Whether PEPR is worth three times the fee depends on your project. Tell us the scope and we will tell you straight.
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