Where We Work
E-Project's office is in Scottsdale, at 11445 E Via Linda Dr. The firm's hillside portfolio is largely Scottsdale work — Troon North and Desert Highlands among it — and the Environmentally Sensitive Lands Overlay is a routine part of how projects here get planned.
Scottsdale is a two-regime city for residential work. On a conventional lot, detached single-family additions can go straight to construction document plan review without Development Review approval, and small work qualifies for a 5-business-day Small Scope Review. Cross into the ESL overlay and the calculation changes entirely — Natural Area Open Space obligations, a 24-foot height limit from natural grade, and mandatory review even for minor work.
Local Process
Planning and Development Services, with walk-in service at the One Stop Shop on E. Indian School Rd. Plan review runs across five disciplines — Planning, Building, Engineering, Stormwater and Fire — which is why a set that satisfies one discipline can still collect comments from another.
Detached single-family is exempt — additions or changes may submit for construction document plan review without Development Review approval. Attached, condominium and multi-family properties need Development Review Minor for any exterior change.
Covers roughly 134 square miles north and east of the CAP canal. The core obligation is Natural Area Open Space dedication, keyed to landform and slope:
| Slope | Lower Desert | Upper Desert | Hillside |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–5% | 20–25% | 25% | 50% |
| 5–15% | 30% | 35–45% | 50% |
| 15–25% | 30% | 45% | 65% |
| Over 25% | 30% | 45% | 80% |
Source: City of Scottsdale — ESL · Plan Review Services
Zoning Reference
| Standard | R1-7 | R1-35 |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum lot | 7,000 SF | 35,000 SF |
| Front setback | 20 ft (10 ft corner-lot side street) | 40 ft |
| Side setback | min 5 ft / max 14 ft | min 15 ft |
| Rear setback | 25 ft (22 ft with alley) | 35 ft |
| Max height | 30 ft | 30 ft |
Accessory structures follow separate rules: minimum 2 feet from the property line plus 1 foot for every foot of height over 10 feet, no more than 30% of the rear yard, and minimum 10 feet from the main structure — 5 feet in R1-7. Other districts vary; E-Project confirms the standards for your parcel and district at feasibility. Under the ESL overlay, the 24-foot height limit governs instead of 30 feet.
Scottsdale Work
| Project | Type | Size | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Troon North Residence | Contemporary hillside custom home | 6,500 SF | 2020 |
| Desert Highlands Lot 361 | Contemporary hillside custom home | 3,800 SF | 2021 |
Alongside these, the wider portfolio includes contemporary hillside residences at Garmo (6,500 SF, in construction), Kent 1 and 2 (4,800 SF each, 2018) and Wing (4,100 SF, 2021), plus remodel and addition work including the Zuch Residence at 6,800 SF.
No, not for a detached single-family residence. The City's published position is that additions or changes to detached single-family residences may submit for construction document plan review without Development Review approval. Attached, condominium and multi-family properties are different — those need Development Review Minor approval for any exterior change. The Development Review Board's own scope is commercial development plans and preliminary plats for residential subdivisions.
The Environmentally Sensitive Lands Overlay is a zoning overlay covering roughly 134 square miles north and east of the Central Arizona Project canal. It superseded the older Hillside Ordinance. If your parcel is zoned ESL, it must be submitted for review — the screening is not waived for minor work. The overlay requires a percentage of the parcel be dedicated as Natural Area Open Space based on landform and slope, and limits single-family building height to 24 feet from natural grade rather than the 30-foot base district limit.
The City publishes business-day targets by plan type. Residential remodels and additions under 500 square feet go through Small Scope Review at 1 day administrative and 5 days substantive. Pools, fences, walls and signs are 5 and 5. All other plan types, including general residential, are 7 days administrative and 15 days substantive. Those are initial-review targets — each resubmittal cycle adds another round. Plan review runs across five disciplines: Planning, Building, Engineering, Stormwater and Fire.
Interior painting, cabinets, flooring, non-structural work and re-roofing with the same material need no permit. Detached non-habitable structures of 200 square feet or less with no utilities need no building permit, but still require plan approval from Planning Services staff at the One Stop Shop and must meet setbacks. The Minor SFR Remodel/Addition submittal path covers work under 1,000 square feet with no second-floor addition and no basement.
Yes — hillside and desert residential design is a core part of the practice. Portfolio work includes the Troon North Residence at 6,500 square feet and Desert Highlands Lot 361 at 3,800 square feet, both contemporary hillside homes in Scottsdale, alongside the Garmo, Wing and Kent residences. The firm's office is in Scottsdale.
Our office is here. Bring the address and we will tell you whether ESL applies and what the lot supports.
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Or call 480-626-8648 · info@e-projectinternational.com