Sonoran Preserve Edge Treatment Guidelines

Phoenix has over 29,000 acres of mountain preserve and desert parks and has embarked upon an aggressive program to acquire an additional 20,000 acres for the Sonoran Preserve, which will have approximately 150 miles of preserve edge. With such a large desert preserve system in a rapidly developing metropolitan area, it is important that new development be guided by specific criteria when located adjacent to a preserve boundary. The planned Sonoran Preserve is shown on the city's General Plan.

The Planning Commission initiated a zoning ordinance text amendment for the Sonoran Preserve Edge Treatment Guidelines. The Planning, Parks and Recreation, and Development Services Departments prepared a draft of Sonoran Preserve Edge Treatment Guidelines which were approved by the Planning Commission on Wednesday, May 28, 2003.

On October 8, 2003, the City Council adopted the Sonoran Preserve Edge Treatment Guidelines as an amendment to Section 507 Tab A (875 KB, PDF¹) of the Zoning Ordinance.

This amendment to the Zoning Ordinance creates design guidelines for the interface between development and the Sonoran Preserve. Some of the guiding principles that were considered include:

• The Sonoran Preserve is a public amenity, paid for through city sales tax and funding from the Arizona Preserve Initiative (API).
• Wash corridors should provide visual and physical access to the preserve.
• Maintain vegetation typical of the desert for low water use, survivability, and sense of place.
• Maintain views and the feeling of open space as development occurs.

New development adjacent to the Sonoran Preserve will be required to provide a minimum of 60% open edge treatment. This required edge treatment can be accomplished in a variety of ways. Some examples include:

• The use of single loaded streets and cul-de-sacs adjacent to the preserve edge to provide a public sense of ownership of the preserve.
• All multifamily development should be designed so all residents have visual or physical access to the preserve.
• Single family development should not block access to the preserve, but respect the topography of the land, and be rewarded for public access.
• Nonresidential development should compliment the natural edge of the preserve through building configuration, providing for outdoor uses adjacent to the preserve, and the provision of access and shared parking.
• Utilization of a "paseo" or boardwalk feature along the preserve edge.
• Use of a "building envelope" concept for new residential homes on large lots.
• Design of private improved or undisturbed open space adjacent to Sonoran Preserve boundaries.

The Guidelines also address signage, drainage, fencing and walls, landscape materials, trail access and connectivity to the larger trail system and to the preserve.

For additional information, please contact:

For reasonable accommodations, call Theresa Damiani at Voice/602-262-6368 or TDD/602-534-5500 as early as possible to coordinate needed arrangements.

Si desea mas informacion referente a las guias diseno para el tratamiento de borde por favor comuniquese con Armando Munoz al telefono 602-262-6191. Gracias.