Pima County Cultural Resources Compliance
Requirements and Processes
Introduction • Review
Process • Comprehensive Plan Amendments • Rezoning
Requests • Grading Permit •Right
of Way Use Permit • Guidelines for Pima County Cultural Resources
Compliance
The term, Cultural Resources, refers to places or
things that are products of human behavior in the past and that exist
in the present, including prehistoric and historic archaeological sites,
historic buildings, structures, and other things resulting from human
actions, and Traditional Cultural Places, which are places associated
with the cultural practices or beliefs of a living community. Pima
County requires that any development with a potential to impact cultural
resources must take into account and mitigate the negative effects
on cultural and historic resources.
As explained in our Laws
and Policies Section, comprehensive planning efforts, subdivision
planning, and other development planning are subject to County policies,
regulations, and codes regarding cultural and historic resources
protection and preservation. Reviews to ensure cultural resources
compliance are required during several phases of the development
planning process, including Comprehensive
Plan Amendments, Rezoning
Requests, and Site
Analysis Reports, and Type
II Grading and Paving Permits .
Additionally, County
Right of Way Use Permits , are subject to cultural resources requirements,
as indicated in the Right
of Way Use Permit application.
Cultural Resources and the Development Services Review Process
All
County Cultural Resources requirements must be met through the appropriate
internal County review procedure to maintain consistency in the review
process and to ensure fair and equitable application of County requirements.
All review submittals and applications must be submitted to the appropriate
Development Services review contact person.
Development Services will forward the pertinent cultural resources
documentation to the Cultural Resources Office for review as part
of the County internal review system. The Cultural Resources Office
will review and respond directly to Development Services in issuing
cultural resources clearance documents or with notifications of the
requirement for additional cultural resources documentation. Development
Services will then advise the developer or applicant of the status
of the review.
Comprehensive Plan Amendments
County review of Comprehensive
Plan Amendments, is necessary to ensure that subdivision developments
take into account and mitigate the negative effects of development
construction on cultural and historic resources. The County can
include Comprehensive Plan policy statements regarding cultural
resources and historic preservation in plan amendments to preserve
and protect significant resources. In the case of Comprehensive
Plan Amendment Requests, the developer will submit all relevant
materials, including cultural resources documentation, to the appropriate
contacts in Development Services Planning Division.
Rezoning Requests and Site Analysis Reports
Rezoning requests,
, and Site
Analysis Reports, submitted in support of rezonings must comply
with County cultural resources requirements. The current cultural
resources status of a development property must be documented in
the Site Analysis Report, including supporting documentation such
as the Arizona State Museum Archaeological Records Check Form and/or
documentation of cultural resources survey of the development property.
The mitigation treatment to account for impacts on cultural resources
also must be documented in the Site Analysis Report. Pima County
Development Services provides guidelines for meeting these requirements.
In the case of Rezoning Requests and Site Analysis Reports, the developer
will submit all relevant materials, including cultural resources
documentation, to the appropriate contacts in Development Services
Planning Division.
Type II Grading Permit
Prior to issuing a Type II grading permit
or in conjunction with Development Plan approval, Pima County cultural
resources requirements must be met, as stipulated under Chapter
18.81 of the Pima County Zoning Code . The Cultural Resources
Office encourages the applicant to address these requirements as
early as possible in the planning phase of the development to avoid
construction delays. Grading permit applications should contain all
relevant cultural resources materials and should be submitted to
Development Services Department for review. Click on the following
link to download the specific compliance steps for a Type II Grading
Permit, Cultural
Resources Requirements for Pima County Type II Grading Permit .
Avoidance of cultural and historic resources is the preferred strategy
to mitigate construction impacts, and can be achieved easily by donation
to the County of a Conservation Easement encompassing the threatened
cultural resources. The Conservation Easement must be a legal, signed
agreement between the property owner and/or developer and the County.
The Conservation Easement will ensure protection of the resources
in perpetuity and must “run with the land” and remain
in effect regardless of changes in land ownership. The Conservation
Easement must be graphically depicted on Plats and development plans
and documented in plat notes and plan notations. The County can assist
the Developer with the development of a Conservation Easement.
Pima County Right of Way Use Permit
Construction within Pima County roadway rights of way to provide
utilities and other infrastructure in support of development requires
a Right
of Way Use Permit .
The permit includes two thresholds for invoking cultural resources
compliance requirements: 1.) if the proposed utility line is 1000
linear feet long, or longer; and 2.) if the proposed utility line
impacts a known archaeological or historic site. County Right of
Way Use Permit Applications should be packaged with all relevant
materials, including cultural resources documentation, and submitted
to the Development Services Right of Way Permits Office.
If you have questions, please contact our office at:
Pima County Cultural Resources and Historic Preservation Office
PIMA COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS CENTER
201 N. STONE AVENUE, 6TH FL.
TUCSON, ARIZONA 85701-1207
520-740-6598
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