Scottsdale’s Planning and Development Services Department coordinates planning, building-plan review, permitting, inspections, and code enforcement. Construction plans can be reviewed across Planning, Building, Engineering, Stormwater, and Fire disciplines before a permit is issued. For projects initiated after January 6, 2026, applications and permit activity are managed through Scottsdale SPUR, the City’s planning and permitting portal.
Site conditions play an unusually important role in northern and eastern Scottsdale. The Environmentally Sensitive Lands (ESL) Overlay regulates development across extensive desert and mountain areas and requires qualifying properties to preserve Natural Area Open Space (NAOS). ESL standards protect features such as native vegetation, washes, mountain ridges, peaks, and wildlife corridors, while the Foothills Overlay adds further protections for the area’s low-density desert character.
Native plants are regulated citywide as well. Scottsdale’s Native Plant Ordinance protects designated indigenous trees and cacti, and projects affecting protected plants must document their location and proposed treatment. A Native Plant Permit is required to remove, relocate, or destroy covered plants in conjunction with an approved or proposed development project, with preservation or salvage emphasized where feasible.
Historic properties and public infrastructure can add separate reviews. Exterior alterations or demolition affecting properties on the Scottsdale Historic Register require Historic Preservation review, while qualifying minor work may receive a Certificate of No Effect instead of a Certificate of Appropriateness. Work within City right-of-way requires separate authorization and inspections. Applicants should therefore check zoning, ESL/NAOS status, native-plant requirements, historic designation, and right-of-way impacts before finalizing project plans.