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Large Scale Development Process
1: Plan Preparation
Plan preparation is the first and most important step. It consists of gathering development regulations and specifications and meeting with departments to work out the details of the development proposal.
1. Concept Meeting - Voluntary
To schedule: Planning Department, 479-271-3122, email
At the Concept Meeting, the customer meets with city staff to discuss the development plan. Staff will assist in determining compliance with zoning codes and explaining the development review process. Staff will provide the customer with the Pre-Application Conference Requirements which must be used to prepare plans for the Pre-Application Conference.
2. Customer Plan Preparation
The customer prepares the large scale development plans following the Pre-Application Conference Requirements form. Customer should meet with appropriate departments to discuss specific items. Visit the Codes page for resources helpful in plan preparation.
3. Pre-Application Conference (Wednesdays)
To schedule: Planning Department, 479-271-3122, email
When the customer has prepared plans in accordance with the pre-application conference requirements, they can schedule a Pre-Application Conference. At this conference, held on Wednesdays, the customer and city staff review the plans for completeness. When staff determines the plans are complete, they will sign the Authorization to Apply, which is required to submit an application.
Once all departments have signed the Authorization to Apply, customers can proceed to Phase 2: PC Approval
II: PC Approval
Planning Commission (PC) must approve large scale developments. The process can take a minimum of 36 days. However, the published submittal date does not guarantee a planning commission date. An item will be placed on the PC agenda only after all comments are satisfied. The customer is responsible for meeting submittal deadlines and addressing comments in a timely manner.
Planning Commission approval gives the customer permission to proceed to the next phase but does not grant permission to begin construction.
4. Planning Commission Application
Customer submits a complete Large Scale Development application on eTrakIt along with the Authorization to Apply to the Planning Department by noon on the published submittal date. The application and supporting documents must include all items on the application checklist.
5. Comments and Resubmittals
Staff review the submitted plans for compliance with city codes and provide comments back to the customer. This process goes back and forth until all department are satisfied.
- 1st Submittal: Departments publish comments 1 ½ weeks (Wednesday) from the submittal deadline. The applicant has approximately 1 ½ weeks to adjust the plan to reflect the 1st Submittal Comments.
- 2nd Submittal: Customer submits the 2nd Submittal to Planning (or via eTrakIt) by noon on the Monday 1 ½ weeks from when the 1st Submittal Comments were published. Staff provides 2nd Submittal Comments in 1 week (Monday).
- 3rd Submittal: Customer submits the 3rd Submittal the day before the Planning Commission meeting. For each additional submittal, staff comments will be available seven days from the next Monday after they are submitted.
6. Planning Commission Meetings
When all departments are satisfied with the submittal, the Planning Department will place the item on the Planning Commission agenda for their review and approval.
- Tech Review Meeting. PC reviews the submittal with the customer and sets the final agenda.
- 4:30 p.m.
- Tuesday prior to PC meeting
- 305 SW A Street
- Planning Commission Meeting. PC will approve or deny the submittal, with approval contingent upon adequately addressing any remaining staff comments.
- 5:00 p.m.
- 1st and 3rd Tuesdays
- 305 SW A Street
NOTE: Planning Commission approval does not mean construction can begin. It can only begin after the Pre-Construction Conference.
Upon PC approval, customer can proceed to Phase 3: Pre-Construction.
III: Pre-Construction
The pre-construction phase allows for finalization of outstanding comments, electric service design, and building plan review. Grading or construction on the site cannot begin until after the Pre-Construction Conference. The length of this process depends on the customer’s timely response to outstanding comments and the completeness of architectural plans.
7. Construction Review & Electric Design
Customer works with the Engineering Department and other utility departments to address outstanding comments from the PC approval. In the meantime, the Electric Department initiates electric service design and the customer pays all development fees.
8. Building Permit Application
Customer submits a complete building permit application to Building Inspections. Building Inspections and the Fire Department must preliminarily accept the plans prior to the customer proceeding to the Pre-Construction Conference.
9. Pre-Construction Conference
To schedule: Engineering Department, 479-271-3168
Customer can schedule a Pre-Construction Conference, held on Thursdays, when all of the following have been met:
- All city department comments are addressed.
- Building Inspections and Fire Marshals have preliminarily accepted the architectural plans.
- Outside agency approvals have been submitted to Engineering (ArDOT, ADEQ, ADH, etc.).
- Customer has paid all fees, including fees-in-lieu and Performance Guarantees.
Customer and staff discuss the construction process using the Pre-Construction Checklist. Staff will stamp construction plans and identify the inspections and permits required.
After the Pre-Construction Conference, customer can proceed to Phase 4: Construction and Inspections.
IV. Construction
After the Pre-Construction Conference, Building Inspection can issue the building permit and construction can commence.
Inspections take place by various departments throughout the construction process. If an inspector finds that construction is inconsistent with approved plans, the city has the authority to issue a stop work order and require the customer to go back through the process, beginning with a new application and planning commission approval.
10. Building Permit Issuance
Building Inspections will issue the building permit when the following have been met:
- Engineering held the Pre-Construction Conference.
- Fire Marshal approved the permit in eTrakIt.
- Building Inspections approved the permit in eTrakIt.
- Customer paid permit fees.
Customer can pick up the building permit and placard from the Building Inspections Department or can print from eTrakIt. Placard must be posted on-site during construction.
11. Engineering Site Inspections
To schedule: Engineering, 479-271-3168
Customer begins construction and builds per the approved, stamped plans and is responsible to ensure the project complies with the approved plans. Customer schedules site-related inspections with Engineering. If an inspection fails, the customer is responsible for making corrections and scheduling a re-inspection. Re-inspections fees may apply.
12. Building & Fire Inspections
To schedule: Building Inspections, 479-271-3125
Customer schedules building inspections and fire inspections in the order provided on the Project Inspection form. Requests for inspections should be made 24 hours prior to when the inspection is requested. Requested inspection times are not guaranteed.
Building Inspectors inspect structures for compliance with building, electric, plumbing and HVAC codes. Fire Marshals inspect the site and building for compliance with the Fire Code.
When all building and fire inspections are approved, customer can proceed to Phase 5: Project Completion.
V: Project Completion
Project completion consists of final inspections for the site and structures and issuing the Certificate of Occupancy.
13. Site Final Inspection
To schedule: Engineering Department, 479-271-3168
When the Engineer of Record certifies, in writing to the Engineering Department, that the site and drainage are complete and installed in accordance with city specifications, the customer schedules a Site Final inspection, held on Tuesdays, a minimum of seven days prior to the requested inspection date.
Individual departments participate and conduct their reviews using the Site Final Checklist and provide comments and pass/fail results by the following Monday.
Only when the Site Final inspection passes can the customer schedule a Building Final inspection.
14. Building Final Inspection
To schedule: Building Inspections, 479-271-3125
Customers can schedule a Building Final inspection when the following have been met:
- All fees have been paid, including impact fees.
- Engineering has passed the Site Final inspection.
Building Inspections and the Fire Marshal’s office will inspect the building for compliance with adopted fire and building codes and provide comments and pass/fail results.
15. Certificate of Occupancy
Building Inspections can issue the C of O when the Site Final and Building Final inspections have all passed.
A Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) is the official documentation that the project and building meets code and is ready for human occupancy. The building must have a C of O in order to change utilities out of the contractor’s name and into the occupant’s name.