Permit Review Detail
Review Status: In Review
Review Details: RESIDENTIAL NEW DWELLING v.6
Permit Number - TC-RES-0525-02575
Review Name: RESIDENTIAL NEW DWELLING v.6
Review Status: In Review
| Review Date | Reviewer's Name | Type of Review | Description | Status | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | Bldg Permits - Post Review Express | PENDING ASSIGNMENT | |||
| N/A | Design Review - Standard | PENDING ASSIGNMENT | |||
| 05/12/2026 | Addressing Validation | REQUIRES RESUBMIT | If you have questions, please contact PDSD-Permits@tucsonaz.gov The address attached to the permit is 522 E HELEN ST Unit 2. Once this review is complete, please resubmit construction plans with matching address on all pages. Step-by-Step instructions on how to resubmit: https://www.tucsonaz.gov/files/sharedassets/public/pdsd/documents/tdc-faq/new-pdfs/revisions-and-resubmittals.pdf |
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| 05/07/2026 | Residential Zoning | REQUIRES RESUBMIT | PDSD TRANSMITTAL FROM: Jeffrey W. Cassidy, Planner Planning & Development Services Department – Current Zoning Review Section PROJECT: TC-RES-0525-02575 – Residential Building – Attached Sleeping Quarters Addition with Carport 522 E HELEN ST Unit 2 TUCSON, AZ 85705 (NR-1 Zoning) Site Plan Review – 5th Review TRANSMITTAL DATE: May 07, 2026 This site is in the R-1 Residence Zone (UDC 4.7.8). An accessory dwelling unit is permitted use in this zone (Table 4.8-2) subject to Use Specific Standards 4.9.7.B.6, 8, & 9 and 6.6.3. Plan review for the above referenced sleeping quarters has been completed. This letter reflects comments to be addressed. For facilitating a shorter back check time, please provide updated plans and calculations with a written response to each of the notated items indicating action taken. Do not cloud the changes made for comment updates; revisions are processed if changes occur after the permit is issued. 1. COMMENT: With how the sleeping quarters are being presented (full size refrigerator, double sink and permanent stove top), this portion of the project would, instead, classify as an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), incur impact fees, require landscaping per Ordinance 12219 and require a separate address from Pima County. If this was not the intent, change the refrigerator to an undercounter, half-size, remove the permanent stove and change the sink from double basin to single basin. If the intent is to be an ADU, refer to comments 2 thru 5. 2. COMMENT: A. As part of the passing of Ordinance 12219 this past December of 2025, the following landscaping is required for all new single family residential, middle housing development, and accessory dwelling units, as of January 01, 2026, per UDC 7.6.8.. https://middle-housing-cotgis.hub.arcgis.com/pages/Residential-Landscaping-Code 1. One tree / 1,000 floor area. 2. A 5’-0” wide strip of vegetative groundcover is required within the front yard setback per the calculation below (minus the sections that have a driveway and/or pedestrian sidewalk (from the street sidewalk to the units’ front entrance). Parcels with less than 30 lineal feet of street frontage may place the required ground cover in alternate locations indicated on the site plan. (X Linear feet of Street Frontage) – (Y curb cut width) x (5 Foot Depth) = Z Square Feet of required vegetative groundcover. 3. Plants must be low to very low water use with a hardiness rating of 15 degrees Fahrenheit or lower and non-invasive. Options are listed in Section 5-02.5.0 of the Technical Standards Manual. Exceptions to these criteria or plants that are not listed in Section 5-02.5.0 of the Technical Standards Manual, may be approved by the PDSD Landscape Architect. B. Required landscaping must be located as follows: 1. A minimum of fifty percent of the required canopy trees must be located within the front yard setback area. i. Exception: If site constraints prevent new tree placement in a front yard, five shrubs may be substituted per required tree. Required trees must still be placed elsewhere on the site. Shrubs used as a substitute plant material for the required tree shall range from three feet in height by three feet in width, or larger. Shrubs must follow the relevant spacings from utility lines in section 5 01.5.11of the Technical Standards Manual but can be planted one radius of their mature width from foundations, enclosed sidewalks, sidewalks, and curbs. ii. Exception: The tree required for an accessory dwelling unit may be placed anywhere on site. 2. Trees may be planted at varying distances apart. 3. Required landscaping is not restricted to the first 10 feet onto the property from the existing or future right-of-way line. 4. Newly planted trees must be placed at a minimum distance from existing or proposed City of Tucson-owned or private utility-owned lines, as found in section 5-01.5.11 of the Technical Standards Manual. Tree plantings are not permitted in El Paso Gas Easements or under overhead power lines. 5. Trees shall be placed a minimum of ten feet from the center of the tree trunk to any enclosed structure. 6. Trees shall be placed a minimum of five feet from the back of the sidewalk or curb. If this standard cannot be met, then root barriers are required and must be illustrated on the submitted construction plans. 7. Trees must be planted in a six-to-nine-inch depressed planting area of at least 50 square feet (four-foot radius, or alternatives as proposed) and at least ten feet away from a building foundation. 8. Existing, established trees on property, at least 4 inches trunk diameter at chest height, located at least ten feet from the foundation or with an unobstructed dripline at maturity, shall count toward this requirement. The root systems of existing trees used for this requirement must be protected from soil compaction during construction using perimeter protective fencing around the dripline. Established trees are not required to have a depressed planting area. Existing shrubs and vegetative groundcovers may also be used toward the required landscaping. C. Vegetation shall be established, maintained, and sustained throughout its life in support of the City’s tree count, climate, and walkability goals. One of the following two options may be used: 1. Drip or bubbler irrigation with backflow protection. A simple irrigation system can be part of the domestic water supply for the residence. 2. Alternate methods, such as rainwater harvesting, hand watering, and greywater systems, as proposed by the property owner and approved by the PDSD Landscape Architect. D. Example Site Plan with Landscape Graphics, etc. https://www.tucsonaz.gov/files/sharedassets/public/v/2/pdsd/documents/plan-samples/full-site-plan_feb2026.pdf https://www.tucsonaz.gov/files/sharedassets/public/v/1/pdsd/documents/plan-samples/full-site-plan-spanish.pdf 3. COMMENT: The site plan provided is incomplete. Specifically: A. Per the plat, the north and south property lines are 48’-0” feet wide. Update and recalculate lot square footage and lot coverage table. B. Provide Middle Housing landscape graphics and associated notes. C. Provide NR-1 zoning labels on all four sides of this parcel (including this parcel). D. The scale noted does not match the plan graphics on the site. Update the graphics to match the scale noted or vice-versa. 4. COMMENT: Per UDC 6.6.3.B.5., An accessory dwelling unit is limited to 75% of the gross floor area of the principal dwelling, not to exceed 1,000 square feet of gross floor area. Currently, the principal residence is listed as 1,094 square feet and 75% of 1,094 is 820 square feet. The ADU square footage exceeds this standard as it is listed as 1,096 square feet and needs to be modified to meet UDC 6.6.3.B.5. 5. COMMENT: Per the City of Tucson Inclusive Home Ordinance 10463: all new dwellings have a requirement to provide an “accessible route from public and common areas, including, but not limited to, a driveway or public street or sidewalk”. Draw, dimension, and label an accessible route from the driveway, sidewalk, or street to an accessible entrance. Ensure the route meets accessibility standards as articulated in Sections 402-404 of the Accessibility Standards. See also TSM 7-01.4.3 for specifications, including the minimum 4ft-width, slope and permissible composition materials. 2017 ICC A117.1 with Supplement 1 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities 6. COMMENT: Zoning has acknowledged this property has a structure on-site with a with ‘contributing status’ with the National Register of Historic Places and advises the owner to contact the State Historic Preservation Office (HPO) to determine if this project will impact the status. Contact https://azstateparks.com/SHPO for more information. This comment is purely made as a courtesy as there may be tax implications. No action is required and is at the discretion of the owner. 7. COMMENT: Site Zoning cannot approve this permit until a related Special Districts permit, SD-xxxx-xxxxx, is first approved and the PDSD Director's Decision Letter is resubmitted as part of this permit. This step doesn’t appear to have even been started yet as no SD # has been created yet. For questions about the Special Districts application or the Director's Decision Letter, reach out to the Historic Review Section to Gabriel Sleighter at gabriel.sleighter@tucsonaz.gov Please upload the Director's Decision Letter here once received. Zoning cannot approve this permit until this task has been completed. 8. COMMENT: Additional comments may be forthcoming on the next review based on responses to Zoning and other PDSD reviewer comments. RESUBMITTAL OF THE FOLLOWING IS REQUIRED: 1. Corrected building permit 2. Provide a detailed response letter (clarification narrative) with your submittal that clearly shows how you have addressed all Zoning comments. 3. Resubmit ALL documents associated with this permit (all drawings in sheet index) To resubmit visit Tucson Development Center at https://tdc-online.tucsonaz.gov/#/home Instructions for resubmittal - https://www.tucsonaz.gov/files/sharedassets/public/v/1/pdsd/documents/tdc-faq/old-pdfs/double-old/resubmittals.pdf If you have any questions about this transmittal, please contact jeffrey.cassidy@tucsonaz.gov The Unified Development Code (UDC) can be found at: https://www.tucsonaz.gov/Departments/Planning-Development-Services/Codes/Zoning-Code |
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| 05/04/2026 | PDSD Application Completeness Express | REVIEW COMPLETED |