Scottsdale, AZ Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)

C sets Hillside Landform Site Design Criteria that the Development Review Board applies to site plans located in the hillside landform outside a subdivision plat. The stated purpose is to protect lives and property from disasters tied to poorly designed hillside development and to mitigate erosion, boulder rolling, rockfalls and landsliding. The operative erosion rules require all construction to be set back at least 20 feet from boulder features, unless the Development Review Board approves a design that still protects public safety; require unprotected slopes to be protected from focused stormwater flows; require all storm runoff to be directed toward natural channels using best erosion-control practices; and require minimizing removal of native vegetation from areas outside approved construction envelopes.

These sit alongside broader ESL design standards in Sec. G, which require exterior materials and colors to blend into the desert setting and require watercourse modifications, including walls or fences crossing a natural wash, to follow the standards in Chapter 37 (Floodplain and Stormwater Regulation) and the city's Design Standards & Policies Manual. A request to modify, redirect or divert a watercourse carrying 50 cfs or more in a 100-year event must show the change results in equal or enhanced open space quality, restores removed vegetation, and does not worsen drainage on adjacent properties.