Skip to main content
CityRuleLookup

Coconino County, AZ Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

General hearing permits
storm drainage report required (§5.1.C.1.J)
Utility-scale renewable projects
LID standards required (§3.19.E.4)
Technical standard
County Drainage Design Criteria Manual
Biomass facilities
separate ADEQ stormwater control permit
Completeness review
60 calendar days (A.R.S. § 11-1605)

Summary

Coconino County's zoning ordinance requires a preliminary storm drainage report for any permit that goes to public hearing, and layers on numeric low-impact-development standards for utility-scale energy projects. Section 5.1.C.1.J covers general drainage submittals; Section 3.19.E.4 sets the county's most detailed stormwater control requirements.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Coconino County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

The project shall be planned with low impact development stormwater management techniques, as outlined in the Drainage Design Criteria Manual, to capture and infiltrate stormwater and rainwater. Biomass Energy Installations shall obtain a stormwater control permit for the facility, including materials stockpiles, from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. Additional stormwater controls may be required. ... Plans and/or a preliminary report describing the proposed provisions for storm drainage, sewage disposal, and such other public improvements and utilities as the Director may require in order to give a full evaluation of the project.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.

Full Breakdown

J. The Community Development Director decides what level of detail that report needs on a project-by-project basis; the ordinance does not print a single countywide detention or runoff-rate number for ordinary development. The zoning ordinance's most detailed stormwater standard instead applies to Utility Scale Renewable Energy Systems. 4 requires that 'the project shall be planned with low impact development stormwater management techniques, as outlined in the Drainage Design Criteria Manual, to capture and infiltrate stormwater and rainwater,' and that 'Biomass Energy Installations shall obtain a stormwater control permit for the facility, including materials stockpiles, from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality,' with the county reserving the right to add 'additional stormwater controls' as needed.

Both provisions route back to the same technical reference, the county's Drainage Design Criteria Manual, and to the County Engineer's review authority referenced throughout Chapter 5's permit-submittal sections, meaning drainage adequacy for larger or hearing-level projects is evaluated case by case rather than through a fixed subdivision-wide formula.

Violations & Fines

An incomplete or missing storm drainage report makes a hearing-level application administratively incomplete under Section 5.1.C.1, delaying or blocking the 60-day completeness review the ordinance sets under A.R.S. § 11-1605. For utility-scale renewable projects, failing to obtain the required Arizona Department of Environmental Quality stormwater control permit, or exceeding the Drainage Design Criteria Manual's low-impact-development standards, is a permit-condition violation the county can enforce against under Section 3.19.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Coconino County have a numeric stormwater detention standard for a new house or business?
Not a single published number. Ordinary hearing-level permits must include a preliminary storm drainage report under Section 5.1.C.1.J, and the County Engineer or Community Development Director determines the specific drainage provisions needed based on the site, referencing the county's Drainage Design Criteria Manual.
What stormwater rules apply to a large solar or wind farm?
Section 3.19.E.4 requires low impact development techniques to capture and infiltrate stormwater on site, following the county's Drainage Design Criteria Manual. Biomass energy installations also need a separate stormwater control permit from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality before construction stockpiles or facility operations begin.
Who reviews stormwater plans for a Coconino County permit?
The Community Development Director and County Engineer review storm drainage submittals for hearing-level permits under Section 5.1.C.1.J, while utility-scale renewable projects also answer to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality for any required stormwater control permit. The applicant bears the burden of showing the report meets the Director's requirements.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Coconino County

All Coconino County rules

Compare Coconino County to another location·View the Arizona environmental rules overview

Get notified when Stormwater Management in Coconino County, AZ changes

We'll email you the moment we detect a change in the code. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We'll never sell or share your email. One-click unsubscribe in every email.

See something wrong?

Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.