Queen Creek, AZ Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Density Bonus Law (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- Zoning Ordinance § 4.8, Table 4.8-1
- Qualifying benefits
- Park land, open space, ag preservation
- Maximum density factor
- 1.3 times base district density
- Extra ceiling
- Capped at General Plan's max density
- Minimum compliance
- Bare minimum dedication earns no bonus
- First offense penalty
- $250 civil penalty
Summary
Queen Creek's Zoning Ordinance lets developers earn extra dwelling units above a zoning district's base density under Section 4.8 and Table 4.8-1. Dedicating public park land, open space, or agricultural preservation acreage can unlock a density bonus, capped at a maximum density factor of 1.3 times what the district otherwise allows.
4.8 Density Bonus. A. ... An applicant may be granted a density bonus as established in Column (C) of Table 4.8-1 by providing any of the community benefits listed in Column (A) of Table 4.8-1 herein, consistent with the criteria set forth in Column (B) of Table 4.8-1. No density bonus shall be granted for mere compliance with the minimum park dedication, open space dedication, or agricultural preservation requirements of this Ordinance. ... multiplied by the factor set forth in Column (D) of Table 4.8-1 and provided further that the total dwelling units permitted shall not exceed the maximum density within the applicable land use category of the General Plan. ... Table 4.8-1 Density Bonus (A) Community Benefit: Public Park Land Dedication, Open Space Dedication, Agricultural Preservation. (B) Criteria: Acreage shall comply with Section 5.5 of this Ordinance. ... (D) Maximum 1.3
Full Breakdown
8-1, in exchange for one of three community benefits listed in Column (A): public park land dedication, open space dedication, or agricultural preservation. 5 of the Ordinance. The Ordinance is explicit that meeting only the bare minimum park dedication, open space dedication, or agricultural preservation requirement does not itself earn a bonus, the benefit has to exceed what the underlying standards already require before it counts. 3 times what its zoning district would otherwise permit. Even with that multiplier applied, the Ordinance layers on one more ceiling: the resulting number of dwelling units still cannot exceed the maximum density allowed by the applicable land use category of the Town's General Plan, so a density bonus can never be used to build at a density the General Plan itself would not support.
Violations & Fines
Claiming a density bonus without meeting Table 4.8-1's criteria, or building beyond the 1.3 maximum density factor once a bonus is applied, makes any excess units an unlawful use under Section 2.6 of the Zoning Ordinance, the Town's general zoning violation provision, which carries a civil penalty of $250 for a first offense, $500 for a second offense within 12 months, and $2,000 for a third.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much extra density can a Queen Creek project earn?
What earns a density bonus in Queen Creek?
Does an open space dedication automatically get a density bonus?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Queen Creek
Compare Queen Creek to another location·View the Arizona zoning overlays & bonuses overview
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Density Bonus Law in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Maricopa County handle density bonus law.