Maricopa County, AZ Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Density Bonus Law (2026)
Key Facts
- Where it applies
- Highway 74 Scenic Corridor overlay only
- Bonus amount
- Up to 2x base zoning density
- Required trade
- Recorded non-development easement
- Approval path
- Rezoning request + Board of Supervisors
- Countywide program
- None: overlay-specific only
Summary
A density bonus exists only in the Highway 74 Scenic Corridor overlay, letting developers double base density if they leave part of a parcel undeveloped.
To encourage areas of no development within the Corridor, a transfer of density for residential development equal to twice the base zoning will be allowed in property outside and adjacent to the non-developed portion of the property (when the development proposes no development within the Corridor). To receive the density bonus, a non-development easement agreement must be prepared and submitted as part of an accompanying rezoning request for increased density.
Full Breakdown
Countywide, Maricopa County has no general density-bonus program. The one density bonus in the MCZO is narrow: inside the Highway 74 Scenic Corridor Overlay Zoning District, a developer who keeps a segment of the Corridor undisturbed may transfer density equal to twice the base zoning onto the remaining, non-Corridor portion of the same property. It requires a recorded non-development easement plus an accompanying rezoning request; the Board of Supervisors approves the increased density before zoning clearance issues.
Violations & Fines
Building at the transferred, higher density without an approved rezoning and a recorded non-development easement voids the bonus; the county treats the excess units as an unapproved density increase subject to standard zoning enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Maricopa County have a countywide density bonus program?
What do I have to give up to get the density bonus?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Maricopa County
Compare Maricopa County to another location·View the Arizona zoning overlays & bonuses overview
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