Chandler, AZ Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Downtown Design Guide (2026)

Article XXXII of the Zoning Code (§§ 35-3200-35-3205) creates the City Center District as a standalone downtown zone 'separate and distinct from any other area of the City,' limited to the historic town-site frontages named in § 35-3201 and shown on the Official Zoning Map, the district cannot be expanded elsewhere. Section 35-3204 sets development standards: buildings may sit at a zero-foot setback from front, side and rear lines; height is capped at 30 feet at the setback line, rising to a maximum of 45 feet only within a 45-degree upward sloping plane; and mechanical equipment and trash enclosures must be screened per § 35-1902.

18. ' Any development, redevelopment, facade renovation, or use expansion exceeding 20 percent of existing floor area triggers § 35-3205's architectural plan review, the property owner must get the exterior design approved by the Historic Preservation Commission before a building permit issues, unless it was already approved through a use-permit process under § 35-3204. Routine repainting in the same color, crack sealing and structural repairs that preserve the existing look don't need review. The Commission judges applications solely on materials, colors, forms, masses, fixtures and features for consistency with the required style; a contested decision can be appealed to the City Council within 30 calendar days. Approval expires after one year if no building permit issues, though the Zoning Administrator may grant one one-year extension if requested before expiration.