The Surprise City Council unanimously approved the General Plan 2035 Tuesday night, May 14, setting the stage for Surprise voters to decide whether to approve the document, which is a policymaking guide for city officials in all phases of future development.
The council’s 7-0 approval means the Surprise General Plan 2035 will be on the ballot in the general election this November.
State law requires all municipalities to update the General Plan every 10 years through a voter-ratification process.
The update is the product of an 18-month long process that included discussions and decision-making by a 15-member volunteer panel appointed by Mayor Sharon Wolcott and the City Council in May 2012.
The General Plan Advisory Committee considered public-input surveys; input from various city boards and commissions; and numerous outreach events including informational booths at spring training games, block parties and open houses.
The Surprise Planning and Zoning Commission approved the updated plan May 3 and following council passage, all that’s needed before the public weighs in is a review by the Arizona Attorney General.
The General Plan 2035: Foundation for the Future can be viewed online at www.surpriseaz.gov/generalplan.
