KINGMAN – The City of Kingman’s Development Services Department recently hosted its third Developer Workshop, part of an ongoing City Council initiative to strengthen collaboration between city leadership and the local development community. These workshops provide an open forum for developers to share feedback, stay informed on city processes, and explore opportunities to enhance the efficiency of the permitting and development review system. The latest workshop brought together city staff, council members, and developers, with Development Services Director Jason Moquin leading the conversation.
Director Moquin highlighted several key updates underway in the department, centered around a broader rebranding of the city’s development process. This rebranding effort reflects a renewed commitment to greater transparency, responsiveness, and efficiency when working with developers. As part of that initiative, Moquin announced the launch of a new pilot program launching next month designed to significantly reduce application review timelines.
Currently, development applications involving entitlements, such as rezoning, general plan amendments, or conditional use permits, when combined with Site Plan Review and subsequent building plan review on the average can take upwards to seven months to a year to complete. Under the pilot program, those timelines are expected to shorten to approximately three to four months, provided no major revisions are needed to the application.
To accomplish this, the City is combining the Site Plan review and Building Plan Check processes. Previously, these steps were handled separately, often taking a combined 5–7 months due to multiple review rounds and incomplete submittals. Under the new approach, developers will submit more complete and comprehensive set of plans earlier in the process, allowing staff to perform a thorough review of the proposal through the Development Plan Review Process and provide detailed feedback within the first several weeks of the project’s early development phase. This change encourages better coordination between project teams and city staff, improving efficiency and making it possible for some projects to receive permits within just one or two rounds of review during the plan review and concurrent Site Plan review process
The workshop also addressed changes prompted by Arizona House Bill 2447, which goes into effect in January 2026. The legislation requires cities and towns to handle certain approvals, such as subdivisions commonly referred to as preliminary and final plats and site plans, administratively, without the need for public hearings. Although site plans are currently reviewed administratively the subdivision process will now join other applications that are reviewed and approved administratively. This change is expected to simplify and accelerate the review process for many developers.
In addition, the city announced the upcoming launch of a new electronic permitting and submittal portal, scheduled for October 2025. The platform will allow applicants to submit and track permits online, view real-time updates, and understand exactly what is needed to keep their projects moving forward. “These workshops are about creating a better process for everyone involved,” said Moquin. “We’re listening, we’re adapting, and we’re making the changes necessary to support responsible growth in Kingman.”
The next Developer Workshop is tentatively scheduled for late October 2025.
For more information about the City of Kingman’s Development Services Department, please visit: www.cityofkingman.gov.
