Community Development

The El Mirage Community Development Department ensures responsible planning within the current and future city limits, as well as engineering and other services. It is the goal of the Community Development Department to provide quality development through quality customer service to all City of El Mirage customers.  The departments' responsibilities include Planning & Zoning, Geographic Information System (GIS), Engineering and Building Safety.   

PLANNING AND ZONING's primary function is to ensure that projects are developed to government regulations and in accordance with development agreements. Long-range planning is achieved by following the City's General Plan.  As changes and goals occur, the General Plan is periodically updated with input from staff, government agencies, neighboring communities and residents and by law a new plan must be adopted or the existing plan be re-adopted by vote of citizens every 10 years (A.R.S. § 9-461.06). The General Plan is a blueprint for future development and its impact on future growth and quality of life.  The mission of the Planning & Zoning division is to assist staff, officials, citizens and developers by providing accurate information on the City General Plan and development regulations and processes.  A major function of the Planning & Zoning division is to periodically review and incorporate changes to the General Plan as the city changes and grows.  

GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM (GIS) is responsible for the City's GIS database.  GIS is a geographic information system that integrates hardware, software, and data for capturing, managing, analyzing, and displaying all forms of geographically referenced information.  The division provides geographic information support for internal and public inquiries. 

ENGINEERING is responsible for providing in-house professional, responsive, and cost effective municipal engineering services to the citizens of El Mirage, as well as other departments of the City. Staff efforts are focused on providing a high level of expertise for designing/planning, advising, administering, and overseeing public improvements within the City with a goal to provide these services on schedule and within fiscal requirements while protecting the public health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of El Mirage.  The Engineering division also oversees all capital improvement projects by coordinating with consultants, contractors, utilities and other government agencies.  The division interacts with the public, property owners, developers, contractors, and other City departments to address City engineering activities which include, but are not limited to infrastructure planning, project design, project construction management, traffic signal control, flood plain management, private development and utility plan review, surveying, and grant coordination.

BUILDING SAFETY is responsible for providing technical advice with regard to fire and building safety codes during the pre-construction phase of projects.  Among the responsibilities of Building Safety is to ensure that buildings are built correctly, sustainably, and safely by providing plan review and inspection services for all vertical construction (residential and commercial).  They also review and inspect all temporary special events for fire and building code compliance; conduct investigations and pursue compliance for damaged or dilapidated buildings that require condemnation and abatement.