Ariz. Admin. Code § 12-15-713

Current through Register Vol. 30, No. 50, December 13, 2024

Section R12-15-713 - Water Report

A. An application for a water report shall be filed by the current owner of the land that is the subject of the application.

B. An applicant for a water report shall submit an application on a form prescribed by the Director with the initial fee required by R12-15-103(C), and provide the following:

1. A title report, condition of title report, limited search title report, or recorded deed, dated within 90 days of the date the application is filed and demonstrating that the applicant is the owner of the land that is the subject of the application;

2. A plat of the subdivision;

3. An estimate of the 100-year water demand for the subdivision;

4. A list of all proposed sources of water that will be used by the subdivision;

5. If the applicant is seeking a finding that the subdivision has an adequate water supply, evidence that the criteria in subsection (E) of this Section are met; and

6. Any other information that the Director reasonably determines is necessary to decide whether an adequate water supply exists for the subdivision.

C. Each applicant shall sign the application for a water report. If an applicant is not a natural person, the applicant's authorized officer, managing member, partner, trust officer, trustee, or other person who performs similar decision-making functions for the applicant shall sign the application. If an applicant submits a letter, signed by the applicant and dated within 90 days of the date the application is submitted, authorizing a representative to submit applications for permits regarding the land to be included in the water report, the authorized representative may sign the application on the applicant's behalf.

D. After a complete application is submitted, the Director shall review the application and associated evidence to determine:

1. The estimated water demand of the subdivision,

2. Whether the applicant has demonstrated all of the requirements in subsection (E) of this Section.

E. The Director shall determine that the subdivision has an adequate water supply if the applicant demonstrates all of the following:

1. Sufficient supplies of water are physically available to meet the estimated water demand of the subdivision, according to the criteria in R12-15-716;

2. Sufficient supplies of water are continuously available to meet the estimated water demand of the subdivision, according to the criteria in R12-15-717;

3. Sufficient supplies of water are legally available to meet the estimated water demand of the subdivision, according to the criteria in R12-15-718;

4. The proposed sources of water will be of adequate quality, according to the criteria in R12-15-719;

5. The applicant has the financial capability to construct adequate delivery, storage, and treatment works for the subdivision according to the criteria in R12-15-720.

F. The Director shall issue a water report to the applicant that states whether the applicant has complied with the requirements in subsection (E) of this Section.

G. The Director shall review an application for a water report pursuant to the licensing time-frame provisions in R12-15-401.

H. The Director may review or modify a water report if the Director receives new evidence regarding the criteria in subsection (E) of this Section. The Director shall not modify a water report pursuant to this subsection if any of the residential lots included in the plat have been sold. To determine whether a water report should be modified pursuant to this subsection, the Director shall use the standards in place at the time the original application was submitted for the water report. If the Director modifies a water report, the Director shall:

1. Provide for an administrative hearing pursuant to A.R.S. Title 41, Chapter 6, Article 10; and

2. Notify the Arizona Department of Real Estate.

I. An owner of land that is the subject of a water report may request a modification of the water report at any time by submitting an application in accordance with subsection (B) of this Section. To determine whether a water report should be modified pursuant to this Section, the Director shall use the standards in place at the time of review.

J. A water report is subject to the provisions of R12-15-708.

K. An owner of a subdivision that is located within a mandatory adequacy jurisdiction and that will be served Colorado River water by a municipal provider may apply for an exemption from the requirement to obtain an adequate water supply determination from the director or a commitment of water service from a designated provider according to A.R.S. § 45-108.03(A)(1)(b) by submitting an application on a form prescribed by the Director and demonstrating that the criteria in subsection (K)(2) of this Section are met. Upon receiving an application according to this subsection, the Director shall:

1. Review the application according to the licensing time frame provisions in R12-15-401.

2. Determine whether the applicant has demonstrated that all of the following apply:

a. Sufficient supplies of water will not be legally available to meet the estimated water demand of the subdivision in a timely manner because the municipal provider will serve Colorado River water to the subdivision and the municipal provider does not currently have the legal right to serve the Colorado River water to the subdivision;

b. The municipal provider currently has an entitlement to Colorado River water, according to the criteria in R12-15-718(G);

c. The municipal provider will have the legal right to serve the Colorado River water to the subdivision within 20 years;

d. An interim water supply will be used to serve the subdivision until the municipal provider has the legal right to serve the Colorado River water to the subdivision and the interim water supply meets all of the criteria in subsection (E) of this Section, except that the supply will be available for the interim period and not for 100 years; and

e. When the municipal provider has the legal right to serve the Colorado River water to the subdivision, the Colorado River water supply will meet all of the criteria in subsection (E) of this Section.

3. If the Director determines that the criteria of subsection (K)(2) are met, issue a letter to the applicant, the platting authority, and the Arizona Department of Real Estate stating that the owner is exempt from the requirement to obtain an adequate water supply determination from the director or a commitment of water service from a designated provider.

L. An owner of a subdivision that is located within a mandatory adequacy jurisdiction and that will be served by a water supply project under construction may apply for an exemption from the requirement to obtain an adequate water supply determination from the director or a commitment of water service from a designated provider according to A.R.S. § 45-108.03(A)(1)(a) by submitting an application on a form prescribed by the Director and demonstrating that the criteria in subsection (L)(2) of this Section are met. Upon receiving an application according to this subsection, the Director shall:

1. Review the application according to the licensing time frame provisions in R12-15-401.

2. Determine whether the applicant has demonstrated that all of the following apply:

a. Sufficient supplies of water will not be available to meet the estimated water demand of the subdivision in a timely manner because the physical works for delivering water to the subdivision are not complete;

b. The physical works for delivering water to the subdivision are under construction and will be completed within 20 years;

c. An interim water supply will be used to serve the subdivision until the physical works for delivering water to the subdivision are fully constructed and the interim water supply meets all of the criteria in subsection (E) of this Section, except that supply will be available for the interim period and not for 100 years; and

d. When the physical works for delivering water to the subdivision are fully constructed, the water supply will meet all of the criteria in subsection (E) of this Section.

3. If the Director determines that the criteria of subsection (L)(2) of this Section are met, issue a letter to the applicant, the platting authority, and the Arizona Department of Real Estate stating that the owner is exempt from the requirement to obtain an adequate water supply determination from the director or a commitment of water service from a designated provider.

Ariz. Admin. Code § R12-15-713

Adopted effective February 7, 1995 (Supp. 95-1). Section repealed; new Section made by final rulemaking at 12 A.A.R. 3475, effective September 12, 2006 (Supp. 06-3). Amended by exempt rulemaking at 16 A.A.R. 1205, effective June 15, 2010 (Supp. 10-2). Amended by exempt rulemaking at 16 A.A.R. 1950, effective September 10, 2010 (Supp. 10-3). Amended by final rulemaking at 17 A.A.R. 659, effective June 4, 2011 (Supp. 11-2). Amended by final expedited rulemaking at 28 A.A.R. 909, effective 4/11/2022.