ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session

Majority Research Staff

House: GOV DPA 4-3-0-0

HB 2793: annexation of territory; procedures

Sponsor: Representative Carbone, LD 25

Caucus & COW

Overview

Establishes a process for annexation when a single property owner initiates the annexation and owns 100% of the property to be annexed.

History

Current statute outlines the requirements for extending and increasing the corporate limits of a city or town by annexation. In order to annex territory, the city or town must file in the office of the county recorder a blank petition that sets forth a description and accurate map of all the exterior boundaries of the territory contiguous to the city or town proposed to be annexed.

The governing body of the municipality must hold a public hearing to discuss the annexation proposal where notice must be sent at least six days before the hearing by publication in a newspaper of general circulation, posting in at least three conspicuous public places and by first class mail to the chairperson of the board of supervisors of the county in which the territory proposed to be annexed is located (A.R.S. § 9-471).

Provisions

1. Allows the annexation notification requirements to be met:

a. by a municipality publishing the notice electronically if, when announcing through a newspaper, the newspaper maintains an online platform that is available in the municipality where the territory proposed to be annexed is located; and

b. for a single parcel that is no more than 160 acres in size, by posting a single notice in an area that is most visible on the site of the parcel that is proposed to be annexed. (Sec. 1)

2. Allows the following to apply if the territory proposed to be annexed encompasses the real and personal property of the property owner who initiates the annexation and they represent 100% of the real and personal property that would be subject to taxation by a municipality in the event of annexation:

a. a municipality to waive the requirement for the 30-day waiting period and the public hearing; and

b. the annexation becomes final after the municipality's governing board adopts the annexation ordinance. (Sec. 1)

3. Permits a municipality, on obtaining a statement that contains the ownership information from this legislation, to file with the prospective county recorder within a year of filing for annexation. (Sec. 1)

4. Makes technical and conforming changes. (Sec. 1)

Amendments

Committee on Government

1. States that provisions relating to determining contiguous territory do not apply to territory that at the time of annexation was adjacent to the same municipality and was owned by the same municipality.

2. Allows a newspaper to publish notices of annexation in their electronic edition.

5. ---------- DOCUMENT FOOTER ---------

6. Initials ML HB 2793

7. 2/12/2026 Page 0 Caucus & COW

9. ---------- DOCUMENT FOOTER ---------