City Moves Forward on Southlands Planning Process

Published on September 10, 2026

On September 9th, the Mayor and Council voted to direct PDSD to begin a public engagement process for an area plan for the Southlands, a largely undeveloped special planning area covering about 50 square miles. The Southlands sits within Wards 4 and 5 and represents almost 20% of the land within city limits. Policy decisions that guide development there will affect the entire Tucson community.

The planning process will engage the entire community, building awareness of the Southlands and its potential impact on Tucson's future, and shaping policies that align with the community's values and interests.

Phase one will focus on information gathering. This includes economic and environmental analysis of the planning area, along with existing reports, studies, and city and regional plans that overlap with or border the Southlands. A working group of stakeholders from different interest groups, along with members of the public, will review this data and help create materials that clearly show the Southlands and the policies it needs.

Phase two will follow, with the heaviest public feedback expected to begin in early 2027.