In this article, unless the context otherwise requires:

Terms Used In Arizona Laws 37-331

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Department: means the state land department. See Arizona Laws 37-101
  • Existing lessee: means any of the following:

    (a) The lessee who is entitled to the use of state lands at the time such lands are considered for classification and are classified as urban lands suitable for urban planning. See Arizona Laws 37-331

  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • Person: includes a corporation, company, partnership, firm, association or society, as well as a natural person. See Arizona Laws 1-215
  • State lands: means any land owned or held in trust, or otherwise, by the state, including leased school or university land. See Arizona Laws 37-101
  • Urban lands: means any state lands which are adjoining existing commercially or homesite developed lands and which are either:

    (a) Within the corporate boundaries of a city or town. See Arizona Laws 37-101

1. "Conservation" has the same meaning prescribed in section 37-311.

2. "Existing lessee" means any of the following:

(a) The lessee who is entitled to the use of state lands at the time such lands are considered for classification and are classified as urban lands suitable for urban planning.

(b) An existing lessee who continues to lease urban lands following classification as urban lands suitable for urban planning.

(c) A person who leases urban lands following classification as urban lands suitable for urban planning.

3. "Local planning authorities" means any city, town or county in which urban lands suitable for urban planning are located. When urban lands that are located in an unincorporated area of a county are designated as urban lands suitable for urban planning, a city or town whose corporate boundaries are three miles or less from these lands shall be considered to be a local planning authority, together with the governing body of the county in whose jurisdiction the lands are located.

4. "Planning contractor" means the person or persons who contract with the department to formulate a development or secondary plan for urban lands suitable for urban planning.

5. "State general plan" means a policy document that addresses appropriate uses for state lands, provides a general basis for a development plan and makes policy statements related to the use and management of state lands.