It almost absolutely describes where all the expanded growth is going > into the Suburbs.
No doubt about that . . . as of April 2018, downtown Mesa qualified as a distressed and neglected neighborhood for
"Opportunity Zones". It's been like that for 40 years or more -
apart from the usual multiple developments outside of "The Old Donut-Hole" inside The Outer Loop-Fringes of Suburbia.
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It all started sometime before or after 2014, when 3 design proposals were presented for something called "Mesa Central" that never got-off-the-ground.
Instead we got a hand-jive from our goofy Mayor John Giles.
Yes, "The Devil's in the details" . . . and we're still dealing with the aftermath five years later!
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Source: http://mesa.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx
Mesa Council Chambers 57 East First Street
Chair Michelle Dahlke
Vice Chair Dane Astle
Board Members::
Jessica Sarkissian
Tim Boyle
Shelly Allen
Jeffrey Crockett
Deanna Villanueva-Saucedo
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3:00 PM Council Chambers - Lower Level Wednesday, September 25, 2019
1 Call meeting to order.
2 Review items on the agenda for the September 25, 2019 regular Planning and Zoning Board Hearing.
3 Receive and discuss a presentation on proposed Quality Design Guidelines and associated text amendments to Chapters 4, 5, 6, 7, 22, 30, 31, 33, 69, 86, and 87 of Title 11 of the Mesa Zoning Ordinance including, but not limited to, the modification and addition of certain site and building form standards, landscape standards, and related definitions.
4 Planning Director's Updates.
(The items in the Planning Director’s Updates are not for Board discussion and no Board action will be taken on the updated items.)
5 Adjournment.
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PUBLIC HEARING
3 Take action on the following zoning cases:
> PZ 19106 ZON19-00434 District 3.
Within the 2600 blocks of West Guadalupe Road (south side) and within the 2800 block of South Carriage Lane (east side). Located east of 101 Price Freeway on the south side of Guadalupe Road. (1.2± acres).
Site Plan Review; and Special Use Permit.
This request will allow for the development of a convenience store with a drive-thru and associated fuel station.
Angie Grendahl, Thompson Thrift Retail Group, applicant;
Larry Toppenberg, JLT Office Complex, LLC, owner.
Planner: Wahid Alam
Staff Recommendation: Approval with conditions
*3-a
< > PZ 19107 ZON19-00477 District 4. Located north of Main Street and east of Center Street
(4.79 ± acres).
Site Plan Review.
This request will allow the development of a university campus and public plaza.
Holly Street Studios Architects, applicant
City of Mesa, owner.
(Continued from August 28, 2019)
Planner: Tom Ellsworth
Staff Recommendation: Approval with conditions
*3-b
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Other items for consideration
> PZ 19108 ZON19-00518 District 6.
Within the 9100 block of East Guadalupe Road (south side). Located west of Ellsworth Road on the south side of Guadalupe Road. (1.2± acres). Site Plan Review.
This request will allow for the development of a retail tire sales and repair facility.
- Neil Feaser RKAA Architects, Inc., applicant
- USTOR - Eastmark, LLC , owner.
*3-c
Page 2 City of Mesa Printed on 9/19/2019
September 25, 2019Planning and Zoning Board - Public Hearing Meeting Agenda - Final
4 Discuss and make a recommendation to the City Council on the following zoning case:
> PZ 19109 ZON19-00473 District 6.
Within the 3100 block of South Eastridge (east side). Located south of Guadalupe Road and east of Hawes Road
(4.2± acres).
Rezone from RS-6 to RM-2-PAD; and Site Plan Review.
This request will allow for the development of a multi-residence development.
- Sean Lake, Pew and Lake, P.L.C., applicant;
- James Render, owner.
Planner: Wahid Alam
Staff Recommendation: Approval with conditions
*4-a
5 Discuss and take action on the following preliminary plat:
> PZ 19111 “Eastridge Manor” District 6.
Within the 3100 block of South Eastridge (east side). Located south of Guadalupe Road and east of Hawes Road
(4.2± acres). Preliminary Plat.
Sean Lake, Pew and Lake, P.L.C., applicant
James Render, owner.
(Companion case to ZON19-00473, associated with item *4-a).
Planner: Wahid Alam Staff Recommendation: Approval with conditions
*5-a
Items not on the Consent Agenda
6 Other Business.
7 Adjournment.
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item *3-b
Holly Street Studios Architects, applicant;
City of Mesa, owner.
(Continued from August 28, 2019) Planner: Tom Ellsworth
Staff Recommendation: Approval with conditions
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Project Narrative for ASU Mesa Futures Lab + The Plaza at Mesa City Center
The ASU Creative Futures Lab at Mesa City Center + The Plaza is a project that will create a new building for ASU's Herberger Institute's Film School and Digital Media Arts and a public space at The Plaza to foster interaction between ASU students and the community at large.
The project scope includes a new ground up three story building with technology services and amenities to serve the film and digital arts schools.
Construction type is IIB with automated sprinkler protection throughout.
The plaza component will feature a new public park, ice skating rink, restroom facilities, and a water feature. All new landscaping, site drainage, and flatwork is included.
STAFF REPORT:
On September 8, 1987, the City Council approved a rezoning request that established the Town Center Zoning Area.
The subject site was specifically zoned Town Center Core (TCC) as part of the zoning designation (Case #Z87-040).
The TCC zoning designation is currently referred to as Downtown Core (DC) within the City’s current zoning ordinance.
The purpose of the Downtown Core District is to encourage the highest intensity of land uses to be developed, redeveloped and maintained within the Downtown.
It is also the purpose of the DC District to provide incentives for the development or redevelopment of under-utilized and bypassed properties within Downtown and to promote the development of a vital, vibrant activity area.
The regulations for the DC District are intended to ensure that higher-intensity land uses are appropriate for the fulfillment of the purpose of the Downtown Core District as a vibrant focal point for the city.
At the same time, the Downtown Core District is created to serve residents, businesses, employees and visitors and to ensure that the visual image of the core of the Mesa Downtown will be maintained and enhanced.
> On November 7, 2011, the City Council approved an overlay to designate a Downtown Event (DE) District (Case# Z11-017).
This
overlay covers the area between Country Club Drive and Centennial Way/Sirrine
and between 1st Avenue and 1st Street.
The purpose of the
overlay district is to allow a greater number of special events in the Downtown
Area in comparison with other areas of the city.
The subject site is within the
overlay area.
> On September 23, 2013, the City Council approved
a Historic Landmark (HL) overlay for the former Mesa Public Library (now City
of Mesa ITD building) (Case#13-033HL).
The subject request includes a portion
of this building.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Background
The subject request is for approval of a site plan review to allow the development of the Arizona State University’s (ASU) Creative Futures Lab on the property.
The site is approximately five acres and mostly used as vehicular parking areas for the City of Mesa municipal building and civic plaza complex employees and visitors.
The proposed site plan shows development of a three-story
building with technology services and amenities associated with the programming
of the building.
The site plan also includes a proposed plaza that will be
developed by the City of Mesa located south of the proposed building and consists
of a public park, ice skating rink, restrooms and other supporting amenities.
General Plan Character Area Designation and Goals
The Mesa 2040 General Plan character designation for
the site is Downtown and specifically is identified as being within a station
area within the transit corridor character area.
Per Chapter 7 of the General
Plan, the focus for this character type is the creation of a
pedestrian-oriented, transit rich environment with a lot of activity.
> This area
is recognized as the governmental, cultural, financial, and entertainment
center of the community.
> The goal for this area is to make it a people-friendly
area that is alive with options for housing, employment, shopping,
entertainment, and events.
The proposed development
of the site for a university campus and a public plaza is in conformance with
the General Plan goals of creating a high level of activities through the
concentration of governmental, entertainment, and cultural facilities and
events.
Central Main Street Area Plan
The subject site is also located within the Modern
Downtown Core development character area within the Central Main Street Sub-Area
Plan. The intent of this area is to provide mid- to high-rise developments as
an integral component of an office, commercial, cultural, and entertainment
core. The proposed multi-story building with an associated public plaza meets
the form and development criteria for the Modern Downtown area as specified in
Chapter 4 of the Central Main Street Sub-Area Plan. From the site plan, the proposed
building is set closer to the street, along Pepper Place, with an active ground
floor programming space to engage the public. The proposed site plan is in conformance with
the sub-area plan.Zoning District Designations:
The subject site is zoned Downtown Core (DC) and within the
Downtown Event (DE) Overlay Area. The proposed development of a university
campus and public plaza is an allowed use within the Downtown Core zoning district.
As part of the proposed development, a section of the City’s
Information Technology Building will be repurposed to support the development.
This includes making certain alterations to the building. Some of the features of the building that will likely be altered includes the canopied walkways on the south side of the building.
On September 23, 2013, the City Council approved a Historic
Landmark (HL) Overlay designation on the property. Per Section 11-74-3 of the
City of Mesa Zoning Ordinance, the request to alter the location of the
canopies and building will require the review and approval of the Historic
Preservation Officer (see condition #4).
Site Plan and General Site
Development Standards:
Per section 11-8-6.A of the zoning ordinance, the
minimum lot area and yard setbacks will vary according to the type of
development, the proposed use, and the size, scope and density of the project. Further the code gives the Planning and Zoning Board the authority to determine the specific density, area, building, and yard regulations for such projects through site plan review. For this request the board will be reviewing the site plan for building and yard regulations.
Section 11-69-5 of the Mesa Zoning Ordnance
outlines the review criteria for approval of a site plan.
The subject request
conforms to the review criteria.
The
site is approximately 5± acres and is currently used as a parking area for the
City of Mesa Municipal Building and Civic Plaza employees and visitors.
The
site plan shows development of a 127,062 square-foot, 3-story university campus
building along the north side of East Pepper Place. The proposed building
height is 65’. The building is setback approximately 19’ from the curb along
Pepper Place with an approximate 12’ canopied sidewalk. The building design
features a walk-through breezeway that will facilitate pedestrian circulation
from the light rail station on Main Street through the site to 1st
Street. The plaza component of the site plan will feature a new public park, ice
skating rink, restroom facilities, and a water feature.
Parking
Per Section 11-32-3.A of the zoning ordinance,
one parking space per 200 square feet is required for use of a building as a
college or university campus. Section 11-32-6.C of the City’s zoning ordinance
allows for a 10% reduction in the required parking spaces if the closest
portion of the proposed development is no more than a ¼ mile radius from a
light rail station or bus rapid stop. This
site is within ¼ mile of the light rail station at Main Street and Center. Overall
572 parking spaces are required for development of the site. This includes the
reduction of 10 percent as outlined in Section 11-32-6 of the Zoning Ordinance.
Per section 11-8-6 of the zoning ordinance, the
required parking can be provided on-site or off-site as approved through the
site plan review by the Planning and Zoning Board. The applicant is proposing to incorporate
required parking spaces for the development as part of the City’s municipal
parking program within the downtown area. Section 11-8-7 of the zoning
ordinance allows such parking provision. Specifically, per the section, required
parking spaces may be provided off-site in a privately or municipally owned
parking garage, commercial parking lot or other approved facility and the term
of the parking agreement shall be the same as the length of the term of the
lease of the property. There are multiple municipal parking facilities within a
1/4-mile radius of the site that have enough capacity to handle the parking
required by the proposed development.
The request is required to be reviewed through
the Design Review process.
Initial review of the development is scheduled on
the Design Reviewed Board’s meeting on August 13, 2019.
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The purpose of the initial
discussion is to solicit feedback from the Board of the design concepts of the
building prior to the final design and review.
Staff will provide the Board
with an update from the design review meeting during the scheduled study
session on August 28, 2019.
Surrounding Zoning Designations
and Existing Use Activity:
|
Northwest
DC
City
Buildings
|
North
DC
City
Buildings
|
Northeast
DC
City
Buildings
|
|
West
DC
City
Buildings
|
Subject
Property
DC
City
Buildings
|
East
DC
Mulit-Residential
|
|
Southwest
DC
City
Buildings
|
South
DC
Mesa
Arts Center
|
Southeast
DC
Office
|
Compatibility with Surrounding
Land Uses:
The site is located in the middle of the municipal building
complex and is adjacent to other DC zoned properties on all sides. The proposed
development will not be out of character with the surrounding area and uses.
Neighborhood Participation Plan
and Public Comments
There have been several neighborhood participation forums to
solicit input from the public over the
last few years. The first meetings to discuss development of the site occurred in May and June of 2014 with over 100 attendees. These meetings included a series of innovative exercises to engage City of Mesa planners, staff, business owners, and residents as an effort to develop consensus among the diverse needs of the community and develop priorities for the City Center site. Through these exercises the following common themes were identified that should be addressed in any plan for the city center: the need for shade, the arts, a variety of spaces, entertainment, the creation of a destination, and parking.
The most recent meeting to solicit residents’ feedback on the project occurred on April 4, 2019 in the Mesa Public Library. The meeting included representatives from ASU, City of Mesa staff, representatives from RAIL Mesa, and residents of the city. A brief overview of the project was discussed with residents. The feedback obtained from the discussion included the need for walkability and connectivity, the location of parking, the design should incorporate shade elements, landscaping and a diversity of materials, and the need to create an iconic memorable place.
As of writing this report, neither the applicant nor staff
has received any comments/concerns from surrounding property owners notified of
the request. The applicant will be providing an updated Citizen Participation
Report to staff prior to the August 28, 2019 Study Session. Staff will provide
the Board with any new information during the scheduled Study Session.
Staff Recommendations: The subject request is consistent with the General
Plan, the Central Main Street Sub-Area Plan, and meets the review criteria for
Site Plan Review outlined in Section 11-69-5 of the MZO; therefore, staff
recommends approval with the following conditions:
Conditions of Approval;
1.
Compliance
with final site plan submitted.2. Compliance with all requirements of Design Review.
3. Compliance with all City development codes and regulations.
4. Prior to the issuance of a building permit, review and approval of a Certificate of a Appropriateness by the Historic Preservation Officer is required for modifications to the City of Mesa ITD building (former City Library) located at 59 East 1st Street.
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File #PZ 19107
| On agenda: | 9/25/2019 |
| Title: | ZON19-00477 District 4. Within the 0 to 100 blocks of East Pepper Place (both sides), the 0 to 100 blocks of East Main Street (north side), the 0 to 100 blocks of East 1st Street (south side), the 0 to 100 blocks of North Center Street (east side) and the 0 to 100 blocks of North Centennial Way (west side). Located north of Main Street and east of Center Street (4.79 ± acres). Site Plan Review. This request will allow the development of a university campus and public plaza. Holly Street Studios Architects, applicant; City of Mesa, owner. (Continued from August 28, 2019) Planner: Tom Ellsworth Staff Recommendation: Approval with conditions |
| Attachments: | 1. Vicinity Map, 2. Staff Report, 3. Site plan, 4. Grading and Drainage Plan, 5. Landscape Plan, 6. Elevations, 7. Narrative, 8. Citizen Participation Report |
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