What's Hot

    Yuma Funding CIP Projects with $116M Bond Issuance

    September 24, 2025

    100KSF MOB Planned at Chandler Regional Medical Center

    September 23, 2025

    Builder Sales Expectations Up, Sentiment Steady in September

    September 23, 2025
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    AZBEX
    NEWS TICKER
    • [September 24, 2025] - Yuma Funding CIP Projects with $116M Bond Issuance
    • [September 23, 2025] - 100KSF MOB Planned at Chandler Regional Medical Center
    • [September 23, 2025] - Builder Sales Expectations Up, Sentiment Steady in September
    • [September 23, 2025] - Ariz. Construction Added 2,900 Jobs in August
    • [September 23, 2025] - Industry Professionals 09-23-25
    • [September 23, 2025] - Commercial Real Estate 09-23-25
    • [September 19, 2025] - Renovations Continue to Lead Arizona’s Booming Hotel Development Sector
    • [September 19, 2025] - CivicGroup to Repurpose Former Glendale Courthouse Site
    Facebook Twitter YouTube LinkedIn
    • Home
    • News
      1. View Latest
      2. ✎ Planning & Development
      3. 📰 Local News
      4. 🔎︎ Classifieds
      5. 🕵 Editorial Analysis
      6. 💰 Budgets & Funding
      7. 🏢 Commercial Real Estate
      8. 👔 People on the Move
      9. 🌵 Arizona Projects
      10. 🏛️ Legislation & Regulations
      11. 📈 Trends

      100KSF MOB Planned at Chandler Regional Medical Center

      September 23, 2025

      Goodyear P&Z Recommends Rezone for Estrella 14 Master Plan

      September 16, 2025

      Vestar Planning New Retail Mixed-Use in North Phoenix

      September 16, 2025

      Tempe DRC Recommends Approval for 72-Unit Live-Work Development

      September 12, 2025

      Renovations Continue to Lead Arizona’s Booming Hotel Development Sector

      September 19, 2025

      CivicGroup to Repurpose Former Glendale Courthouse Site

      September 19, 2025

      Beale Infrastructure Confirms Updated Plans for Pima County Tech Investments

      September 19, 2025

      Tucson Planning to Study Data Center Restrictions

      September 17, 2025

      Scottsdale Hospitals War May Heat Up with New Banner Request

      July 29, 2025

      Glendale Voters to Determine VAI Resort’s Fate

      May 16, 2025

      Legislation Would Effectively Strip NIMBYs of Referendum Tool

      February 11, 2025

      2025 Forecast Tries to Clarify an Uncertain Market

      February 7, 2025

      Yuma Funding CIP Projects with $116M Bond Issuance

      September 24, 2025

      RTA Funding Proposal Stirs Controversy

      August 15, 2025

      Ariz. LIHTC to Sunset Under New Budget

      July 8, 2025

      State Government Shutdown Averted as Hobbs Signs Budget

      July 1, 2025

      Commercial Real Estate 09-23-25

      September 23, 2025

      Commercial Real Estate 09-16-25

      September 16, 2025

      Commercial Real Estate 09-09-25

      September 9, 2025

      Commercial Real Estate 09-02-25

      September 2, 2025

      Industry Professionals 09-23-25

      September 23, 2025

      Industry Professionals 09-16-25

      September 16, 2025

      Industry Professionals 09-09-25

      September 9, 2025

      Industry Professionals 09-02-25

      September 2, 2025

      Arizona Projects 09-19-25

      September 19, 2025

      Arizona Projects 09-12-25

      September 12, 2025

      Arizona Projects 09-05-25

      September 5, 2025

      Arizona Projects 08-29-25

      August 29, 2025

      Scottsdale to File Notice of Claim Over Axon Bill

      September 16, 2025

      Environmentalists Sue ADWR Over Benson-Area Developments

      September 2, 2025

      Pima County Latest to Amend Zoning for Data Centers

      August 22, 2025

      Tucson City Council Likely to Approve Water Restriction on Large

      August 19, 2025

      Builder Sales Expectations Up, Sentiment Steady in September

      September 23, 2025

      Ariz. Construction Added 2,900 Jobs in August

      September 23, 2025

      Renovations Continue to Lead Arizona’s Booming Hotel Development Sector

      September 19, 2025

      Construction Backlog Down, Confidence Steady

      September 19, 2025

      Yuma Funding CIP Projects with $116M Bond Issuance

      September 24, 2025

      100KSF MOB Planned at Chandler Regional Medical Center

      September 23, 2025

      Builder Sales Expectations Up, Sentiment Steady in September

      September 23, 2025

      Ariz. Construction Added 2,900 Jobs in August

      September 23, 2025
    • AZBEX
      • Subscribe
      • Solicitations
      • Classifieds
      • Advertising
    • DATABEX
      • DATABEX Log-In
      • Webinars
      • Monthly Snapshot
    • Events
      • 2025 Public Works Conference
    • About Us
      • Meet the Company
      • Meet the Sales Team
      • Meet the Editorial Team
      • Meet the BEXperts
    • CIP Special Report
    AZBEX
    Home » Economic Development » Enough Junky Buildings, Mesa Decides
    Economic Development

    Enough Junky Buildings, Mesa Decides

    BEX StaffBy BEX StaffDecember 3, 2019No Comments3 Mins Read
    Credit: LinkedIn
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    By Gary Nelson for East Valley Tribune

    Back in the day when Mesa first appointed a citizens advisory panel to evaluate the appearance of new buildings in the city, they named it the Design Review Advisory Board.

    The acronym – DRAB – may have been unfortunate, but city officials admit it could describe a lot of the architecture passing muster at City Hall over the years.

    DRAB is now just the Design Review Board, but body and the city’s professional planning staff still don’t believe they have the tools they need to begin giving the city a facelift.

    But it’s about to change.

    The City Council has informally signed off on a series of guidelines and ordinance changes will put the city among Valley leaders in requiring high-quality development.

    The new proposals emerged from a year-long series of workshops and forums involving more than 500 developers, builders and private citizens.

    Nana Appiah, Mesa’s planning director, said voters in 2014 approved a general plan calling for “a recognizable city with a strong sense of place.”

    But, he said, “The existing tools have been insufficient in producing the level of quality we want to see.”

    Other cities, meanwhile, have codified numerous requirements aimed at improving the appearance of their neighborhoods and streetscapes. Queen Creek, for example, has 26 such specifications. Phoenix has 25, and Gilbert has 17.

    Mesa has seven.

    But by the time the changes are enacted, Mesa’s total of 21 codified requirements will exceed even Scottsdale, which has 20.

    The new regulations will cover every type of building in the city.

    For residential properties, it no longer will be allowed to build a house with a “snout garage” juts in front of the rest of the building. And new developments must offer architectural variety, with houses of the same design not being allowed next to each other.

    Small-lot developments, in particular, will be held to higher standards, possibly with enhanced requirements for open-space areas and amenities.

    Commercial buildings now must “engage the street,” with parking hidden from passing traffic, and offer pedestrian-friendly environments. Drive-throughs no longer will be allowed to parallel busy arterial streets – they must be at the back or side of the building.

    Even large industrial buildings are covered, with provisions that, again, limit the amount of parking visible from nearby streets and requirements for a variety of building materials to create a pleasing palette.

    The council is expected to approve the new design guidelines on December 2nd, and the associated ordinance changes on December 9th.

    Read more at East Valley Tribune.

    Design Review Advisory Board Design Review Board Design Standards Mesa
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Tumblr Email

    Related Posts

    Buckeye City Council Discusses Annexing Land for Community Master Plan

    August 29, 2025

    Next Steps Coming for Bartlett Dam Expansion

    July 29, 2025

    Mohave County May Remove Data Centers as Economic Development Goal

    July 23, 2025

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    You must be logged in to post a comment.

    Our Picks

    Yuma Funding CIP Projects with $116M Bond Issuance

    September 24, 2025

    100KSF MOB Planned at Chandler Regional Medical Center

    September 23, 2025

    Builder Sales Expectations Up, Sentiment Steady in September

    September 23, 2025

    Ariz. Construction Added 2,900 Jobs in August

    September 23, 2025
    Stay In Touch
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn
    • YouTube
    Don't Miss
    Budgets & Funding

    Yuma Funding CIP Projects with $116M Bond Issuance

    September 24, 20250

    After consultation with the City’s financial advisory firm, Yuma Finance Director Douglas Allen is recommending…

    100KSF MOB Planned at Chandler Regional Medical Center

    September 23, 2025

    Builder Sales Expectations Up, Sentiment Steady in September

    September 23, 2025

    Ariz. Construction Added 2,900 Jobs in August

    September 23, 2025

    BEX serves architecture, engineering and construction firms as well as all the ancillary product and service categories that market to them. These include manufacturing representatives, public agencies and private real estate organizations, specialty subcontractors and services providers related to our industry.

    Our Picks

    Yuma Funding CIP Projects with $116M Bond Issuance

    September 24, 2025

    100KSF MOB Planned at Chandler Regional Medical Center

    September 23, 2025

    Builder Sales Expectations Up, Sentiment Steady in September

    September 23, 2025
    Contact Us

    Phone: 480-709-4190
    Address: P.O. Box 12196 Tempe, AZ 85284
    Email: sales@azbex.com

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.