[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6083818,"mediaKeyId","2926604-56af1eb699e0fa86379d33eb20f1726c","parentId",2926604,"title","Residents split during public comment over Mesa nondiscrimination ordinance","audioSeconds",631,"startMs",6224000,"endMs",6855000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2926604-56af1eb699e0fa86379d33eb20f1726c&start=6224&end=6855","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2926604-56af1eb699e0fa86379d33eb20f1726c/thumbnail_6224000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6083818/Mesa/Maricopa-County/Arizona/Residents-split-during-public-comment-over-Mesa-nondiscrimination-ordinance","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083818-8c11cbea8c5c8ca677acb4fbde331425/orig.mp4?Expires=1771026253&Signature=IBlnArAPr4ULEUeOSzL9-3WtsgFtvZS4nF30AhR2cGGPgai4V7BWyWjEl1wDbA2yqTWMXNktkEHf9wgj1wW3AKgC69HOJiLFKz0YVi3sELgWiZRnnpuHwqixj6BwwVhZEhcDPeWubaOnu13mETcx9rTZAXDDJNE5~refovDkLVORKOWPUClLzkz27m2sSwaFjv1TXlTKwDHsKFRsEoFuKN1UjlLVxMZX8fLx49Y7cdPFJXvzrct8Y2Vx6Q7ncbSK~vP35oVa8Iv90zGSt6KXhRNWwMJO0ArzOmC3vOZP~gMpJOjWZsoxihwYB5CgFXW-iQfpoPY4hPg5zWVhctdQ6g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Mesa, AZ","date","2025-04-08T03:27:37Z","article","At the April 7 Mesa City Council meeting, public commenters raised sharply divided views on the city’s nondiscrimination ordinance (NDO). Several speakers urged repeal or tightening of the ordinance citing privacy and safety concerns; other speakers— including local advocacy groups and residents—urged the council to retain and uphold the NDO to protect vulnerable residents.

Why it matters: Mesa’s nondiscrimination ordinance affects how city policies treat people based on protected characteristics in housing, employment and public accommodations. Commenters said the ordinance touches schools, public safety and civil-liability exposure; supporters said the ordinance provides legal recourse for discrimination and balances privacy and religious-liberty concerns.

Speakers calling for repeal or revision raised liability and safety scenarios. Antoinette (last name on file), who described herself as a Mesa mother, cited an incident in Deerfield, Illinois, and argued the ordinance created “uncapped liability and litigation.” She asked the council to “repeal this ordinance or to at least close the door for future uncapped liability and litigation” and requested restoring a narrower fair-housing focus. Other speakers asked the council to reinstate protections for sex-separated spaces and expressed concern about alleged incidents in schools.

Speakers defending the NDO urged the council to preserve protections for LGBTQ residents and emphasized the ordinance’s privacy safeguards. Liz McDonald, who said her family supported the ordinance, noted that “there has not been 1 civil case that has been brought because of it” since its adoption and urged the council to continue treating Mesa as “a welcoming city.” Michael Soto, president and CEO of Equality Arizona and a native of Mesa, said the city’s language balanced privacy and religious-liberty protections and disputed the assertion that trans people pose a public-safety threat: “There has never been even 1 credible evidence of documented case where a transgender person has assaulted a non transgender person in a public restroom or locker facility.” Soto also said transgender people face elevated risks of being assaulted in public restrooms.

Other public-comment themes at the meeting related to political organizing and outside influence. Monica Phillips urged residents to support Councilmember Julie Spilsbury, saying the group Turning Point USA had targeted Spilsbury with outside-funded campaign materials that Phillips said were intended to intimidate local leadership.

No council action on the nondiscrimination ordinance was taken at the April 7 meeting. Councilmembers received the public comments and did not schedule ordinance changes or hearings on the topic that evening.

Provenance: public-comment statements recorded on the April 7 meeting transcript; no legislative action was taken on the ordinance during the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Meeting - 4/7/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Public comment at the April 7 meeting included calls to repeal Mesa’s nondiscrimination ordinance and counter-comments defending it; speakers cited safety, liability, civil-rights protections and outside political influence.","taxTitle","Mesa, Maricopa County, Arizona","taxId",2210,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6083823,"Mesa council approves consent agenda including liquor licenses, contracts and zoning items",242,326000,568000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2926604-56af1eb699e0fa86379d33eb20f1726c&start=326&end=568","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2926604-56af1eb699e0fa86379d33eb20f1726c/thumbnail_326000.jpg","/articles/6083823/Mesa/Maricopa-County/Arizona/Mesa-council-approves-consent-agenda-including-liquor-licenses-contracts-and-zoning-items","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083823-c808b6de7fe7d0277860d1a944854ef1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771026253&Signature=JNcGoNCTiy9JWpBRwxWhcflyKB839zl7R~qZ01kN5cDEwFFh43XegRb0f4dlQ3F66d06bPg-Vqk2iTjSg4ajnR6vRONUYGpFCnMSQ-UkicbOnbtYMHZvYaP8bFaKBUd866lejGJ30EZpx9bau~tY-NZnZ1yveUJRU1ZBppZghCGlFmVAa7nBOIJKkz8sWZ00w6rGJ4CZK5IJsQLaS2alhb~BeWmLS2fGtrCCUiMnpC8CsJXDALsxc-gCFBQTkr4C~XP~3uZAlw7jvH7W9yLlWEY1CDShU2ZMc5f1yV6JwxdxZ9nYrRVglJpX6gZ~1U0vrPlzcE8avUU1QtFfF5l41g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mesa City Council on April 7 approved the meeting’s consent agenda, advancing multiple routine items including liquor-license applications, several multi-year city contracts, grant pass-through resolutions and introduction of several ordinances.

The council’s consent vote, moved by Councilmember Billsbury and seconded by Councilmember Duff, cleared the following notable items listed in the meeting packet: liquor-license applications for Copper State Taphouse, Extra Mile and French Toast Cafe; vendor awards and term contracts for safety shoes, office furniture and fleet services; a contract for pool cool-deck resurfacing for Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities; a 16-month cooperative-contract use authorization for security and protection systems for the Mesa Police Department; and resolutions to accept pass-through grant applications for local performing-arts and community organizations. The council also set May 19, 2025, as the public hearing date for the fiscal-year 2025–26 annual assessments for the Mesa Town Center Improvement District and introduced multiple zoning-related ordinances including a Municipal Court monitoring-fees provision and an easement-extinguishment amendment.

Why it matters: The consent agenda bundles administrative approvals that permit routine city operations, vendor relationships and the procedural steps for grant applications and zoning notices. Approvals authorize staff to execute contracts, proceed with public hearings and continue project review processes without separate debate on each item.

Mr. Christopher, presenting the items, read the list of consent matters during the meeting and called them for a single motion. After Councilmember Billsbury moved and Councilmember Duff seconded, the clerk asked for the vote; Vice Mayor Summers verbally responded “I vote aye” and the mayor announced the motion passed.

The items will proceed to their next administrative or implementation steps: contract awards move forward to procurement execution, grant applications will be filed and—where ordinances were introduced—those changes will follow the city's posting and public-hearing requirements before final adoption.

Votes and formal action: Motion to approve the consent agenda (items 2–5, portions of 6–8 as listed in the meeting packet), moved by Councilmember Billsbury, seconded by Councilmember Duff; outcome — motion approved (consent agenda adopted). The public transcript records the motion, the vice mayor’s affirmative vote and that the motion passed; a full roll-call tally was not recorded on the public transcript.","Council approved the consent agenda on April 7, 2025, moving forward multiple liquor license applications, city contracts and introduction of ordinances; the consent motion passed after a single voice vote.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6083828,"Mesa council continues 121 North Beverly rezoning after neighborhood concerns",4330,594000,4924000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2926604-56af1eb699e0fa86379d33eb20f1726c&start=594&end=4924","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2926604-56af1eb699e0fa86379d33eb20f1726c/thumbnail_594000.jpg","/articles/6083828/Mesa/Maricopa-County/Arizona/Mesa-council-continues-121-North-Beverly-rezoning-after-neighborhood-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083828-2f617a03a3b51ab7ba7f0036285dfecc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771026253&Signature=VnUdhFD~4V1Jz~0sWF3UuOdTiRV5hGxSkCpkFVxQK5GkrIzdkrxVHJ6FMKkDCsIJYih3hZGSBq2IhZVGOnUZm144xXpca37EH8mu88wTVZchpcnhxYx08IuL~eTeH2psTERJ9p4xmwsxagOp1-M4Jc12qEpy6IXASZjY9xFyjWTNiGUJqizE0c-8-gcTiRnkamhGl9yVIvFvLmR4LJka4IsCCfkROdOMXNrBCuSTikK3WI6hfJz2fpJ8aFAeLn2b8NG6llNVHaPPL1ryIA5CTlGGpXSlrl6SZEmCLqwFO2DgrpYjAbcpPQmhj4sdMnhCWMphfwyjiYfqnbXRr04gwQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mesa City Council on April 7, 2025, voted to continue consideration of a rezoning and planned-area development request for “The Lofts at 121 North Beverly,” a proposed multifamily project in the Westwood neighborhood, so staff, the applicant and residents can work through outstanding issues including density, vehicle access and park impacts.

The continuance, made at the request of Councilmember Adams and seconded by Vice Mayor Summers, was put forward after more than 30 members of the neighborhood spoke to the council during a public comment period. Council members said they wanted more time for the developer and neighbors to try to reach compromises on unit count, sight lines, traffic calming and whether the project would be marketed as for-sale units or rentals.

Why it matters: the parcel sits adjacent to Beverly Park and inside a long-established residential area. Residents said the proposed project’s scale and the volume of additional vehicle trips could change the character of the neighborhood, raise safety risks for children who walk to nearby schools and overload narrow local streets. The developer and some neighbors said the project is intended to provide housing options in an aging neighborhood.

Neighbors cited neighborhood character, traffic and safety. “The Lofts at 121 proposal is incompatible with the identity, values, and safety of this historical Mesa neighborhood,” said Brett Stevenson, a homeowner who spoke during public comment. Several residents said they had been told the project would be for sale, and that the prospect of rental units would increase turnover and reduce neighborhood stability. Jeremy Rowley, who said he grew up on the property, told the council the project was designed to be for ownership and rooted in local history: “This wasn't something that we were just trying to boot together and, you know, just pass through. There was a lot of time and effort put into this.”

The applicant and project team stressed design elements and mitigation. Kevin Boyle, the applicant, presented architecture and landscape plans during a longer presentation and said the project’s layout places three-story units along the park “so that we have eyes on the street” to improve safety. Boyle told council members the project was designed with garages and private amenity spaces so the units would function like houses and to encourage ownership; he said, “The project is always intended to be for sale.”

Staff and consultants flagged regulatory limits and technical constraints. Mary Baumler of planning staff said the application before the council is for multifamily housing and that the developer would need to return later to modify the planned-area development if they pursue a condominium/ownership structure: “We do not have an application in for ownership. It is for a multifamily residential project.” Eric Cadarian, interim transportation director, told the council the neighborhood’s narrow streets and the required emergency-access standards limit the city’s ability to install a long cul-de-sac: “City code for the longest cul-de-sac that we should have is 400 feet. This cul-de-sac length would be 1,300 feet.” Cadarian’s summary of the traffic work noted the consultant’s estimate that the project would generate about 446 daily trips and peak-hour increases of roughly 28 trips in the AM and 35 trips in the PM.

Council members split on next steps but agreed to allow more time. Several council members said they wanted to hear directly from neighbors before taking final action; others said rezonings should not be conditioned on whether a project is sold or rented. After discussion, Councilmember Adams moved to continue item 6A to allow staff, the applicant and neighbors to negotiate potential design and density changes; Vice Mayor Summers seconded the motion and the council approved the continuance.

What happens next: staff will work with the applicant and neighborhood representatives to address outstanding issues described during the April 7 hearing. Council did not set a specific return date at the meeting; staff indicated a future public hearing will be scheduled and properly noticed once a revised submittal is ready. No final zoning decision or building approvals were made at the April 7 meeting.

Votes and formal action: Motion to continue consideration of agenda item 6A (rezoning/PAD for The Lofts at 121 North Beverly), moved by Councilmember Adams, seconded by Vice Mayor Summers; outcome — motion approved (continuance). Specific roll-call vote totals were not recorded on the public transcript.","Mesa City Council voted to continue rezoning and planned-unit development requests for The Lofts at 121 North Beverly to give the applicant, staff and neighbors time to negotiate density, traffic and design changes.","actionData","errors"]

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Residents split during public comment over Mesa nondiscrimination ordinance

Mesa council approves consent agenda including liquor licenses, contracts and zoning items

Mesa council continues 121 North Beverly rezoning after neighborhood concerns