Council previews East Market development agreement: 6.6‑acre Eastmark retail node anchored by Sprouts

Mesa staff and the applicant previewed a development agreement for East Market, a 6.6‑acre parcel at Ellsworth and Ray Road in the Eastmark master‑planned community, during the Aug. 14 study session. Ashley Scott, management assistant in Development Services, introduced the briefing; Jay O’Donnell, Economic Development Director, and other staff described the plan and answered council questions.

Staff said Brookfield currently owns the site and that CommonBond is the developer working with the city on a “proof‑of‑concept” retail node. The approved site plan (staff said it has Planning & Zoning approval) shows roughly 55,630 square feet of commercial space made up of four shop pads (about 28,200 square feet total) and a specialty grocery store — identified in staff materials as Sprouts at about 22,200 square feet — plus a 4,200‑square‑foot bank pad. The plan identifies 278 parking spaces (staff noted the code requirement would be 202 spaces but said Sprouts requested additional parking given their customer volume).

The development agreement staff described would not provide a financial incentive; rather it would memorialize land‑use commitments and quality standards intended to shape future development on the parcel. Key land‑use restrictions described in the draft agreement include prohibitions on discount retail, mini‑storage, second‑hand stores and drive‑through facilities (except a single bank teller/ATM drop‑off lane at the bank pad). Staff said the agreement also requires the specialty grocer to be part of the development to help anchor the site and attract complementary retail.

Council discussion focused heavily on walkability and internal pedestrian connections. Several councilmembers praised the aim of attracting higher‑quality retail for Eastmark, and others urged stronger internal pedestrian design so customers could move between shops and the grocery without crossing large surface parking areas. Staff and the developer said the current parcel is one piece of a larger, phased mixed‑use area and that some pedestrian connections and a wide landscaped median with seating are included in the plan; staff said additional connectivity to the north parcel would be improved when that phase is developed. Councilmembers suggested modest site changes — for example, relocating Shop C closer to other pads — to create a stronger internal, walkable core without substantially changing the approved program.

Other points from staff: the site will include full bus‑shelter replacements at about seven stops impacted by the project; staff noted the site includes a wide pedestrian boulevard near the specialty grocer that they expect will funnel people north to future commercial development; and staff emphasized the agreement is intended to keep the parcel attractive for destination retail and hospitality. Staff said the developer has experience with similar projects in the Valley and Tucson and that the agreement’s use restrictions are intended to avoid less‑desirable land uses on a major arterial corner.

Next steps: staff said they will seek council approval of the development agreement at the Aug. 18 meeting and that their intent is to ensure the parcel develops to a higher standard. No final vote was taken during the study session; councilmembers asked staff and the developer to continue refining pedestrian connections and to present any feasible parcel‑level tweaks when the item returns on Aug. 18.