Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Neighbors object to 121 Lofts on Beverly, citing traffic, safety and neighborhood character
Summary
Residents from a Main Street neighborhood told the City Council that a proposed 121-unit loft project on Beverly would double neighborhood population, increase daily vehicle events by hundreds, and harm safety and property values. The council took comments and named a single spokesperson approach for group presentations.
Residents near Beverly and Westwood urged the Mesa City Council to block or alter a proposed 121-unit loft development, saying the project would double local population, increase traffic and harm neighborhood safety and character.
Linda Spy, a neighborhood spokesperson, told the council the area has about 70 homes and that the proposed development would add “500 vehicle events a day,” which she said would make streets unsafe for children who walk to three nearby schools and for residents who already face speeding and porch theft. Spy said the neighborhood includes many long-term homeowners and that two owners had listed properties to avoid the project.
She criticized the building’s design and density, saying it would be “ugly” and would attract crime. Spy urged the council to redirect project access to Main Street so traffic would not cut through neighborhood streets and asked that the development be redesigned as single-family homes rather than lofts.
Other residents spoke in turn about cul-de-sac design, parking, the likelihood that investor purchasers could buy ‘for-sale’ units intended for residents, and the lack of green space in comparable projects. Frankie Bauer, who identified himself as a District 6 resident, said limited parking and rental-unit conversions are real concerns and urged council attention to parking and affordability provisions. Another commenter advocating traffic-signal improvements suggested lane-specific lights and more left-turn yield phases to improve flow near larger intersections.
Mayor Mark Freeman said he would accept a single spokesperson to represent the many blue-card speakers on the topic and asked staff to note the concerns. The council did not take action on the development at the meeting; public comment was recorded for the record.
