Board approves two-year RV temporary housing and construction yard for Stapley property in Mesa

At a Maricopa County Board of Adjustment hearing, members approved a two‑year temporary use permit allowing an RV to be occupied as temporary housing while a new single‑family residence is under construction at 10579 East McClellan Road in Mesa and separately approved a temporary construction yard that lets the applicant keep shade structures and storage containers in place during construction.

Staff told the board the zoning ordinance’s temporary‑housing category applies to a temporary housing unit itself and not to ancillary shade canopies or shipping containers; staff recommended upholding that interpretation and approving TU250002 (temporary housing) while denying a variance to reduce the required front yard and denying TU250019 for a construction yard in the front setback. The applicant asked the board to treat the improvements as a single package so the temporary structures could remain during construction.

Brent Stapley, the property owner, told the board the structures were placed to support on‑site temporary residency during construction and that moving them would prevent completion of the driveway and final work. “We’re asking for whatever we need to do so that we can keep it there and stay there for at least a hundred and 80 days or get a construction yard,” Stapley said. His wife, Julie Stapley, added the shaded location was the most sensible place on the lot and that removing the shade would cause financial hardship.

Member Clapp said he agreed with staff’s interpretation of “temporary housing” but supported allowing both the temporary housing and the temporary construction yard under the conditions presented to the board. “I support TU250002, and I support the temporary construction yard under TU250019,” Member Clapp said.

The board first voted 4‑0 to approve TU250002 for a two‑year period subject to the conditions in the staff report, then voted 4‑0 to approve TU250019 (temporary construction yard) under the conditions listed by staff. The variance request, BA250024, to reduce the front yard setback to zero was withdrawn by agreement after the board and applicant confirmed the construction‑yard permit would govern the placement of the shade and storage containers. The board noted that the construction‑yard approval will supersede certain conditions of the temporary housing permit where applicable.

The board’s approvals allow the applicant to keep the RV on site as temporary housing while construction proceeds and permit the construction‑yard elements in their existing location for the approved period, subject to the conditions in the staff report and required building permits. The applicant still must apply for any required building permits for the shade structure and shipping containers if a permanent permit is sought once construction concludes.