Mesa planning board approves rezoning for 47‑lot Ascension subdivision, adds single‑story limit on northern lots

Mesa’s Planning and Zoning Board on April 22, 2026 unanimously approved a rezoning request that would allow a 47‑lot single‑family subdivision known as Ascension at the northeast corner of East Brown Road and North 32nd Street, with a modification that northern lots be limited to single‑story homes.

The motion, made by Board member Troy and seconded by another board member (name not specified in the record), deleted staff’s condition that would have required the project to meet a 1.24 dwelling‑units‑per‑acre density tied to the Citrus sub‑area plan and instead instructed staff to modify the Planned Area (PA) chart to limit lots 40–47 to single‑story primary structures. The board then voted by roll call and approved the rezoning; the item will advance to City Council for final action.

Staff presentation and recommendation Cassidy Welsh, principal planner, summarized the staff report for case KC25‑0000635: the applicant requested a rezoning from Agricultural (AG) to Single Residence‑15 with a Planned Area (RS‑15 PA) overlay to allow a 47‑lot single‑family subdivision. The site sits in an area where the 2050 Mesa General Plan place type is “rural residential” and the Citrus sub‑area plan anticipates lower‑density RS‑35 development. Staff noted the proposed plan yields roughly 1.27 dwelling units per acre (typical lots of about 22,500 square feet; the northern lots are approximately 25,000 square feet) and that the project would need to remove one lot to meet the Citrus sub‑area density of 1.24 du/acre; staff recommended approval with conditions, including a density‑related condition.

Public concerns: access, turn lanes and parking Several nearby residents spoke during public comment and asked the board to reconsider where the secondary (egress‑only) connection would be placed and to address traffic safety and parking. Michael Stokes, whose backyard borders 32nd Street, asked that the secondary exit be moved to the east side (referred to in the record as Myiramar) so traffic would not be routed directly behind existing homes, saying: “If you put the exit on the east side of Myiramar, you don't have any homes along Myiramar.”

Other neighbors raised related safety concerns. Ryan Smith urged the board to confirm that a right‑turn deceleration lane from westbound Brown Road would be provided if warranted, noting “Brown Road is 45 mph. There's a high school just down the road,” and asked that 32nd Street be considered for a no‑parking designation to prevent overflow parking into the neighborhood. Leita Smith asked whether a traffic study had been done for 32nd Street and reiterated a preference for the secondary exit to avoid running traffic behind homes.

Applicant and staff responses The applicant and city staff said transportation and engineering staff reviewed the project. The applicant stated a traffic generation statement was submitted and that the project did not meet the technical warrant thresholds for a right‑turn deceleration lane into the subdivision. The applicant also said site slope, right‑of‑way configuration and the local street network informed the choice of an exit on 32nd Street and that the proposed 32nd connection was an exit‑only point. Staff clarified that 32nd Street is a public roadway and that no‑parking signage is a separate city transportation process and not an automatic condition of the zoning approval.

Board deliberations and conditions Board members debated the Citrus sub‑area density requirement versus the applicant’s proposed layout. Some members said the small numerical density difference (about 0.03 du/acre) did not by itself justify denying the rezoning; others wanted firm assurances about neighborhood impacts. The board directed staff to remove the staff‑recommended density cap (condition one) and either revise the PA chart or add a condition limiting lots 40–47 to single‑story primary structures; the final motion and approval reflect that modification. The board also discussed clarifying height limits for detached rear‑yard structures in the PA chart.

Next steps With the Planning and Zoning Board approval, the rezoning will move to the Mesa City Council for final consideration. The board’s action was unanimous.

Votes at a glance Motion: Approve KC25‑0000635 (Ascension), rezoning from AG to RS‑15 PA to allow a 47‑lot single‑family subdivision; delete condition one (density cap) and modify the PA to restrict lots 40–47 to single‑story primary structures. Mover: Troy (board member). Second: not specified in the transcript. Roll call: Chair Erys — yes; Vice Chair Peterson — yes; Board member Pitcher — yes; Board member Montes — yes; Board member Blakeman — yes; Board member Carpenter — yes.

(Reporting note: all quotes and attributions are taken from the meeting record; some speaker name spellings in the transcript were inconsistent and are noted in the audit.)