Banks and Financial Institutions Permitted Locations in Mesa, Arizona

In the City of Mesa, banks and financial institutions are permitted by right in all Commercial and Downtown Business districts, as well as most Employment districts including Planned Employment Park, Light Industrial, and General Industrial. Specialized permissions or Council Use Permits are required for facilities featuring drive-up teller windows or for non-chartered financial institutions such as payday lenders [Section 11-6-2, Section 11-7-2, Section 11-8-3].

Permitted Zoning Districts for Banks

The City of Mesa categorizes "Bank, Financial Services" as an institution providing retail banking services, including credit unions. This classification specifically excludes check-cashing stores and non-chartered financial institutions as a primary use [Section 11-86-4].

The following table outlines the districts where banks and financial institutions are allowed in the City of Mesa:

District Group	Specific Zoning Districts	Permission Status
Commercial Districts	Neighborhood Commercial (NC), Limited Commercial (LC), General Commercial (GC), Office Commercial (OC), Mixed Use (MX)	Permitted (P)
Employment Districts	Planned Employment Park (PEP), Light Industrial (LI), General Industrial (GI)	Permitted (P)
Downtown Districts	Downtown Business 1 (DB-1), Downtown Business 2 (DB-2), Downtown Core (DC)	Permitted (P)

Regulations for Drive-Up ATMs and Teller Windows

While the base use of a bank may be permitted, the inclusion of a "Drive-Up ATM/Teller Window" often requires a higher level of discretionary review, such as a Special Use Permit (SUP) or a Council Use Permit (CUP), depending on the specific City of Mesa zoning district [Section 11-31-18].

District	Drive-Up ATM/Teller Window Permission
NC, LC, GC, PEP, LI, GI	Permitted (P)
OC, MX, DB-2	Special Use Permit (SUP) Required
DB-1, DC	Council Use Permit (CUP) Required

Design and Stacking Standards

For any City of Mesa financial institution featuring a drive-up component, the following technical standards apply:

Separation: Drive-up lanes must be physically separated from non-drive-thru traffic areas by a minimum five-foot (5') wide raised landscape median [Section 11-31-18].
Stacking Distance: A minimum 40-foot-long stacking distance must be provided for each drive-up ATM or teller window. This is measured from the leading edge of the ATM/window along the centerline of the lane to the entry of the stacking area [Section 11-31-18].
Awnings: Weather protection must be architecturally integrated in proportion, color, and texture to the building it serves [Section 11-31-18].

Non-Chartered Financial Institutions (Payday Lenders)

The City of Mesa regulates "Non-chartered Financial Institutions" (such as payday lenders) separately from traditional banks. These uses are more restricted and are only allowed in specific commercial zones with a Council Use Permit (CUP) [Section 11-6-2].

District	Payday Lender Permission
Limited Commercial (LC)	Council Use Permit (CUP)
General Commercial (GC)	Council Use Permit (CUP)
All Other Districts	Prohibited

Parking Requirements for Financial Institutions

Banks and financial services in the City of Mesa must adhere to the standard parking ratios established for general office and retail uses [Section 11-32-3].

Use Category	Required Parking Ratio
General offices, retail, and services	1 space per 375 square feet of gross floor area
Drive-Up ATM/Teller Window	No additional spaces required beyond the primary bank ratio

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