Billboard Overlay District Regulations and Base Standard Modifications in Mesa

The Billboard Overlay District in the City of Mesa allows for the installation of large-scale signage in specific high-visibility areas while strictly maintaining the integrity of the underlying base zoning standards for all other land uses. Within this overlay, the City of Mesa restricts billboards to a maximum height of 60 feet and requires a minimum 500-foot separation from any residential zoning district or use [Section 11-25-4].

Interaction with Base Zoning Districts

The Billboard Overlay District is not a standalone zone but must be applied in conjunction with specific underlying districts. The City of Mesa only permits this overlay within the following base districts:

Infill Development District-2 (ID-2)
Public and Semi-Public District (PS)
Mixed Use District (MX)

For all land uses on a site other than the billboard itself, the City of Mesa requires full compliance with the specific development standards of the underlying base zoning district. These base standards cannot be modified or waived through the application of the Billboard Overlay District [Section 11-25-4(A)(3)].

Modified Development Standards for Billboards

While the Billboard Overlay District does not relax standards for other uses on a parcel, it establishes specific requirements for billboard structures that may differ from standard height or setback regulations found in the base City of Mesa code.

Billboard Structural and Placement Standards

The City of Mesa applies the following technical standards to all structures within the Billboard Overlay District:

Standard Category	Requirement
Maximum Height	60 feet [Section 11-25-4(D)(3)]
Maximum Number	2 billboards per Overlay District [Section 11-25-4(D)(1)]
Maximum Sign Area	672 square feet per sign face [Section 11-25-4(D)(2)]
Minimum Freeway Setback	0 feet from the nearest edge of the sign face [Section 11-25-4(B)(1)]
Maximum Freeway Setback	250 feet from the freeway right-of-way [Section 11-25-4(B)(2)]
Right-of-Way Encroachment	Prohibited; no portion may overhang a right-of-way [Section 11-25-4(B)(3)]

Spacing and Proximity Requirements

The Billboard Overlay District imposes additional spacing requirements to prevent signage congestion and protect residential character in the City of Mesa:

Residential Protection: A billboard cannot be placed within 500 feet of a Residential Zoning District (RS, RSL, or RM) or any residential use unless a line-of-sight study proves the sign will not be visible from the residential area [Section 11-25-4(C)(2)].
Sign-to-Sign Spacing: Billboards must be placed at least 1,000 feet away from any other billboard or Freeway Landmark Monument [Section 11-25-4(C)(1)].

Illumination and Operational Standards

The Billboard Overlay District modifies how the City of Mesa regulates light and display for these specific signs:

Electronic Message Panels: Displays must remain static for at least eight seconds, and transitions between messages must be instantaneous without animation or scrolling [Section 11-25-4(F)].
Brightness Limits: Evening illumination for electronic billboards in the City of Mesa must not exceed 300 nits [Section 11-25-4(G)(1)].
Mandatory Dimming: Signs must utilize automatic dimming technology to adjust intensity based on ambient light conditions [Section 11-25-4(G)(1)].
Nighttime Requirements: All illumination must be extinguished during nighttime hours, with exceptions granted only for emergency messaging or amber alerts [Section 11-25-4(G)(2)].

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