Drive-Through Business Regulations in the City of Mesa

In the City of Mesa, drive-through facilities are primarily permitted within Commercial (LC, GC), Mixed-Use (MX), and Employment (PEP, LI, GI, HI) zoning districts. While allowed by right in Limited and General Commercial zones, these facilities often require a Council Use Permit (CUP) or Special Use Permit (SUP) in other districts to mitigate impacts on traffic and neighboring residential areas [Section 11-6-2]. All drive-through operations must adhere to strict site design standards, including a mandatory 50-foot minimum stacking distance from any street access to the start of the drive-thru lane [Section 11-31-18].

Permitted Zoning Districts for Drive-Through Facilities

The City of Mesa Zoning Ordinance regulates drive-through facilities (including pick-up windows and drive-up ATMs) based on the underlying primary use, such as restaurants, banks, or service stations.

District Group	Specific Zoning Districts	Permission Level
Commercial	Limited Commercial (LC), General Commercial (GC)	Permitted (P)
Commercial	Neighborhood Commercial (NC)	Council Use Permit (CUP)
Mixed-Use	Mixed Use (MX)	Special Use Permit (SUP)
Office	Office Commercial (OC)	Permitted (P) (ATMs only)
Employment	Planned Employment Park (PEP), Light Industrial (LI), General Industrial (GI), Heavy Industrial (HI)	Council Use Permit (CUP)
Downtown	Downtown Business (DB-1), Downtown Core (DC)	Council Use Permit (CUP)
Downtown	Downtown Business (DB-2)	Special Use Permit (SUP)

Note: Drive-through facilities are generally prohibited in the Downtown Residence (DR) and Single Residence (RS/RSL) districts [Section 11-5-2].

Site Development and Design Standards

The City of Mesa requires all drive-through facilities to be developed in a manner that enhances the urban form and minimizes visual or traffic-related impacts.

Vehicle Stacking Requirements

To prevent traffic congestion on City of Mesa streets, specific stacking distances are mandated for various points within the drive-through lane [Section 11-31-18].

Stacking Segment	Minimum Distance/Requirement
Entrance to the start of the lane	50 feet
Window to the order-placing speaker	100 feet
Order-placing box to the lane entrance	40 feet
Drive-up ATM/Teller window stacking	40 feet
Minimum Drive-Thru Lane Width	11 feet

Screening and Buffering

The City of Mesa Zoning Ordinance requires specific buffers to protect the aesthetic quality of the public realm and the tranquility of nearby residents:

Separation from Residential: A 100-foot distance must be maintained between the drive-thru lane (or pickup lane) and any property zoned for residential use [Section 11-31-18].
Arterial Roadway Screening: Drive-thru lanes may not be placed parallel to arterial roadways unless they are screened by a 40-inch-high masonry wall or an architecturally integrated awning/trellis system [Section 11-31-18].
Landscape Medians: Drive-thru lanes must be physically separated from non-drive-thru traffic areas by a raised landscape median at least five feet in width [Section 11-31-18].

Required Findings for Approval

When a Council Use Permit or Special Use Permit is required for a drive-through in the City of Mesa, the applicant must demonstrate that the facility will not be injurious to the neighborhood. The City of Mesa Planning Director or the Board of Adjustment must find that:

The project will not result in excessive noise, glare, or odors for adjacent sites.
The documentation provided shows that the on-site circulation minimizes impacts on adjacent properties.
The location and position of the facility manager or person responsible are clearly defined in an operational plan [Section 11-31-18].

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