Land Use Regulations for Mesa Transect 5 (T5N, T5MSF, T5MS) Zones

In the City of Mesa, Transect 5 zones represent medium-to-high density urban environments, ranging from residential neighborhoods in T5N to vertically mixed-use corridors in T5MS. While the T5N district is primarily residential and civic, the T5MSF and T5MS districts allow for a broad range of retail, service, and lodging uses, often requiring residential units to be located on upper floors or behind commercial storefronts [Section 11-58-8, 11-58-9, 11-58-10].

Overview of Transect 5 Designations

The City of Mesa categorizes Transect 5 into three specific sub-zones, each with a distinct intent for the urban environment:

• T5N (Transect 5 Neighborhood): Intended to provide a walkable, high-density residential environment. Allowed building types in this City of Mesa district include apartment houses, courtyard buildings, and mid-rise structures [Section 11-58-8].
• T5MSF (Transect 5 Main Street Flex): A transitional zone that allows a mixture of ground-floor residential and neighborhood-serving commercial uses. It is designed to accommodate the evolution of a corridor from residential to commercial over time [Section 11-58-9].
• T5MS (Transect 5 Main Street): The most intensive T5 district in the City of Mesa, focusing on medium-intensity vertical mixed-use development near transit stops. It prioritizes pedestrian-oriented retail and service uses on the ground floor [Section 11-58-10].

Allowed and Prohibited Uses

The following table detail the permissions for various land uses within the City of Mesa Transect 5 designations based on the Composite Use Table [Section 11-58-3.A].

Key:

• P: Permitted Use
• AUP: Administrative Use Permit Required
• SUP: Special Use Permit Required
• CUP: Council Use Permit Required
• TUP: Temporary Use Permit Required
• - : Prohibited Use
• / : Separates requirements for ground floor uses and uses on upper floors.

Recreation, Education, and Public Assembly

Use Classification	T5N	T5MSF	T5MS	Additional Regulations
Commercial Recreation (Small Indoor)	-	P	P
Commercial Recreation (Large Indoor)	-	CUP	CUP
Civic Space	P	P	P	Section 11-62
Health/Fitness Facility (≤ 3,000 sf)	-	AUP/P	AUP/P
Library or Museum (≤ 5,000 sf)	P	P	P
Meeting Facility, public or private	P	P	P	Size-based limits apply
Place of Worship (Small)	P	P	P	Section 11-31-22
School, Public (K-12)	P	P	P
School, Private (K-12)	CUP	CUP	CUP	Section 11-31-24
Studio (Art, Dance, Martial Arts)	-	P	P
Theater or Cinema	-	P	P

Residential and Lodging Uses

Residential uses in the T5MSF and T5MS districts of the City of Mesa are frequently restricted to upper floors to preserve ground-floor commercial viability [Section 11-58-3.A].

Use Classification	T5N	T5MSF	T5MS	Additional Regulations
Multi-Unit Residence	P	P	P	Note: Ground floor limits
Boarding House	SUP	SUP	SUP
Family Community Residence	P	P	P	Section 11-31-14
Transitional Community Residence	P	P	P	Section 11-31-14
Home Occupation (Main Building)	P	P	P	Note 5, 6
Bed and Breakfast	P	P	P	Section 11-31-8
Hotel or Motel	-	-	P
Hostel	-	-	P
Inn or Lodge	-	P	P

Commercial: Retail, Eating, and Drinking

Retail and restaurant activities are prohibited in the residential-focused T5N district but are the core of the T5MSF and T5MS districts in the City of Mesa [Section 11-58-3.A].

Use Classification	T5N	T5MSF	T5MS	Additional Regulations
General Retail	-	P	P
Alcoholic Beverage Sales (Series 10)	-	-	P
Restaurants (Full or Limited Service)	-	P	P
Bars, Clubs, or Lounges	-	CUP	P
Outdoor Eating Areas	-	P	P	Section 11-31-19
Pawn Shop	-	-	-	Prohibited in T5
Convenience Market	-	P	P	Section 11-31-11

Services and Employment

Use Classification	T5N	T5MSF	T5MS	Additional Regulations
Personal Services	-	P	P
Bank or Financial Services	-	P	P
Business Support Services	-	AUP	P
Social Service Facility	-	CUP	CUP	Section 11-31-26
Tattoo and Body Piercing Parlors	-	-	P
Day Care Center	-	P	P
Small Animal Day Care	-	SUP	SUP
Research and Development	-	-	P

Prohibited Uses in Transect 5

The City of Mesa explicitly prohibits several intensive or industrial uses within all Transect 5 zones to maintain urban character and pedestrian safety. Prohibited uses include, but are not limited to:

• Recycling small collection facilities [Section 11-58-3.A].
• Heavy Industrial or Manufacturing activities [Section 11-86-5].
• Standard Pawn Shops [Section 11-58-3.A].
• Single-Unit Residences (Detached), which are replaced by higher-density forms like duplexes or apartment houses [Section 11-59-8, 11-59-9].
• Home Occupations within accessory structures [Section 11-58-3.A].
• Data Centers as a primary use, unless specifically authorized within a Planned Area Development (PAD) Overlay [Section 11-31-36].

Use Limitations and Standards

In the City of Mesa's T5MSF and T5MS zones, the "Separates requirements for ground floor" rule applies. Residential and lodging uses are often permitted ("P") only if they are located on upper floors or behind an allowed ground-floor use. This ensures that the "Main Street" character is maintained by active storefronts [Section 11-58-3.A, Note 2].

Additionally, in the T5MS zone of the City of Mesa, ground floor ceiling heights must be at least 14 feet clear for both residential and commercial uses to ensure the space is adaptable for high-quality retail in the future [Section 11-58-10, Note 7].

Sections Cited

• Section 11-31-8: Bed and Breakfast Inns
• Section 11-31-11: Convenience Markets
• Section 11-31-14: Community Residences
• Section 11-31-19: Outdoor Eating Areas
• Section 11-31-22: Places of Worship
• Section 11-31-24: Schools
• Section 11-31-26: Social Service Facilities
• Section 11-31-36: Data Centers
• Section 11-58-3.A: Composite Use Table
• Section 11-58-8: T5 Neighborhood (T5N) Standards
• Section 11-58-9: T5 Main Street Flex (T5MSF) Standards
• Section 11-58-10: T5 Main Street (T5MS) Standards
• Section 11-59-8: Townhouse
• Section 11-59-9: Mansion Apartment
• Section 11-62: Civic Space Standards
• Section 11-86-5: Employment and Industrial Use Classifications