Mesa Zoning Districts for Duplexes and Multi-Family Townhomes

In the City of Mesa, duplexes and multi-family townhomes are primarily permitted in the RM (Multiple Residence) districts, the MX (Mixed Use) district, and specific Downtown districts (DR and DB). These housing types are governed by density standards ranging from 15 to 43 units per acre in RM zones, and are also permitted as designated building types within the City of Mesa Form-Based Code Transect Zones T3 through T6 to encourage walkable urban environments.

RM (Multiple Residence) Districts

The City of Mesa identifies RM Multiple Residence districts as the primary zones for various housing types, including townhouses and multiple-residence housing (duplexes). The City of Mesa uses numerical designators (-2, -3, -4, and -5) to establish maximum allowed development intensities within these districts [Section 11-5-1(B)(3)].

In the City of Mesa, "Multiple Residence" uses (which encompass duplexes) are permitted by right in all RM sub-districts [Table 11-5-2]. The following table outlines the development standards for these districts:

Development Standards for City of Mesa RM Districts

Standard	RM-2	RM-3	RM-4	RM-5
Max Density (Units/Acre)	15	20	30	43
Max Height (ft.)	30	40	40	50
Max Lot Coverage	70%	70%	70%	70%
Min. Front Setback	Varies*	Varies*	Varies*	Varies*
Min. Open Space (per unit)	200 sf	175 sf	150 sf	120 sf

*Setbacks in City of Mesa RM districts vary based on street classification, ranging from 20 feet for local streets to 30 feet for 6-lane arterials [Table 11-5-5].

Commercial and Mixed-Use Districts

The City of Mesa permits "Single Residence - Attached" (townhomes) in several commercial and mixed-use districts, typically subject to a Council Use Permit (CUP) or specific conditional requirements [Table 11-6-2].

MX (Mixed Use): Townhomes are permitted, but the City of Mesa requires a minimum density of 15 dwelling units per acre within this zone [Table 11-6-2, Note 16].
NC, LC, and GC: These commercial districts allow attached single-residence units (townhomes) subject to the "Residential Uses in Commercial Districts" standards [Section 11-31-31].

Downtown Districts

The City of Mesa Downtown districts provide for urban-oriented residential areas. Townhomes (Single Residence - Attached) are regulated as follows in the Downtown area [Table 11-8-3]:

DR-2 and DR-3 (Downtown Residence): Permitted by right.
DB-1 (Downtown Business): Permitted by right.
DB-2 (Downtown Business): Permitted upon approval of a Council Use Permit (CUP).
DR-1: Attached residences are generally prohibited in the DR-1 district.

Form-Based Code (Transect Zones)

For properties located within the City of Mesa Form-Based Code areas, duplexes and townhouses are classified as specific "Building Types." These are permitted in the following Transect Zones [Table 11-58-3.A]:

T3 Neighborhood (T3N): Allows "Townhouse or Private Duplex" by right.
T4 Neighborhood (T4N, T4NF, T4MS): Allows "Townhouse" and "Duplex" building types.
T5 and T6 Zones: These higher-intensity zones also permit townhouse and duplex forms as part of larger mixed-use or multi-unit configurations.

In these City of Mesa Transect Zones, a "Duplex" is defined as a structure consisting of two side-by-side or stacked units sharing a common party wall [Section 11-64-3]. A "Townhouse" is defined as a building type consisting of three or more attached units where each unit is on its own lot [Section 11-59-8].

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