Neighborhood Commercial (NC) District Land Use Regulations: Mesa, Arizona

In the City of Mesa, the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) district is established to support locally oriented retail and service activities that primarily serve residential trade areas within a 0.5 to 2-mile radius. The City of Mesa prohibits large-scale commercial developments in this district, restricting individual retail stores to a maximum of 10,000 square feet and entire group developments to an aggregate of 50,000 square feet [Section 11-6-1, Section 11-6-2 Note 8].

Purpose of the NC District

The City of Mesa intended the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) district to facilitate the development of convenient, smaller-scale commercial nodes. Typical appropriate uses include grocery-store-anchored centers, drug stores, restaurants, and small-scale professional or medical offices. The primary goal is to provide essential services to surrounding neighborhoods while maintaining a scale compatible with a residential environment [Section 11-6-1].

Allowed Land Use Classifications

Land uses in the City of Mesa NC district are classified as Permitted (P), permitted with a Special Use Permit (SUP), permitted with a Council Use Permit (CUP), or permitted with a Temporary Use Permit (TUP). If a use is not listed or is marked with a dash (—), it is prohibited [Section 11-6-2].

Table: NC District Land Use Regulations

Use Classification	Permission Type	Additional Regulations/Limitations
Residential Uses
Single Residence - Attached	CUP / P	Subject to AOA restrictions and 60% commercial GFA requirement [Note 19, 20; Section 11-31-31]
Multiple Residence	CUP / P	Requires Adaptive Reuse Permit or specific commercial GFA allocation [Note 17, 19, 22]
Assisted Living Home (5-10 residents)	P	Subject to AOA restrictions [Note 19, 20]
Boarding House	SUP	Subject to AOA restrictions [Note 19, 20]
Home Occupations	P	Must be an ancillary activity [Note 23]
Public & Semi-Public Uses
Community Gardens	P	See Section 11-31-10
Cultural Institutions	P	Subject to AOA/CUP restrictions [Note 19, 22]
Day Care Centers	P	Subject to AOA/CUP restrictions [Note 19, 22]
Government Offices	P	Limited to < 5,000 sq. ft.; larger requires SUP [Note 2]
Clinics	P	CUP required for plasma or detox centers [Note 3]
Hospitals	P	Subject to AOA restrictions [Note 19, 20]
Places of Worship	P	See Section 11-31-22
Schools, K-12 (Public)	P	Standard development rules apply
Schools, K-12 (Private)	CUP	Subject to AOA restrictions [Note 19, 20]
Commercial & Office Uses
Pet Stores	P	Must be completely enclosed [Note 4]
Veterinary Services	P	Must be completely enclosed [Note 4]
Artists' Studios	P	Standard development rules apply
Restaurants (Full/Limited Service)	P	Drive-thru requires a CUP; see Section 11-31-18
Coffee Shops and Cafes	P	Standard development rules apply
Convenience Market	P / SUP	SUP required if accessory fuel sales are present [Note 12]
General Market	P	Max size 10,000 sq. ft. [Note 14]
General Retail Sales	P	Individual store max 10,000 sq. ft.; Aggregate max 50,000 sq. ft. [Note 8]
Business and Professional Offices	P	Standard development rules apply
Medical and Dental Offices	P	Standard development rules apply
Personal Services	P	Standard development rules apply
Pawn Shops	CUP	Must be 1,200 ft from same use and from schools [Note 10]
Other Uses
Research and Development	P	Must be completely enclosed [Note 4]
Small Animal Day Care	SUP	Must be completely enclosed [Note 4]
Kennels	SUP	Must be completely enclosed [Note 4]
Service Station	SUP	See Section 11-31-25
Automobile/Vehicle Washing	SUP	See Section 11-31-7

[Section 11-6-2]

Prohibited Uses in the NC District

The City of Mesa strictly prohibits several high-intensity or auto-oriented uses within the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) district to protect the character of adjacent residential areas. Prohibited uses include, but are not limited to:

Automotive: Automobile rentals, sales, leasing, and major or minor vehicle repair [Section 11-6-2].
Entertainment & Hospitality: Bars, clubs, lounges, "Bar and Grill" style restaurants, live entertainment venues, off-track betting, and hotels/motels [Section 11-6-2].
Industrial & Storage: Boat and RV storage, mini-storage, wholesale operations, and all manufacturing or assembly uses [Section 11-6-2].
Retail & Service: Large commercial developments, tattoo and body piercing parlors, funeral parlors, and mortuaries [Section 11-6-2].
Transportation: Heliports and light fleet-based services [Section 11-6-2].

Key Limitations and Standards

Development in the City of Mesa NC district must adhere to specific size and operational standards:

Retail Store Size: No single retail store in the NC district may exceed 10,000 square feet. The total aggregate area for a group commercial development is capped at 50,000 square feet [Section 11-6-2 Note 8].
Residential Integration: Residential uses are only permitted in the NC district if at least 60% of the gross floor area (GFA) of a single-story building project is reserved for commercial uses. For multi-story projects, 65% of the ground floor must be reserved for commercial uses [Section 11-31-31].
Drive-Thru Facilities: Any eating establishment or financial institution utilizing a drive-thru in the NC district requires the approval of a Council Use Permit (CUP) [Section 11-6-2].

Sections Cited