Off-Street Parking Standards for the PC: Planned Community District
In the City of Mesa, off-street parking requirements for the PC: Planned Community District are primarily governed by the specific Community Plan adopted for the development area. If a specific parking standard is not established within that individual Community Plan, the project must default to the City of Mesa’s general parking regulations for the zoning district that most nearly approximates the proposed use [Section 11-11-2(E)].
Determining Requirements in the PC District
Because the PC: Planned Community District is a flexible base zone intended to accommodate large-scale, unified developments, the City of Mesa utilizes a hierarchical approach to parking enforcement:
- The Adopted Community Plan: This is the primary regulatory document for the specific PC area. Any parking ratios or design standards defined here supersede the general City Code [Section 11-11-2].
- Default Zoning Standards: When the Community Plan is silent, the Zoning Administrator identifies the standard base district (such as RS, RM, or LC) that most closely matches the proposed use. The project must then adhere to the "Zoning Ordinance Standards" for that comparable district [Section 11-11-2(E)].
- General Municipality Standards: All projects in the City of Mesa PC District must comply with the general design and circulation standards found in Chapter 32 (On-Site Parking, Loading, and Circulation) unless specifically modified by the Community Plan.
Default Parking Ratios by Use Type
The following table outlines the City of Mesa's default minimum off-street parking requirements, which apply to PC: Planned Community District projects when a specific Community Plan does not provide an alternative ratio [Table 11-32-3.A]:
| Use Classification | Minimum Parking Requirement |
|---|---|
| Residential Uses | |
| Single Residence (Detached or Attached) | 2 spaces per dwelling unit |
| Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) | No parking space required |
| Multiple Residence (Typical) | 2.1 spaces per dwelling unit |
| Multiple Residence (Within 1/4 mile of BRT/Light Rail) | 1.2 to 1.4 spaces per dwelling unit (based on unit count) |
| Live-Work Units | 2.1 spaces per unit |
| Commercial & Office Uses | |
| General Offices, Retail, and Services | 1 space per 375 square feet |
| Restaurants (No drive-through window) | 1 space per 75 sq. ft. (indoor) + 1 space per 200 sq. ft. (outdoor) |
| Restaurants (With drive-through window) | 1 space per 100 sq. ft. (indoor) + 1 space per 200 sq. ft. (outdoor) |
| Medical/Dental Offices | 1 space per 200 square feet |
| Data Centers | 1 space per 5,000 sq. ft. (first 200k) + 1 per 10,000 sq. ft. (thereafter) |
| Hotels and Motels | 1 space per room/suite plus ancillary use requirements |
| Industrial Uses | |
| Industrial (General) | 1 space per 600 square feet |
| Warehousing and Storage | 1 space per 900 square feet |
Parking Design and Location in the PC District
The City of Mesa enforces specific placement and design criteria to ensure that parking facilities do not negatively impact the aesthetic or functional character of the PC: Planned Community District:
- Location: Parking spaces and maneuvering areas must not be located within the required Front Yard of any Single Residence district or any required front or corner Side Yard in other districts, except for immediate access driveways [Section 11-32-2(A)].
- Paving Standards: All required parking areas, driveways, and maneuvering aisles must be paved with asphalt, concrete, paving stone, or masonry [Section 11-32-2(C)].
- Compact Parking: Up to 20% of the required parking spaces may be designated as compact spaces (8' x 16') on sites with at least 10 required stalls [Section 11-32-2(D)].
- Tandem Parking: In Single Residence developments, 2 spaces per dwelling may be provided in tandem with approval from the Zoning Administrator [Table 11-32-3.A].
Shared Parking and Credits
To encourage efficient land use within the City of Mesa PC District, developers may utilize the following options:
- Shared Parking: An Administrative Use Permit may be approved to allow shared parking between different nonresidential uses or mixed-use projects that have staggered peak demand periods [Section 11-32-5].
- On-Street Credit: For non-residential uses, on-street parking spaces immediately adjacent to the property frontage may be counted toward the required off-street parking total if the property is located within an analogous urban or transit-oriented context [Section 11-32-3(F)].
- Bicycle Substitution: Multi-residence projects in certain overlay contexts may substitute up to 50% of required vehicle parking with a combination of motorcycle, golf-cart, and bicycle parking [Section 11-32-8].
Sections Cited
- Section 11-11-2: Land Use and Development Regulations (PC District)
- Section 11-32-2: General Regulations and Standards (Parking)
- Section 11-32-3: Parking Spaces Required
- Section 11-32-5: Shared Parking
- Section 11-32-8: Bicycle and Motorcycle Parking