Transect 5 Zoning Districts in Mesa: Neighborhood, Main Street Flex, and Main Street (T5N, T5MSF, T5MS)

The Transect 5 (T5) districts in the City of Mesa facilitate medium- to high-density development, ranging from 55-foot maximum heights in T5N to 105-foot maximums in T5MS. These districts prioritize a walkable urban form with a mix of residential, commercial, and live-work uses, requiring most buildings to orient toward the street with minimal setbacks.

Zone Intent and Character

The City of Mesa defines the Transect 5 districts as high-intensity urban areas that serve as transitions between traditional residential neighborhoods and the high-density downtown core.

T5 Neighborhood (T5N): This district is intended to provide medium- to high-density residential building types, such as apartment houses, courtyard buildings, and mid-rise buildings. Its primary character is residential, serving as a transition from lower-density neighborhoods to high-density mixed-use areas [Section 11-58-8].
T5 Main Street Flex (T5MSF): The T5MSF district is a flexible area designed to transition from commercial to residential uses. It allows for a mixture of ground-floor uses and accommodates live-work units on upper floors. It is intended to evolve from residential into commercial space as the Mesa commercial corridor matures [Section 11-58-9].
T5 Main Street (T5MS): This district focuses on medium-intensity vertical mixed-use development. It is designed for central Mesa, particularly near transit stops, to create a pedestrian-oriented urban environment [Section 11-58-10].

Allowed Building Types

Building forms in the Transect 5 districts are strictly regulated to maintain the desired urban scale. The following table outlines which building types are permitted in each Mesa T5 sub-district [Sections 11-58-8, 11-58-9, 11-58-10].

Building Type	T5N	T5MSF	T5MS
Carriage House	Allowed	Allowed	No
Single Unit House (Village/Cottage)	Allowed	No	No
Bungalow Court	Allowed	No	No
Duplex	Allowed	No	No
Mansion Apartment	Allowed	No	No
Apartment House	Allowed	Allowed	No
Courtyard Building	Allowed	Allowed	No
Mid-Rise	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed
Main Street Mixed-Use	No	Allowed	Allowed
High-Rise	No	No	Allowed

Development Standards

The City of Mesa applies specific standards to the "Main Body" of structures within these districts to ensure they contribute to the urban streetscape.

Standard	T5N	T5MSF	T5MS
Minimum Height	2 Stories	2 Stories	2 Stories
Maximum Height	55 feet	75 feet	105 feet
Front Setback	0' min; 15' max	0' min; 10' max	0' max
Side Street Setback	0' min; 15' max	0' min; 10' max	0' max
Side Setback	0' min	0' min	0' min
Rear Setback	5' min	5' min	0' min
Ground Floor Transparency	60% min	75% min	75% min

Note: In the T5MS district, High-Rise buildings must be at least 8 stories tall [Section 11-58-10].

Permitted Land Uses

The City of Mesa allows a variety of uses in the Transect 5 districts, with an emphasis on residential density and supporting commercial activity.

Residential: Multi-unit residences and community residences are permitted by right in all T5 districts. Accessory dwelling units are permitted in T5N and T5MSF but are generally not permitted in T5MS [Table 11-58-3.A].
Commercial: Small indoor commercial recreation facilities, general retail, and full-service restaurants are permitted by right in T5MSF and T5MS. In T5N, many commercial uses require a Special Use Permit (SUP) or are restricted to specific sizes [Table 11-58-3.A].
Mixed-Use: Live-work units are encouraged. In T5MSF, ground-floor live-work is permitted. In T5MS, these units are permitted by right as a primary component of the district [Sections 11-58-9, 11-58-10].

Parking and Public Frontage

In the City of Mesa T5 districts, parking is handled to minimize its impact on the pedestrian environment.

Parking Location: For all T5 districts, parking must be located behind the building's primary façade. In T5MSF and T5MS, all garages must be screened from the front and the street by habitable space [Sections 11-58-9, 11-58-10].
Residential Parking: The minimum requirement is typically 1 space per unit [Sections 11-58-8, 11-58-9]. However, no parking is required for the first 2,000 square feet of residential use in the T5MS district [Section 11-58-10].
Non-Residential Parking: The standard is 1 space per 1,000 square feet of floor area. In T5MS, there are no parking requirements for ground-floor non-residential uses of less than 5,000 square feet [Section 11-58-10].

Sections Cited