Mesa, AZ – In a decision aimed at addressing concerns over the proliferation of drive-thru facilities throughout the city, the Mesa City Council, with a majority vote of 5-2, has approved a comprehensive set of new drive-thru regulations. These new rules, formulated following a two-year research initiative into drive-thru facilities in the East Valley, promise to reshape the landscape of drive-thrus in Mesa, seeking to strike a balance between economic growth and community well-being.
The recent approval of the ordinance represents a significant step toward achieving equilibrium in the city’s development. The newly proposed regulations encompass several essential measures:
1. Council Use Permit Requirement: One of the most significant changes brought about by the ordinance is the requirement for businesses wishing to incorporate drive-thru lanes to obtain a council use permit in designated land districts. This serves to enhance oversight for emerging drive-thru establishments from the very beginning.
2. Drive-Thru vs. Pick-Up Window Clarification: The ordinance distinguishes between drive-thru facilities and pick-up window facilities, ensuring that each adheres to the appropriate regulatory framework.
3. Onsite Circulation and Stacking Study: Drive-thru businesses will now be mandated to carry out comprehensive onsite circulation and stacking studies. This will optimize traffic flow and minimize the potential for gridlock, addressing concerns over traffic congestion.
4. Distance Requirements: The newly introduced regulations impose stringent distance requirements to ensure the safe and efficient operation of drive-thru facilities. These requirements include a mandatory 100-foot separation between a pick-up window and its entry lane, a 50-foot gap between the entry to a drive-thru lane and street access, and a 100-foot setback between a drive-thru lane/pick-up window and any residential-zoned property.
5. ATM Window Distance: A minimum 40-foot separation is now stipulated between an ATM window and the entry to the queuing lane.
6. Pedestrian Pathways and Shade Structures: Drive-thru businesses where employees take orders outdoors will be required to construct pedestrian pathways and shade structures, ensuring the safety and comfort of both employees and customers.
Mesa city staff and advocates of these regulations assert that these design changes are critical in line with Mesa’s overarching objective of creating secure, vibrant communities. A city staff report highlights, “These proposed text amendments are designed to bring Mesa’s regulations in line with those of neighboring jurisdictions, provide design standards for more effective facility regulation, and better align with the objectives of Mesa’s zoning districts.”
Mesa District 6 Councilmember Scott Somers expressed his support for the approved regulations, saying, “This has been a 2-1/2 year process and aligns Mesa’s standards with those of neighboring communities. I hope that this ordinance, in conjunction with the Quality Retail Attraction Initiative, will foster superior quality development in Mesa District 6 and throughout Mesa. I extend my gratitude to all residents who submitted letters to staff and Council – there were 85 pages of letters in support from neighbors!”
However, not all Mesa residents are convinced that the regulations go far enough to prevent drive-thru businesses from causing disruptions in the city. Some have voiced their concerns, with one resident stating, “I shouldn’t be surprised that the City of Mesa has once again yielded to developers and their relentless pursuit of lowering the city’s standards to maximize profits.”
Others believe that the ordinance should include more robust safeguards to prevent excessive land usage for drive-thrus in Mesa. A concerned resident wrote, “Do we genuinely wish to reside in a city where one-fifth of our land is allocated to drive-thrus? Housing values could plummet as Mesa could potentially earn the moniker of the ‘Fast Food Capital of Arizona’… or perhaps even America.”
According to city data, Mesa currently boasts 5.07 drive-thrus for every 10,000 residents, a per capita rate exceeding those in neighboring Gilbert and Scottsdale but falling short of Chandler’s rate.
Before the City Council introduced the drive-thru ordinance, the Mesa Planning and Zoning Board rejected the proposed changes during a meeting held last month.
The amendments outlined in the ordinance are scheduled to take effect on November 15.
