PURPOSE
Mesa City Code § 11-5-1
in effect11-5-1: - PURPOSE
A. General Purpose of Residential Districts. The purposes of the residential districts are to:
1. Provide for the orderly, well-planned, and balanced growth of residential neighborhoods.
2. Provide for a variety of housing types in a range of densities.
3. Promote the development of residential neighborhoods with well-designed transportation links to educational, employment, commercial and recreational destinations, and which encourage multiple methods of transportation, including walking, biking, and the use of public transit.
4. Establish design standards to help create distinct and attractive residential neighborhoods, upgrade the quality of multi-family housing, and ensure that new residential development is well integrated with surrounding neighborhoods.
5. Provide for appropriate public and quasi-public uses such as parks, playgrounds, religious facilities, and day care centers where they are compatible with and preserve and/or improve the quality of life in residential neighborhoods.
6. Provide development patterns that encourage energy conservation and provide opportunities for renewable energy production.
B. Specific Purposes of Each District.
1. RS Single Residence. To provide areas for detached single residence housing at densities of up to 7 units per net acre. Designators (-90, -43, -35, -15, -9, -7 and -6) are used to denote the minimum lot size in thousands of square feet. This district also provides for community residences, assisted living homes, day care group homes, park and recreation facilities, and civic and institutional uses such as churches and places for religious assemblies that are appropriate in a residential environment. Non-residential uses of a strictly limited scale under the specific conditions listed may also be allowed.
2. RSL Small Lot Single Residence. To provide areas for small-lot single dwelling development at densities of up to 17 units per net acre, subject to development standards to ensure land use compatibility. Designators (-4.5, -4.0, -3.0 and -2.5) are used to denote the minimum average lot size in thousands of square feet. This district also allows for community residences, assisted living homes, family day care, park and recreation facilities, and civic and institutional uses.
3. RM Multiple Residence. To provide areas for a variety of housing types at densities of up to 43 units per gross acre. Designators (-2, -3, -4, and -5) are used to denote variations in the maximum allowed development intensity (See Table 11-5-5). Appropriate types of dwelling units include small-lot single residences, townhouses, cluster housing, and multiple residence housing. This district also provides for community residences, assisted living facilities, residential home-based day care, boarding house manufactured home parks and subdivisions, recreational vehicle parks and subdivisions, park and recreation facilities, limited and small-scale residential support (including limited scale mixed-use commercial) activities, and civic and institutional uses such as churches and places for religious assembly that are appropriate in a residential environment.
(Ord. No. 5541, § 2, 12-9-19; Ord. No. 5632, § 2, 7-8-21)
Source: City of Mesa, Arizona, Mesa City Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/az/mesa/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_TIT11ZOOR_ART2BAZO_CH5REDI_11-5-1PUFetched: 11/1/2026