PURPOSE AND APPLICABILITY
Mesa City Code § 11-32-1
in effect11-32-1: - PURPOSE AND APPLICABILITY
A. Purpose. The purpose of this Chapter is to provide standards for parking and loading facilities to accommodate the various land uses permitted by this Ordinance. It is the intent of this Chapter to require the minimum number of on-site parking and loading spaces with maneuvering areas, driveways, and surface materials for the efficient movement of vehicular traffic, and to provide flexibility in meeting these requirements for sites with special needs. Additional purposes of this Chapter include:
1. Ensuring the provision of safe and convenient places to park personal transportation vehicles, including automobiles, bicycles and motorcycles,
2. Providing paved surfaces and alternative dust control measures to control and reduce the amount of dust and PM-10 particulates released to the atmosphere,
3. Limiting the area of land consumed by parking through allowances for reductions to the number of required parking spaces and allowances for sharing of parking spaces among multiple uses where appropriate,
4. Minimizing conflicts between pedestrian and vehicular circulation,
5. Reducing the scale of paved surfaces and shading these surfaces, to reduce heat gain that contributes to the urban heat island effect, and
6. Encourage sustainable development by promoting the use of alternative modes of transportation, walking and bicycling through recalibrating parking regulations for mixed use and transit-oriented developments.
B. Applicability. The parking and loading requirements of this Chapter apply to all development in the City. They may be modified pursuant to the provisions for certain base districts and overlay districts.
1. Additions to Existing Buildings and Changes in Use. When a change in use, expansion of a use, or expansion of gross floor area creates an increase of 5% or more in the number of required off-Street parking or loading spaces, based on the initially approved and constructed facility or development, off-Street parking and loading shall be provided according to the provisions of this Chapter. The additional parking shall be required only for such addition, enlargement, or change in use and not for the entire building or site. A change in occupancy is not considered a change in use for the purpose of this paragraph unless the new occupancy is in a different land use classification, based on the descriptions found in Chapter 86, than the former occupant.
2. Alterations that Increase Number of Dwelling Units. If an alteration to an existing building increases the number of residential Dwelling Units on the site, off-Street parking to serve the new Dwelling Units shall be provided according to the provisions of this Chapter. This requirement does not apply to an Accessory Dwelling Unit.
3. When Required. Off-Street parking and loading facilities required by this Chapter shall be constructed or installed prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy for the uses that they serve.
(Res. No. 12269, § 13, 9-23-24; Ord. No. 5883, § 3, 10-7-24)
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_ART4DERE_CH32TEPALOCI_11-32-1PUAPFetched: 11/1/2026