AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT

Mesa City Code tit. 11, art. 2, ch. 4

in effect

Mesa City Code § 11-4-1 PURPOSE

11-4-1: - PURPOSE The purpose of the Agricultural (AG) District is to protect and preserve agricultural lands and related activities in their present character. The intent of this district is to protect agricultural lands from incompatible land uses and urban encroachment. This district encourages the use of land for local food production. This district may also be used as a means to limit premature development, or to assure development of property takes place when suitable infrastructure and adopted plans are in place to support development of the area in a manner consistent with the applicable General Plan designation.

Mesa City Code § 11-4-2 LAND USE REGULATIONS

11-4-2: - LAND USE REGULATIONS In Table 11-4-2, the land use regulations for each Agricultural zoning district are established by letter designations as follows: • "P" designates use classifications permitted in the Agriculture District. • "SUP" designates use classifications permitted on approval of a Special Use Permits. • "CUP" designates use classifications permitted on approval of a Council Use Permits. • "(x)" a number in parentheses refers to a limitation following the table. • "TUP" designates use classifications permitted on approval of a Temporary Use Permit. Use classifications not listed are prohibited. The "Additional Use Regulations" column includes specific limitations applicable to the use classification or refers to regulations located elsewhere in this Ordinance. Table 11-4-2: Agricultural District Proposed Use | AG | Additional Use Regulations Residential Use Classifications Single Residence | P (2, 3) Day Care Group Home Small Day Care Group Home (up to 4) | P (2, 3) Large Day Care Group Home (5—10) | P (2, 3) | Section 11-31-13, Large Day Care Group Homes Community Residence Family Community Residence | P (2, 3) | Section 11-31-14, Community Residences Transitional Community Residence | SUP (2, 3) Public and Semi-Public Use Classifications Cemeteries | SUP Community Gardens | P | Section 11-31-10, Community Gardens Cultural Institutions | P (2, 4) Parks and Recreation Facilities, Public | P Places of Worship | P (2, 4) | Section 11-31-22, Places of Worship Athletic Facilities When Accessory to a Church | SUP(2, 4) Day Care When Accessory to a Church | SUP (2, 4) Schools, Colleges, and Trade Schools Colleges or Universities, Private | CUP (2, 3) | Section 11-31-24, Schools Colleges or Universities, Public | P Commercial Trade Schools, Private | CUP (2, 3) | Section 11-31-24, Schools Commercial Trade Schools, Public | P Industrial Trade Schools, Private | CUP (2, 3) | Section 11-31-24, Schools Industrial Trade Schools, Public | P K-12, Private | CUP(2, 3) | Section 11-31-24, Schools K-12, Public | P Commercial Use Classifications Animal Sales and Services Boarding Stables | SUP Kennels | SUP Veterinary Services | SUP Plant Nurseries and Garden Centers | SUP | Section 11-4-4(C) Transportation, Communication and Utilities Use Classification Utilities, Major | CUP Utilities, Minor | P Agricultural and Extractive Use Classifications Agriculture | P/SUP (1) Crop and Animal Raising | P/SUP (1) Mining and Quarrying | SUP Specific Accessory Uses Animal Keeping | P | Sections 11-4-4(B) and 11-31-4, Animal Keeping Accessory Dwelling Unit | P (13, 14) | Section 11-31-3, Accessory Dwelling Unit Agriculture-based Entertainment | SUP (2) | Section 11-4-5, Agriculture-based Entertainment Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) | P(5) | Section 11-31-37, Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and BESS facilities Farm Stands | SUP (2) Home Occupations | P/SUP (2) | Section 11-31-33, Home Occupations Portable Storage Containers | P | Section 11-30-16, Portable Storage Containers Temporary Outdoor Entertainment | TUP(2) | Section 11-31-30, Temporary uses Temporary Outdoor Sales | TUP (2) 1. The following agricultural uses are permitted by right (subject to the standards of this chapter): aviaries and apiaries; plant nurseries and greenhouses; poultry, bird, and egg farms; commercial breeding, training, and grazing of horses, cattle, sheep, goats, ostriches and other livestock. Dairies and feedlots require a Special Use Permit. 2. Use not permitted when the property is subject to the AOA 1 overflight area, see Section 11-19-2, Runway Protection Zones and Airport Overflight Areas. 3. Use not permitted when the property is subject to the AOA 2 overflight area, see Section 11-19-2, Runway Protection Zones and Airport Overlay Areas. 4. Use permitted with the approval of a (CUP) Council Use Permits when the property is subject to the AOA 2 overflight area, see Section 11-19-2, Runway Protection Zones and Airport Overflight Areas. 5. Refer to Section 11-31-37(B)(2) for conditions under which a BESS may qualify as an Accessory Use. (Ord. No. 5249, 10-6-14; Ord. No. 5632, § 1, 7-8-21; Ord. No. 5759, § 1, 12-8-22; Ord. No. 5814, § 1(Exh. 1), 10-16-23; Ord. No. 5976, § 1, 1-12-26)

Mesa City Code § 11-4-3 DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS

11-4-3: - DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS Table 11-4-3 prescribes the Development Standards for the AG district. Table 11-4-3: Development Standards - Agricultural District Standard | AG Lot and Density Standards Minimum Lot Area | 10 acres Minimum Lot Width (ft.) | 400 Maximum Density (dwelling units/acre) | 0.1 Building Form and Location Maximum Height (ft.) | 30 Maximum Number of Stories | 2 Minimum Yards (ft.) Front | 30 Interior Side: Minimum each side | 60 Interior Side: Minimum aggregate of 2 sides | 120 Street Side | 30 Rear | 60 Maximum Building Coverage | 15% Supplemental Standards Accessory Buildings (Barns, Sheds, Ramadas) | Section 11-30-17: Detached Accessory Buildings Fences and Walls | Sections 11-4-4(A), 11-5-7 (D), and 11-30-4, Fences andFreestanding Walls Landscaping | Chapter 33, Landscaping Lot Splits and Subdivisions | Section 11-30-6, Lots and Subdivisions; andTitle 9, Chapter 6, Subdivision Regulations Off-Street Parking and Loading | Chapter 32, On-Site Parking, Loading, and Circulation Projections above Height Limits | Section 11-30-3, Exceptions to Height Limits Projections into Required Yards | Section 11-4-4(D) Building Projections into Required Yards Screening | Section 11-30-9, Screening Solar Panels | Section 11-30-15, Solar Panels and Other Energy Production Facilities Visibility at Intersections | Section 11-30-14, Visibility at Intersections (Ord. No. 4754, 9-4-07)

Mesa City Code § 11-4-4 SUPPLEMENTAL REGULATIONS

11-4-4: - SUPPLEMENTAL REGULATIONS A. Fences and Freestanding Walls. 1. "Corral fences" for the keeping of livestock are permitted consistent with the standards provided in Section 11-30-4(A)(2), Corral Fences. 2. In addition, all fences, freestanding walls, and corral fences shall meet the standards of Section 11-30-4, Fences and Freestanding Walls and Section 11-30-14, Visibility of Intersections. B. Animal Keeping. Animal-keeping is subject to the following standards in the AG District: 1. Aviaries and Apiaries. a. Buildings or hives for apiaries may not be closer than 75 feet to any neighboring residence. b. Pens and structures for aviaries may not be closer than 40 feet to any neighboring residence. 2. Poultry, Bird, and Egg Farms. Poultry, bird, and egg farms are subject to the following standards: a. Pens, buildings, and enclosures other than open pasture may not be located closer than 200 feet to any residential, commercial, or employment district. 3. Livestock. Commercial breeding, raising, training, and grazing of horses, cattle, sheep, goats, ostriches, and other livestock is subject to the following standards: a. Sites must be at least 10 acres in area. b. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Ordinance, the number of livestock shall be limited to no more than the maximum number permitted by Title 8, Chapter 6, Article 4(IV) of the Mesa City Code, unless a Special Use Permit is approved by the Zoning Administrator acting as a Hearing Officer, or by the Board of Adjustment. c. Pens, corrals, and similar structures may not be closer than 40 feet to any neighboring residence. d. Barns, stables and similar buildings used to house animals, not including shade structures open at minimum on 3 sides, may not be closer than 75 feet to any neighboring residence. 4. With regard to items 1 through 3 of this subsection B, in the event that an animal pen, corral or other structure is located outside of the required separation distance when constructed, and subsequent construction is placed closer than the required separation specified, the item constructed first does not have to move its location unless it is expanded, enlarged, or moved. C. Plant Nurseries and Garden Centers. Plant Nurseries and Garden Centers oriented principally towards retail trade require approval of a Special Use Permit and are subject to the following standards: 1. With or without a garden center, plant nurseries that cater principally towards retail trade shall be located on sites with direct frontage on a street designated by the Mesa General Plan as an arterial or as a mid-section collector. 2. Total floor area for all buildings, except greenhouses used to raise or display plants, shall not exceed 10,000 square feet. 3. Items displayed outdoors are limited to plants, soils, gravel, soil amendments and fertilizer. 4. Development standards shall comply with requirements of the GC-A district, see Table 11-6-3 B. D. Building Projections into Required Yards. Building projections of a single residence may extend into required yards, subject to the following standards: 1. No projection may extend into a public utility easement or closer than 2 feet to an interior lot line. 2. Awnings, eaves, overhangs, or basement window wells may encroach up to 3 feet into any required yard. 3. Vestibules, bay windows, nooks, chimneys, or similar wall projections with or without footings may encroach not more than 3 feet into any required front or rear yard and not more than 2 feet into any required side yard, provided the aggregate width of all such projections adjacent to any yard does not exceed 1/3 of the length of the building wall. 4. Staircases may encroach: a. Up to 3 feet into any required front yard; b. Up to 10 feet into any required rear yard; and c. Up to 2 feet into any side. 5. Attached open porches, open patios, open carports or open balconies may encroach up to 10 feet into a required rear yard. Such open structures may include window screens, knee walls, and other partial enclosures as specified in the Building Code for patio covers. (Ord. No. 5544, § 2, 12-9-19)

Mesa City Code § 11-4-5 AGRICULTURE-BASED ENTERTAINMENT

11-4-5: - AGRICULTURE-BASED ENTERTAINMENT Agriculture-based entertainment and educational related activities, such as corn mazes, facility tours, petting zoos and farm animal exhibits, are permitted as an accessory use in the AG district subject to review and approval of a Special Use Permits in accordance with Chapter 70, Conditional Use Permits. Evaluation of the Special Use Permit shall be based on a review of the following items to assure the entertainment and educational related activities remain compatible with and not detrimental to surrounding land uses: A. Development Plan. A finding that an acceptable Development Plan has been submitted for review and consideration. Such Development Plan shall adequately address issues relating to vehicle access, traffic circulation, and pedestrian safety. B. Parking. Parking, which shall be dustproof, and provided at a minimum ratio of 1 space per 1,000 square feet of designated entertainment area. C. Accessory Use. The entertainment and educational activities shall remain as an accessory activity, and the primary uses for the site shall remain agricultural related activities as permitted under Section 11-4-2. D. Applicable Policies. The use is found to be in compliance with the General Plan, and with applicable Sub Area Plans, Neighborhood Plans and other recognized development plans or policies, and will be compatible with surrounding uses; and E. Operational Plan. A finding that an acceptable operational plan in narrative form has been submitted for review and consideration, which includes, but is not limited to, descriptions of acceptable measures to ensure ongoing compatibility with adjacent uses. Such policies shall include, but are not limited to measures that control: dust, vectors, litter, noise and light. The Operational Plan shall also include the name and telephone number of the manager or person responsible for the operation of the facility; and complaint response procedures, including investigation, remedial action, and follow-up. (Ord. No. 4262, 8-16-04; Ord. No. 5996, § 4, 3-9-26)

Mesa City Code § 11-4-6 REVIEW OF PLANS

11-4-6: - REVIEW OF PLANS Administrative Use Permits, Special Use Permits, and Council Use Permits shall follow the standards established in Chapter 70 of this Ordinance. All other uses and development shall comply with the review procedures, standards and criteria established in Article 7, Administration. (Ord. No. 4262, 8-16-04)

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_CH4AGDIFetched: 11/1/2026