A special-use permit and site plan have been approved for St. Joseph Coptic Orthodox Church west of Higley Road and south of Broadway Road in Mesa to add a nearly 20,000-square-foot building and reduce the number of required parking spaces.
The Mesa Planning and Zoning Board voted 5-0 Sept. 25 to approve the site plan and permit for the church on 2.6 acres. Board members Genessee Montes and Jamie Blakeman were absent.
The site is zoned commercial, and a place of worship is allowed by right in the office/commercial zoning district, Planner Kwasi Abebrese said during a study session prior to the meeting.
There are three existing buildings. The building on the east side will be demolished to make way for the new addition, he said.
“The proposed site plan shows the addition of a one-story, 19,268-square-foot building. The building includes a basement and will be attached to the two existing buildings at the north side of the project site,” Abebrese said.
Access will be from Broadway Road on the northeast and northwest corners of the site, he said.
“They’re requesting a special-use permit for a parking reduction... A total of 101 parking spaces are required, a total of 94 spaces are proposed,” Abebrese said.
Ashraf Shokry of Masterplan Design LLC is the applicant. Saint Joseph Coptic Orthodox Church is the owner.
Due to site constraints and the need to comply with landscape buffer requirements, a special-use permit is being sought to reduce the required number of parking spaces, according to a written project narrative.
“Church services are conducted sequentially, with the congregation moving from the main church to the fellowship hall after mass. This operational model means that the same congregation occupies both spaces sequentially, not simultaneously, thereby reducing the overall parking demand,” it states.
The seven-member Planning and Zoning Board conducts hearings and makes recommendations to the city council on requests for changes in zoning and on required site plans. It also considers and recommends changes in the city’s long-range plans and in the municipal code concerning planning and zoning matters. Members are appointed for staggered terms of three years.
Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
Meet Richard Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.
Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions.
Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.
Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.
Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.
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