7-unit apartment building in Mesa to more than double in size

By Richard Dyer
Mail | X: @RHDyer

A permit has been approved to expand an existing multifamily development south of Main Street and east of Stapley Drive in Mesa.

The Mesa Board of Adjustment on Aug. 5 voted 4-0 to approve a substantial conformance improvement permit for the La Jolla Villas development as part of a consent agenda with other items. Boardmembers Troy Glover, Gerson Barrera and Gordon Sheffield were absent.

Eight additional units are planned at a seven-unit development at 1500 E. Dana Ave., according to a city of Mesa document.

The permit is being sought because of setback reductions including:

• Eastern property line, 7 feet where 20 feet is required.
• Northern property line, 0 feet where 15 feet is required.

The landscape plan includes trees such as thornless cascelote, leslie roy mesquite and live oak; and shrubs such as aloe vera, wide leaf giant hesperaloe, brakelight hesperaloe, pine muhly, spineless prickly pear and tall slipper plant.

Marlene Imirzian and Associates is the applicant. La Jolla Villas LLC is the owner.

La Jolla Villas is adjacent to an existing multifamily apartment building and single-family home controlled by the same owner, according to a written project narrative from Marlene Imirzian & Associates LLC.

“Site improvements for the La Jolla Villas will extend to the existing multifamily building and single-family home. Improvements to the existing units is not included within the scope of the La Jolla Villas project,” it states.

The application seeks reapproval of a previously approved substantial conformance improvement permit and associated site plan after the prior approvals expired, Albert Penilla of Morton Rock Kappa LLC, officer of the owner, wrote in a narrative justification.

“The current owner purchased the property after the expiration of those approvals. The proposed development, site layout and improvements remain substantially consistent with the previously approved plans,” it states.

Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines, https://www.yourvalley.net/civility-checklist/.

Richard Dyer
Managing Editor | East Valley

rdyer@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.