A freestanding communications facility is to be constructed outside the Buckhorn Elks Lodge north of Main Street and west of Power Road in Mesa.
The Mesa Board of Adjustment voted unanimously Aug. 2 on a consent agenda with other items to approve special use and development incentive permits for the property in the limited commercial zoning district.
The freestanding communications facility is intended to provide fiber internet services to not only those nearby, but also the greater area of the city of Mesa, Planner Chloe Durfee Daniel said in a written staff report.
It is the third fiber hut that the board of adjustment has seen, Planner Evan Balmer said at a study session prior to the meeting.
“The city is rolling out a fiber-optic network throughout the city. These huts are needed in specific locations to kind of tie the system together,” he said. “The size of the parcel is very small. It’s one of those narrow parcels... It’s actually the Elks Lodge that owns this parcel here. Part of the reason they are asking for a development incentive permit to modify some of the standards is to allow for future development of a more-intense use should that come in the future.”
Robert Vaccaro is the applicant. Michael Crawford of Buckhorn Elks Lodge is the owner.
The project is for the construction of a utility shelter compound site to house an unmanned Google Fiber network equipment building, according to a written project narrative from BHC,
“This building, typically referred to as a ‘hut,’ supports Google Fiber’s construction of a fiber network to offer high speed internet service to the city of Mesa’s community,” it states. “Multiple utility conduits that will house fiber optic cable will be extended between an on-site utility vault to new utility vaults that will be placed in the right-of-way of Sunaire Road. The compound will also contain a backup power generator that will run on a natural gas service.”
The seven-member Mesa Board of Adjustment conducts public meetings to hear and decide requests for variances, special-use permits and interpretations of the city of Mesa zoning ordinance and sign code. Members are appointed for staggered terms of three years, according to the city’s website.
Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on Twitter @rhdyer. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
Richard Dyer Managing Editor | East Valley @RHDyer
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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