The Mesa Planning and Zoning Board voted to recommend the city council approve a site plan modification to make way for a Dutch Bros location in the city at their recent meeting.
The vote passed 5-0 with boardmembers Benjamin Ayers and Genessee Montes absent at the Nov. 12 meeting.
The Dutch Bros would be approximately 560 feet south of the southeast corner of East Elliot Road and South Power Road. The request is for a major site plan modification for a coffee shop with drive-thru facilities. The request was made by applicant Shelby Eldridge on behalf of site owner Avalon Ranch LLC.
The project would span 1,000 square feet of space, 15 parking spaces and a dual drive-thru lane. Property owners nearby were notified but no feedback or concerns were received, according to board documents.
During the Nov. 12 study session, board member Chase Farnsworth asked planner Noah Bulson if two drive-thru lanes would be enough, considering the popularity of Dutch Bros in Arizona.
“I am concerned about additional queuing that will likely happen back across the drive-thru lane and then potentially out onto Power Road,” Farnsworth said. “I’m curious to understand how staff addressed that and what protections there might be?”
Bulson said any stacking of cars from the result of a long queue would most likely spill out around the building itself and not onto South Power Road.
“The stacking is generally going to stay within the provided area, which comes up to just about the leading edge of the building,” Bulson said.
The seven-member Planning and Zoning Board conducts hearings and make 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.
After graduating from Arizona State University's Cronkite School in spring 2022, Connor Van Ligten spent a little over year as a reporter for WWL-TV in New Orleans before finding themselves back in Phoenix in October of 2023. Now back in the Valley and writing for the Mesa Independent and the Daily Independent, Connor is ready to tell meaningful stories and report on important civic issues facing Mesa. Connor is a big fan of the 49ers, Warriors, pro wrestling, anime, dogs and fighting video games.
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