Mesa Planning and Zoning Board to consider industrial development rezoning

By Richard Dyer
Mail | X: @RHDyer

Modifications are being sought to an existing industrial development on 35 acres at the northeast corner of East Pecos and South Sossaman roads in Mesa.

The Mesa Planning and Zoning Board meets for a work session at 3 p.m. and a meeting at 4 p.m. Oct. 28 to make a recommendation to the Mesa City Council on rezoning the property from employment opportunity to light industrial with a planned area development overlay.

The rezoning is needed to allow outdoor storage at an existing industrial development, Staff Planner Kwasi Abebrese wrote in a staff report.

“Under the Pecos Road Employment Opportunity Zone, outdoor storage is not a permitted use. The applicant now seeks to modify the approved development to allow for areas for accessory outdoor storage,” he said.

Matt Lubisich of Quarles & Brady LLP is the applicant. SL7 Mesa Industrial LP is the owner.

Quarles & Brady LLP submitted the rezoning application on behalf of Stonelake Capital Partners, according to a written project narrative.

“Applicant requests to rezone the property (to light industrial) to accommodate the approved site plan for Stonelake Industrial and allow outdoor storage within the screened truck court areas for the existing industrial facility,” it states. “The requested (planned-area development) overlay modifies certain development standards, including building setbacks, maximum building height, and outdoor storage provisions, to align with the approved and partially constructed warehouse and distribution complex on the property.”

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.

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.