Allowing deviations from certain development standards for an outdoor seating area at the Salsitas Mexican Food restaurant at 35 N. Country Club Drive was recently approved by the Mesa Board of Adjustment.
The seven-member board 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.
A substantial conformance improvement permit was approved in a 7-0 vote June 1 of a consent agenda with other items.
The land is zoned downtown core with a downtown events overlay, with restaurants permitted and outdoor seating permitted through a special use permit. A drive-thru is a legal nonconforming use on the property, Staff Planner Jennifer Merrill said at a study session prior to the board’s meeting.
“The site plan shows the new shade canopy and ground surface for the outdoor seating area,” she said. “There’s a new gate on solid waste enclosure and there’s a new pedestrian path leading directly from the outdoor eating area to the right-of-way.”
The requested substantial conformance improvement permit includes some modifications to the standard code requirements, she said.
“The code and the downtown core district requires a designated loading space to be provided and there is not one on-site. There is a requirement for a 140-foot stacking distance for drive-thrus in the code and they are requesting a 65-foot stacking distance, which is what’s existing there now,” she said. “They are requesting a reduction to the number of required parking spaces — they are providing 19. And they are requesting a zero-foot parking setback from the right-of-way, when 50 feet is typically required.”
A canopy over an outdoor seating area at the restaurant was constructed during the COVID-19 pandemic for customers who sought to sit outside, Jorge Roldan, owner, said in a written project narrative.
“Due to 2020 and 2021 COVID-19 shut down in particular restaurants with inside sitting, we had to add a canopy to our existing patio to provide exterior seating to our customers. This act was primarily to have our employees keep their jobs and be a service to our long-time customers. Since all government agencies including the Mesa building department was either closed or on half staff service and obtaining a permit rather very lengthy, I have constructed the canopy without a permit,” he said. “Now that we are almost back to normal, we need to legitimize our good-in-heart action by going through its permitting process.”
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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