A substantial conformance improvement permit has been approved for the redevelopment of an existing place of worship west of Greenfield Road and north of Southern Avenue in Mesa.
The permit to allow deviations from certain development standards was approved by the Mesa Board of Adjustment in a unanimous vote Aug. 3 of a consent agenda with other items.
The zoning for the property is single-residence-43 and places of worship are permitted in the zoning district, Staff Planner Charlotte Bridges said at a study session prior to the meeting.
A building will be demolished and replaced with a new two-story structure. The site is considered nonconforming because it doesn’t comply with the development standards of the Mesa zoning ordinance, including a short masonry wall on one side and no screen wall on another, she said.
“So to bring the site into closer conformance with current standards, first the applicant is replacing that existing building with a new two-story, 13,690-square-foot building. The proposed building meets all setback requirements of the [single-residence-43 zoning] district, so it’s set back the 20 feet from the south property line and it’s set back 20 feet from the east property line as well,” Bridges said.
The parking lot is to be reconfigured and paved, a parking lot screen wall added, pedestrian connections added to Pueblo Avenue, half-street right-of-way improvements installed along Pueblo Avenue, and new landscaping added throughout the site, she said.
Alternative compliance requests, according to Bridge’s presentation to the board, are:
Flat roof in excess of 100 feet in length with no vertical modulation;
More than 50% of a facade is covered with a single material, stucco; and
No recognizable “base” or “top” treatment.
The applicant is Michelle O. Rutkowski of MOR Studio. The owner is World Deliverance Outreach Ministries.
World Deliverance Outreach Ministries presently operates out of modular buildings, Rutkowski said in a written project narrative.
“This project includes the demolition of the existing modular building housing their worship space and covered attached patio. The new building will include gathering space for worship, classrooms, offices, restrooms and lobby space. The facility will primarily be used on Sunday mornings for church services. Occasionally the space will be used for gatherings during the week. The office space will be used all week long,” she said.
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 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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