A Virgin Galactic facility for assembling next-generation Delta class spaceships at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport can have fewer parking spaces than required, a city board decided recently.
The Mesa Board of Adjustment voted 5-0 on May 1 as part of a consent agenda with other items to approve the parking reduction for the property in a light industrial district with a planned area development overlay. Absent were Vice Chair Shelly Allen and board member Nicole Lynam.
“This is for a specific special-use permit to allow for a parking reduction for the manufacturing of spacecraft, specifically Virgin Galactic,” Staff Planner Joshua Grandlienard said during a study session prior to the meeting. “The general plan sub-plan on this site is ‘specialty: airport.’ As you can tell, their core manufacturing — or specifically in this case, spacecraft — is consistent with the overall intended purpose of this area, which is to provide for flight capabilities as well as for uses to that.”
