Spook Hill Neighborhood Action Assoc.

Mesa Desert Uplands Standards Update is Approved

Mesa Council Approves Revised Desert Uplands Standards

On July 12, 2004 the Mesa City Council approved changes to the Desert Uplands Standards, which control major residential development projects within the area of the city bounded by the CAP Canal from Power Road east to the City Limits and north to the Tonto National Forest and Usery Mountain Regional Park. These Standards DO NOT apply to individual home construction or to areas outside the city limits.

Desert Uplands Standards changes

The standards cover many aspects of residential development. Their goal is to preserve the unique desert character of the area as it develops. The Standards were originaly created in 1989 and revised in 1999. The recent review took three years due to several controversial issues. These were: An increase in the allowable disturbance of large lots from 40% to up to 70% of the lot area, requirement for the same level of street lighting as in more densly populated parts of Mesa and a more restrictive allowable plant list for disturbed and revegetated areas. A link to the final draft of the Standards is listed below. The City Code has not yet been revised as of September 13, 2004. A link to the older Standards is also listed below

SHNAA Participation

SHNAA opposed lighting of public residential streets but the engineers insisted on citywide uniform street lighting. Mesa agreed to a reduced lighting level. We recommended that only plants that are native to the Desert Uplands be allowed. After much discussion, the Preferred Plant List includes plants that are native to the Upper Sonoran Desert in the Phoenix metro area, not just the Desert Uplands. The association felt strongly that the lot disturbance limit should be maintained at 40% on lots zoned R1-35 or larger. Developers complained that they could not build the large executive homes that Mesa desires within this limit. Over our objection, the new limit is 50% of the area for the building envelope that can be permanently disturbed. Another 10% can be disturbed during construction but must be revegetated using plants from the Preferred Plant List. In addition up to 10% more can be disturbed and revegetated for utility corridors. Several of our other recommendations were included in the revisions.

Links

Mesa Desert Uplands Standards