Project Narrative

WALMART # 3089 
NWC of SR 24 and MOUNTAIN ROAD 
COMPREHENSIVE SIGN PACKAGE 
PROJECT NARRATIVE 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Submitted to: 
 
City of Mesa 
Planning Division 
55 North Center Street 
Mesa, AZ  85201 
 
 
Submitted by: 
 
Sean Lake/ 
Vanessa MacDonald 
Pew & Lake, PLC 
1744 South Val Vista Drive, Suite 217 
Mesa, AZ  85204 
480-461-4670 
 
 
 
March 27, 2026 
Version 2.0

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Introduction 
Pew & Lake, on behalf of BCB Group Investments, Deborah I Berge and Diversified 
Partners, LLC, hereby submits this project narrative and related documents in support of 
a Comprehensive Sign Plan application for Walmart #3089, an approved large format 
commercial user under development at the northeast corner of Mountain Road and State 
Route 24.  The approximate boundaries of the property are shown below 
 
 
Existing General Plan and Zoning Classification 
 
As shown on the next page, the Property is zoned for General Commercial (GC) and Light 
Industrial (LI) uses and has a General Plan 2050 Placetype of Regional Center. It is 
important to note that in 2024, a Planned Area Development (PAD) overlay and a 
Conditional Use Permit (Case ZON22-0026) were approved to allow large-format 
commercial and retail uses in the LI zoning district.

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City of Mesa 2050 General Plan Map 
 
 
Mesa Zoning Map

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Request 
This request is for a Comprehensive Sign Package that will be applicable to the Walmart 
Site Plan, as shown in the attached sign package. When approved, this request will allow 
for the development of eye-catching, permanent signage for the 181,000 square foot 
Walmart store.   
Zoning History 
 
• From 1990 to 2018, various portions of the property were annexed into the City of 
Mesa, purchased and assembled by the property owner, and had various zoning 
designations placed on the property. 
• In 2018, the City Council approved a Master Planned Development called 
Destination at Gateway.  The plans included residential development of various 
densities, and retail opportunities on the arterial and collector corners. 
• In 2020, the City Council approved a Minor General Plan amendment to change 
the land use designation on the property from Neighborhood to Mixed Use Activity.  
This new designation was placed on the property in anticipation of the expansion 
of the State Route 24 Freeway, and the expected influx of residents into this part 
of the City. 
• In June of 2024, the City Council approved a Planned Area Development (PAD) 
on the 125-acre property to allow for the development of General Commercial and 
Light Industrial Uses, in addition to a Council Use Permit to allow large-format retail 
in the Light Industrial Zoning District. 
• In May of 2025 the City administratively approved the Design Guidelines for the 
Destination at Gateway development, which established the overall vision and 
design aesthetic for the entire development. 
• In June of 2025, the City administratively approved the Site Plan for the 167,000 
square foot Walmart at this location. 
• In August of 2025, the Mesa Planning & Zoning Board approved the Site Plan and 
a Special Use Permit for the related Fuel Center. 
With the approval of the preceding applications by Planning staff, Planning & Zoning 
Board and City Council, the vision for this Property as a hub of retail and commercial 
activity has been established by the City. 
The Proposed Development 
 
As shown on the approved Walmart Site Plan, the property will be a destination shopping 
center. There will also be inline retail shops on the Mountain Road and Gateway Auto 
Drive frontages, which will be punctuated by drive-thru uses.

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These signs are requested to ensure that the signs are in proportion with the size and 
scale of the approved Walmart store. 
Main Store Identification Signs 
 
The main store identification signs on the north and south elevations have evolved 
through the Walmart approval processes.  An early version of the sign, shown on the next 
page, encompassed the entire architectural area over the main store entrance. After 
listening to comments from staff throughout the Site Planning process, the sign area has 
been reduced to its current version, which includes Hardie Siding on either side of the 
blue sign area and is roughly 30% smaller than the original version. Of significance is the 
fact that while the proposed identifications signs are roughly 1,100 square feet in size, 
they represent less than 10% of the north and south building faces. 
 
February 2025 Elevation 
 
 
Proposed Store Identification Signs

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Fuel Center Identification Signs 
 
The signs proposed for the Fuel Center are proposed for both the west elevation of the 
fuel kiosk, the gas pump canopies, and a single freestanding sign on the southwest corner 
of Mountain Road and Auto Row Drive.  Illuminated fuel pricing information is on the 
freestanding sign, and the elevations of the canopies that face the interior of the site. 
These signs are necessary so that the latest fuel pricing is readily visible to vehicles 
maneuvering through the site, and driving along the adjacent roadways. 
 
 
 
Justification 
As shown in the Zoning Ordinance, the maximum number of allowed signs per occupancy 
is seven (7) signs.  This number of signs contemplates a building with a “Front Foot” (the 
number of linear feet across the building front) of 250 linear feet or more. Clearly, table 
11-43-3-D-1 shown in the zoning ordinance does not contemplate a big box retailer with 
180,000 square feet of building area, a Front Foot of over 577 linear feet and over 53,000 
total square feet of façade area. If the table showed additional rows of building front

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footages, and continued to follow the associated numerical progression, this building 
would be permitted twelve (12) attached signs. Additionally, the maximum square footage 
and maximum area per sign do not adequately address the needs of a big box retailer. 
By strictly applying the attached sign allowances in the sign code, this building would be 
allowed only seven (7) signs at a maximum of 475 square feet, or three (3) signs at 160 s.f. 
apiece.  Signs this small would be woefully inadequate for a building with over 53,000 s.f. 
of façade area and would not provide adequate brand visibility or wayfinding for the 
various services provided at the Walmart site.  It is also worth emphasizing that the 
proposed building signs are distributed along the four facades of the building, and direct 
arriving customers to the auto care, outdoor, pharmacy and online pickup areas. These 
wayfinding signs are crucial for the safe navigation of vehicles and pedestrians through 
the Walmart parking lot. 
 
This Walmart store and Fuel Center have unique physical conditions- their size and scale. 
These conditions require the requested variations from conventional sign standards to 
provide normal sign visibility. As discussed in Section 11-70-5 of the Mesa Zoning 
Ordinance, when unique physical circumstances exist, the Board of Adjustment may 
approve a sign package that exceeds the dimensional and quantitative standards in the 
sign code. 
Compliance with Special Use Permit Approval Criteria  
 
As outlined in Section 11-70-5-E of the Mesa Zoning Ordinance, an SUP shall only be 
granted if the Board of Adjustment determines that the project as submitted or modified 
conforms to all of the following criteria.  Shown below, in italics, is each of the criteria, 
and the manner in which this project complies is shown in bold text. 
1. Approval of the proposed project will advance the goals and objectives of and is 
consistent with the policies of the General Plan and any other applicable City plan 
and/or policies: 
RESPONSE: The typical land uses envisioned in the Regional Center placetype 
include retail, personal services, eating and drinking establishments, and 
convenience services.  Regional Centers are intended to include major retail, 
national chains, specialty shops and a range of services that will draw 
consumers from the greater metro area.  Regional Centers are also developed 
with a common design theme and feature a large scale of development.   
The Walmart Store and Fuel Center implement each of these ideas. The 
approved Destination at Gateway Design Guidelines ensure a common design 
theme, and the proposed Comprehensive Sign Plan will contribute to a sense 
of arrival to the store, while providing identification and wayfinding to the

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various departments at the store.  
2. The location, size, design, and operating characteristics of the proposed signs 
are consistent with the purposes of the district where it is located and conform 
with the General Plan and with any other applicable City plan or policies; 
RESPONSE: The signs are appropriate in scale and size to the Walmart store 
and Fuel Center and advance the approved design themes of the Destination 
at Gateway project.  The proposed signs have also been designed to be 
consistent with the approved Destination at Gateway Design Guidelines.  
3. The proposed project will not be injurious or detrimental to the adjacent or 
surrounding properties in the area, nor will the proposed project or improvements 
be injurious or detrimental to the neighborhood or to the general welfare of the 
City; and 
RESPONSE: The size of the store and fuel center, and related signage are 
appropriate and reasonable for a property that is at a prominent intersection of 
a freeway and future collector roadway.  The signs comply with the setbacks 
from roadways and utility easements. All signs will be located on the property 
to allow clear vision through site visibility triangles and will not pose any 
unreasonable impacts on traffic patterns on the adjacent roadways. 
4. Adequate public services, public facilities and public infrastructure are available 
to serve the proposed project. 
RESPONSE: All proposed signs will be located on the Walmart store and Fuel 
Center that are currently under construction.  At the time the signage will be 
installed, all public services and infrastructure will be in place.  The signs will 
be located outside the public right-of-way and will not conflict with utility or 
right-of-way improvements.  
Conclusion 
The proposed Walmart Comprehensive Sign Plan proposed at this location is consistent 
with the vision that has been established for this property in the recently approved 
entitlement applications.  Walmart #3089 is under construction and is expected to open 
in September of 2026.  It is vital to have approval of this Comprehensive Sign Package 
to allow Walmart to implement its vision for the store at this important location in the City 
of Mesa.