Project Narrative

WOODS ASSOCIATES 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ARCHITECTS LLC 
May 6, 2026 
Century Marine 
3302 E. Main Street 
Mesa, Arizona  
Administrative Development Plan Modification Approval 
Design Review Board-work session-Planning Director approval 
Modification to a S.I.C.P.-Board of Adjustment approval 
 
 
PROJECT NARRATIVE 
 
Century Marine is a well-established boat dealership which has been in service in 
Mesa since 1980.  The business was founded by Mesa resident’s Bruce and 
Janet Bosley and is now owned and operated by the family’s second generation. 
The dealership is well known for the high-quality family style sports boats it sales 
and services. 
 
In 2007 the Bosley’s acquired this property and relocated the dealership from the 
original Mesa location just around 2 miles west to 3302 E. Main Street.  This 
property was originally developed for an RV sales and service business which 
seemed to be a turn-key fit for Century Marine.  However, even though the RV 
facility was only a few years old (year 2000) and in full compliance with all City 
ordinances and requirements when permitted, the ever-evolving City 
development standards required the Bosley’s to process a Substantial 
Conformance Improvement Permit (S.C.I.P.)  Which included a reduction in 
required parking and site landscaping. The City of Mesa did approve this S.C.I.P. 
in 2007 and the required renovations to the facility were completed and 
occupancy approved for the Century Marine dealership and has been in business  
at this location since.  
 
In 2016 an in-ground wet boat testing pool was installed near the north west rear 
corner of the property.  The owner thinking this was not a building did not get the 
required building permit.  The owner did however make every effort to locate the 
test facility to comply with the approved 2007 S.C.I.P. landscape and setback 
requirements. 
  
Century Marine is now pursuing approval to construct a new 100’ X 204’ building 
to facilitate indoor dry boat storage.  
 
After a pre-application meeting with planning staff, we were directed to submit 
another application for S.C.I.P. review and approval.  After subsequent staff 
reviews and meetings, we are now requesting the following as directed by 
planning staff: 
 
Administrative Development Plan Modification Approval 
Design Review Board-work session-Planning Director approval 
Modification to a S.I.C.P.-Board of Adjustment approval 
 
This request is for consideration of a proposed new storage building and the 
existing in-ground boat testing pool.  It is our understanding that any April 3, 2026

May 6, 2026 
Century Marine 
Page #2 
 
consideration for approval of these requests will not relieve the owner from the 
required building permit submittals and approval by the City of Mesa Building 
Safety Division. 
 
 
Existing in-ground testing pool: 
The in-ground structure is located at the rear northwest corner of the boat 
dealership.  The 10’ landscape setback which was approved by the 2007 S.C.I.P. 
has been maintained and no existing landscape trees or plants are impacted.  
The existing property block wall completely screens this structure from the  
adjacent properties and it is not visible from any public right-a-way.  There are 
also no homes directly adjacent on the north as this is a community landscaped 
park. 
  
The test simulates the water conditions of a floating boat for testing.  The boat 
remains on the trailer that is backed into the water pool were the back of the boat 
floats simulating lake conditions where seals can be tested with the motor 
running including drives.  The boats that Century Marine sales and services are 
all equipped with modern exhaust systems which utilize the water to muffle the 
motor exhaust and limit carbon monoxide fumes for the safety of the water sports 
participants being towed behind the boat.  The noise emitted is generally as low 
as a normal automobile. The testing pool has been in continuous service since 
2016 with no complaints from our neighbors. 
Century Marine has completed a sound testing study by a professional sound 
engineer which concluded that the sound levels emitted from the boats are lower 
than the levels emitted from normal traffic on Main Street. 
A copy of this report is included with this narrative. 
 
This type of outdoor testing is essential for proper service for the family style 
sport towing boats that Century Marine sales and service.  Most boat dealerships 
that service similar sport towing boats have this type of testing pool.    
 
Domestic water from a hose bib is used to fill the tank.  A swimming pool pump 
and filter are used to chlorinate and circulate the tank water.  Chorine levels are 
kept at normal swimming pool levels. Water is drained and refilled every 30 days 
utilizing the pool pump to backwash through the pool filter. Drainage will be 
connected to the City’s sewer through an oil/grease separator as approved by 
the City of Mesa Industrial Waste Department and Building Safety Division. 
Century Marine will process a building permit issued by the City of Mesa Building 
Safety Division and complete all required inspections and modifications to the 
facility for occupancy and use. 
 
 
The New Boat Storage Building: 
Century Marine is now pursuing approval to build a new indoor boat storage 
facility.  Boat storage has always been a part of the dealership’s service and is 
allowed by right in the GC zoning.  Since 2007 boats have been stored on the 
paved area proposed for the new storage building with a 10’ landscaped setback 
adjacent the RM zoned neighboring residential community north and along the 
residential community’s access drive along the east.

May 6, 2026 
Century Marine 
Page #3 
 
The new storage building will comply with current ordinance development 
standards and provide 20’ landscaped setbacks adjacent the north and east 
property lines and maintain the existing block screen walls.  The existing mature 
trees and landscaping will also be maintained. 
 
This building will only be used for dry storage of boats.  No service of any kind 
will be conducted in this building.  To maximize the efficiency of the storage 
space a single 12’ high roll-up door for ingress of boats on trailers is located at 
the north west side and a single 12’ rollup door for egress at the south.  There  
will be no public or customer access.  Required fire exit doors only will be 
provided. 
 
Mesa’s development standards require service bay doors to be screened from 
public view.  The rollup door used for boat egress faces Main Street but it is not 
considered a service bay since no service of any kind is conducted in this 
building.  The door however, is screened by the 8’ concrete block wall and the 
existing mature trees and landscaping along Main Street. In addition to this 
screening the building is set back 30’ behind the wall and over 50’ from the 
sidewalk. 
 
Parking: 
Century Marine has been in business at this site since 2007 when the SCIP was 
approved.  The SCIP allowed a reduction to the required parking and the 30 
spaces provided then has always been more than adequate. 
  
This building addition to Century Marine’s business services will not require any 
additional employees for operation.  The area for the new storage building is 
currently used for outdoor boat storage as allowed by zoning.  This building 
addition will actually reduce significantly the number of customer boats that are 
currently stored with the increased setbacks and fire truck access required.  
Customers will not have access to the storage building.  Customers will drop off 
and pickup their boats at the dealership building as is the current process for the 
outdoor storage. 
 
We are requesting approval to reduce the required number of parking spaces 
based on the Mesa Zoning Ordinance (MZO) ratio of 1:375 s.f. which would 
equal 99 spaces to the 30 spaces which have proven to be adequate for this 
facility. The existing 30 spaces include 2 accessible spaces in full compliance 
with ADA. 
 
Perimeter landscape setbacks: 
Current MZO requires 20’ along the north & east property adjacent the RM 
zoning, 15’ along the west property line, and 15’ along Main Street. 
We are requesting approval to maintain the existing site perimeter landscape 
setbacks as approved by the 2007 S.C.I.P. except at the new storage building 
were compliance with the 20’ setback adjacent the north and east will be 
provided.

May 6, 2026 
Century Marine 
Page #4 
 
 
In addition to the required perimeter landscaping current MZO requires an 
additional 10% of net site area to be landscaped. 
The existing dealership has approximately 6% mostly located along the west 
property line in the landscaped retention area. 
We are requesting approval of this site landscaping reduction which is 
consistence with the 2007 S.C.I.P. approval. 
 
Century Marine sales and services the highest quality family style watersport tow 
boats available.  They are the Dealership for some of the top manufacturers of 
these popular sport boats. 
To stay in stride with their customer’s demands an investment in this indoor 
storage facility is vital.  The quality of the building and architecture are important 
goals to be achieved. 
Staff has been very helpful with suggestions to meet the City of Mesa’s Quality 
Development Design Guidelines.  There are unique conditions and 
circumstances of this building’s use and location that deserve adjustment and 
common sense. 
 
Based on these conditions the owners architect has developed the architecture 
of this building in response to these unique circumstances to not only function as 
an efficient boat storage building to serve Century Marine’s customers but also fit 
ascetically as a part of dealership and neighborhood.  We look forward to 
discussing this building architecture with the Design Review Board for 
suggestions and approval.   
 
Our revised submittal addresses the latest staff review comments for scheduling 
the Administrative Site Plan review, Board of Adjustment, and Design Review 
Board study session. 
 
We believe these requests are reasonable and will not adversely affect our 
neighbors and are consistent with the S.C.I.P. approved for this facility in 2007. 
 
 
Fred E. Woods, Architect, N.C.A.R.B.