Final staff report

City of Mesa — Design Review Board (2026-04-14)

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Design Review Report 
Date 
April 14, 2026 
Case No.  
DRB25-00993 
Project Name 
New Life Fellowship Hall Building 
Request 
Design Review Approval for an approximately 6,421± square foot 
Place of Worship 
Project Location 
Approximately 1,770± feet east of the northeast corner of West 
Broadway Road and South Dobson Road 
Parcel No(s) 
134-32-036A 
 
Project Area 
0.6± acres 
Council District 
District 3 
Existing Zoning 
Light 
Industrial 
with 
a 
Planned Area Development 
Overlay (LI-PAD) 
General Plan 
Designation 
Local Employment Center 
Applicant 
Ron Hecht, Valley Architecture, Inc. 
Owner 
James MacMillan, New Life Full Gospel Fellowship, Inc. 
Staff Planner 
Chloe Durfee Daniel 
 
Recommendation 
Staff finds that the Proposed Project is consistent with the Mesa 2050 General Plan, the Quality 
Development Design Guidelines, and the Site Planning and Design Standards outlined in MZO 
Section 11-6-3(B). 
Staff recommends approval with conditions. 
Project Overview

[2] 
Request: 
The applicant is requesting approval of an approximately 6,421± square foot Place of Worship 
(Proposed Project).  
Concurrent Applications: 
• 
Site Plan Review: Planning and Zoning Board meeting is scheduled for April 22, 2026, 
to review the proposed site plan. 
Site Context 
General Plan:  
• 
The Placetype for the project site is Local Employment Center and the Growth Strategy 
is Evolve. 
• 
Public/Semi-public uses, such as a Place of Worship, are supporting land uses, that when 
integrated with a variety of other low-intensity business operations and commercial uses, 
and located with convenient access to commercial areas that provide services and 
amenities, create areas that can complement residential areas. 
• 
The Proposed Project is consistent with the Local Employment Center Placetype and 
furthers the implementation of, and is not contrary to, the Vision, Guiding Principles, 
Strategies, and applicable elements of the Mesa 2050 General Plan. 
• 
Supporting General Plan Strategies: 
o LU1. Promote a balance of land uses to enhance the quality of life for current and 
future generations. 
o LU3. Encourage infill and redevelopment to meet the community’s strategic needs. 
Sub-Area Plan: 
• 
The proposed project is located within the West Main Street Area Plan and specifically 
located within the Industrial Corridor. 
• 
The Proposed Project is consistent with the Industrial Corridor of the West Main Street 
Area Plan by supporting infill and redevelopment of the area. 
Zoning:  
• 
The project site is zoned Light Industrial with a Planned Area Development Overlay (LI-
PAD). 
• 
A Place of Worship is a permitted use within the LI District.

[3] 
Surrounding Zoning & Use Activity: 
The proposed Place of Worship is compatible with surrounding land uses, which include places 
of worship, commercial, office, retail, auto sales, and industrial users. 
Northwest 
LI-PAD 
Industrial/Office/Warehouse 
North 
LI-PAD 
Industrial/Office/Warehouse  
Northeast 
LI-PAD 
Retail  
West 
LI-BIZ 
Auto Sales 
Project Site 
LI-PAD 
Vacant 
East 
LI-PAD 
Commercial and Place of 
Worship 
Southwest 
(Across Broadway Rd.) 
LI 
Auto Sales 
South 
(Across Broadway Rd.) 
LI 
Auto Sales 
Southeast 
(Across Broadway Rd.) 
LI 
Auto Sales 
Site History: 
• 
January 4, 1967: City Council annexed 399± acres, including the project site, into the City 
of Mesa (Ordinance No. 538). 
• 
August 26, 1991: City Council approved Council Use Permit and a Major Site Plan 
Modification to allow for a 25,000 square foot retail store to the site.  (Case No. Z91-031; 
Ordinance No. 2632). 
• 
September 3, 1991: The Board of Adjustment approved a variance for landscaping and 
screening requirements in conjunction with the expansion of the larger development (Case 
No. BA91-022). 
• 
May 2, 2001: Design Review reviewed 117,928 square feet of building space (Case No. 
DR01-034). 
• 
August 15, 2005: City Council approved a rezoning from LI to LI-PAD and a Site Plan 
Modification for 19± acres (Case No. Z05-063; Ordinance No. 4438).  
• 
October 5, 2005: The Design Review Board reviewed the building elevations and 
landscape plan for 18,120 square feet of retail building adjacent to the proposed project 
(Case No. DR05-081).  
Project/Request Details 
Design Review Approval: 
• 
Design Review Board Approval Authority: The project site is located within a light 
industrial and retail complex, approved by City Council in 2005. Per Condition No. 2 of 
Ordinance 4438, all future development plans are subject to the review and approval of 
the Design Review Board.

[4] 
• 
Building Design: The 6,421± square foot Place of Worship will be a single-story structure 
situated on the currently vacant pad on the site within a group industrial center. The main 
entrance is at the southeast side of the building, and is adjacent to a large, covered entry 
plaza with a pedestrian path that leads to the public sidewalk along Broadway Road and 
to a second Place of Worship building within the group industrial center.  
• 
Access: The shared entrance drive allows access from Broadway Road southwest of the 
building and to the larger group industrial center with drive aisles circling the building.  
• 
Parking: Per Table 11-32-3.A of the Mesa Zoning Ordinance (MZO), 49 parking spaces 
are required. The CC&Rs for the group industrial center provide a shared parking 
agreement which supplies enough parking to meet all user requirements and meets the 
MZO parking requirements.  
• 
Landscaping: The building features new foundation base landscaping as well as 
landscaping along the right-of-way and within the parking lot meeting all landscaping 
requirements. 
Citizen Participation 
The applicant conducted a Citizen Participation process, notifying surrounding property owners, 
HOAs, and registered neighbors.  
Neighborhood Meeting: 
A neighborhood meeting was held on February 12, 2026; one attendee wanted to know more 
about the proposed project but expressed no concerns.  
Required Notification: 
• 
Property owners within 1,000 feet, HOAs within ½ mile, and registered neighborhoods 
within one mile of the subject site were notified of the public hearing.  
• 
Staff received no questions on the Proposed Project. 
Conditions of Approval 
Staff recommends approval of the request for Design Review, subject to the following conditions: 
1. 
Compliance with the elevations and landscape plan as submitted. 
2. 
Compliance with all requirements of Case No. ZON25-00578. 
3. 
Compliance with all applicable City development codes and regulations. 
4. 
Installation of all off-site improvements and street frontage landscaping during the first 
phase of construction. 
5. 
Provide a minimum two-foot depth for all the raised parapets. 
6. 
The front covered entry shall be enhanced and include a vertical element.

[5] 
Exhibits 
Exhibit 1 – Vicinity Map 
Exhibit 2 – Project Narrative 
Exhibit 3 – Site Plan 
Exhibit 4 – Landscape Plan 
Exhibit 5 – Elevations 
Exhibit 6 – Renderings 
Exhibit 7 – Color and Material Board 
Exhibit 8 – Floor Plan 
Exhibit 9 – Photometric Plan 
Exhibit 10 – Lighting Fixtures 
Exhibit 11 – Power Point Presentation