Rezoning for big development in Mesa moving along

Article originally posted on HERE on August 31, 2026

Mesa City Council will likely approve a rezone of 196 acres later this month in Southeast Mesa that should clear the way for the mix-used Legacy Park development.

The Planning and Zoning Board last week voted 7-0 to recommend that Council on Sept. 14 reclassify the property at Ellsworth and Williams Field roads to Planned Community District from Light Industrial.

The project, a joint venture between Vestar and Pacific Proving LLC, includes 2,400 multifamily units, offices, commercial and a resort hotel.

“This project by far is the heaviest lift by an applicant and their consulting team … that I’ve seen in my tenure on the board,” Chairperson Troy Peterson said during the Aug. 26 study session. “It sets the bar at a higher level and brings this kind of next-level development that I think the vision’s been for a long time.

“I look forward to seeing it build out over the years.”

Council also at the Sept. 14 meeting is expected to approve annexing the site from Maricopa County and approving a development agreement for the project.

“The aim for Legacy Park is to create a mixed-use, walkable and connected community,” Planning Director Mary Kopaskie-Brown explained. “In putting together the zoning for the community as part of the PC District, essentially the applicant is able to write their own zoning regulations, their own zoning ordinance for these 196 acres.

“And in doing so, what they look to do is to create and ensure flexibility, both in terms of phasing and how the development happens. They want to be able to respond to market changes. They want to ensure that they have high-quality development.”

She said that the city also wanted that flexibility so that the site can develop in “that unique and creative way but also to meet changes that happen.”

“Ten years from now the market may be very different than it is today,” she said.

Kopaskie-Brown added that the developer has clearly identified the design standards and guidelines for Legacy Park to ensure the quality of development the city is looking for.

The key defining elements of the project are “The Boulevard,” a shaded pedestrian spine or walkway, a public park with trails, seating, shade and other amenities, and resort hospitality, according to Kopaskie-Brown.

A portion of the park would be for the hotel’s use but most of it would be accessible to the public, she said.

“People can come out, spend the day down on The Boulevard, go for a walk in the park, come back, and have dinner,” she said. “So again, creating that activity where you want to spend your entire day here at Legacy Park.

“And that resort not only offers the hotel but they’ll also have dining,” she continued. “And then there’s an event space that they’ll create so that they can help to activate that pedestrian boulevard, so that those activities are really what bring people down to a downtown.”

There are also plans for bicycle and other micromobility uses at Legacy Park, which would have a pedestrian tunnel under Williams Field Road, connecting the development to the Arizona Athletic Grounds, a 320-acre sports and entertainment complex, and the planned mixed-use Gateway Crossing project.

The developer has so far submitted a draft traffic impact that includes Legacy Park, Arizona Athletic Grounds and Gateway Crossing.

On the site facing State Route 24 would be an office area along with residential units capped at 40%. Primarily, residential uses would be along Ellsworth Road.

“We’ll have the retail and the mixed-use downtown where people are living over those retail buildings,” Kopaskie-Brown said. “I do want to stress again that those uses can move around depending on how the market changes.”

Planner Mallory Ress presented the specific design and development standards for the various proposed uses planned on the property.

For example, Ress said, the specific architectural standard spelled out for The Boulevard requires a portion of all buildings to abut the designated pedestrian paths to support an active pedestrian zone.

And vertical mixed-use standards require buildings to be oriented toward the public realm such as public streets or common open space, Ress said

“In the areas that are oriented towards the public realm on those ground-floor frontages, there’s requirements for vertical mixed-use to incorporate things like public art or outdoor dining,” she said.

“And commercial standards require pedestrian walkways between multiple buildings, so there will be required shaded pedestrian routes with other amenities for pedestrian comfort, like seating or lighting.”

The internal street network within Legacy Park would comprise both public and private with a stated speed limit of 25 mph, she said.

According to Kopaskie-Brown, the city was “very intentional about creating design standards and guidelines” for Legacy Park but also provided for as much flexibility as possible.

“We don’t want to pin them into something that maybe something that’s more creative would want to go in that area,” she said.

Board members asked questions about traffic and about the design guidelines.

Board member Chase Hales said he did not see any incentives to ensure that the developer provides the listed potential amenities for pedestrians in the streetscape.

According to planners, the incentives or “teeth” are in the development agreement to ensure a high-quality development that Mesa expects.

And “we’ll review those amenities that go in The Boulevard area at development plan review to ensure that there are the appropriate number of amenities,” Ress said.

Kopaskie-Brown added that the specific uses each have an amenity list, accompanied by stipulations.

“For example, if we’re talking like a multifamily use, there are stipulations that the developer would not be able to provide three fire pits and say that is the amenity,” she said.

“And it has to be designed in a certain way. So, there’s general language put in there to ensure that the vision for the project is really seen … providing pedestrian comfort and amenities throughout the project.”

Board member Jayson Carpenter asked about the billboards on the property. Mesa doesn’t allow for them. The two static billboards along SR 24 would be considered legal nonconforming uses once the annexation goes through and taken down when construction begins, said Susan Demmitt, land-use attorney representing the applicant.

The remaining billboards are on county land and will stay.

Ress also noted that the four residents who attended the Aug. 12 neighborhood meeting on the proposal did not raise concerns and were in support.,