11 more drive-thru eateries bound for SE Mesa

Apr. 12—The Planning and Zoning Board has approved three projects totaling 12 new drive-thru restaurants, including 11 in southeast Mesa.

One of the projects that received the most attention was the board's final approval of a site plan for the 17-acre Eastgate commercial center at the northeast corner of Elliot and Ellsworth roads.

That commercial center would include seven drive-thrus in addition to a Cambria hotel, Discount Tire and several single-story retail and medical office buildings.

Eastgate drew a flood of negative public comments before the vote, reflecting long-standing complaints that this part of southeast Mesa already has enough fast food eateries.

It will occupy a prominent corner just north of Eastmark, where many residents have clamored for higher quality retail and dining options.

"Eastmark and our surrounding communities are tired of the City of Mesa flooding our corners with drive-thru eateries," said one comment read into the record before the vote.

"Time and time again we have asked for sit down restaurants to take our business, yet we are forced to drive to Queen Creek to spend our money. We should be able to spend in Mesa."

Commenters also faulted the public notification process, saying letters from the developer about the site plan modification should have been sent to residents of Eastmark.

Notification letters were sent to property owners within 1,000 feet of Eastgate, according to project documents. That radius does not reach the homes within Eastmark, just the industrial northern edge.

One commenter lamented that she and her husband "are forced to go to Gilbert, Chandler or Scottsdale for dinner or even a decent lunch."

Two comments worried that the number of drive-thrus planned would have a negative impact on traffic at the intersection, and in one case the commenter compared it to a recently developed commercial centers at Signal Butte and Guadalupe roads.

She described this intersection as an "absolute nightmare of traffic and accidents that have occurred since this (shopping center) has opened. It has no aesthetic appeal."

The P&Z board read out the five comments, but the board members didn't have much discretion to act on Eastgate's request.

The site plan was previously approved, and under current zoning rules, the drive-thrus are allowed by right in Limited Commercial districts.

The Mesa Planning Department last year proposed updates to the zoning ordinance to limit the clustering of drive-thrus but the rules are still under discussion.

Eastgate and its seven drive- thrus stayed on the consent agenda and passed unanimously without discussion with board member Ben Ayers abstaining.

Another project that passed will bring another shopping center to Elliott Road to the west, anchored by a grocery store and a gym, but it will also include four drive-thrus.

The 15-acre "Power and Elliot Commercial Center" approved for the southwest corner of Power and Elliot Roads will be anchored by a 20,000-square-foot Aldi grocery store and a 42,000-square-foot EoS Fitness gym.

The rest of the center will include a gas station with convenience store and four drive-thrus along the perimeter.

With a grocery store and fewer drive-thrus, Power & Elliot Commercial Center may be more palatable than Eastgate, but the commercial center will still leave locals craving sit-down dining options.

The only discussion this project garnered was concern over the developer's requested parking reduction for EoS Fitness from 420 spaces to 366.

An attorney for Avalon Development argued that fitness facilities don't grow their parking needs in direct proportion to their square footage.

"For example, a basketball court or a pool or a tennis court, it may take up a lot of space as you get into a larger facility, but it doesn't equate to a straight-line increase in the number of people" using the facilities, he said.

Board members questioned this reasoning, pointing out that some of the other EoS Fitness sites they're aware of appear to be "under-parked."

The attorney said that since the Power & Elliot location was surrounded by drive-thrus, which don't use up as much parking, it wouldn't have the same parking situation as other sites surrounded by "suited" retail and restaurant that take up more parking.

The board ultimately approved the Power & Elliot commercial center 5-1.

The last drive-thru approved at this meeting brought the total up to an even dozen, but is planned for the Fiesta District.

The board approved a site plan modification of the 16-acre Fiesta Village commercial center to add a Chick-Fil-A.

The chicken logo in this Chick-Fil-A will be something like the mythical Phoenix, as the new drive thru is the first of four new establishments planned for this once-blighted corner.

The 2,600-square-foot drive-thru-only restaurant will have outdoor seating and three ordering lanes.

The new restaurant passed unanimously.