Good morning, Mesa. It is a brutal week to be outside: highs climb from 109 today toward 112 by Wednesday, and the National Weather Service has an Extreme Heat Watch up from Wednesday morning through Thursday evening, with afternoon readings of 110 to 114 possible. Run errands early and check the back seat.
- 🏗️ Mesa's zoning code goes under the knife Wednesday. The Planning and Zoning Board takes up casita rules, EV charging, and building standards.
- 🏆 Mesa ranks as a top-10 best-run city. Highest of any Arizona city in a new national study.
- ⚽ World Cup on the big screen at the Main Library all week. Free public viewings most mornings and afternoons.
- 🏠 538 new listings hit the Mesa market last month. Prices held roughly flat from a year ago.
- 🎟️ Worth the drive. Gabriel Iglesias, Beauty and the Beast, and a metal four-bill across the Valley.
Two zoning rewrites land Wednesday
Mesa's Planning and Zoning Board takes up two broad rewrites of the city's zoning code on Wednesday, June 24, and the changes reach from backyards to delivery depots.
Key facts:
- What: Two code-amendment packages, files PZ 26050 and PZ 26047, before the Planning and Zoning Board.
- PZ 26050 adds rules for EV charging and "fleet-based services," a new category for sites where fleets of delivery, rideshare, or service vehicles park, charge, and get maintained.
- PZ 26047 updates accessory dwelling unit (casita) standards, building material and color rules, live/work units in commercial districts, and pedestrian-connection requirements.
- When: Planning and Zoning Board public hearing, Wednesday, June 24.
The casita piece is the one most homeowners will feel. Accessory dwelling unit standards govern whether and how a property owner can add a backyard unit for family or rent, and Mesa is refining those rules citywide. The EV and fleet-language sets up where charging hubs and vehicle depots can locate as that demand grows. This is a recommendation step, not a final vote.
What to watch: the board's recommendation heads to City Council for the final decision. Staff reports for the EV and fleet amendments and the broader code update are posted on Mesa Legistar.
The week ahead
- ⚽ World Cup viewings at the Main Library. The downtown branch is showing live matches on the big screen most days this week, free and open to all. Argentina and France play Monday, Portugal and England Tuesday, more through Thursday. Schedule.
- 🧠 Trivia night at On The Green. Free to play, prizes on the line, Wednesday at 7 PM at On The Green Sports Grill. Details.
- 🎤 Powerful Voices open mic. Music, comedy, and poetry Thursday night in Mesa. Details.
Around Mesa
🏆 Mesa lands in the top 10 best-run cities. A new WalletHub study ranked Mesa among the 10 best-run cities in the country and the highest of any Arizona city, scoring how efficiently a city delivers services for what it spends. Details.
🏠 The market keeps loosening. 538 new listings came on the Mesa market last month, with the typical home selling for about $452,500, roughly flat from a year ago, and homes taking around 55 days to sell. Details.
From the schools
Around the Valley
A few picks worth leaving Mesa for this week.
Beauty and the Beast at ASU Gammage, Tempe. Wednesday, June 24, 7:30 PM. The Disney musical, a short hop down the 202. Tickets.
Killswitch Engage, Machine Head, Iron Reagan and Havok at Marquee Theatre, Tempe. Wednesday, June 24, 6:30 PM. A heavy four-band bill in one of the Valley's better rooms for it. Tickets.
Gabriel Iglesias at Wild Horse Pass, Chandler. Thursday, June 25, 8 PM. "Fluffy" on the casino stage, ten minutes down the 202. Tickets.
Taj Farrant at Talking Stick Resort, Scottsdale. Thursday, June 25, 8 PM. The teenage blues-guitar prodigy in a small showroom. Tickets.