MESA, Ariz. — The City of Mesa has entered into a deal with Culdesac to develop a "car-light" community on a piece of city-owned property north of the downtown area.
On Monday, the city council voted to approve a memorandum of understanding that outlines how Culdesac shall move forward with building 1,000 new residential units on 25 acres near Mesa and University drives.
The MOU states the city "agrees to work with the Developer to reduce the parking requirement for the community" and will support the implementation of street improvements to prioritize biking and walking.
The project and sale of the property is expected to be carried out over the course of three phases.
City officials said approval of the MOU is only a starting point for the project and more work will need to be done as it progresses.
Culdesac opened its car-free community in Tempe last summer, which was designed as a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood that includes places where residents can shop and socialize within walking distance of their apartments.
Mesa City Councilwoman Jenn Duff said she's supportive of the Culdesac projects because the developer is offering another lifestyle choice for East Valley residents.
"We're moving into the future by agreeing to move forward with Culdesac," Duff said during Monday's meeting.
*Editor's Note: The above video is from an earlier broadcast.*
UP TO SPEED
What is the Valley?:
“The Valley” is what locals call the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. It is considered the largest metropolitan area in the Southwest.
The Valley is made up of various major cities other than Phoenix, including:
- Mesa
- Chandler
- Scottsdale
- Tempe
- Glendale
- Surprise
- Peoria
- Gilbert
- El Mirage
- Avondale
- Litchfield Park
- Goodyear
- Buckeye
Whether a city is in the “East Valley” or “West Valley” depends on where it is in relation to Phoenix.
The cities of the Valley have a combined population of 4,845,832 people, according to the 2020 United States Census. This makes it the 11th largest metropolitan area in the country right behind the Boston and Atlanta areas.
How big is Maricopa County?
Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.
The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).
One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.
The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.
The county was named after the Maricopa, or Piipaash, Native American Tribe.