Rural Vacant LandZoning Library
Zoning Library › Arizona › Mesa, AZ

Mesa, AZ zoning: where a drive-thru restaurant is allowed

Maricopa County · 45 districts on file · last read 2026-11-14 · data.json

Is a drive-thru allowed in Mesa, AZ?

A drive-thru restaurant is allowed by right (no conditional use permit, special exception or rezoning) in these zoning districts: GC, LC.

It needs a conditional or special use approval in: DB-1, DB-2, DC, GI, HI, LI, MX, NC, PEP.

It is not allowed in 22 districts: AG, DR-1, DR-2, DR-3, LR, OC, PS, RM-2, RM-3, RM-4, RM-5, RS-6, RS-7, RS-9, RS-15, RS-35, RS-43, RS-90, RSL-2.5, RSL-3.0, RSL-4.0, RSL-4.5.

12 districts are not confirmed yet.

Drive-thru restaurant rule by zoning district

DistrictDrive-thru restaurantWhat the code saysSectionSourceRead on
AGNot allowedNo drive-thru facilities or pick-up window facilities permitted.Table 11-5-2 fn 11zoneomics.com2026-11-14
DB-1ConditionalCouncil Use Permit (CUP)Tables 11-7-2/11-8-2zoneomics.com2026-11-14
DB-2ConditionalSpecial Use Permit (SUP)Table 11-8-2zoneomics.com2026-11-14
DCConditionalCouncil Use Permit (CUP)Tables 11-7-2/11-8-2zoneomics.com2026-11-14
DR-1Not allowedProhibited / no restaurant rowTables 11-6-2/11-8-2zoneomics.com2026-11-14
DR-2Not allowedProhibited / no restaurant rowTables 11-6-2/11-8-2zoneomics.com2026-11-14
DR-3Not allowedProhibited / no restaurant rowTables 11-6-2/11-8-2zoneomics.com2026-11-14
EONot confirmedNot read closely enough to state a rule.zoneomics.com2026-11-14
GCBy rightRestaurants, Limited Service ... With Drive-Thru Facilities: P
Stacking study; 100 ft speaker-to-window, 40 ft entry-to-order; lane 100 ft from residential (sound study can reduce); not parallel to arterial without screen.		ZO Table 11-6-2; 11-31-18zoneomics.com2026-11-14
GIConditionalCouncil Use Permit (CUP)Tables 11-7-2/11-8-2zoneomics.com2026-11-14
HIConditionalCouncil Use Permit (CUP)Tables 11-7-2/11-8-2zoneomics.com2026-11-14
ID-1Not confirmedNot read closely enough to state a rule.zoneomics.com2026-11-14
ID-2Not confirmedNot read closely enough to state a rule.zoneomics.com2026-11-14
LCBy rightRestaurants, Limited Service ... With Drive-Thru Facilities: P
Stacking study; 100 ft speaker-to-window, 40 ft entry-to-order; lane 100 ft from residential (sound study can reduce); not parallel to arterial without screen.		ZO Table 11-6-2; 11-31-18zoneomics.com2026-11-14
LIConditionalCouncil Use Permit (CUP)Tables 11-7-2/11-8-2zoneomics.com2026-11-14
LRNot allowedProhibited / no restaurant rowTables 11-6-2/11-8-2zoneomics.com2026-11-14
MXConditionalSpecial Use Permit (SUP)Table 11-6-2zoneomics.com2026-11-14
NCConditionalCouncil Use Permit (CUP)Table 11-6-2zoneomics.com2026-11-14
OCNot allowedProhibited / no restaurant rowTables 11-6-2/11-8-2zoneomics.com2026-11-14
PCNot confirmedNot read closely enough to state a rule.zoneomics.com2026-11-14
PEPConditionalCouncil Use Permit (CUP)Tables 11-7-2/11-8-2zoneomics.com2026-11-14
PSNot allowedProhibited / no restaurant rowTables 11-6-2/11-8-2zoneomics.com2026-11-14
RM-2Not allowedNo drive-thru facilities or pick-up window facilities permitted.Table 11-5-2 fn 11zoneomics.com2026-11-14
RM-3Not allowedNo drive-thru facilities or pick-up window facilities permitted.Table 11-5-2 fn 11zoneomics.com2026-11-14
RM-4Not allowedNo drive-thru facilities or pick-up window facilities permitted.Table 11-5-2 fn 11zoneomics.com2026-11-14
RM-5Not allowedNo drive-thru facilities or pick-up window facilities permitted.Table 11-5-2 fn 11zoneomics.com2026-11-14
RS-6Not allowedNo drive-thru facilities or pick-up window facilities permitted.Table 11-5-2 fn 11zoneomics.com2026-11-14
RS-7Not allowedNo drive-thru facilities or pick-up window facilities permitted.Table 11-5-2 fn 11zoneomics.com2026-11-14
RS-9Not allowedNo drive-thru facilities or pick-up window facilities permitted.Table 11-5-2 fn 11zoneomics.com2026-11-14
RS-15Not allowedNo drive-thru facilities or pick-up window facilities permitted.Table 11-5-2 fn 11zoneomics.com2026-11-14
RS-35Not allowedNo drive-thru facilities or pick-up window facilities permitted.Table 11-5-2 fn 11zoneomics.com2026-11-14
RS-43Not allowedNo drive-thru facilities or pick-up window facilities permitted.Table 11-5-2 fn 11zoneomics.com2026-11-14
RS-90Not allowedNo drive-thru facilities or pick-up window facilities permitted.Table 11-5-2 fn 11zoneomics.com2026-11-14
RSL-2.5Not allowedNo drive-thru facilities or pick-up window facilities permitted.Table 11-5-2 fn 11zoneomics.com2026-11-14
RSL-3.0Not allowedNo drive-thru facilities or pick-up window facilities permitted.Table 11-5-2 fn 11zoneomics.com2026-11-14
RSL-4.0Not allowedNo drive-thru facilities or pick-up window facilities permitted.Table 11-5-2 fn 11zoneomics.com2026-11-14
RSL-4.5Not allowedNo drive-thru facilities or pick-up window facilities permitted.Table 11-5-2 fn 11zoneomics.com2026-11-14
T3NNot confirmedNot read closely enough to state a rule.zoneomics.com2026-11-14
T4MSNot confirmedNot read closely enough to state a rule.zoneomics.com2026-11-14
T4NNot confirmedNot read closely enough to state a rule.zoneomics.com2026-11-14
T4NFNot confirmedNot read closely enough to state a rule.zoneomics.com2026-11-14
T5MSNot confirmedNot read closely enough to state a rule.zoneomics.com2026-11-14
T5MSFNot confirmedNot read closely enough to state a rule.zoneomics.com2026-11-14
T5NNot confirmedNot read closely enough to state a rule.zoneomics.com2026-11-14
T6MSNot confirmedNot read closely enough to state a rule.zoneomics.com2026-11-14

"By right" means permitted with site plan and building permit review only. Overlay districts, planned developments (PD/PUD) and conditions attached to a past rezoning can change the answer for a single parcel.

Official zoning map layer

To find the district for a parcel, query the jurisdiction's own GIS zoning layer: https://services2.arcgis.com/1gVyYKfYgW5Nxb1V/arcgis/rest/services/Zoning/FeatureServer/2 (district field: Zoning)

Sources

How to confirm before you buy

  1. Look up the parcel on the official zoning map to get its district and any overlay.
  2. Open the code section linked in the table and read the use table and the drive-thru standards.
  3. Call the planning office and ask whether a drive-thru restaurant needs anything beyond site plan review at that address.

Why this library exists

I'm Luke Smith. I find land for drive-thru brands like 7 Brew, Ellianos Coffee and Starbucks, sign the tenant, build the shop and sell it as a net lease property. Every deal starts with the same question: is the use allowed here without a rezoning? Getting that answer takes too long, so we read the codes (with AI research help), and I publish what we find with a link back to every source so you can check it yourself.

If you have a site that fits a drive-thru, or you want to learn how these deals are put together, join the free Reverse Deal Finder community on Skool, see cap rates and land prices by brand, or call 1-760-392-1525. Brokers welcome: I pay commissions.