Mesa City Council Study Session, October 30, 2025: Sewer, Workforce, Building Codes
Mesa City Council Study Session, October 30, 2025
The Mesa City Council held a study session on October 30, 2025, to review the upcoming November 3rd council meeting agenda, receive updates on workforce development and building/fire code adoption, and make a board appointment. Councilmember Adams was excused; Councilmember Heredia participated via Zoom.
Discussion Items
Sewer Lift Station Property Exchange
Staff presented a proposed property exchange between the City of Mesa and Sunshine Acres for a sewer lift station at Higley Road and Longbow Boulevard. The city would trade underutilized parcels acquired in 1984 (appraised at $519,453) for a 21,000-square-foot lot owned by Sunshine Acres (appraised at $462,462). No money would change hands. The exchange would save an estimated $3 million and 12–18 months compared to alternative sites, and it would enable a regional wastewater collection system, unblocking development north of the 202 freeway that has been stranded due to a misaligned sewer sleeve. Staff explained that a phase-one gravity line from 56th Street to Higley is expected to begin within 60 days, and the lift station would serve the remaining area. Councilmembers expressed appreciation for the solution, noting long-standing development barriers.
Workforce Development Strategic Plan Update
Economic Development Director Jay O'Donnell and Education and Workforce Administrator Sarah Toller presented an update on Mesa's workforce development strategic plan, highlighting the link between educational attainment and economic prosperity. They reviewed historical milestones (e.g., Achieve 60AZ, Mesa College Promise) and showed data from the Arizona Progress Meter on third-grade reading proficiency and post-high school enrollment. Councilmember Goforth challenged the effectiveness of city investments, noting that attainment metrics have not improved since 2010. Staff responded that the city’s role is as a convener and supporter, not a direct educator, and that long-term programs like Mesa College Promise are beginning to show results. Councilmember Summers asked about data granularity and observed that a spike in post-high school enrollment around 2006–2008 warranted investigation. Councilmember Spilsbury defended the roundtable’s work, emphasizing that similar trends exist statewide and nationally, and that ceasing efforts would be worse. The presentation outlined four strategic priorities: supporting workforce alignment, building intentional connections, enhancing internal workforce development, and improving post-secondary attainment.
Building and Fire Codes Update
Building Official John Shefford and Fire Marshal Sean Alexander presented the proposed adoption of the 2024 International Codes (building, fire, plumbing, electrical, energy, etc.) with Mesa-specific amendments, replacing the 2018 codes. Key amendments include: increasing thresholds for restroom/drinking fountain requirements for small businesses, adopting more stringent water conservation fixture flow rates, measuring residential setbacks from framing, adding optional accessibility guidelines for houses, reducing sprinkler requirements for remote park/golf course buildings, limiting firefighter air replenishment systems to high-rise buildings only (≥75 ft), requiring 3D construction drawings for commercial buildings three stories and up, and strengthening battery energy storage system (BESS) regulations—including requiring the latest NFPA 855 (2026 edition), independent lab testing, and fire apparatus access roads designed to break large BESS sites into 300x300-foot arrays with 26-foot-wide lanes for ladder trucks. Staff reported extensive outreach to the Development Advisory Forum (May and September) and a public meeting (October 2). The Home Builders Association, SRP, and Southwest Energy Efficiency Project have endorsed the proposal. Adoption would improve Mesa’s ISO rating (currently Class 2), which affects homeowners’ insurance. The timeline calls for introduction on December 1 and action on December 8, with a January 8, 2026 effective date. Councilmembers asked about BESS firefighting strategy (let container burn, protect adjacent) and cost impacts; staff noted a 7% energy efficiency gain with a 3–4 year payback.
Key Outcomes
- Board Appointment: The council voted unanimously to appoint Bryan Hearld to the Housing and Community Development Advisory Board. (Motion by Vice Mayor Summers, second by Councilmember Spilsbury)
- Minutes Approval: The council voted unanimously to receive and approve the board minutes and city council minutes. (Motion by Vice Mayor Summers, second by Councilmember Spilsbury)
- Sewer Lift Station Property Exchange: No formal action taken; the item is on the November 3 council agenda for potential action.
- Building and Fire Codes: Staff will return with the proposed ordinance for introduction on December 1 and action on December 8.
- Workforce Development Plan: Council provided feedback; staff will continue to track metrics and use the plan to guide partnerships.
The meeting also included updates from councilmembers on community events and a report from Acting City Manager Ken Cost that a Mesa police officer shot in the line of duty is recovering at home without surgery.
Meeting Transcript
Welcome everyone to our Mesa Studies Council study session October 30th, almost Halloween time. For roll call, Councilmember Adams is unable to attend and is excused. Uh, Councilmember Heredia is on Zoom with us. And uh welcome everybody. It's got a beautiful morning in Mesa, Arizona. I know our thank you to our acting city manager, uh, Mr. Ken Cost is here. And then I know our manager is uh city manager is traveling and watching online as well. With that, um item one is to review the agenda we have for Monday, November 3rd council meeting, and we can go through that agenda. Council, if you have any questions in uh Mr. Reddy, if you'll raise your hand, I'll try to watch you on the monitor. Yeah, sewer lift station. Um yeah, Mayor, I'm I'm very familiar with it, but I imagine you all uh may have questions about 5B. We could have the presentation on that. Is it property? Yeah, yeah. Welcome water, engineering, and real estate. Okay. It's coming up and then it's going away. Good morning, Mayor. Uh Council members. Uh this morning we're talking about a property exchange between City of Mesa and Sunshine Acres for a sewer lift station. The location is at Higley Road and Longbow Boulevard, just south of uh, I'm sorry, Longbow Parkway, just south of the loop 202 uh Ren Mountain Freeway. Um the city owns some parcels that are on the north side there, just south of the 202, and we're looking to exchange for a piece of property right at the corner for our sewer lift station. Currently, there's a private sewer lift station there for Sunshine Acres on the corner. Um looking at the Sunshine Acres parcel and maybe what the layout would be. This is a proposed layout for our sewer lift station. Uh it appraised, we had a third-party appraiser, appraise these properties, of course, and uh this property appraised at 462 462,000. It's uh 21,000 square foot lot. Uh looking at the properties, and Lance can probably talk more uh appropriately about this, but it's just a better location for some of our for the sewer lift station. We had been looking at a property that was north of the 202 as well, and this and looking at the logistics and timing and and money. Uh, this just turned out to be a better location for the sewer lift station. It also provides uh sewer for uh future development in this area. Um the city of Mesa parcels, we purchased those back in 1984. Uh prior to the 202, we had an agreement with ADOT to uh purchase these properties from a private uh owner at that time, and these were what was left over after the 202 came in. Um it is a challenging site. There's really no access from Higley Road. Uh it's depressed about 15 feet from the grade there of the street. Um, so it appraised at 519 for uh 453. Um it's a remnant piece, and currently we lease it to Sunshine Acres and they use it for storage. Land exchange, it will be no money exchange um with this land exchange. It does save the money uh for the city's insignificant time and expenses. Um you know, the estimate of three million dollars and 12 to 18 months of time not include doesn't only include the property itself, but also the time of uh design and the sewer coming underneath the 202, those kinds of things. Um Sunshine Acres is obviously a good asset to our city, and so that's another good reason. Um staff is recommending that we move forward with this property exchange. If you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them. Chris, can you give uh the council a little background on why this is necessary with regard to capacity and development in the area? Sure, good morning, Mayor, Vice Mayor, Council. Uh so this lift station is just really part of a regional wastewater collections plan, if you will. Um so everything north of Longbow all the way up to Thomas, and then if you go from Wrecker all the way to Higley, that whole area, uh, especially north of the 202, uh that has been uh until now until we can put this lift station in place and some sewer lines, it's really been stranded.
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