102225_HPCMINUTES.PDF

Minutes of the regular hearing of the Historic Preservation commission, of the City of Tempe, which was held in hybrid 
format in person at City Council Chambers, 31 East 5th Street, Tempe, AZ, and virtually through WebEx. 
 
Present: 
        Staff: 
Dave Fackler 
Jeff Tamulevich, Comm Development Director 
Kristie Melcher 
Ryan Levesque, Deputy Director, Comm Development 
Erin Davis 
Jacob Payne, Senior Planner, Comm Development 
Kathleen Lamp 
Zachary Lechner, Historic Preservation Officer 
Reylynne Williams 
Lucas Jensen, Planner, Comm Dev  
Evan Senat 
Jennifer Daniels, Administrative Assist II, Comm Dev 
Kiyomi Kurooka 
Victoria Clark, HP Intern  
 
 
Absent: Chair Mariah Justice 
 
 
 
Native Land Acknowledgement Statement:  We wish to acknowledge that Tempe is the homeland of the Native 
people who have inhabited this landscape since time immemorial. These ancestral lands of the O’odham (known as 
the Pima), Piipaash (known as the Maricopa), and their ancestors extend far beyond our city. This land continues to 
be spiritually connected to the O’odham of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community and Gila River Indian 
Community.  We accept the responsibility of stewarding those places and solemnly pledge to consider this 
commitment in every action. 
 
 
 
1) Call to Order  
By Vice Chair Fackler at 6:00PM 
 
2) Native Land Acknowledgment Statement 
 
3) Call to Audience 
Persons wishing to address the Commission on any matter may do so at the discretion of the Chair. 
However, Arizona Open Meeting Law Limits Commission discussion to matters listed on the posted agenda. 
Other topics may be placed on a future agenda for discussion. 
 
4) Retake vote of New Chair from September 10, 2025 HPC Meeting  
 
Motion by Commissioner Lamp to elect Commissioner Justice as Chair; second by Commissioner Williams. 
Motion passed on 7-0 vote. 
Ayes: Vice Chair Fackler, Commissioners Melcher, Davis, Lamp, Williams, Senat, and Kurooka    
Nays: None 
Abstain: None 
Absent: Chair Justice  
 
5) Consideration of Meeting Minutes  
 
5A) Historic Preservation Commission – Regular Meeting 9/10/25 
 
MINUTES 
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION 
October 22, 2025

HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES 
October 22, 2025 
 
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Commissioner Senat stated that she had no further edits other than what was stated in her email sent on 
10/21/25 to Zachary Lechner and Jennifer Daniels. 
 
Motion by Commissioner Lamp to approve Meeting Minutes for 10/22/25 with corrections stated; second by 
Commissioner Williams. Motion passed on 7-0 vote. 
Ayes: Vice Chair Fackler, Commissioners Melcher, Davis, Lamp, Williams, Senat and Kurooka    
Nays: None 
Abstain: None 
Absent: Chair Justice  
 
6) Certificate of Appropriateness – None  
 
7) Classification – None  
 
8) Designation – None  
 
9) Update(s) and Presentation(s)  
 
9A) Presentation on the updated Apache Character Area Plan. The presenter is Lucan Jensen, City of 
Tempe Planner.  
 
Mr. Lucas Jensen, Planner with Community Development gave a presentation on the draft plan for the 
Apache Character Area Plan, one of eight unique Character Areas in Tempe.  
 
Commissioner Senat asked where the ASU campus is mainly located on the Character Area map. Mr. 
Jensen stated that the campus is in Character Area 3. Commissioner Senat asked, are you planning on 
doing anymore pop-up events? Mr. Jacob Payne stated yes, there will be a couple more pop-up events 
before staff release the updated draft plan. Tomorrow night, an event will be held at the Escalate 
Community Center during their Fall Festival. City staff will have a table at the event. In the first week of 
November, the City’s Sustainability Division has a program with its tree stewards. They are community 
members who pass out information and work to get more shade canopies in their neighborhoods. This 
group is interested in the Apache area. There will also be a mural event in the Victory Acres neighborhood 
that has not been scheduled yet but should take place before the City releases the updated plan.  
 
Vice Chair Fackler asked, when you get the updated draft plan, can you make sure Dr. Lechner gets a link 
to it so he can send it to the Commission? Mr. Jensen stated yes.  
 
9B) Presentation on and discussion of Historic Preservation Commission goals. The presenter is Zachary J. 
Lechner, City of Tempe Historic Preservation Officer.  
 
Public Comment:  
Mr. Rob Moore, Tempe resident. Mr. Moore stated that the Tempe Historic Preservation Foundation met last 
Wednesday. The Foundation wanted to thank Dr. Lechner and the Commission for continuing to fight for 
historic preservation. In terms of goals, there are benefits to getting ahead of the game. A lot of the historic 
preservation narrative has been focused on the downtown area but density is moving south. The Alameda 
Character Area has become part of the next cycle of redevelopment. It is important to look at what the next 
chapter of development looks like and how it will impact our neighborhoods. In terms of goals, it would be 
great to ask, what does the next chapter look like? And how do we prepare for it?   
 
Vice Chair Fackler asked Mr. Moore to contact Dr. Lechner to set up a joint meeting between the 
Commission and the Historic Preservation Foundation.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES 
October 22, 2025 
 
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Staff Presentation:  
Dr. Lechner gave a presentation on the 2026 HPC suggested goals for the HPC Annual Report. Dr. Lechner 
asked that the Commission provide feedback. The Commission will be asked to approve the Annual Report 
at the December HPC meeting.  
 
Commissioner Melcher asked, would we be sending the suggested goals after this meeting or determining 
them now during the meeting? Dr. Lechner stated that Commissioners may send goals after the meeting if 
they prefer. Commissioner Melcher stated that she will send suggestions in an email to Dr. Lechner. Vice 
Chair Fackler asked Commissioner Melcher to provide some idea of what her suggestions are. 
Commissioner Mecher stated that one of the ideas is that there are specific neighborhoods that have some 
things going on with historic properties that will be affected by decisions. I have questions, she said, about 
some of the neighborhoods getting up in age where the entire neighborhood could be a historic 
neighborhood.  
 
Commissioner Kurooka mentioned the bond election and the allocated money for historic preservation. She 
said she overheard that they have already designated the money for projects. Is that correct? Dr. Lechner 
stated that was incorrect. Maybe for certain projects but not for all. Commissioner Kurooka stated maybe the 
Commission can be more involved in what the money is being used for. Instead of canceling our HPC 
meetings for lack of agenda items, we can establish some type of project. For example, encouraging 
property owners to keep their historic properties.  
 
Commissioner Senat asked about the condition of the Gonzales-Martinez House. Dr. Lechner stated that 
the parcel that the house is located on is owned by the City. The City Manager approved a development 
agreement with First and Farmer LLC, which also owns the parcel directly to the west. The plan is for First 
and Farmer to complete a future development on the combined parcels. As part of the development 
agreement, they are required to preserve and rehabilitate the Gonzales-Martinez House. At this point, there 
has not been much movement on preserving the house. The developer is still working on their plans for the 
site. There are concerns about the deteriorating condition of the house. The house and parcel will eventually 
come under the ownership of the developer. The City has made some security improvements to the site.  
 
Vice Chair Fackler asked to include a goal of having joint annual meetings with the HPC and Historic 
Preservation Foundation. Given the disposition of the First Congregational Church and the Walker House 
through the development agreement, have the properties lost their status, he asked? Dr. Lechner stated that 
the First Congregational Church is not listed as the National Register. It is only locally designated. It has not 
lost the local designation. The Walker House is historic eligible for the Tempe Historic Property Register. It 
is not designated locally, but because it was moved, it did lose its National Register listing. Vice Chair 
Fackler asked that both of the properties be recognized by the City of Tempe. He said he would like to make 
sure the HPC has a say in how the buildings are rehabilitated and reused.  Dr. Lechner stated that the plan 
is to take the relocated Walker House property through the local designation process as well. Vice Chair 
Fackler asked that the bond money be used to document the two structures before any major changes are 
made to the buildings. Dr. Lechner stated that we do have a lot of information on the church. We do have 
less information on the Walker House. Vice Chair Fackler asked that the documentation is put into a 
pamphlet or booklet or something that becomes part of the history of the structure.  
 
10) Chair/Staff Updates and Announcements  
 
Chair Announcements: None 
 
City Staff Announcements: Dr. Lechner stated that the November HPC meeting is canceled. There will be 
a December meeting. MIG and PMM will be hosting a public meeting in early December on the forthcoming 
Downtown Tempe Historic Core Plan. In January, MIG and PMM will present to City Council. Commissioner 
Senat introduced herself to the Commission. Commissioner Robinson has resigned from the Commission 
due to relocation. The HPC will welcome a new member at the next meeting.     
 
11) Adjournment: There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:00 p.m.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES 
October 22, 2025 
 
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Prepared by: Jennifer Daniels, Administrative Assistant 
Reviewed by: Zachary Lechner, Historic Preservation Officer