HISTORIC_PRESERVATION_COMMISSION_MEETING_1813_MINUTES_PACKET_1_14_2026_6_00_00_PM.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: 
Mariah Jones (Formerly Mariah Justice)  
Jeff Tamulevich, Comm Development Director 
Dave Fackler 
Ryan Levesque, Deputy Director, Comm Development 
Kiyomi Kurooka 
Zachary Lechner, Historic Preservation Officer 
Erin Davis 
Jen Sweeney – Arts & Culture Coordinator 
Reylynne Williams 
Jennifer Daniels, Administrative Assist, Comm Dev 
Evan Senat 
 
Shereen Lerner 
 
Kathleen Lamp 
 
Absent: Kriste Melcher 
 
 
 
 
 
1) Call to Order  
By Chair Jones at 6:00PM 
 
2) Native Land Acknowledgment Statement 
 
3) Consideration of Meeting Minutes  
 
3A) Historic Preservation Commission – Regular Meeting 12/10/25 
 
Motion by Commissioner Williams to approve Meeting Minutes for 12/10/25 with corrections stated; second 
by Vice Chair Fackler. Motion passed on 8-0 vote. 
Ayes: Chair Jones, Vice Chair Fackler, Commissioners Kurooka, Davis, Williams, Senat, Lerner, and Lamp 
Nays: None 
Abstain: None  
Absent: Commissioner Melcher 
 
4) Certificate of Appropriateness – None  
 
5) Classification – None  
 
6) Designation – None  
 
7) Update(s) and Presentation(s)  
 
7A) Staff update on Loma Del Rio, Double Butte Cemetery, and Tempe Butte. The presenter is Alex 
Cortese, City of Tempe Parks Manager. 
 
Mr. Alex Cortese, City of Tempe Parks Manager, gave a presentation on improvements and next steps 
taking place at Loma Del Rio, Double Butte Cemetery, and Tempe Butte.  
 
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HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION 
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HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES 
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Commissioner Lerner stated there has been discussion about needing improved signage and Tribal-related 
education at Loma Del Rio and Tempe Butte. I did not hear a lot about that. Can you talk about what the 
plans are? Mr. Cortese stated that in terms of signage we just started our internal planning for what will go 
out. One of the plans is to work with Dr. Zach Lechner and the Tribes and see what they prefer to have out 
there. We are unsure how much information we can put out, especially for Loma Del Rio, due to the 
culturally sensitive nature of the site. Commissioner Lerner stated that if we do not have any cultural 
signage, the site could become more damaged because people won’t understand why it needs to be 
protected. The same goes for the Butte, because it is so well used and people need to understand the 
cultural component to it. I think it is important to prioritize signage that explains the value and importance of 
both of the places from a cultural perspective. When will the Commission have access to the draft? Mr. 
Cortese stated that for Double Butte he does not have a lot of information. Mr. Alex Jovanovic was more 
involved in that study. I will contact him and relay the information to Dr. Lechner. Commissioner Lerner 
stated, you spoke about the Historic Preservation funds and I know Jerry Brock donated $1 million. My 
question is on the mixing of funds to make sure that funds that were dedicated for Historic Preservation go 
towards the Pioneer Section. Mr. Cortese stated that to his knowledge it has not been identified what will be 
spent on what. I know that $900,000 was specific to historic elements. I am unsure about the donated funds. 
Commissioner Lerner asked what the symbols mean on the Hayden Butte slide. Mr. Cortese stated that the 
map is a conceptual design that Logan Simpson sent to the City. I do not believe that our design process 
will be as detailed as this. The letters were markers for the trail system. We are designing our own plan to 
match available funding. 
 
Commissioner Senat said, regarding Hayden Butte, you spoke about access points being somewhere other 
than the east side. What other spaces were you looking at using? Mr. Cortese stated that on the south side 
there is an access point. There is also access on the back of the Hayden Flour Mill. We don’t plan to add 
any other access. Commissioner Senat asked are you familiar with where the light rail runs near the Butte. 
Is there access connecting the light rail? Mr. Cortese said there is. Across from the transit center, it leads to 
a small stairway up. In that area we would make improvements with the steps. Commissioner Senat stated 
that railings are also needed on the stairway. You spoke about using drought-resistant trees at Double 
Butte. Can you also look into drought-resistant trees that will provide shade to visitors? The roads also need 
work.  Does anyone have any suggestions of how to preserve natural features like the petroglyphs on 
Hayden Butte?  Mr. Cortese said Parks will look into it.  
 
Commissioner Williams stated that she is glad there is some movement for restoring Hayden Butte and 
Loma Del Rio. I know Gila River [Indian Community] and Salt River [Pima-Maricopa Indian Community] 
have been out there at Loma Del Rio. There are concerns about some of the trail systems going through 
there and rock climbing in the area. I do hope we can address some of those concerns through the 
consultations. I am looking forward to developing the interpretive signage there as well. For Hayden Butte 
there are one or two interpretative signs already on the north side. I think we can come up with some more 
signage. The “dos and don’ts” of the landscape. There seems to be a need for public education. For Double 
Butte Cemetery, is there a list prioritizing which headstones need to be replaced? What would the care 
requirements be? What if the family is unreachable? Will the City then take responsibility for the 
replacements? Mr. Cortese stated he does not have an answer at this time but will send the information to 
Dr. Lechner.    
 
Chair Jones stated she would like to echo the comments of the other Commissioners about the interpretive 
signage for the Tempe Butte and Loma Del Rio. You can’t make people care but you can inform people. 
Was a phased approach for the Double Butte Cemetery considered for the repairs of the historic component 
or was there not enough money? Mr. Cortese stated that through a phased approach, they have broken up 
the work into historic [Pioneer], sunset, and sunrise sections. Chair Jones stated that it might be helpful to 
use the estimates provided by the previous consultants to phase it in a way that is feasible. It is in bad 
shape and I don’t want to see it put off for another 5 years.   
 
Commissioner Lerner asked if the Commission will be given access to the draft study. Dr. Lechner stated, 
yes.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES 
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Public Comment: 
None.  
 
 
Commissioner Discussion: 
None 
 
7B) Update on the use of 2024 bond funding for historic preservation-related projects. The presenter is 
Zachary J. Lechner, City of Tempe Historic Preservation Officer. 
 
Dr. Zach Lechner gave a presentation on the use of the 2024 bond funding for historic preservation-related 
projects. Once the bond was approved, the money was allocated to seven proposed CIP projects that were 
put together by Dr. Lechner.  
 
Vice Chair Fackler stated that the bond was for $12.5 million [HPO note: $12.3 million] and I did see that 
total on the CIP projects. How much is actually set aside for future years? Dr. Lechner stated that he does 
not have a full account of what the projects all add up to. He said he’ll look into it. These are the projects 
that we created based on the bond funding. These projects are strictly within Historic Preservation. Some of 
the other projects may be within the Parks domain. I will check with our financial team and get a better 
understanding. Vice Chair Fackler stated that of the $12.5 million there may be $8 million worth of work. I 
don’t want it to disappear or not be used what it was intended for. There have been projects that have come 
through the Commission where we wished we had the money to save the property. I have not heard 
anything about the Tempe Bank Building or the Tempe Hardware Building being in danger of being 
destroyed. I am all for making the deal and making sure the properties are in the trust of the city, but those 
two buildings were never under discussion when we were looking at things that might be used for the bond 
money. Where is the money going? It was approved in November 2024. I would like this Commission to 
have a list of where all the money is going. Dr. Lechner stated he will work with the financial team to get that 
information.  
 
Commissioner Lerner stated that she thought there would be an ongoing acquisition fund. I thought part of 
the idea was that the City would acquire a property and then got rent for it so it would rebuild the fund to buy 
additional properties. I thought there was potential for reoccurring funds to address other endangered 
properties. Can you look into that? Dr. Lechner stated that that was something that was discussed. It is 
something that could happen. It would require additional funding requests for the next fiscal year. At this 
point there have not been any additional funding requests. Dr. Lechner stated pouring rental income back 
into the fund to pay for the purchase of additional historic buildings was not how I understood these funds 
would be used. I will look into it. Commissioner Lerner stated that there are many other buildings that are in 
danger in Tempe. She asked about the Elias-Rodriguez House. I know that house also needs some work. Is 
that on any agenda? Dr. Lechner stated that it is. About two years ago it had a full porch replacement. For 
each of the historic buildings, the City has updated assessments done in the last few years. That has 
allowed us to put the houses on a schedule of when repairs need to be done. The houses now have a 
maintenance schedule. Commissioner Lerner stated, regarding the two buildings, can you give us 
information on how those were prioritized for purchase? Were they in danger or was it an opportunity? Dr. 
Lechner stated that it was more of an opportunity. If there is any more information available, he said he will 
let the Commission know.  
 
Commissioner Kurooka stated she agrees with her fellow Commissioners. It would be nice to have more 
detail on what is happening with the funds. Is there any consideration on incentives for private homes and 
encouraging historic preservation? There are always properties being threatened. Phoenix has a 
preservation program. Dr. Lechner stated that part of the Historic Preservation plan’s priorities was to create 
a program that mirrored the Phoenix program. It is scheduled to start in July 2027. Every year the City would 
allocate $200,000 for which eligible homeowners could apply for rehabilitation and repair projects. The 
details have not been worked out yet. The Commission will be asked to help in formulating the details of the 
program. There is always a possibly funding could be pulled back, depending on City Council priorities.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES 
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Vice Chair Fackler asked Dr. Lechner, as you were putting it into the CIP what was your recommended 
source of funding? Dr. Lechner said General Reserve city funds and no federal funds.  
 
Commissioner Senat asked, where does the Flour Mill fall into these bond funding numbers? Would it be 
attached to the Hayden Butte project?  Dr. Lechner stated that maintenance work on the Mill is covered 
under a separate Facilities fund for maintenance of historic buildings. The Mill’s redevelopment is still 
pending. Dr. Lechner said he would provide an update on the redevelopment’s status at the next meeting.  
 
Chair Jones asked, where does the Gonzales-Martinez House fall on the priority list for rehabilitation of City-
owned properties? Dr. Lechner stated that it is part of a redevelopment project by First and Farmer LLC. As 
part of the development agreement that the City signed with First and Farmer, rehabilitation of the house 
has to occur. A façade conservation easement must be placed on the house once it is rehabilitated. We are 
currently working with Economic Development to look at the benchmarks and requirements to see what our 
expectations are for when we expect the restoration work to happen. The developer’s plan was to come up 
with a rehabilitation plan once they had come up with a wider site plan. They have not done that yet. I will 
need to follow up with Economic Development. Chair Jones said her concern is that First and Farmer will 
wait out starting the rehabilitation until the Gonzales-Martinez House falls over. If an agreement was signed, 
then it should be completed. It is not OK to let the building sit and deteriorate. Dr. Lechner stated we have to 
determine what the language of the development agreement requires of the developer. I will get more 
clarification on that.  
 
Vice Chair asked Dr. Lechner to provide a copy of the development agreement for the Gonzales-Martinez 
House and the Hayden Flour Mill to the Commission. Dr. Lechner stated that there is not an active 
development agreement on the Flour Mill at this point. It has expired. There will be development at the Flour 
Mill, and the City will ensure that. I will get more information on what can be communicated on that situation. 
I will get the Commission a copy of the agreement for the Gonzales-Martinez House. Vice Chair Fackler 
stated he would also like to see the 250 Rio project development agreement. Dr. Lechner stated that he 
does not believe there is a development agreement for 250 Rio. Vice Chair Fackler stated that the DRC will 
add historic preservation conditions to approval of the project.  
 
Commissioner Lerner stated that she has been involved with developments in the past. You don’t have to 
wait until the big development begins to do the restoration. For 1st and Farmer to keep waiting is not in the 
best interest of that building. If they wait too long, there won’t be much to preserve. That is something to be 
investigated.  
 
Chair Jones said it would be nice if the numbers added up to what the bond fund actually was so we can 
see where the money is going, and as Vice Chair Fackler said, so we can be accountable to the community 
as well. I would like to see the documents requested this evening as well.  
 
Public Comment: 
None.  
 
 
Commissioner Discussion: 
None 
 
8) Chair/Staff Updates and Announcements  
 
Chair Announcements: None 
 
City Staff Announcements: Dr. Lechner stated that there will be a meeting in February. There has been 
interest in getting an update on the Affordable Housing Development Bonus program that the City is putting 
together.  
 
Chair Jones asked, do we have an update on the Downtown Historic Core Plan? Dr. Lechner stated that it is 
still being worked on. There is a presentation by MIG and PMM to City Council tomorrow. The next public

HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES 
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meeting is scheduled for March 4th at 12 noon and 6pm. The plan is for MIG and PMM to come back to the 
HPC and DRC in March to provide an update. At that time, they will be closer to a draft plan. In May, they 
will come back with their draft plan to present it to the HPC. By late June 2026, the plan should be in effect.  
There will be a joint City Council and HPC Meeting on March 30th at 5 pm at the Tempe History Museum. 
The main topic will be the Downtown Tempe Historic Core Plan and how to implement it. Chair Jones stated 
that she has concerns that the Commission will not have any draft design guidance or recommendations for 
the Downtown Tempe Historic Core Plan prior to having the joint meeting with City Council. It would be 
helpful for us to talk through some “what do we do now” with City Council while we have the opportunity. If a 
draft plan is not ready until May, what are we going to discuss? The boundary? The consultant has been 
talking about the boundary for 6 months. We need some concrete design guidance. Dr. Lechner stated that 
the consultant should have concrete information by the end of March. Chair Jones asked Dr. Lechner to 
send that information to the Commission before the joint meeting to provide feedback to the consultant.  
 
Commissioner Lerner asked, how do we provide information on topics we may want on an agenda? I have 
been sending emails. Dr. Lechner stated that it can be brought up during staff updates or you can continue 
to email the Chair and me. Commissioner Lerner asked Dr. Lechner to provide at the next meeting a follow-
up on all topics discussed tonight. There may be a lot of properties eligible and not listed for the National or 
Tempe Register. I would like to have a discussion on what kind of outreach we could do to our 
neighborhoods to get some of the properties listed.  
 
Vice Chair Fackler asked if the Tempe Historic Preservation Foundation (THPF) was invited to the join 
meeting on March 30th? Dr. Lechner stated that they are welcome to attend but this is a joint City Council 
and HPC meeting. Vice Chair Fackler stated that one of the goals was to meet at least annually with the 
foundation. Dr. Lechner stated the joint HPC-THPF meeting will most likely be in April. Vice Chair Fackler 
encouraged all Commissioners to attend the City Council work study session tomorrow at 4 pm.  
 
Commissioner Kurooka stated that there seems to be a lot of topics being discussed tonight. Instead of 
canceling future meetings, I would like to meet to discuss further any items mentioned tonight.  
 
9) Adjournment: There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:28 pm.  
        
Prepared by: Jennifer Daniels, Administrative Assistant 
Reviewed by: Zachary Lechner, Historic Preservation Officer