Attachment D - Addendum A Staff Report - PreserveHistoricPHX 2025.pdf

Addendum A Staff Report:  
Historic Preservation Plan – PreserveHistoricPHX2025 
August 22, 2025 
INTRODUCTION 
The first comprehensive plan for historic preservation in the city of Phoenix was adopted 
in 2015. PreserveHistoricPHX2025 provides the opportunity to assess the 
achievements made after the adoption of the original plan, new challenges as well as 
new opportunities to advance historic preservation in Phoenix. A copy of the draft 
version of PreserveHistoricPHX2025 can be accessed here: PreserveHistoricPHX | City 
of Phoenix  
BACKGROUND 
The city commissioned the preeminent historic preservation data analysis firm 
PlaceEconomics to conduct stakeholder meetings to identify challenges and create a 
series of recommendations to advance historic preservation in Phoenix based on 
practices occurring across the country. The city began a public engagement effort 
based on the findings of this PlaceEconomics study (included in plan as appendices) 
with a series of public meetings and a publicly posted survey from fall of 2023 through 
summer of 2024 to evaluate the relevancy of the original 2015 goals and to set priorities 
for the next decade.  
The City Archaeology Office played an important role in developing recommendations 
for PreserveHistoricPHX2025 because archaeology is a key component of historic 
preservation. The City of Phoenix Historic Preservation Ordinance – Chapter 8 of the 
Zoning Ordinance – mandates the identification and preservation of archaeological 
resources and the recognition that “archaeological resources found on public land are 
the property of all citizens and are not private property.” (§802.B.2(c)) 
These engagement efforts revealed that the original five goals of the 2015 plan continue 
to have relevance:  
1. Protect Archaeological Resources
2. Protect Historic Resources
3. Explore Preservation Incentives
4. Develop Community Awareness
5. Promote Partnerships
The goals and tools can be found starting on page 54 of the draft 
PreserveHistoricPHX2025 plan.  
Attachment D

Addendum Staff Report: PreserveHistoricPHX 2025 Historic Preservation Plan 
August 22, 2025 
Page 2  
 
 
PUBLIC HEARINGS 
The Village Planning Committees (VPCs) considered the request for plan approval 
throughout June, with an additional meeting in July. Two VPCs recommended approval, 
per the staff recommendation; twelve VPCs recommended approval, per the staff 
recommendation, with direction and one VPC did not meet quorum. 
 
The City of Phoenix Historic Preservation (HP) Commission considered the request on 
July 14, 2025, and recommended approval per the staff recommendation. 
 
Following these public hearings, updates have been made to the draft plan to address 
comments as well as the direction from the VPCs to assess how the Middle Housing Law 
(A.R.S. § 9-462.13) will impact historic districts within one mile of Phoenix’s Central 
Business District.  
 
STAFF REQUEST  
Staff recommends plan approval with the following changes: 
 
Location in HP Plan 
Proposed Changes 
Page 3 Acknowledgements Amend Council, Commission and Staff members as 
needed 
Page 10 Under Create a 
Network of Vibrant Cores, 
Centers & Corridors 
Replace as follows: “Commercial areas with a 
concentration of heritage buildings, such as the historic 
Grand Avenue or Miracle Mile corridors, are magnets for 
small businesses, legacy businesses, and businesses in 
the creative and technology sectors.” 
Page 10 Under Connect 
People & Places 
Add as follows: “Residents of Phoenix’s historic districts 
live closer to museums, libraries and other cultural 
institutions compared to the city overall.” 
Page 10-11 Under 
Strengthen our Local 
Economy 
Add as follows: “Phoenix’s heritage commercial areas are 
home to 20% of all jobs in arts, entertainment and 
recreation.”   
Page 11 Under Celebrate 
our Diverse Communities 
and Neighborhoods 
Replace as follows: “Phoenix’s historic neighborhoods are 
great models of diversity, not only in architectural style or 
housing unit type, but also in resident demographics.”  
“As a share of housing stock, Phoenix’s historic districts 
have 6% of 2-to-4-unit structures versus 1% for the 
remainder of the city. A much wider range of housing unit 
options yields a diversity of housing and rent prices.” 
“Historic districts have both a slightly higher share of high 
income and low-income residents as compared to the city 
overall reflecting economic diversity.”  
“With rapid population growth between 2010 and 2020; 
Phoenix’s historic districts gained fewer white residents

Addendum Staff Report: PreserveHistoricPHX 2025 Historic Preservation Plan 
August 22, 2025 
Page 3  
 
and lost fewer residents of other races than the rest of 
Phoenix, maintaining levels of population diversity in these 
areas.”   
“The city’s inventory of older housing stock is providing 
affordable housing largely without subsidy, likely due to its 
age, condition and smaller unit size.” 
Page 11 Under Build the 
most Sustainable Desert 
City  
Delete:  
“Historic neighborhoods in Phoenix are walkable—most 
rated “Very Walkable” as contrasted to “Car Dependent” 
for the city as a whole.” 
Add as follows: 
“Phoenix’s historic neighborhoods are significantly more 
pedestrian, bike and transit friendly than the city has a 
whole.”  
Modify as follows: 
“Reusing existing buildings encourages adaptive reuse 
and diverts waste from our landfills while also reducing 
carbon emissions that result from new construction.” 
Page 42 under table 
Replace as follows: “Current real estate market conditions 
are evident in the top four challenges selected by 
respondents and for good reason. Demand for housing 
and increasing real estate prices have placed direct 
pressure on historic resources. Arguments that existing 
housing is inefficient or expensive to maintain result in 
proposals for demolition and redevelopment and continue 
to lead to the loss of historic buildings in Phoenix. 
Additionally, some property owners, unaware of historic 
preservation requirements, or as a result of market 
conditions, undertake renovation or demolition work 
without obtaining the necessary plan reviews and permits. 
Respondents expressed concerns about limited 
enforcement mechanisms and the resulting difficulty in 
ensuring compliance with historic preservation 
requirements.   
A new state law, A.R.S. § 9-462.13, related to middle 
housing has heightened the concern of historic district 
residents about the impact of market pressures on their 
neighborhoods. A.R.S. § 9-462.13 requires cities to allow 
up to four units on single-family zoned lots within one mile 
of a city’s downtown or central business district. In 
Phoenix, while historic districts make up only 1% of the 
total land area of the city, they make up 78% of the single-
family zoning acreage within the one-mile area of 
downtown, making them disproportionately impacted by

Addendum Staff Report: PreserveHistoricPHX 2025 Historic Preservation Plan 
August 22, 2025 
Page 4  
 
this legislation. The law allows for this additional density, 
by right, but does not prohibit historic preservation plan 
review. The City of Phoenix Planning and Development 
Department will continue to require historic preservation 
plan review (demolition and/or new construction) on all 
housing proposals for historically designated properties 
As the long-term impacts of A.R.S. § 9-462.13 to historic 
districts are not yet known, city staff will monitor and 
collect data on new development in historic districts related 
to middle housing. A report will be prepared and presented 
at each annual work session of the Historic Preservation 
Commission.”   
Page 44 Under first 
paragraph 
Add as follows: “A primary concern expressed about the 
potential impact of A.R.S. § 9-462.13 to historic districts 
relates to the possible demolition of historic dwellings for 
the construction of new multi-family dwellings on the 
existing parcel.  
While A.R.S. § 9-462.13 grants increased rights, it does 
not alter the provisions of the Historic Preservation 
Ordinance, including the authority to impose a one-year 
stay of demolition for properties with HP overlay zoning.   
As part of strategies to preserve historic resources, the city 
may explore amending the Historic Preservation 
Ordinance to allow for the extension of demolition stays 
beyond one year. Such a measure could further 
discourage speculative redevelopment that undermines 
the historic character of neighborhoods.” 
Page 45 Under table 
Add as follows: “In the time since the original public 
outreach effort prioritized the development of a “pattern 
book” for Accessory Dwelling units (ADUs) the city has 
begun an initiative to develop standardized accessory 
dwelling unit (ADU) plans that will be preapproved and 
made available free to the public. Specific designs will also 
be preapproved for historic districts. While noted as 
“ADU’s” these preapproved plans will expedite the 
permitting of small, sensitively designed housing units 
which can add density in districts under A.R.S. § 9-
462.13.”

Addendum Staff Report: PreserveHistoricPHX 2025 Historic Preservation Plan 
August 22, 2025 
Page 5  
 
 
Page 53 Mission statement 
following last sentence 
Add as follows: “The August annual work session of the 
Historic Preservation Commission will provide the 
opportunity for staff to report on plan achievements made 
the prior year and discuss action items for the coming 
year.” 
Page 57 Implementation 
Table  
Add row in table as follows: “Create Enhanced Design 
Guidelines – HPO Partnering with consultants – Medium to 
long term” 
Revise timeframes for the following items: 
• Complete Context development and surveys of 
post-World War II property types - Short to medium 
term 
• Explore creation of honorific Heritage 
Property/District Classification - Short to medium 
term 
Page 61 Implementation 
Table  
Modify third row in table as follows: “Present on relevant 
HP topics at neighborhood and organization meetings to 
include Village Planning Committee meetings.” 
Revise timeframes for the following items: 
• Develop educational tools for real estate 
professionals - Medium term 
• Create an HP 101 Series - Short term 
 
PROJECT TIMELINE 
PreserveHistoricPHX 2025 is tentatively set to go before the Council Transportation, 
Infrastructure and Planning Subcommittee on October 15, 2025, and to City Council on 
November 19, 2025.  
 
WRITER/TEAM LEADER 
Helana Ruter 
8/22/2025