Phoenix is updating its decade-old historic preservation plan

Phoenix is updating its decade-old historic preservation plan.

The big picture: The city looks to continue working toward the goals for historic preservation from its original 2015 plan and establish policies and activities to further accomplish them, Phoenix historic preservation officer Helana Ruter told Axios.

Those goals are:

• Protecting archaeological resources
• Safeguarding historic resources
• Exploring preservation incentives
• Developing community awareness
• Promoting partnerships

What's new: The draft 2025 plan looks to make a number of changes intended to build on those goals.

• Phoenix aims to expand its sustainability bonus program, offering developers benefits like added density and height in exchange for historic preservation. The downtown-centric program could be applied to walkable areas and light rail corridors.
• Ruter said Phoenix is unusual because it doesn't have a city-affiliated nonprofit dedicated to historic preservation. The plan proposes fixing that.
• New categories for preserving religious and commercial architecture are also in the works.

What they're saying: Ruter said it's important to recognize that all places change over time, and with the new plan they hope to "balance growth and development with the preservation of resources that contribute to the character and story of Phoenix."

Friction point: Proposition 207, which statewide voters approved in 2006, requires government to reimburse property owners for regulations that reduce their property value.

• This complicates historic designations, which protect properties from demolition and alterations.
• When the city designates neighborhoods as historic, it has property owners sign Prop. 207 waivers, but that gets difficult when you're dealing with areas that have hundreds of residents, Ruter said.

• Ruter said Phoenix is looking at what other municipalities have done with designations for historic neighborhoods and subdivisions. The city is also looking at using honorific historic designations.

By the numbers: Since Phoenix created its historic property register in 1986, it's added 36 residential districts, nine non-residential districts and 232 individual properties.

• Ruter noted they've never added postwar subdivisions, "which is a huge area of the city's history."

What's next: City officials are currently presenting on the plan to village planning committees, where they'll seek recommendations.

• The plan will go before the city's Historic Preservation Commission, Planning Commission and, eventually, the City Council for approval, which is currently expected in September.