Phoenix City Council Formal Meeting - August 27, 2025
Phoenix City Council Formal Meeting - August 27, 2025
The Phoenix City Council held a formal meeting on August 27, 2025, at 10:30 AM. The meeting opened with an invocation, Pledge of Allegiance, and a moment of silence for a Maryville High School student who tragically passed away. After roll call, the council approved previous meeting minutes and boards and commissions appointments. The council then considered liquor license recommendations, ordinances, resolutions, and new business items, followed by multiple public comment sessions.
Consent Calendar
- Approved meeting minutes from March 26, April 9, April 23, and May 7, 2025 (unanimous).
- Approved mayor and city council boards and commission nominations (unanimous).
- Approved a block of liquor license items (items 6–31) except items 6 and 30, noting item 31 as revised (unanimous).
- Approved a block of ordinances, resolutions, and new business items (items 32–116) except items 47, 57, 60, 72, 77, 78, 79, 81, 85, 93, and 116, with items 77 as revised and items 60 and 105 as corrected (unanimous).
Public Comments & Testimony
Item 6 – KZ Beer & Smoke Shop: Teresa Morse, the agent, spoke in support of the license. Vice Mayor O'Brien noted receipt of a petition signed by 300 community members opposing the location. No other speakers were registered.
Item 30 – Ash Lounge: Commander Brewer and Officer Craig Mays recommended denial of the liquor license, citing numerous community complaints (drug use, prostitution, fights), nine calls for service including shots fired, a kidnapping and assault of a female performer not reported by management, and operation without a valid use permit since 2016. Ann Ender, a nearby homeowner, opposed the establishment, noting its history of crime. The applicant Hector Rivera and his attorneys argued they are operating as a bikini bar and are appealing the use permit determination. Councilwoman Pastor questioned the permit status. The council voted to deny.
Item 57 – Choya Library Property: Vice Mayor O'Brien spoke in support, highlighting the library's 50-year history and its importance as a community asset, and noted the adjacent Metropolitan redevelopment project. The purchase secures the property in perpetuity.
Item 72 – Vestar Development (Laveen Retail): Mayor Gallego and Councilmembers Hernandez and Hodge Washington expressed excitement about the project. Christine Mackey confirmed the agreement prohibits data centers. The development is a planned retail center.
Item 77 – Community Policing Microgrant: Leonard Clark spoke in support. Councilwoman Hernandez opposed, stating it is more policing and does not address root causes. Councilwoman Hodge Washington supported as a pilot for mentorship and trust. The grant passed 8–1.
Item 85 – Human Trafficking & Drug Trafficking Grant: Councilwoman Pastor asked about safeguards against immigration enforcement; police assured the grant is used solely for drug and human trafficking and does not involve immigration. Councilwoman Hernandez opposed, citing concerns about failed criminalization tactics and potential ICE involvement. The grant passed 8–1.
Item 93 – Landscape Maintenance Contracts: Councilwoman Hodge Washington and Councilwoman Pastor discussed consistency and tree pruning standards. Councilman Waring noted historic staffing challenges and that some medians are privately maintained. The five-zone contracts aim to include small businesses.
Item 116 – Citizen Petition for Late-Night Bus Service: Councilmember Stark requested a meeting with the petitioner. Councilwoman Hernandez asked about ridership recovery; staff reported that 97% of pre-pandemic bus routes have been restored but no late-night service has been returned. The council approved the staff recommendation to deny the petition but committed to follow-up.
Citizen Comments (end of meeting):
- Diane Post (Library Board member) criticized the city's draft free speech zone policy as unconstitutional, urging a small working group to revise it.
- Abdul Mohammed highlighted a violent sexual assault of an 80-year-old woman in South Phoenix and called for city action.
- Nicole Ray (airport passenger service agent) advocated for a $25 minimum wage for airport workers, citing poverty wages and high turnover.
- Jerry Van Gas demanded removal of two illegal footbridges in the Phoenix Preserve, claiming they were built without council approval.
- Virginia Edgerton and Patricia Whitehead (Matthew Henson Senior Apartments) requested fire safety window signs and reported health issues from a deceased resident.
- Michael Robbins (Mount Lahanton resident) reported vehicle theft and vandalism, criticizing management response.
- Helen Skinner (Matthew Henson Senior Apartments) reported drug activity near a water main and requested a cover to prevent access.
- Tim Sirikowski questioned oversight of 3PI park improvement funds and criticized the Parks Board.
- Maxwell Eulin (Unite Here Local 11 attorney) argued for a worker retention policy for airport contractors to protect whistleblowers.
Discussion Items
- Item 6: Vice Mayor O'Brien moved for no recommendation due to community opposition. The motion passed 9–0.
- Item 30: Councilwoman Pastor moved to deny the liquor license. The motion passed 9–0.
- Item 57: Vice Mayor O'Brien's motion to approve passed 9–0.
- Item 72: Motion to approve the development agreement passed 9–0.
- Item 77: Motion to approve passed 8–1 (Councilwoman Hernandez dissenting).
- Item 85: Motion to approve passed 8–1 (Councilwoman Hernandez dissenting).
- Item 93: Motion to approve landscape maintenance contracts passed 9–0.
- Item 116: Motion to accept staff recommendation (denying petition) passed 9–0.
Key Outcomes
- Minutes and Nominations: Approved unanimously.
- KZ Beer & Smoke Shop: Council made no recommendation (9–0).
- Ash Lounge Liquor License: Denied (9–0).
- Choya Library Property Purchase: Approved (9–0).
- Vestar Development Agreement: Approved with data center prohibition (9–0).
- Community Policing Microgrant: Approved 8–1.
- Human Trafficking Grant: Approved 8–1.
- Landscape Maintenance Contracts: Approved 9–0.
- Late-Night Bus Service Petition: Denied per staff recommendation, with council agreeing to meet with petitioner (9–0).
- Citizen Comments: Council directed follow-ups on senior building safety, park bridge issues, and requested meetings on various topics.
Meeting Transcript
This location started out as a one-room family school, one of the first schools in the whole valley. It was started by a pioneer family called the Osborne family. And it was actually Sidney Osborne, one of the sons of the family became governor of Arizona in the in the 1940s. For 140 years, this building was a church, several different denominations, but it started out in 1914 as the Bethel United Methodist Church. And as Phoenix continued to grow all around it, the need for larger buildings came along with that growth. So in 1948, they built this larger building. Starting in 2012, the new owners worked very very closely with the city to transform the building rather than demolishing it. And through a process called adaptive reuse, the city and the owners were able to transform this gorgeous building into a successful small business called the Taco Gilles. Present your request to God. Let us pray. Thank you, Chaplain. Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you again, Chaplain. And now we're gonna pause for a moment of silence to consider those young people who have been victims of violence, particularly school-based violence in our own community and this morning in Minnesota, and I'll turn to Councilwoman Guardado for a few words. Thank you, Mayor. We are deeply saddened by the loss of one of our own Maryville High School students, Michael Montoya the second, who tragically passed away last week. In honor of his memory and everyone else, and in support of all of those who are grieving, we ask that you please join us in a moment of silence. Let us take this moment to reflect, to remember, and to keep Michael and everyone else who has lost their life tragically and their loved ones in our thoughts. Thank you, Mayor. And I want to thank everyone else, Councilwoman Pastor, the mayor, um, city staff that has been so helpful to this tragedy that has happened here in our backyard. I just want to say that I'm very thankful for the resources that as a city we've been able um to give um to the different families, and that I know that we will be here to continue to support um everyone as we see um things that are happening. Um very thankful for this council and very thankful for everyone in our city. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. We'll do our best to make sure schools are safe places for our students, teacher, and staff. We'll now call to order the formal meeting of the Phoenix City Council. Will the clerk please call the roll? Councilwoman guardado here, councilwoman and on this councilwoman Hodge Washington here, Councilwoman Pastor? Here, Councilman Robinson. Here, Councilwoman Stark? Here, Councilman Waring? Vice Mayor O'Brien. Here. Mayor Gallego. Here. Mario Barajas and Elsie Duarte are with us to provide interpretation. Mario, would you please introduce your team? Yes, Mayor. Thank you. Good afternoon. As already mentioned, my name is Mario Warajas, and together with me, we'll be uh El C Duarte, working from downstairs doing the simultaneous interpretation, will be serving as today's Spanish interpreters. Now take a moment to introduce ourselves to our Spanish speaking audience. When I started, you soy Mario Baraja. Si es que van a dar un comentario publico, favor, hablar con claridad, un ritmo moderado, andar distractions de fondo. Muchas gracias. Thank you, Mayor. Wonderful, thank you so much. Will the city clerk please read the 24-hour paragraph?
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