Tempe City Council Work Study Session - January 15, 2026
Tempe City Council Work Study Session - January 15, 2026
The Tempe City Council held a work study session on January 15, 2026, at approximately 11:00 AM (meeting convened in the afternoon and adjourned at 5:14 PM). The meeting included presentations on the Downtown Tempe Historic Core Plan and the Mill Avenue Streetscape project, updates from council subcommittees, and mayoral announcements. No public comments were made during the call to audience periods.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public addressed the council during either call to audience segment.
Discussion Items
Downtown Tempe Historic Core Plan
- Consultants Stephen Davidovis (MIG) and Corky Poster (PMM) presented the plan, which aims to balance historic preservation with development in the downtown core. The plan is a key implementation item of the General Plan 2050. Since summer 2025, the team has conducted engagement with stakeholders, commissions, and the public. A draft plan is expected by late March/early April 2026, with final adoption anticipated in late June 2026.
- Five principal goals were outlined: celebrate Tempe's history, expand historic resource protections, promote context-sensitive development, enhance economic vitality, and strengthen downtown identity.
- Councilmembers raised several points:
- Councilmember Perhaj asked whether the consultant team had examples from landlocked cities (since Tempe cannot expand outward); the team agreed to seek additional examples.
- Councilmember Chin requested specifics on which developers have been engaged and asked that future updates include that information. She also inquired about outreach to downtown businesses, noting that the Downtown Tempe Authority (DTA) could help.
- Councilmember Amberg expressed the need for sustainability elements in design guidelines. He also raised concerns about property owners who may feel uninformed about the plan and its potential impact on their development rights. Councilmember Adams offered to help contact property owners to ensure broad engagement.
- Councilmember Spahr-Garcia appreciated the advisory nature of the plan and the emphasis on balancing historic preservation with new development.
- Councilmember Amberg further noted that the Tucson example (Fourth Avenue district) relies on a tax increment financing district (Rio Nuevo) that Tempe does not have, making direct replication unlikely.
Mill Avenue Streetscape Project Update
- Eric Iverson (Transportation and Sustainability Director) and Tara Ford (Public Works Director) provided an update on the $18 million streetscape project from University Drive to Rio Salado Parkway. The project began in summer 2024 and is now 90% complete.
- Key accomplishments include: underground electrical and irrigation upgrades, ADA improvements (cross-slope corrections from 7-13% to under 2%), new bulbouts and paver sidewalks, new trees (five desert-adapted species, 20 existing ficus retained), overhead string lights at three blocks, historic medallions at corners, new bus shelters with indigenous art, and a gateway sign (expected March-April 2026).
- Remaining work includes punch list items, warranty work, and full mill-and-overlay paving of Mill Avenue and side streets, scheduled for summer 2026 after school ends (taking 2-3 months). The team emphasized minimizing disruption to businesses and events.
- Councilmember Spahr-Garcia praised the project's sustainability elements and increased shade canopy. Councilmember Chin (Vice Mayor) requested an update on bus stop shade shelters, which was accepted as a future agenda item.
- Councilmember Adams noted a dangerous pothole on northbound Mill Avenue north of the lake; staff will address it.
- Councilmember Keating asked about repaving of Mill Avenue north of the bridge; staff responded it is scheduled for 2028.
- Councilmember Hodge questioned the timing of data collection on the Fifth and Mill intersection. Staff recommended completing construction first, then gathering data and reporting back.
- Mayor Woods and other councilmembers commended staff for perseverance and the positive reception from the community now that the vision is becoming visible.
Council Subcommittee Updates
- Age-Friendly Tempe (Vice Mayor Garland): Final five-year plan in progress; subcommittee report scheduled for May 4, 2026 work study.
- Animal Welfare and Cruelty (Councilmember Hodge): Next meeting January 23, 2026.
- Community Engagement and Connection (Vice Mayor Garland): Public input sessions begin in February.
- Drink Spiking Education and Prevention (Councilmember Keating): In-depth update at January 22, 2026 first read.
- Federal and State Advocacy Review (Councilmember Amberg): First meeting February 20, 2026.
- Mixed Use Space (Councilmember Chin): No update.
- Motorized and Electric Mobility Device (Councilmember Adams): Next meeting February 18, 2026.
- Revitalization of Tempe Town Lake (Councilmember Amberg): Next meeting February 6, 2026.
- Tempe Term Limits Policy Review (Mayor Woods): Meeting to be scheduled.
Key Outcomes
- No formal votes were taken. The council received information and provided direction to staff.
- The Historic Core Plan team will seek additional landlocked city examples and improve outreach to developers and property owners.
- The Mill Avenue paving will proceed in summer 2026; the Fifth and Mill intersection analysis will occur after construction is complete.
- Staff will provide a written update on bus stop shade shelters via the Friday information packet.
- Subcommittee chairs reported upcoming meeting schedules; all subcommittees remain active.
- Meeting adjourned at 5:14 PM; the next work study session is scheduled for February 12, 2026.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to the Tempe City Council work study session agenda. Item number one council meetings can be watched in real time via Cox Cable Channel Eleven and at Tempe.gov slash Tempe Eleven. Members of the public may also attend the meeting virtually through Microsoft Teams. Guidelines for conduct of City Council meetings are on the table near the entrance for those in attendance at tonight's meeting. We will now play a video with the proper protocol for ensuring the appropriate conduct at City Council meetings. Continued disruptive behavior will lead to removal from the council chambers. We need to be able to hear everyone in the room. Behavior that disrupts, disturbs, or otherwise impedes the orderly conduct of any city council meeting is not helpful and is not permitted. This includes behavior both inside and outside of the council chambers. Should individuals inside the council chambers become disruptive so that city business is not able to be conducted. If individuals refuse to leave, security personnel shall warn them that they are trespassing, and that the next step will be arrest by a Tempe police officer. Tempe officers may have to arrest if individuals refuse to leave. Charges for trespass and disorderly conduct may apply, as well as other charges. Should anyone be asked to be removed, the mayor will recess the meeting. Okay, before we move into the call to the audience portion of the meeting, I want to take a moment to address campaign related activity, especially as we are now in the 2026 election season. City council meetings are open to the public and are a vital form for civic engagement. We welcome all individuals, including candidates to speak on matters of public concern during the public comment portion of the meeting. However, because this is an official city council meeting that is both televised and live streamed using city resources. We ask all candidates, including any current council members to refrain from electioneering or campaign related activity while participating in this meeting. That means no discussing your candidacy, asking for votes or signatures, or displaying campaign materials such as signs, t-shirts, or literature while speaking. So thank you for helping us maintain the integrity and neutrality of our public meetings. That brings me to item number two, announcements from the mayor and or city manager. I have one that I'll run down for. All right, here. So for this one here, I will need our fire marshal, uh David Woke and Chief Darrell Duty to come on down. Thank you. All right, so this proclamation here is for community risk reduction week. And this reads whereas every 23 seconds a fire department in the United States responds to a fire somewhere in the nation. And whereas in 2024, fires were responsible for 2,920 civilian deaths nationwide, with 75% of these fatalities occurring in the home, as well as 8,920 civilian injuries, with 75% of those injuries also related to fires in the home. And whereas wildlands and urban interface fires remain a concern nationwide with multi-billion dollar losses in 2025. And the fire service responds to a growing number of medical calls for service to address fires surpassing 90% of total call volume in some jurisdictions. And whereas the value of community support from local, state, and national partners to address community risks is insurmountable in meeting the needs and demands of the fire service. And whereas community risk reduction is a data-informed process to identify and prioritize local risks through the integrated and strategic investment of resources to reduce the occurrence and impact of emergency events through deliberate action in the areas of the five E's: education, engineering, enforcement, emergency response, and economic incentive. And whereas most fire-related and many medical calls for service are preventable, with the five E's performed as part of an integrated community risk reduction program. And whereas a January 19th is recognized as a national day of service, as well as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and serves as an opportunity for communities across Tempe to reduce the risk of fires through educational and outreach programs that will help make the City of Tempe a safer community for all. Now, therefore, I, Corey Woods, mayor of the City of Tempe, Arizona, do hereby declare January 19th to the 25th, 2026 as community risk reduction week in Tempe, Arizona. Here we go, one two version. Thank you, Richard and Mennoncy. All right. That's the only announcement I had this evening, but uh actually, no, excuse me, I don't. That's 2B is my announcement as well, which is the 2025 annual report for the City of Tempe Boards and Commissions. I think we got a little slide that's going to go along with that. So each year the city's boards and commissions are responsible for preparing and submitting an annual report to the mayor and city council. The annual report details the membership, accomplishments, goals, attendance, and the overall work of the boards and commissions. The 10th annual 2025 boards and commissions annual report will be published to the City Council Weekly Information Packet and on the boards and commissions webpage tomorrow, Friday, January 16th. On behalf of the City Council, I'd like to thank the 268 Tempe residents and community members who serve on the city's 28 boards and commissions. We are grateful to have engaged individuals willing to take time away from their own very busy lives and family and friends to make a difference in the city where they live.
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