Tempe presents Hayden Butte and Papago preserves management plan; proposes MOUs, stewardship pilot and signage changes

City parks staff presented the Hayden Butte and Papago Preserves management plan to the Tempe City Council at the April 24 work study session, outlining objectives, community engagement findings and recommended next steps for long-term stewardship.

Alex Jovanovich, deputy community services director for park services, and Alex Cortese, community services manager for parks maintenance, said the plan was developed with consultant Logan Simpson and shaped by extensive public outreach. Jovanovich said the plan "aims to balance conservation, recreation, and cultural preservation to ensure the sustainability of these spaces for future generations." The plan was developed after a 2023 contract with Logan Simpson and reflects inventories, a class 3 cultural resources survey of Papago Preserve, and consultations with tribal partners and commissions.

Staff described 14 plan objectives and about 45 recommendations. Outreach included four workshops (approximately 200 participants) and four public surveys that together returned roughly 600 responses; common community concerns centered on trail maintenance, erosion control, signage, invasive-species management and protection of cultural resources. Key recommendations include forming an MOU with the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community to guide culturally sensitive decisions, developing a formal trails assessment and trails plan, enhanced signage and access-point management, invasive-species removal and restoration of native vegetation, and a volunteer park steward program to supplement city resources.

The plan also recommends addressing recreational amenities that developed informally over time. Staff proposed working with stakeholders to identify alternative, nonpreserve locations for earth-moving bicycle jump structures and to construct suitable off-preserve amenities rather than allowing new disturbance inside preserve boundaries. The plan recommends prohibiting climbing bolts in specified areas and discussed removing holiday displays from Hayden Butte and identifying alternative locations for seasonal displays.

Staff described an implementation timeline: short-term actions over the next three years would emphasize initial restoration, a trails assessment, signage improvements and piloting the park steward program; medium-term steps (four to six years) would expand trail improvements and develop formal education programs; long-term work would emphasize comprehensive assessments, biodiversity monitoring and adaptive management. Ten of the 14 objectives are identified as high priority for early work; staff said the Desert Conservation Commission will be asked to help prioritize those objectives.

Public comment at the meeting included a Call to the Audience speaker, Kim Gaffney Loza, who said the preserve rangers are a major asset and urged the city to consider additional permanent staffing to implement the plan. "We only have two permanent employees," Gaffney Loza said, and she urged the council to account for staffing needs over time. Staff responded that the recommended approach is to pursue budget-neutral options where possible, pilot a volunteer steward program, and pursue partnerships and phased work so that ongoing costs do not unduly strain the general fund.

Councilmembers praised the breadth of community engagement and recommended coordination with Tempe Tourism, local high schools, ASU and youth advisory groups for education and outreach. Staff said tentative next steps include piloting a park steward program in late spring or early summer and continuing tribal and stakeholder engagement, while any regulatory changes (for example, prohibiting climbing bolts) would require additional community outreach before implementation.

The management plan is an administrative guide for staff; council did not adopt the plan as a binding ordinance during the session. Staff said they will seek Desert Conservation Commission input and continue community engagement before returning with prioritized implementation steps.