Prescott City Council today discussed updating the city’s historic preservation master plan—unchanged since 1998—to address loopholes exposed by the recent Whiskey Row hotel project.
Planning Manager Alex Bramlett said staff has been slowly refreshing the plan and now wants to hire a consultant this spring, launch public outreach next year, and aim for council adoption by mid-2027.
The update would create clearer design guidelines for the 13 local historic districts, particularly the Courthouse Plaza area.
Council members stressed urgency to fix key loopholes, including:
• Properties classified as “non-contributors” that escape full historic review,
• Relaxed parking rules that allowed a 50-room hotel with no on-site parking,
• And ambiguous height and scale guidelines that created gray areas for new construction.
Mayor Cathey Rusing said:
Councilwoman Lois Fruhwirth added:
The goal is tighter rules while respecting private property rights and supporting economic vitality.
Historic Preservation Commission members in public comment strongly backed the faster timeline and outside expertise.