And turning to another hot-button issue at the City Council last night, the preservation of the Phoenix Chinese Cultural Center.

Council members rejected a citizen’s petition for long-term preservation of the center — even after hours of passionate public comment — because the city can’t stop the property owner from making changes.

The center is 20 years old, so it doesn’t qualify for historic status. But leaders did approve a survey to determine whether preservation is justified based on things like cultural importance and the unique architecture.

Sam Huang is a Chandler City Council member, and he attended Tuesday night’s meeting to make a plea for preservation.