CHC Minutes-2007-07-24MEMORANDUM August 20, 2007
TO: Dave Adams, City Manager
Steven Apple, Planning Director
FROM: Teri Delcamp, Historic Preservation Manager )_
Cultural Heritage Commission Secretary
SUBJECT: Cultural Heritage Commission Actions of July 24, 2007
This memorandum summarizes the actions taken by the Cultural Heritage Commission at
their Tuesday, July 24, 2007 meeting. No action is required unless the City Council wishes
to hold special review of an item.
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Tryon called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.
Present: Don Tryon, Chair
Ed Nunez, Vice -Chair
Nathan Banda
Alana Jolley
Lorie Porter
Janet Siegel
Absent: Jess Andrews (excused)
Staff: Teri Delcamp, Cultural Heritage Commission Secretary
Grant Taylor, Assistant Planning Director
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
None from the public. Teri Delcamp introduced the City's new Assistant Planning Director,
Grant Taylor, to the Commission.
OLD BUSINESS
None.
NEW BUSINESS
1. Consideration of Administrative Update to the Buildinas and Sites of Distinction List
(BOD): a request by staff for review of a draft update to the Commission's informal
list of potentially historic sites and buildings. (Applicant: City of San Juan Capistrano)
Dave Adams, City Manager 2 August 20, 2007
Teri Delcamp, Historic Preservation Manager, made the staff presentation and
recommendation that the Commission provide input on the proposed changes to the
Buildings and Sites of Distinction (BOD) list and direct staff to bring a revised
version to a future meeting.
Several of the buildings on the existing list have been formally designated on the
City's Inventory of Historic and Cultural Landmarks; one building has been
demolished. Staff proposes to delete these buildings from the BOD.
Staff proposes to add those homes identified as potentially historic in the previously
approved Mission Hill -Mission Flats survey for which historic names have been
identified. Staff also proposes to add the successfully relocated Troubleman's
Cottage and the John Lautner building. Lastly, some corrections to historic building
names and/or eras of construction need to be made. Staff displayed photographs of
the buildings associated with the proposed changes to the BOD.
The Commission had several questions regarding the process, the difference
between the BOD and the IHCL, and whether or not owners have a say regarding
whether their building is placed on the BOD.
Commissioner Siegel said she does not support the addition of the O'Sullivan
House or the Haupert House. These buildings have either been altered or are not
architecturally significant. She recommended removing the Mexico Lindo-Vaquero
West building. She supports the addition of the John Lautner building. Vice -Chair
Nunez concurred with the recommendation not to add the Haupert House.
Staff clarified that the homes proposed to be added in the Mission Hill -Mission Flats
neighborhood (including the Fr. O'Sullivan House, Haupert House, Fred Stroschein
House, Joaquin Errecarte House, Ada Forster House, Ferris Kelly House, Scout
Hut, Gates House and Lucana Forster Isch House) were all identified as part of the
city's historic survey in that area. All of the property owners were notified and invited
to workshops and the hearing when the survey was considered and approved. The
CHC previously considered and approved the survey, finding that these homes
among 29 homes are potentially historic. The entire neighborhood is already listed
on the BOD by parcel numbers only, with a handful also listed separately by name
and address. Staff proposes to add some of the others that have historic names
associated with them.
Regarding the process and owner concurrence, the BOD is not the list of
designated historic structures. The BOD was established as an administrative list of
the CHC containing potentially important sites; it is considered to be honorary and
informal. Owners were notified after their building was added that they could
potentially apply for designation; staff will do the same for owners of any buildings
Dave Adams, City Manager 3 August 20, 2007
that are added as part of this update. This is not a formal designation process so
there is no requirement for owner concurrence. There are no benefits or
responsibilities for owners of these sites; there is no requirement for a site plan
review approval by the Commission when an owner wants to add on to or demolish
one of the BOD buildings. Staff does, however, take the BOD (along with many
other resources) into account when evaluating potential impacts of projects under
the California Environmental Quality Act.
The Commission thanked staff for the information and requested staff to provide
copies of the photographs for each of the buildings. The Commission will take the
information into consideration and continued the item to the August meeting.
INFORMATION ITEM
1. Discussion of options for Capistrano Village Center (Solana Rincon) Historic
Depiction Program; a request for input regarding options for the applicant to meet
the HDP requirement. (Applicant: Daniel Friess) Teri Delcamp made the staff
presentation and recommendation that the Commission provide input on the
preferred method for the project's compliance with City Council Policy 606 regarding
Historic Depiction Programs. The applicant is proposing a new 3,000 square foot
commercial building adjacent to existing buildings on the two adjacent lots which he
also owns. The existing buildings were built prior to the HDP requirement, but have
a central courtyard area that would be an appropriate location for an HDP. The
proposed new building is single story, narrow and does not provide an adequate
opportunity for a high quality, creative HDP. Mr. Friess is requesting to be able to
locate the HDP in the courtyard of the existing buildings since he is also
aesthetically upgrading these buildings and the landscape in the existing parking lot
as part of the project.
After due consideration, the Commission concurred with the applicant's request to
locate the HDP at the existing building courtyard instead of the new building. The
Commission also provided input on possible HDP themes at the applicant's request.
Suggestions included horse races or auto races down Camino Capistrano; the raid
of Bouchard the pirate; or Native American villages adjacent to creek areas.
Staff stated that the project will be considered at the next Planning Commission
meeting and has a condition requiring CHC approval of the HDP.
COMMISSION/STAFF COMMENTS
Commissioner Porter commented that the annual preservation conference in North
Hollywood this year was very informative. She especially appreciated learning about all the
efforts to. save and preserve buildings from the 1920s and 1930s, and modern style
Dave Adams, City Manager 4 August 20, 2007
buildings. Staff commented that the next California Preservation Foundation conference
will be in Napa in April 2008.
Ms. Delcamp informed the Commission that Caltrans' recently released Mitigated Negative
Declaration for the Ortega Highway widening project included a cultural resources report.
The report shows that the project will avoid the Manriquez Adobe ruins. In addition, it finds
that one of the City's historic homes, the Hankey -Rowse Cottage, is eligible for the National
Register of Historic Places.
ADJOURNMENT
Chair Tryon adjourned the meeting at 6:15 p.m.
cc: Cindy Russell, Assistant City Manager
Grant Taylor, Assistant Planning Director
Teri Delcamp, Historic Preservation Manager
Christina Gomez, Administrative Specialist
CHC Members
CHC Minutes File
Douglas Dumhart, Economic Development Manager