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CHC Minutes-2006-04-25MEMORANDUM May 22, 2006 TO: Dave Adams, City Manager Molly Bogh, Planning Director FROM: Teri Delcamp, Historic Preservation Manager Cultural Heritage Commission Secretary SUBJECT: Cultural Heritage Commission Actions of April 25, 2006. This memorandum summarizes the actions taken by the Cultural Heritage Commission at their Tuesday, April 25, 2006, meeting. No action is required unless the City Council wishes to hold special review of an item. A. CALL TO ORDER Vice-Chair Forster called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. B. ROLL CALL Present: Tony Forster, Vice-Chair David Belardes Jess Andrews Ed Nunez Janet Siegel Don Tryon Absent: Chair Lorie Porter (excused) Staff: Teri Delcamp, Cultural Heritage Commission Secretary Molly Bogh, Planning Director C. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS None. D. OLD BUSINESS None. E. NEW BUSINESS 1. Adaptive Re-Use of the Joel Congdon House. A request to provide a recommendation for consideration by the City Council on the potential adaptive re-use of the Joel Congdon House located at 32701 Alipaz Street. (Case Planner: Teri Delcamp, Historic Preservation Manager) Teri Delcamp made Dave Adams, City Manager 2 May 22, 2006 the staff presentation, updating the Commission on the status of the Congdon House Request for Proposals (RFP) issued in 2004 and negotiations with George Kibby of South Coast Farms. ADA improvements will need to be made to the house in order for it to be put into public use. The RFP had anticipated the tenant would pay for these improvements and pay monthly rent, but that is not the case. Given the lapse of time since the RFP was issued, and the fact that the circumstances and assumptions have changed, staff is requesting input from the Commission before proceeding to City Council. Staff offered alternatives other than concluding negotiations with George Kibby, including issuing a new RFP without improvement and rent expectations, or renting the house as a residential unit. Angela Duzich spoke in favor of using the house in conjunction with the farm. Impacts from the surrounding farm use, including noise and odors, would be incompatible with residential use of the house by another party and the house would have to be partitioned off from the farm in some manner. The farm house belongs with the farm. She suggested a portable ADA toilet and relocating an existing ADA lift for access to the house. David Ewing said the house is in a prominent location within the City’s preserved open space network. He suggested the house could also be used as a distribution center for a local subscription produce cooperative. Commissioner Andrews supports the concept of using the house in conjunction with the surrounding farm for educational and agricultural museum purposes. Vice-Chair Forster agreed with Ms. Duzich, and said the City could have rented the house five years ago if that was the intent. Commissioner Siegel stated that the City spent a significant amount of money to restore and preserve the house. There is real interest by the public to tour it. The house was part of the open space bond issue. The City’s Preservation Strategy states the best use for the house is an agricultural museum. George Kibby wants to pursue that use and it is what the community wants. She suggested that the water tower may be able to house the ADA restroom. After due consideration, Commissioner Andrews moved, and Vice-Chair Forster seconded, a motion to recommend that the City work out the details and move forward on a lease agreement with George Kibby of South Coast Farms to utilize the Congdon House for public agricultural museum/educational purposes. The motion was approved unanimously. Dave Adams, City Manager 3 May 22, 2006 2. Mission Hill-Mission Flats Historical Survey. A request for consideration of the survey findings for the Mission Hill-Mission Flats area, and the potential for the addition of 29 homes in the area to the city’s Inventory of Historic and Cultural Landmarks, located at various addresses and Assessor Parcel Numbers. (Case Planner: Teri Delcamp, Historic Preservation Manager) Teri Delcamp made the staff presentation. She summarized the background for the historical survey effort, and staff’s findings that there is not a sufficient concentration of resources to make up a historical district. However, potentially 29 single family residences with construction dates from the late 1800s through the 1950s may be eligible for inclusion on the City’s Inventory of Historic and Cultural Landmarks (IHCL). Staff held a workshop for the 29 property owners, and the workshop information was mailed to those owners who did not attend. Three properties have submitted written requests to have their properties added to the IHCL located at: 31491 La Calera Street; 31501 La Matanza Street; and the latest request received after the staff report was written for 31319 Andres Pico Road. Staff is recommending that all three addresses be recommended for addition to the IHCL (except at 31501 La Matanza Street, only the rear house facing Acjachema Street should be added to the list). David Ewing, 31501 La Matanza Street, spoke in reference to a letter he submitted to the Commission in support of including the main house facing La Matanza Street for the IHCL designation at 31501 La Matanza Street. This main house on the lot was built in 1940. In 1966, small additions were made to the rear side and front entry porch of the house. Mr. Ewing feels that these alterations pre-saged the Mid-century Modern style, and thus make the house historically significant. John Sweeney spoke in opposition to the inclusion of the main house at 31501 La Matanza Street on the IHCL. He expressed the opinion that Mr. Ewing is attempting to control what a future owner would be able to do on the subject property if the Ewings purchase the adjacent lot in the future. The Commission asked staff to respond to Mr. Ewing’s request. Ms. Delcamp stated that the original Minimal Traditional/Spanish Colonial Revival architectural style of the 1940 home was altered by the modifications in 1966 so the home does not retain its historical integrity. The changes were made less than 50 years ago, and so have not achieved historical significance in their own right. The National Register of Historic Places criteria state that a building has to be “exceptionally significant” to be designated if the building, or the alterations in this case, is less than 50 years old. Staff does not agree that the main house on this lot meets the criteria for historical designation. Dave Adams, City Manager 4 May 22, 2006 Commissioners asked whether the home could just barely meet the criteria; whether there is an active homeowner’s association in the area; and whether there are additional privately owned homes in the Mission Hill-Mission Flats area that are already on the IHCL. Ms. Delcamp reiterated staff’s position that the main house at 31501 La Matanza does not meet the designation criteria, and that only one private home in the area is on the IHCL (there are other privately owned homes on the Buildings and Sites of Distinction List). Molly Bogh said there is no active HOA or design review committee in the neighborhood. The residents did not want to establish one when the zoning ordinance amendment was being processed. Commissioner Nunez said it is clear that the main house at 31501 La Matanza Street does not meet the historical designation criteria. Vice-Chair Forster disagreed, saying that the 1966 alterations were small, were located at the porch and to the rear and do not detract from the original 1940s house. After due consideration, Vice-Chair Forster moved, and Commissioner Belardes seconded, a motion to: 1) accept the findings of the historical survey of the Mission Hill-Mission Flats area (as modified by the CHC resolution); and 2) adopt a resolution recommending approval of an amendment to the City’s IHCL to add the following properties to the IHCL: 31491 La Calera Street; 31501 La Matanza Street (rear house facing Acjachema Street and the main house facing La Matanza Street); and 31319 Andres Pico Road The motion carried by a vote of 5-1 (Commissioner Nunez opposed). F. INFORMATION ITEM 1. Consideration of Date Change for May Cultural Heritage Commission Meeting. Teri Delcamp made the staff presentation. Due to a scheduling conflict, staff requested the Commission to select an alternative date for the May meeting. The City Council Chambers are available on either May 24 or May 25 at the usual 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. time frame. The Commission concurred to hold the May meeting on Thursday, May 25, 2006, in the City Council Chambers beginning at 5:00 p.m. Dave Adams, City Manager 5 May 22, 2006 G. COMMISSION/STAFF COMMENTS Commissioner Siegel reminded the Commission and the public about the upcoming Historic Preservation Week activities, including “Los Rios, I Remember When…” the evening of May 3, and the Historic Building walking tour of the Los Rios District with eight homes that will be open to the public on May 6. Ilse Byrnes and Teri Delcamp will be appearing live on Cox Forum this Thursday evening at 7 p.m. and on KOCE’s Real Orange this Friday at 6:30 p.m. to promote San Juan Capistrano and its Historic Preservation Week events. Vice-Chair Forster announced the Historical Society’s upcoming event at Modjeska Canyon which will also be on May 6. H. ADJOURNMENT Vice-Chair Forster adjourned the meeting at 6:30 p.m. cc: Bill Huber, Assistant City Manager Teri Delcamp, Historic Preservation Manager Sandy Kell, Administrative Secretary CHC Members CHC Minutes File Douglas Dumhart, Economic Development Manager