APB Archives

HISTORIC REVIEW PROCEDURES (Dec 8, 03)

THE STATUS

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The process for getting a historic resource designation starts simply enough, with an application. For neighborhoods and other large areas, local agencies usually file applications with the Planning Department. As the rules are now, anyone with an interest in any aging structure can file an application.
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There are small amounts of money available under the Mills Act for individuals who upgrade and preserve historic resources, and there are serious property tax reductions for such restored and upgraded resources. That means it is sometimes very lucrative for a property owner to nominate a property for historical resource designation. That's begun to happen often recently, and it is overloading the staff resources.
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At the December 3 meeting of the Land Use and Housing Committee, the Planning Director asked for a one-year moratorium on private nominations of individual properties to be historic resources. Nominations take considerable staff time and effort, even the nominations that do not succeed, and the recent influx of individual nominations has begun to interfere with processing nominations that are underway, and processing nominations for groups of properties or whole neighborhoods. As a point of fact, the Islenair neighborhood's nomination is about three years old now, and the Islenair neighbors have done a lot of the work themselves to help the nomination along, yet they are delayed. The work load is a problem for the Planning staff, and a moratorium is in order.
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Two of us spoke in favor of the staff recommendation and about half a dozen spoke against it. After hearing testimony and after discussion, the Committee voted 4-0 (one absence) against the Planning staff's request, asking the Planning Director to find needed staff resources within her current staffing levels and budget. Frankly, I doubt that can be done.
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While a 4-0 vote is a tough mountain to climb, I have written the Committee to ask it to re-consider the vote. Maybe it will. That takes two members to move and second a reconsideration, then we need three votes to reverse the first decision. There is a chance three votes can be found, but the tough part is getting two members to start the process. Let's keep our fingers crossed. This is important.