HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-26-1988 City Council Minutes SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL
INFORMAL MINUTES
TIME: Tuesday, January 26, 1988
PLACE: Community Center, 19655 Allendale Avenue
TYPE: Committee of the Whole/Joint Meeting with Heritage
Preservation Commission
Councilmembers Present: Anderson, Clevenger, Hlava, Moyles and
Mayor Peterson.
Commissioners Present: Ansnes, Cameron, Heid, Koepernik,
Landsness, Voester
Staff Present: Peacock, Young
Mayor Peterson called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m.
Commission Chair Heid reviewed the status of the work undertaken
by the Commission over the past year, including presentation of
bronze plaques for the City's Historic Landmarks and work on the
Heritage Resource Inventory.
Communication between the Commission and Council was discussed at
some length, as was the suggestion that the Commission endeavor
to work on building support in the community to further the goal
of historic preservation through education and awareness.
Consensus was reached that in order to effectuate Commission
investigation into issues which did not involve property on the
heritage resource inventory, the Commission Chair would
communicate informally with the Mayor to consult on a potential
issue before that issue was placed on the Commission agenda for
discussion. Once agendized, the Commission would seek formal
Council authority to investigate and recommend on such issues as
provided in the Commission's enabling ordinance. It was
emphasized that early consultation with the City Council would be
valuable in gaining the Council's perspective on how the
Commission might most effectively address the issue proposed for
discussion.
Discussion then turned to the completion and adoption of the
heritage resource inventory. Consensus was reached on the
following points:
1. Unlike the historic landmark designation, the listing of
a property on the heritage resource inventory, if it is to have
true value, cannot be at the discretion of the property owner.
2. Whether the inventory should be adopted by the Council
instead of the Commission from time to time is a matter the
Council will discuss with the City Attorney.
3. In addition to having an adopted inventory, the
Commission should also develop and adopt from time to time a
preview list of properties which may be eligible for the heritage
preservation inventory, but for which investigations still need
to be made. The purpose of adopting the preview list would be to
alert the planning staff and Planning Commission of potential
heritage resources in the City which may be lost if proposed
development occurs or extensive modifications are made to
potentially historic properties.
4. In adopting the heritage resource inventory, the
Commission should notify all property owners on the list and
invite them to attend a meeting to discuss the purpose of the
inventory and their property's importance to the heritage of
Saratoga. Such a meeting might possibly include the City Council
if deemed appropriate after discussion with the City Attorney.
5. The Commission was requested to study and propose
appropriate incentives for properties on the heritage resource
inventory which would encourage these properties being maintained
in such a way as to preserve their value to the heritage of the
City.
6. Consideration should be given for similar incentives to
be created in the Commercial Historic Zones being created for the
Village Area by the Planning Commission as a part of the
implementation of the Village Plan. The intent would be to
establish historic preservation as primary to strict adherence to
any particular development standards set forth in the zoning
district.
7. The use of certain terms in the Heritage Preservation
Ordinance and their definition as stated in the ordinance are not
consistent and have led to both confusion and misinterpretation
in the past. The City Attorney will be asked to review these
inconsistencies and suggest amending legislation for review by
the Commission and staff and adoption by the City Council.
8. Staff should investigate administrative methods to
facilitate Commission work on the preview list once it is
established. Suggestions included seeking donation of title
history research by a local title company and asking for title
history on a preview property aS part of an application submittal
requirement if a preview property seeks building or site approval
for building from the Planning Department.
The status of the Warner Hutton House was discussed briefly. The
timetable at present for relocation appears to be for the summer
of 1989.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at
9:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,