HomeMy WebLinkAbout101-Staff Report - 20330 Saratoga-Los Gatos Road - Mills Act Agreement.pdf
SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL
MEETING DATE: December 7, 2011 AGENDA ITEM:
DEPARTMENT: Community Development CITY MANAGER: Dave Anderson
PREPARED BY: Michael Fossati DIRECTOR: James Lindsay
SUBJECT: 20330 Saratoga-Los Gatos Rd. (Villa Deodara) - Mills Act Agreement
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
The Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) recommends the City Council adopt the attached
Resolution and direct the City Manager to enter into a Mills Act Agreement for the property
located at 20330 Saratoga-Los Gatos Road.
REPORT SUMMARY:
On March 2003, the City Council approved the Resolution establishing the City’s participation in
the Mills Act Program. The Mills Act is state legislation granting local governments the
authority to enter into agreements with owners of qualified historical properties to provide for the
use, maintenance, and restoration of the properties so as to retain the characteristics of their
historical significance. In exchange for these restrictions the owners receive a reduced assessed
valuation of their property thereby lowering their property taxes. The City’s past practice is that
no more than three Mills Act contracts can be approved per calendar year. The subject
application is the second request for a Mills Act in 2011. The City has entered into a total of five
Mills Act contracts since the program was created in 2003.
Villa Deodara is a qualified historical property as it was recognized as a Saratoga Historic
Landmark in May 1990. The property was originally purchased by Hannah McCarty and later
owned by T.S. Montgomery, whose home was nearby. The Villa typifies a Mediterranean-style
from the early twentieth-century and was built by the J.G. Kennedys, who came from Palo Alto.
The Hamm family, which took over ownership of the property, constructed one of Saratoga’s
first private tennis courts. The residence is named for the two large deodar cedars which flank
the front of the villa. The restoration plan provided as Exhibit D to the draft agreement provides
for improvements such as irrigation system repair, driveway and parking asphalt repair, re-piping
of the sanitation line within the west wing, repainting and repair of the stucco of the main house
and masonry wall, and re-roofing the entire structure.
FISCAL IMPACTS:
With an approval of the Mills Act Agreement, the City would lose a portion of the property tax
collected from the property. The City receives approximately $515 in property tax for a property
assessed at $1,000,000. The Mills Act would reduce that amount of revenue by approximately
60%. Staff resources utilized to prepare the staff report and process the application is charged to
deposit funds provided by the applicant.
CONSEQUENCES OF NOT FOLLOWING RECOMMENDED ACTION:
The future maintenance and rehabilitation of the existing landmark could be jeopardized without
the tax incentive from the Mills Act Agreement.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION:
1. Deny the proposed resolution.
2. Modify the proposed resolution.
FOLLOW UP ACTION:
Record the Mills Act Agreement.
ADVERTISING, NOTICING AND PUBLIC CONTACT:
Pursuant to Government Code 54954.2, this item was properly posted as a City Council agenda
item and was included in the packet made available on the City’s website in advance of the
meeting. A copy of the agenda packet is also made available at the Saratoga Branch Library each
Monday in advance of the Council meeting.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution approving the Mills Act Agreement
2. Ordinance HP-17 – Designation of 20330 Saratoga-Los Gatos Rd as Heritage Resource
3. DPR 523 – Property profile of 20330 Saratoga-Los Gatos Rd
4. Photographs – 14683 Oak Street
5. Mills Act Historic Property Preservation Agreement (which includes the following
exhibits):
a. Property Description
b. Resolution of Approval
c. Base Line Conditions
d. Restoration Plan