HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-16-1987 HPC Minutes CITY OF SARATOGA
HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION
MINUTES
DATE: Wednesday, December 16, 1987 3:00 p.m.
PLACE: Saratoga Community Library, 13560 Saratoga Avenue, Saratoga
TYPE: Regular Meeting
I. Routine Orqanization
A. Roll Call
Present: Commissioners Cameron, Voester, Ansnes,
Koepernik, Landsness, Tyrrell, Heid
Absent: None
Staff: V. Young
B. Approval of minutes of 12/2/87
B. Voester suggested minor rewording of the sentence
regarding the firebell plaque.
M/S Ansnes/Koepernik to approve minutes as corrected.
Passed, 7-0.
C. Posting of Agenda
Staff noted the agenda was posted at City Hall on
Wednesday, December 11, 1987.
D.Oral and Written Communications
None.
II. New Business
A. Discussion of State Historic Building Code
V. Young briefed the Commission on this item, stating that
the Code was now mandatory rather than permissive, and
must be used by the Chief Building Official for designated
heritage resources and structures on local inventories.
She further added that the City Attorney had advised that
the Code is not required to be officially adopted by
ordinance of the City Council since it is mandatory. She
noted that in 1981, before the Code was made mandatory,
the City Council at that time had adopted resolution
supporting the Code and encouraging its use. She
distributed information on the Code to the Commission.
Commissioner Koepernik noted that using the Code was still
difficult, particularly with public or commercial
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Heritage Preservation Commission
Minutes - 12/16/87
buildings; he said it was much easier with residential
structures. He said the difficulty was in interpretation
by individuals and building officials. He did not want to
give the public the wrong idea that using the Code was
automatic and easy.
Commissioner Heid gave an example of how he used the Code
on one of the projects he was involved in. He then
briefly discussed key features of the Code.
Commissioner Tyrrell felt it was important to make sure
the Chief Building Official acknowledged and used the
Code. Other Commissioners concurred.
The Commission directed the Secretary to prepare a memo to
the City Manager from the Commission regarding the Code,
stating the Commission's concerns and encouraging the
Chief Building Official to establish procedures to use the
Code. The memo is to include an invitation to the Chief
Building Official to attend a Commission meeting in the
near future to discuss the Code.
III. Old Business
A. Heritage Resource Plaques - Status report
The Commission agreed that the Nardie House plaque
presentation on December 7 was very successful.
Commissioners Ansnes and Voester will continue with the
final articles for the Saratoga News.
B. Heritage Resource Inventory
V. Young distributed packets of completed inventory forms,
#1-50. It was decided that the forms would be reviewed at
the next meeting for final corrections, with each
Commissioner responsible for reviewing them before the
meeting, so the task would go quickly.
IV. Items Initiated by th9 Commission
A. Nelson Gardens
V. Young reported that the Williamson Act contract
cancellation request for this property had been heard by
the City Council at its December 2, 1987 meeting, and was
continued to the January 20, 1988 meeting. B. Voester
stated that she asked that this item be put on the
Commission's agenda for discussion because the gardens are
an historic and open space resource in Saratoga. She felt
the Commission should send letters to the Council, owners
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Minutes - 12/16/87
and neighbors to express the Heritage Commission's
concerns.
There was general discussion on the issues involved and
what approach the Commission should take. Commissioner
Cameron felt that the City Council should be made aware of
the Commission's preservation concerns.
The Secretary was directed to prepare a written
communication to the City Council for its January 6, 1988
agenda packet. The letter is to express the Commission's
support for preserving the gardens for their historic/open
space benefits to Saratoga, and to ask the Council if they
can be of assistance by serving as a resource and
contacting the parties involved.
B. Miscellaneous
V. Young distributed materials on preservation law and
noted the Commission was now on the mailing list for
future updates. This was done at a suggestion by
Commissioner Koepernik.
V. Young polled the Commission to determine who wanted to
attend the "Nuts and Bolts Preservation Workshop" to be
held at DeAnza College on Friday, January 29, 1988. All
seven Commissioners expressed a desire to attend.
V. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 5:00 p.m. The next regular
meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 6, 1988 at 3:00
p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Valerie
Secretary to Commission
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