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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-15-1989 HPC Minutes CITY OF SARATOGA HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES DATE: Wednesday, March 15, 1989 - 3:00 p.m. PLACE: Warner Hutton House, 13495 Sousa Lane, Saratoga TYPE: Regular Meeting I. Routine Organization A. Roll Call Present: Cameron, Voester, Landshess, Kopernik, Mitchell, Held Absent: Ansnes Staff: V. Young Others: Anne Fitzsimmons B. Approval of minutes of 3/1/89 M/S Voester/Cameron to approve the minutes of 3/1/89 as submitted. Passed unanimously. C. Posting of Agenda Pursuant to Government Code 54954.2, the agenda was posted at City Hall on 3/10/89. D. Oral and Written Communications Secretary Young reported that the Merrick Street subdivision application had been denied by the Planning Commission at its March 8th meeting. Chairman Heid reported that he had received an informational phone call from Mr. Rivoir regarding the possible historic value of his residence and stone walls lining the driveway of his property. Commissioner Landsness noted that Villa Montalvo would like to have the griffin stone posts along Montalvo Road included as part of the heritage designation of the property. She will submit a request for the Heritage Commission to act on. II. Old Business A. Heritage Ordinance Revisions - update Secretary Young reported that the City Attorney had revised the draft ordinance per the Commission's directions, and that the item was on the Council's consent agenda for this evening. She noted that the two-term Heritage Preservation Commission minutes - 3/15/89 limit would be deleted from the regulations, and encouraged Commissioners Voester and Held to let the City Clerk know if they wanted to be interviewed for their positions. B. Saratoga Historic District Chairman Held thanked staff for obtaining the good copy of the original 1949 Saratoga State Landmark material. He noted that the issue of preserving historic special areas came about from the joint Council/Commission meeting in January, and that the original landmark area was being used as a starting point for discussion on this issue. Planning Director Emslie conveyed to the Commission recent Council policy on this issue that resulted from the Council's policy development retreat. The Commission should focus on the benefits and incentives for preservation and historic districts first, then decide where and to what properties these benefits should apply. Land use and preservation issues should not be mixed; preservation should not be used as the tool for controlling residential density and overcrowding. Commissioner Mitchell expressed concern at preserving neighborhoods without adversely affecting property values; he was concerned that disincentives for preservation may be created by limiting a structure to its current configuration when other properties surrounding it may be allowed to develop. He felt that heritage districts should be approached on a small neighborhood by neighborhood basis. There was extended discussion on neighborhood preservation and how best to proceed with this issue. There was consensus among the Commission to focus on benefits and incentives, and on providing the Planning Commission with special findings relative to preservation to assist them in their decision-making. III. New Business A. Review of draft C-H district regulations Secretary Young gave a brief staff report, noting that the Planning Commission was beginning its review of the C-H Village zoning and wanted Heritage Commission input. Commissioner Cameron gave a brief synopsis of the history of the Village historic district; he noted that a representative from the National Trust had visited Saratoga for this purpose and the suggestion was made that there were not enough historic properties in the core area Heritage Preservation Commission minutes - 3/15/89 to warrant a district. However, many properties warranted protection, so that's why the Commercial-Historic zoning districts were proposed as part of the Village Plan. Commissioner Koepernik read a list of possible incentives he had prepared back in 1987: 1) reduction of fees; 2) reduction in taxes; 3) use of State Historic Building Code; 4) special review board for historic properties; 5) permit fast-tracking. There was consensus that it may be beyond the City's ability to change the tax structure. Anne Fitzsimmons, as an owner of historic property in the Village, noted that parking requirements may be a problem, especially for properties not in parking districts. There was consensus to recommend the inclusion of a separate section in the C-H regulations titled: "Special regulations for Designated Heritage Resources within the C-H districts." This section should be worded so as to give the Planning Commission the authority to relax or waive the development standards when a designated resource was involved. This section should also reference reduced fees, use of the State Historic Building Code, and Heritage Commission review of applications. Secretary Young will prepare a draft for the HPC to review before forwarding to the Planning Commission. IV. ITEMS INITIATED BY THE COMMISSION Commissioner Cameron relayed that Mr. Christiano had called to thank the Commission for their assistance on his house addition on Wardell Road; Mr. Christiano offered to volunteer his photographic assistance on the Inventory. Secretary Young asked the Commission submit their inventory forms for preview properties as soon as possible, so she could distribute them for review for the next meeting. V. ADJOURNMENT Meeting was adjourned at 5:00 p.m. Respectfully submitted, l Valerie You~ Secretary to the Commission