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Home My WebLink About13 CULT RESOURCE DIST 06-01-98DATE' JUNE 1, 1998 NO. 13 6-1-98 In t e r-C o m ",~~e" TO: FROM: SUBJECT: WILLIAM A. HUSTON, CITY MANAGER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT POTENTL4& EXPANSION OF CULTURAL RESOURCE DISTRICT RECOMMENDATION That the City Council provide direction to the Cultural Resource Advisory Committee and staff regarding the expansion of the Cultural Resource District. BACKGROUND This item was continued from the May 18, 1998 City Council meeting due to the absence of two City Council members. The May 18, 1998 City Council report, which contains a discussion and analysis of the potential expansion of the Cultural Resource District, is attached. Scott Reekstin Associate Planner E'ilzabeth A. Binsa'ck Director of Community Development Attachment A: May 18, 1998 City Council Report and Attachments SR\ccreport\distric3-conrinued.doc DATE: MAY 18, 1998 Inter-Com TO: FROM' SUBJECT: WILLIAM A. HUSTON, CITY MANAGER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT POTENTIAL EXPANSION OF CULTURAL RESOURCE DISTRICT SUI}IMARY: Itt June of 1997, the Cultural Resource Advisory Contntittee requested direction from the City Cottttcil regarding the potential expansion of the Ctdtttral Resource Overlay District. The Cottncil directed staff to: distribute a survey/questionnaire to the residents attd property owners within the ~¥pansion area; schedttle att infortttational workshop; attd report the findings of the sttrvey/qttestionnaire attd workshop to the Cottncil for fitrther direction. This report contains those findings. Although the Committee is attthorized by City Ordinance No. 1001 to btitiate the expansion proceedings on its own ntotion attd hohl a public hearing oft the matter, the Comniittee prefers to obtaitt Cottttcil direction given the fiscal intpacts attd public policy issues associated with att expansion. The Committee supports expandittg the Cttltttral Resource District to inclttde the residentially zoned properties on Mottntain View Drive, 'M" Street, "B" Street attd "C" Street between First Street attd Irvbte Boulevard. Itt 1988, the City Cott'ncil established the cttrrent. C. ultttral Resource District which is generally located between SLrth Street attd First Street attd between the SR-55 Freeway attd Prospect RECOMMENDATION That the City Council provide direction to the Cultural Resource Advisory' Committee and staff regarding the expansion of the Cultural Resource District. FISCAL IMPACT City Council direction regarding the expansion of the Cultural Resource District is being requested at this time; therefore, no impacts to the General Fund are anticipated. The fiscal impacts associated with the expansion of the Cultural Resource District will be approximately $3,600 in staff costs related to processing the zone change and on-going staff costs for reviewing additional requests for certificates of appropriateness in conjunction with building permits for exterior improvements. ATTACHMENT A . City Council Report Expansion of District May 18, 1998 Page 2 BACKGROUND At the December 11, 1996 Cultural Resource Advisory Committee meeting, the Committee requested that staff analyze an expansion of the Cultural Resource Overlay District to include the area bounded by First Street to the south and Irvine Boulevard to the north. On March 12, 1997, staff presented a report to the Cultural Resource Advisory Committee on the potential expansion. The report provided the Committee with a background of the significant issues associated with an expansion. The Committee further discussed the issue on April 30, 1997. Although the Committee is authorized by City Ordinance No. 1001 to initiate such proceedings and hold public hearings on the matter, the Committee requested direction from the City Council on this issue. This request for direction was appropriate considering the past controversy related to the formation of the Cultural Resource District and that the zone change would require the Council's final approval. On June 2, 1997, the Council directed staff to: distribute a survey/questionnaire to the residents and property owners within the expansion area; schedule an informational workshop; and, report the findings of the survey/questionnaire and workshop to the Council for further direction. In September of 1997, a survey/questionnaire was mailed to 132 property owners, residents, and other interested persons. The survey/questionnaire ~ontained eleven questions designed to measure community support and opposition and to assist staff in structuring the community workshop. The 31 responses received are compiled in Attachment A. As shown in Attachment A, 27 out of 31 indicated that preserving significant historic resources is important. Twenty-five (25) out of 31 indicated that the historic buildings in the proposed expansion area are significant to the community. Two individuals noted opposition to the proposed expansion. Four (4) out of 31 noted that they were familiar with the Certificate of Appropriateness process. (Similar in'appearance to a standard business letter, a Certificate of Appropriateness is required for the construction, demolition, exterior alteration, removal or relocation of any structure within the existing Overlay District). The first community workshop on the potential expansion of the Cultural Resources Overlay. District was held on February 24, 1998. To gather additional community input, a second workshop was held on Saturday, March 21, 1998. Approximately 50 people attended the two workshops. At the workshops, staff presented several topics, including an overview of the existing District, the Certificate of Appropriateness process, the Residential Design Guidelines, the Mills Act, and the potential expansion. Following the staff presentation, there was a question and answer session. Speakers from the 'audience commented on a variety of subjects, including property values, restrictions, room additions, the unique character o f the neighborhood, and the status of some of the homes in the neighborhood. Although there was some opposition to the potential expansion, the majority of the speakers indicated support for the potential expansion. City Council Report Expansion of District May 18, 1998 Page 3 The potential impact of the district expansion on property values in the expansion area was one of the most critical issues discussed at the workshops. A few speakers indicated that property values are depressed when historic districts are created. In response to this statement, staff researched this issue and found no studies indicating a negative effect on property values. Studies have shown that property values in an area are improved or do not change significantly following formation of an historic district. Less formal anecdotal studies also have shown this relationship. For example, research conducted by the City of Orange Old Towne Preservation Association showed that property values in the Orange historic district increased more significantly during the late 1970s and early 1980s than did property values in other areas of the City. The formation of their local historic district during that time period may have contributed to this positive effect; however, a causal relationship could not be conclusively determined. ALTERNATIVES Staff has identified the following two alternatives for the City Council's consideration: Alternativel: Provide'direction that the Cultural Resources Advisory Committee hold a public hearing that considers an expansion of the Cultural Resource Overlay District to include only those residentially zoned properties between First Street and Irvine Boulevard as recommended by the Cultural Resource'Advisory Committee or the City Council. (If the City Council makes its own recommendation, the Council would identify specific properties or neighborhoods to include and/or exclude.) Altemative 2: Provide direction that no expansion of the Cultural Resource Overlay District be pursued at this time. The following discussion outlines the Cultural Resource Advisory Committee's preferred alternative to expand the Cultural Resource Overlay District to include the residentially zoned properties on Mountain View, "A" Street, "B" Street and "C" Street between First Street and Irvine Boulevard. DISCUSSION City Policies The City's Historical Resources Survey Report, dated July 1990, recommends tha~ the residential area between First Street and Irvine Boulevard be considered for two separate potential cultural resources districts (see Attachments B and C), The listed historic resources located in the commercial areas along West First Street and Yorba Street, however, are not mentioned.. This recommendation for additional cultural resource districts is consistent with a policy in the Tustin General Plan to "Study the potential expansion of the Cultural Resource Overlay District north of First Street to Irvine Boulevard." However, the General Plan policy does not indicate any particular boundaries for the potential expansion. City Council Report Expansion of District May 18, 1998 Page 4 Cultural Resource AdVisory Committee Recommendation 'The Cultural Resource Advisory Committee supports an expanded Cultural Resource District that is limited to the residentially zoned properties on Mountain View, "A" Street, "B" Street and "C" Street between First Street and Irvine Boulevard (see Attachments B and C). Properties on First Street and Yorba Street are not recommended to be included because the First Street properties are included within the First Street Specific Plan, and Yorba Street contains a mix of residential and commercial uses. The Committee does not recommend that additional questionnaires or workshops are needed because the questionnaire responses and workshop input' provided a sufficient amount of community feedback on the issue. Cultural Resource Overlay District Expansion Process Should the Council recommend that the Cultural Resource Advisory Committee and staff proceed with the expansion of the Cultural Resource Overlay District, the following tasks would be involved: '" The Cultural Resource Advisory Committee would schedule and notice a public hearing. Pursuant to City Code Section 9252(e), no permits for alteration, demolition, or removal of any improvement, building or structure within the proposed Cultural Resource District expansion area may be issued while the public hearing or any appeal related thereto is pending. 2. A public heating before the Planning Commission would be scheduled and noticed.' o The Planning Conunission's recommendation would be presented to the City Council at a noticed public heating. The City Council would take final action on the matter. Scott Reekstin . Associate Planner Elizabeth A. Binsack Director of Community Development Attachments: t~ Survey/Questionnaire resUlts Area North of Cultural Resource Overlay District Cultural Resource District and Potential Expansion SR\ccreportXdistric3.doc CULTURAL RESOURCES DISTRICT EXPANSION SURVEY/QUESTIONNAIRE September 1997 I am (check all that apply): 29 a property owner in the proposed expansion area. 13 a resident in the proposed expansion area. 1 a Tustin Realtor. 3 a member of the Tustin Area Historical Society. 1 Other . If you are a property owner in. the proposed expansion area, do you think there are advantages of .owning property in a designated historic district? 14 Yes' 2 No 13 Not sure Do you think that preserving significant historic resources is important? 27 Yes 1 No 3 Not sure Do you think that the historic buildings in the proposed expansion area are significant to the community? 25 Yes 3 No 3 Not sure Are you familiar with t~e existing Cultural Resources District? 17 Yes 14 No Are you familiar with the Certificate of Appropriateness process? 4 Yes 27 No Have you ever read all or part of the Residential Design Guidelines for the Cultural Resources District? 3 Yes 23 No 5 Not sure ATTACHMENT A What is your opinion of the proposed expansion of the Cultural Resources District: 15 I support the proposed expansion. 2 I oppose the proposed expansion. 6 I have no opinion about the proposed expansion. 3 I support an expansion including commercial properties. 6 (Other Responses) Do you have any special concerns regarding the proposed expansion? 8 No 18 Yes Are you interested in attending the proposed workshop? 23 Yes 5 No If you are interested in attending, which time for the workshop. would you prefer? 11 Saturday morning 4 Saturday afternoon 3 Weekday morning Weekday aftez~noon 14 Weekday evening Optional Information: (Name) (Address) .(Phone #) Please Return this Survey/Questionnaire to: City of Tustin Attention: SCott Reekstin 300 Centennial Way ~., Tustin, CA 92780 IOC~ .~ ~ 0 = ~ ~.'.. o 2:. Z OlVD .-- , 'iP. 5. T _JJ L._J ~ .L,!3 ~J l-~- ~ J Il ~ .zl oJ Iil ill l-lillll I l~!._j~ ! S14~,,(( T --i 1.4 i CIq-'Y OF TUSTIN .1 NORTH FIGLmE 11 ADOPTED AN~ POTENTIAL' CULTURAL RESOURCES DISTRICTS Boundary of Adopted Old Town Cultural Resources District "~~~~ Recommended Potential Cultural Resources District NOTE: Boundary lines' adjl;cent to I-5 and SR-55 Freeways denote ultimate right-of-wa'y line. District docs not inclu¢le areas for freeway expansiom ATTACHMENT C