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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07 HISTORIC REG & COMMENDED PROP PRGMS 11-06-07_ Agenda Item 7 ~ -. ~ Reviewed: ~, ~ _< L-1~~1 r ~rl ~1 O~~ City Manager L:~- Finance Director ;,~ , . MEETING DATE: NOVEMBER 6, 2007 TO: WILLIAM A. HUSTON, CITY MANAGER FROM: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT SUBJECT: HISTORIC REGISTER AND COMMENDED PROPERTY PROGRAMS SUMMARY In July of 2007, the Planning Commission received a request from the Tustin Preservation Conservancy to assume responsibility for administering the Tustin Historic Register Plaque Program and the Commendation Program. The Planning Commission discussed the matter and directed staff to develop revised procedures in which the Tustin Preservation Conservancy and the Tustin Area Historical Society would assist the Planning Commission by collaborating in the review of plaque nominations and by submitting commendation nominations to the Planning Commission on an alternating basis. The revised draft procedures were approved by the Planning Commission on October 23, 2007. The Planning Commission would like to obtain concurrence from the City Council before implementing the revised Tustin Historic Register and Commendation Programs. RECOMMENDATION The Planning Commission requests that the City Council concur with the revised procedures for the Tustin Historic Register and Commendation Programs. FISCAL IMPACT There are minor fiscal impacts associated with the implementation of the revised procedures recommended by the Planning Commission in the form of additional staff time to coordinate with the Tustin Preservation Conservancy and the Tustin Area Historical Society. These staff expenses would be covered by the General Fund. BACKGROUND Historic Register Program Owners of historic buildings in Tustin are eligible to participate in the City's plaque designation program, called the Tustin Historic Register. The purpose of the voluntary program is to recognize Tustin's historic properties, educate the public, increase public Historic Register and Commended Property Programs November 6, 2007 Page 2 interest in historic properties, and promote community pride. Property owners who would like to participate are responsible for the cost, installation, and maintenance of the plaques. The plaques display the construction date of the building, up to two lines of text, and are identified with the words "Tustin Historic Register." Nomination forms are obtained from the Community Development Department. Anyone, including the Planning Commission, may nominate properties. Commendation Program The commendation program recognizes an Old Town property of outstanding merit every calendar quarter. A decorative sign is displayed at the property and the owner is provided with aCity-paid plaque and recognized at a City Council meeting. Properties commended to date include 355 West Second Street, 320 West Third Street, 520 West Main Street, and 160 South Pacific Street. DISCUSSION In a letter dated July 24, 2007, Tustin Preservation Conservancy President Linda Jennings expressed the Preservation Conservancy's interest in assuming responsibility for administering the Tustin Historic Register Plaque Program and the Commendation Program. On August 14, 2007, and August 28, 2007, the Planning Commission discussed the matter and directed staff to meet with a representative from the Tustin Area Historical Society to determine whether the organization would also be interested in assisting the Planning Commission with the two programs. Staff met with Historical Society President Don Ropele, who indicated that the Society would be pleased to assist the Planning Commission. On October 9, 2007, the Planning Commission received a report on potential procedural changes to the Tustin Historic Register and Commendation Programs and directed staff to refine the revised procedures and return to the Commission for approval. On October 23, 2007, the Planning Commission approved the revised procedures and directed staff to forward the recommended procedures to the City Council for consideration. Attached to this staff report are the proposed revised procedures, which reflect a collaboration with the Tustin Area Historical Society and the Tustin Preservation Conservancy. Scott Reekstin izabeth A. Binsack Senior Planner Community Development Director Attachment: Draft Historic Register and Commendation Program Procedures S:\Cdd\CCREPORT1Historic Register & Commended Properties.doc Tustin Historic Register Program Proposed Procedure 1. The Community Development Department would receive all nominations to the Tustin Historic Register plaque program. Nominations would then be forwarded to the presidents of the Preservation Conservancy and Historical Society. 2. The Conservancy and the Society would have thirty (30) days to collaborate and/or review the nomination, research the history of the property, and note the most appropriate historical property name and date of construction. The sources of information used to determine the name and date would also be noted. All of this information would then be transmitted to the Community Development Department. If additional review time were necessary due to a lack of property information, the review period may be extended. 3. Upon receiving the information from the Preservation Conservancy and Historical Society, Community Development Department staff would prepare a Planning Commission staff report referencing the provided information. 4. At a regularly scheduled meeting, the Planning Commission would review the information presented and approve or deny the nomination. 5. If the nomination were approved, Community Development Department staff would then provide the property owner(s) with an order form and payment instructions. Upon receiving the order and payment, staff would then order the plaque from the manufacturer and contact the owner(s) once the plaque has been delivered to the City. 6. Within six (6) months of implementing the proposed procedure outlined above, Community Development Department staff would provide a status report to the Planning Commission on the Tustin Historic Register Program. Commendation Program Proposed Procedure 1. On an alternating basis, the Tustin Preservation Conservancy or Tustin Area Historical Society would submit the nomination of a residential, commercial, or institutional property to the Commendation Program. Nominations would be submitted to the Community Development Department on a quarterly basis during the last month of each calendar quarter. 3. Upon receiving the nomination from the Preservation Conservancy or Historical Society, Community Development Department staff would prepare a Planning Commission staff report referencing the nomination. 4. At a regularly scheduled meeting, the Planning Commission would review the information presented and approve or deny the nomination. If the nomination were approved, the Planning Commission would designate the nominated property as the commended property for the upcoming calendar quarter. 5. Following the designation, Community Development Department staff would contact the property owner and arrange for the commendation to be presented to the property owner at the beginning on the next scheduled City Council meeting by the Chairperson of the Planning Commission, or designee. 6. Within six (6) months of implementing the proposed procedure outlined above, Community Development Department staff would provide a status report to the Planning Commission on the Commendation Program.