Cultural Heritage Committee Action Update

September 24, 2007                       Monday                                5:30p.m.

ROLL CALL:      Committee Members, Chuck Crotser, Lynne Landwehr, John Fowler, Dean Miller, Elise Wheeler, Vice Chair Robert Pavlik and Chairperson Barbara Breska.  All members were present. 

STAFF:                Phil Dunsmore and Michael Codron, Associate Planners, Jeff Hook, Senior Planner and Kim Murry, Deputy Director, Long Range Planning 

PUBLIC COMMENT:   

Jim Bergman, Associate Planner for the City of Arroyo Grande, introduced four members of that city’s Historical Resource Committee.  Committee members were interested in learning how the CHC conducted its meetings and the issues discussed.  Chairperson Breska welcomed the visitors and thanked them for attending the meeting. 

PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS: 

1.        958 Pismo Street.  ARC MI 128-07; Review of 2 new residential units behind a contributing historic duplex; R-3-H zone; Steven Saldo, applicant.  (Phil Dunsmore) 

Phil Dunsmore presented the staff report and described the project.  Architect Tom Brajkovich and property owner Steve Saldo distributed revised architectural plans and explained the project changes made in response to the staff report.  He noted the project had been redesigned for architectural compatibility with the existing historic duplex on the site and with the neighborhood.  During the public hearing, Jason Oppler and Ed Salas asked the architect to explain building design details.  CHC members supported the design changes and felt remaining design details could be resolved with staff.  They encouraged the applicant to retain sustainability features that were in the previous design as part of the “craftsman-style” redesign.   

On a motion by Committee member Crotser, seconded by Committee member Fowler, the Committee voted 7-0 to determine that as revised, the proposed project is consistent with the Historic Preservation Program Guidelines and compatible with the Old Town Historic District, and referred the project to the Community Development Director for action on the architectural review application.  

2.        Downtown Core.  TA 50-06; Consideration of proposed revisions to the Community Design Guidelines to address site and building design for taller buildings in the Downtown Core; City of San Luis Obispo, applicant.  (Michael Codron) 

Michael Codron presented the staff report, explained the proposed update to the Community Design Guidelines and presented slides that illustrated the design principles involved.  During the public hearing, Dan Carpenter explained that the City’s Planning Commission (of which he’s currently a member) had recommended that all historic properties be protected in the recently adopted building height ordinance, but that the final ordinance did not include the recommended wording as a requirement.  He urged the Committee to ensure that the Inventory of Historic Resources was updated, accurate and maintained current.  Committee members reviewed the draft guidelines line by line, noting any desired changes by consensus.  On page 2 of Attachment 5 to the agenda report, Committee members unanimously recommended that line 1.b. be revised to read:  “For new projects adjacent to buildings included on the City’s Inventory of Historic Resources there shall be a heightened sensitivity to the mass and scale of the historically significant buildings.”    

On a motion by Committee member Pavlik, seconded by Committee member Crotser, the Committee voted 7-0 to forward a recommendation to the Architectural Review Commission to endorse the Draft Community Design Guidelines Update, with a revision to Section 4.2.B.1.b as follows: 

4.2.B.1.b.  :  “For new projects adjacent to buildings included on the City’s Inventory Master List of Historic Resources there shall be a heightened sensitivity to the mass and scale of the historically significant buildings.”  

DISCUSSION ITEMS: 

3.        2030 Johnson Avenue.  New historic documentation and possible historic name change for the historic Old San Luis Obispo High School Home Economics classroom.  Dan Carpenter, owner.  (Jeff Hook) 

Property owner Dan Carpenter explained that he had done additional historic research that shows his property’s construction date and historic name, as shown in the property’s historic inventory and plaque, are incorrect.  He noted that the building date should be 1908, not 1915 as suspected from county records, and that the historic name should read:  “Old San Luis Obispo High School Classroom”, instead of “Old San Luis Obispo High School Home Economics Building.” 

Committee members concurred with the accuracy and relevance of the new historical information and supported the change to the building date and historic name.  On a motion by Committee member Wheeler, seconded by Committee member Miller, the Committee voted 7-0 to receive the historic information and direct staff to include it in the property’s historic file, and to update the property’s date and historic name accordingly. 

4.    Citywide.  Historic plaques for Contributing and Master List Historic Properties:  Discussion of design and placement alternatives.  (Jeff Hook) 

This item was continued to the Committee’s October 22, 2007 meeting. 

5.    Video Presentations:  (Jeff Hook) 

Jeff Hook presented a DVD entitled :  “The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation:  Interpretation and Application.”  The Committee asked to see the second DVD in the series, “Historic Windows:  Preservation Techniques,” at the October CHC meeting. 

COMMUNICATIONS: 

A.     Agenda Forecast – Staff 

Mr. Hook provided an agenda forecast for the October CHC meeting.  He also showed plans of a remodel of a contributing historic property at 1265 Mill Street, and noted that the owners had replaced the house’s original windows with new metal clad windows and made several other changes.  He explained that the project had not come before the CHC because when building permit plans were submitted to the City, the exterior design changes appeared “architecturally insignificant” and were approved by staff.  In retrospect, staff felt the remodel should have been reviewed by the CHC, but that the as-built changes were acceptable.  Committee members agreed with staff’s approach at this point, and noted that historic window changes were particularly important and suggested staff take special note of this in the future. 

B.     Historic Survey Status  

There was no discussion or action on this item. 

C.    Committee