HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-25-2016 CHC MinutesMinutes
CULTURAL HERITAGE COMMITTEE
Monday, April 25, 2016
REGULAR MEETING
CALL TO ORDER
A Regular Meeting of the San Luis Obispo Cultural Heritage Committee was called to order on
Monday, April 25th, 2016 at 5:32 p.m. in the Council Hearing Room, located at 990 Palm Street,
San Luis Obispo, California, by Chair Hill.
ROLL CALL
Present: Committee Members Shannon Larrabee, James Papp, Sandy Baer, Craig Kincaid,
Leah Walthert, Vice -Chair Thom Brajkovich and Chair Jaime Hill
Absent: None
Staff: Senior Planner Brian Leveille, Assistant Planner Walter Oetzell, Planning
Technician Kyle Van Leeuwen, Assistant City Attorney Jon Ansolabehere and
Recording Secretary Brad T. Opstad
OATH OF OFFICE
Recording Secretary Brad T. Opstad administered the Oath of Office to Committee Member
Thom Brajkovich.
ELECTION
Committee Member Papp nominated Chair Hill for second -consecutive -term Committee Chair;
seconded by Committee Member Baer; unanimous approval. Committee Member Baer
nominated Vice -Chair Brajkovich for second -consecutive -term Committee Vice -Chair; seconded
by Committee Member Papp; unanimous approval.
PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON -AGENDA ITEMS
No comments were made from the Public.
PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS
1. 535 Hieuera Street. HIST -2793-2016; Review of request to add a residence at 535 Higuera
Street to the Master List of Historic Resources; C-R zone; Jean Martin, applicant.
In response to Committee Member inquiries, Assistant City Attorney Ansolabehere
explained that a Committee Member's assisting an Applicant with a Master List application
in the interest of promoting historical preservation and/or out of goodwill without financial
remuneration does not constitute conflict of interest reasons for Item discussion recusal.
Assistant Planner Oetzell narrated a PowerPoint presentation documenting Master List of
Historic Resources eligibility criteria and the dwelling's architectural and historical
significance.
Applicant Jean Martin commended both Assistant Planner Oetzell and Committee Member
Papp for their respective efforts in preparing presentation of The Robert Pollard House for
Master List consideration and provided additional testimony in support of the designation.
Individual Committee comments followed in favor of recommending the House be added to
the Master List of Historic Resources.
Action: UPON MOTION BY VICE -CHAIR BRAJKOVICH, SECOND BY
COMMITTEE MEMBER KINCAID, the Committee approved the Resolution to
recommend that the City Council add the Robert Pollard House to the Master List of
Historic Resources on the following 7-0 vote:
AYES: Brajkovich, Kincaid, Larrabee, Papp, Baer, Walthert, Hill
NOES: None
RECUSED: None
ABSENT: None
2. 1214 Mill Street. HIST -2842-2016; Review of a request to add a Contributing historic
residence at 1214 Mill Street to the City's Master List of Historic Resources; R -2-H zone;
Lawrence Brooks & Heidi Harmon, applicant.
Planning Technician Van Leeuwen provided pictorial presentation of the highly restored and
ornamental Queen Anne Cottage -style abode and the evaluation of criteria toward its Master
List qualification as the Teresa Torres True House.
Planning Technician Van Leeuwen discussed in added detail the PowerPoint slide showing
the hitching post with brass ring in its currently intact state on Mill Street and the concrete at
its base stamped TRUE HOUSE 1899 which further elucidates the home's historical
authenticity.
Cultural Heritage Committee Minutes April 25, 2016 Page 2
In response to Committee Member Papp's inquiry, Senior Planner Leveille stated that
identifying the True House on rarity criteria is a matter of it essentially being an excellent
example of the Queen Anne Cottage style as well as the only and best example of the form
within the Mill Street Historic District.
In response to Committee Member Walthert's commentary, Senior Planner Leveille
indicated that a Map of Historic Resources exists and continues to be built upon as well as a
plaque program on which he had developments to share in future.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Betsy Bertrando, Historic Resource Research Consultant, San Luis Obispo, spoke on behalf
of Owner -Applicant; commented on the majority of other Mill Street Historic District
master List homes being massive structures while stressing the importance of identifying
this property in historically valued terms as one having been built on and resided in by a
hardship -acculturated, single -mother seamstress vital to the establishment of her community.
In response to Committee Member Larrabee's inquiry, Applicant Representative Bertrando
indicated that one finds concrete stamps such as the one in front of the residence common in
officially dating houses, that the current stamp is an original piece and that the sidewalk
surrounding it is newer.
---End of Public Comment ---
Committee Member Papp suggested the Master List process might be viewed more globally
to begin considering what is on the List that shouldn't be and what isn't on the List that
should be.
Chair Hill discussed fine-tuning the Resolution to indicate 1.) A change in Finding #1 to
reflect that the home is an "excellent" example of the Queen Anne Cottage form as opposed
to a "relatively pure" example; and 2.) Specific and protective language added to Finding #3
in reference to retaining the hitching post and the identifying stamp.
Action: UPON MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER LARRABEE, SECOND BY
COMMITTEE MEMBER PAPP, the Committee approved the Resolution to recommend
that the City Council add the property at 1214 Mill Street to the Master List of Historic
Resources with the following amendments: A.) Section #1, Finding #1 to read "...because it
is arelatively-pt an excellent example of Queen Anne Cottage..."; and B.) Section #1,
Finding #3: shaping language to ensure that hitching post and stamp at front walkway retain
its physical identity and memorializing aspect; on the following 7-0 vote:
AYES: Larrabee, Baer, Kincaid, Papp, Walthert, Brajkovich, Hill
NOES: None
RECUSED: None
ABSENT: None
Cultural Heritage Committee Minutes April 25, 2016 Page 3
3. CEPA Study Session. An overview and discussion of evaluating potential impacts to
Cultural Resources under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Senior Planner Leveille and Assistant City Attorney Ansolabehere provided a PowerPoint
presentation with an overview of how cultural resources are evaluated under CEQA. The
CHC, Staff and Applied Earthworks Principal Archaeologist Barry Price discussed
important definitions, thresholds of significance, and policy vs. impact distinctions.
AGENDA FORECAST & STAFF UPDATES
Senior Planner Leveille provided the Agenda Forecast for meeting in May: 1119 Garden Street
faeade remodel; two new dwellings behind Contributing List house at 1034 Church; proposed
modifications to rehabilitation on The Creamery.
Senior Planner Leveille provided two Staff Updates: A.) Chinatown archaeology investigation
phase wrapping up and the data recovery phase is moving into controlled excavation toward
construction; and B.) Historic Resource numbering system being put in place by date in which
resource is added to Master List then linked to City website.
Informal discussion ensued on three topics: A.) Requesting Chinatown Project Architect to
consider glassing over an unearthed Chumash aquifer, thereby preserving a cultural artifact for
display as opposed to installing a sidewalk over it; B.) Compulsory vs. voluntary nature of Mills
Act; and C.) Approaching Public Works on CHC reviewing more non-standard projects toward
potentially softening the aesthetics of those that might be construed as insensitive to Historic
Districts.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 9:01 p.m.
APPROVED BY THE CULTURAL HERITAGE COMMITTEE: October 24th, 2016
Cultural Heritage Committee Minutes April 25, 2016 Page 4