65B - HISTORIC RESOURCES COMMISSION

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HRC Memo Update July 7, 2020 Page 3 A review of annual building permit activities indicates that on average the City issues 3,190 building permits annually. Of these permits, 210 are for new construction and 2,980 are for construction or modifications of existing buildings. The majority (93%) of the permits are issued to properties with structures 50 years or older and are generally issued over the counter. Comparatively, there are currently 663 designated historic properties in the City subject to the provisions of Chapter 30. Annually, the City receives on average two to three applications for the addition or modifications to historic properties. Based on the current process, the administrative processing of an application for a historic property takes about five days to complete. However, the overall review period takes about six weeks before an application is reviewed by the HRC. Based on these findings, staff believes that the HRC's requested changes will have significant timing implications for approximately 75% of structures within the City. The concerns raised and solutions recommended by the HRC are oriented to ensuring that neighborhood characteristics are maintained; new construction or modifications to structures are reviewed for context sensitivity with adjacent developments and neighborhood consistency; and that design integrity, material quality, and complementing landscape features are maintained. The discussions by the HRC focused on nine specific HSAs which included Pacific Park, Floral Park, West Floral Park, Jack Fisher Park, Wilshire Square, Park Santiago, Morrison Park, Washington Square and Heninger Park. These HSAs are largely associated with a concentration of historic properties. A mapping of the existing 663 designated properties within the City confirms that the overwhelming majority of the historic properties are located in these HSAs and affirms the City Council directions to evaluate a focused approach, rather than a general application of the threshold (Exhibit 2). Staff Recommendations (Items A — C) It is recommended that staff take a multi -facet approach with immediate, mid-term, and long-term implementation measures as outlined below: • Establish new planning section, Historic Preservation Section (HPS) with the Planning Division whose focus is to enhance historic preservation and to elevate the review of development projects with historic preservation issues (immediate measure). • Update the building permit system to flag any structure over 50 years of age within the City that may require appropriate review and approval by the HPS and as applicable, by the HRC (immediate measure) • Require the completion of a supplement survey form requiring information regarding the age of the building for all new construction, modifications, and demolition requests, with buildings over 50 years old and located within a HSA to be routed to HPS staff for heightened review and processing (immediate measure). • Facilitate the further identification and characterization of neighborhoods where historic properties are concentrated for identification as an HSA. These HSAs will be incorporated and implemented as part of the general plan policies within the proposed new Historic Preservation Element to be considered as part of general plan update. In addition, these policies could be integrated into the various elements of the general plan including the Urban Design, Land Use, and Housing Elements to guide identification of neighborhoods where historic properties are concentrated and to formally designate such neighborhoods as an HSA. These policies and guidelines could be developed through a series of workshops and joint study sessions involving local stakeholders and City commissioners that may include L•