Item 28 - Approval of Historic Property Preservation Agreements

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HRCA No. 2021-27, HRC 2022-1, HPPA No. 2022-2 – E.H. Richards House May 5, 2022 Page 3 1 8 0 8 The E.H. Richards House is eligible for the Santa Ana Register under Criterion 1 as a representative example of the Minimal Traditional style in Santa Ana. Additionally, the house has been categorized as “Contributive” because it contributes to the overall character and history of Park Santiago and is a representative example of Minimal Traditional architecture. Mills Act Agreement Ordinance No. NS-2382 authorized the Historic Resources Commission to execute Historic Property Preservation Agreements (HPPA), commonly known as Mills Act agreements for eligible properties (Exhibit 2). To be eligible for the Mills Act, the property must be listed on the Santa Ana Register of Historical Properties. The Historic Resources Commission Application and Historic Register Categorization actions proposed for this site authorize the listing of the property on the local register. The agreement provides monetary incentives to the property owner in the form of a property tax reduction in exchange for the owner’s voluntary commitment to maintain the property in a good state of repair as necessary to maintain its character and appearance. Once recorded, the agreement generates a different valuation method in determining the property’s assessed value, resulting in tax savings for the owner. Aside from the tax savings, the benefits include: Long term preservation of the property and visual improvement to the neighborhood Allows for a mechanism to provide for property rehabilitation Provides additional incentive for potential buyers to purchase historic structures Discourages inappropriate alterations to the property The property has no identified unauthorized modifications. Upon consideration of the application, it is recommended that the City enter into a Historic Property Preservation Agreement. Public Notification The subject site is located within the Park Santiago Neighborhood Association. The president of this Neighborhood Association was notified by mail 10 days prior to this public hearing. In addition, the project site was posted with a notice advertising this public hearing, a notice was published in the Orange County Reporter and mailed notices were sent to all property owners within 500 feet of the project site. At the time of this printing, no correspondence, either written or electronic, has been received from any members of the public. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the CEQA Guidelines, the project is exempt from further review pursuant to Section 15331 of the CEQA Historic Resources Commission 2 –3 5/5/2022