Item 25 - Approval of Historic Property Preservation Agreements

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HRCA No. 2021-13, HRC 2021-13, HPPA No. 2021-12 – The Ida C. Wiesseman House July 1, 2021 Page 3 1 8 0 6 The Ida C. Wiesseman House qualifies for listing in the Santa Ana Register under Criterion 1 for its exemplification of the Minimal Traditional style as it developed from the FHA’s Principles for Planning Small Houses (1940), specifically, that “all non-essential features can profitably be eliminated.” An example of the gable-and-wing variant of the style, the house exhibits details consistent with the Colonial Revival, including its combination of red brick and wood lap siding; wood-framed and multi-paned double-hung sash windows; open front porch whose canopy is supported by a single slender post, and details such as frieze board and window shutters. The house is also of interest because it was built by the Allison Honer Co., a key firm in the development of Floral Park. The recommended categorization is “Contributive” because it contributes to the overall character and history of Floral Park and is 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 Floral Park 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 Historic Resources Commission 3 –3 7/1/2021