Item 17 - Approval of Historic Property Preservation Agreements

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HRCA No. 2020-08, HRC 2020-07, HPPA No. 2020-10 – The Eisen-Hofheins House May 13, 2021 Page 3 1 7 0 3 defining features of the Eisen-Hofheins House include, but may not be limited to: materials and finishes (stucco, horizontal wood board lapped siding, and board-and- batten siding); moderately pitched, front- and side-gabled roof design; wide open eaves with exposed rafters; decorative pointed eave extensions and dovecote; and fenestration (diamond- and multi-pane hung, paired, and picture windows where extant); and architectural detailing. The Eisen-Hofheins House qualifies for listing in the Santa Ana Register of Historical Properties under Criterion 1 for embodiment of the distinguishing characteristics of the Ranch House style, in particular the picturesque, “dovecote” variant of the Ranch style. The recommended categorization is “Contributive” because it contributes to the overall character and history of West Floral Park and is a good example of Ranch style 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 West 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 10 5/13/2021