Item 23 - Approval of Historic Property Preservation Agreements

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Moss House 944 West Buffalo Avenue Santa Ana, CA 92706 NAME Moss House REF. NO. ADDRESS 944 West Buffalo Avenue CITY Santa Ana ZIP 92703 ORANGE COUNTY YEAR BUILT 1959 LOCAL REGISTER CATEGORY: Key HISTORIC DISTRICT N/A NEIGHBORHOOD West Floral Park CALIFORNIA REGISTER CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION C/3 CALIFORNIA REGISTER STATUS CODE 5S3 Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted Prehistoric Historic Both ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: Ranch House Widely published in Sunset and House Beautiful magazines, the Ranch House dominated post-World War II residential expansion and represented the most popular house form in the United States from the 1950s through 1970s. The Ranch House originated in the 1930s designs of Southern California architect Cliff May, who sought to reinvent the West’s vernacular housing traditions by combining the form and massing of the traditional ranch house with a modernist’s concern for informality, expressed in materials and plan, and indoor-outdoor integration. While the style includes several variants, a basic set of character-defining features applies to most examples. In form and massing, the style evokes a sprawling ranch that developed over time, with a central block extended by wings of varying roof heights. Generally L- shaped or U-shaped in plan, the Ranch House typically has a one-story profile with strong horizontal emphasis expressed through a low pitched or flat roof with wide overhanging eaves. Asymmetrical in design, the Ranch House is often sheathed in and accented with rustic materials such as board-and-batten siding, high brick foundations, art stone, and wood shake roofs. Indoor-outdoor integration is achieved through the use of recessed or extended porches, set low to the ground, and the generous use of large picture, ribbon, or corner windows. Window detailing can include wood frames, decorative shutters, and diamond-patterned muntins. Ornamentation includes rusticated elements, such as carved porch supports and exposed rafters, uneven rakes and flared eaves, and faux dove cotes and bird houses. SUMMARY/CONCLUSION: The Moss House qualifies for listing in the Santa Ana Register of Historical Properties under Criterion 1 as an intact example of a Ranch Style house from the late-1950s. Additionally, the house qualifies for listing in the Santa Ana Register of Historical Property under Criterion 4b, for its association with Dr. William Moss who established his surgery practice in Santa Ana and continued to develop his medical career in Orange County for decades following, and for its association with Betty Moss, who contributed to Santa Ana and the greater Orange County community through her involvement with numerous community organizations. The recommended categorization is “Key” because it has a distinctive architectural style and quality reflective of the Ranch style (Santa Ana Municipal Code, Section 30-2.2). EXPLANATION OF CODES: •California Register Criteria for Evaluation: (From California Office of Historic Preservation, Technical Assistance Series # 7, “How to Nominate Resources to the California Register of Historical Resources,” September 4, 2001.) 3:It embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, region, or method of construction, or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values. •It embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, region, or method of construction, or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values. 5S3:Appears to be individually eligible for local listing or designation through survey evaluation. Exhibit B