Item 23 - Approval of Historic Property Preservation Agreements

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HRCA No. 2023-27, HRC No. 2024-01, HPPA No. 2024-01 – Moss House (944 W. Buffalo Avenue) March 7, 2024 Page 4 Additional architectural features include two wood support beams at the front porch, a central brick chimney visible at the primary (north) façade, front entrance concrete pathway lined with brick on its sides, and minimal brick infill at the driveway delineating a “T” shape. The rear yard contains a single-story, detached guest house (accessory dwelling unit) with a rectangular footprint and a gable roof and a swimming pool. The accessory unit’s main entrance is a wood door with divided lights over solid wood paneling. Window fenestration on the accessory unit consists of black vinyl slider windows with divided lights, black vinyl one-over-one hung windows, and a double sliding glass vinyl-framed door. The property is landscaped with a front lawn, small shrubs, and low brick planters. Character-defining features of the Moss House include, but may not be limited to: two primary facades to the north and west; long horizontal massing; low-pitch hipped and multi-gabled roof clad in asphalt shingles with overhanging eaves and exposed rafter tails; wood panel siding, vertical wood panel siding, and stucco siding; one roof that covers the detached garage, porte-cochere, and main house; primary entrance set back into the building within a covered porch; large windows on the primary façade composed of a central fixed window flanked by two sliding windows (original/compatible material is wood with wood trim); window shutters; four large aluminum-frame sliding glass doors at the rear (south) façade; louvered window at the east façade; brise-soleil wall at west façade; detached guest house; two wood support beams at the front porch; a central brick chimney; front entrance concrete pathway lined with brick on its sides; minimal brick infill at the driveway delineating a “T” shape; and a front lawn with small shrubs and low brick planters. 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. The recommended categorization is “Key” because it has a distinctive architectural style and quality reflective of the Ranch style. 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: Historic Resources Commission 1 – 4 3/7/2024