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<br />AA No. 06-04, SPR No. 06-07 and CUP No. 06-14 <br />September 25, 2006 <br />Page 4 <br /> <br />Interior's Standards as it relates to infill development. Additionally, <br />the Downtown National Register District includes buildings in a variety <br />of heights ranging from single story to six stories. Based on this <br />information and analysis, staff believes that the proposed structure is <br />compatible with the massing and scale of other buildings in the <br />district. <br /> <br />Historic Ghost Billboard <br /> <br />The project site is located on a lot that has been vacant since 1978. <br />The site has been occupied by a variety of one and two-story buildings <br />over time, with a fire and subsequent demolition, of a commercial <br />building in 1978. The site was cleared and the existing basement was <br />excavated. During the demolition, a ~ghost billboard" was uncovered on <br />the adj acent Semi Tropic Hotel building directly to the east <br />(Exhibit 7). This sign is a remnant of billboard advertising painted <br />directly on the building's party wall. While not individually listed on <br />the Santa Ana Register of Historical Properties, it has been determined <br />through a study by a qualified architectural historian that the ghost <br />sign is eligible for listing in the California State Historical <br />Register, thereby rendering it worthy of preservation. Addi tionally, <br />the Historic Resources Commission had the opportunity to review and <br />comment regarding this project at its September 7, 2006 meeting. <br /> <br />The applicant proposes to highlight this ghost sign by creating a <br />courtyard next to the adjacent Semi-Tropic Hotel building. This will be <br />accomplished through a 30-foot setback of the proposed building for a <br />width of approximately 15 feet. This courtyard will be gated, and will <br />highlight the public view of the historic ghost sign through <br />landscaping, a water feature, and an interpretive sign with photos of <br />the sign in its entirety. Additionally, the sign will be fully <br />documented through the completion of a Historic American Building Survey <br />(HABS) . This survey includes large format pictorial documentation, as <br />well as historical documentation and drawings. <br /> <br />Summary and Conclusion <br /> <br />Based upon the analysis detailed above, it is recommended that the <br />Planning Commission recommend that City Council approve Amendment <br />Application No. 2006-04, approve and adopt the Mitigated Negative <br />Declaration for Environmental Review No. 2006-234, Site Plan Review No. <br />2006-07 and Conditional Use Permit No. 2006-14 (Exhibits 8 and 9) . <br /> <br />75A-6 <br /> <br />