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HRC No. 2024-07 – Levengood-Bist House (1205 South Birch Street) September 5, 2024 Page 4 4 5 1 0 City’s Environmental and Transportation Advisory Commission (“ETAC”), Lisa championed an urban forestry campaign, in addition to a program of street modifications intended to alter problematic entrances into many neighborhoods. Christy observed that Lisa was also a key player in the City Council’s outreach to important public and private institutions. During Lisa’s tenure on the City Council, she contributed to the Council’s successful efforts to support the Bowers Museum’s acquisition of a new collection from the British Museum, to facilitate the establishment of the Mexican Consulate in the City, to convince First American Financial Corporation to retain its headquarters in Santa Ana, and to facilitate the development of the master-planned Santa Ana Auto Mall, among other accomplishments. Overall, Commissioner Christy claimed the Bists’ significance is due to their instrumental roles in effecting concrete changes in Santa Ana that improved the City’s public image and quality of life. As mentioned above, the historic property was listed on the Register in 2003. Based on the 2003 evaluation, the property is eligible under Criterion 1 and in category “Contributive” the as a good example of the Spanish Colonial Revival style. As determined through subsequent research and reevaluation in 2024, the property is also significant for its associations with the contributions of Lisa and Brian Bist in the area of local neighborhood activism and politics. Therefore, the property also qualifies under Criterion 4(b), which recognizes a property’s associations “with famous people, original settlers, renowned organizations and businesses” (Santa Ana Municipal Code, Section 30-2). Additionally, due to the Bists’ historical significance, the property is eligible in the category “Key,” which provides for the listing on the Register a “building, structure, object or site [that] is associated with a significant person or event in the City” (Santa Ana Municipal Code, Section 30.2.2). It is further recommended the resource be renamed the “Levengood-Bist House” to reflect the Bists’ historical contributions. The Levengood-Bist House’s character-defining features remain those that characterize its Spanish Colonial Revival style, as identified as part of the 2003 evaluation, as listed above. The updated Executive Summary and Historic Description (Primary Record/DPR form) for the property have been included as Exhibits 5 and 6, for the commission’s consideration. Public Notification The subject site is located within the Wilshire Square 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 notices were sent to all property owners within 500 feet of the project site. At the time of this printing, no correspondence, either written or electronic, has been received from any members of the public.