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HPPA No. 2025-05 – The Borchard House (1617 E. Fourth Street) July 9, 2025 Page 2 5 1 2 3 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 In 2004, the Historic Resources Commission placed the Borchard House on the Register and within the “Landmark” category as the work of renowned Santa Ana Architect Frederick Eley and for its unique architectural quality as a highly intact and finely detailed example of Eley’s interpretation of the Spanish Colonial Revival style applied to a large residential commission. All original exterior features of the Borchard House are character- defining and should be preserved including, but not be limited to: materials and finishes; roof configuration, materials, and detailing; massing; entry configuration and detailing; porte cochere; windows, doors, and balconies; architectural details such as columns; corbels, archivolt, and wrought ironwork; garage/guest house; and original landscape features such as the pergola, driveway, palm trees and other mature trees. In 2004, building permits were issued for the repair of fire-damaged rafters, joists, and tiles. No other exterior alterations were documented in City building permits or observed during the site inspection conducted in 2025. Additionally, during the 2025 site visit, Planning Division staff noted cracked paving at the front and rear walkways, porch steps, porch floor, porch alcove walls, and stucco siding at several locations. In addition, peeling, cracked, blistered, and/or discolored paint was observed in several locations, including the exterior walls, fascia, and window frames and sashes of the primary and secondary buildings were observed. Finally, Planning Division staff noted the water heater at the rear of the secondary building was not situated in a permanent enclosure. Planning Division staff will work with the property owner to address these items as part of the rehabilitation and restoration requirements during the duration of the Mills Act Agreement for this property. Additional future improvements proposed by Planning Division staff and agreed to by the homeowner during the initial ten years of the Mills Act Agreement include repair of porch steps, floor, and walls; repair, repainting, and/or replacement of rain gutters, fascia, and windows; repair of cracks in concrete walkways and similar paved surfaces; repair and repainting of exterior wall stucco; and construction of a permanent, stucco-clad enclosure for the water heater located at the rear of the secondary building. Staff will ensure that the proposed work will be performed sensitively and will maintain the property’s character-defining features as part of the Mills Act Agreement for this property. Historic Resources Commission 40 7/9/2025