Item 17 - Approval of Historic Property Preservation Agreements

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HRCA No. 2025-15, HRC No. 2026-2, HPPA No. 2026-2 — The E.A. Noe House (2117 N. Greenleaf Street) March 5, 2026 Page 4 vinyl sash windows at the second floor. The north elevation has a second entrance with a paneled door and vinyl sash window. Landscaping at the property includes front and back lawns, mature trees, and flowering and non-flowering shrubs. Character-defining features of the Tudor Revival style exhibited by the house include, but are not necessarily limited to, its asymmetrical main (west)facade composition; brick and stucco siding; steeply pitched cross-gabled roof form; closed eaves with exposed beams; historic glazed wood front door; recessed front porch and uncovered front patio; tripartite window on the west facade; and one-over-one wood-sash hung windows throughout. The E.A. Noe House qualifies for listing in the Santa Ana Register of Historical Properties under Criterion 1 as an intact example of a Tudor Revival-style home in Santa Ana. The recommended categorization is Contributive because it contributes to the overall character and history of its neighborhood and is a good example of period architecture (Santa Ana Municipal Code, Section 30-2.3). 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: • Long term preservation of the property and visual improvement to the neighborhood • A mechanism to provide for property rehabilitation • Incentives for potential buyers to purchase historic structures • Discouraging inappropriate alterations to the property The property has no identified unauthorized modifications. Upon consideration of the application, it is recommended that the City enter into a Historic Property Preservation Agreement subject to a completion of future improvements as described in an attached Work Plan. Overall, future improvements (Work Plan) proposed by the homeowner and Planning Division staff during the initial ten years of the Mills Act Agreement include the following: 1) assess paint and stucco siding for cracking and other damage; replace or repair in-