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HRCA No. 2017-37, HRC No. 2017-36 HPPA No. 2017-41 March 22, 2018 Page 2 property any building or part thereof, object, structure, or site having importance to the history or architecture of the city in accordance with the criteria set forth in Section 30-2 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code (SAMC). This project entails applying the selection criteria established in Chapter 30 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code (Places of Historical and Architectural Significance) to determine if this structure is eligible for historic designation to the Santa Ana Register of Historical Properties. The first criterion for selection requires that the structures be 50 or more years old. The structure identified meets the minimum selection criteria for inclusion on the Santa Ana Register of Historical Properties pursuant to criteria contained in Section 30-2 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code as the property is 90 years old. No known code violations exist on record for this property. The property, recognized as the E.N. Steffensen House, has distinctive architectural features of the Spanish Colonial Revival style, and was built in 1928 by Bert Lewis. Character defining features of the E.N. Steffensen House that should be preserved include, but may not be limited to: materials and finishes (stucco); roof configuration, materials, and treatment (Dutch clay tiles); massing and composition; fenestration (doors and wood windows); and architectural detailing (cast -stone appliques). (Historical Property Description included in Exhibit 3). It is recommended that the house be designated to the Santa Ana Register of Historical Properties and categorized as "Contributive" because it "contributes to the overall character and history' of the Washington Square neighborhood and "is a good example of period architecture;' representing the Spanish Colonial Revival style in Santa Ana (Santa Ana Municipal Code, Section 30-2.2). 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 4). 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 • 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 25A-40