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02-04-2020 - AGENDA ITEM 07 CONSIDERATION OF A HISTORIC CONTEXT STATEMENT (1945-1978) AND HISTORIC RESOURCE INVENTORY UPDATE11/16/2020 Print Staff Report AGENDA ITEM NO. 7 DATE: February 4, 2020 TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: David Carmany City Manager AGENDA STAFF REPORT City of West Covina I Office of the City Manager SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF A HISTORIC CONTEXT STATEMENT (1945-1978) AND HISTORIC RESOURCE INVENTORY UPDATE RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the City Council review and accept as complete the draft City of West Covina Historic Context Statement (1945-1978) and Historic Resource Inventory Update. BACKGROUND: The City of West Covina originally prepared a historic context statement and resources survey in 2006. That project evaluated 284 residential properties constructed prior to 1945 under national, state, and local landmark and historic district programs. The threshold date of 1945 was selected because properties would have been more than 50 years old at the time (the age threshold is explained in further detail below). The preparation of a historic resources survey is generally the first step a city takes when interested in protecting and preserving its historic resources. The survey also provides a tool for evaluating new development projects per the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it provides an essential baseline of information to be used in evaluating properties as potential historic resources and determining an appropriate program to undertake in attempting to protect and preserve historic properties. At the conclusion of the 2006 survey, the City Council provided direction to begin the preparation of an ordinance establishing a voluntary local historic preservation program. The City's Historic Resource Preservation Ordinance was adopted as Chapter 17, Article III of City of West Covina Municipal Code. The Ordinance specifies that a property may be designated a landmark, and an area may be designated an historic district, if it meets one of five criteria. To be eligible for consideration as a landmark, or individual historic resource, a property must be at least 50 years old, with the exception that a historic resource of at least 30 years of age may be eligible if the Planning Commission determines that the resource is exceptional, or that it is threatened by demolition, removal, relocation, or inappropriate alteration (City of West Covina Municipal Code, Ord. No. 2173, Sec. 17-122). To date, one property (the City -owned Heritage House at Heritage Park) has applied and received Landmark status. https://destinyhosted.com/print_ag_memo.cfm?seq=658&rev_num=0&mode=Extemal&reloaded=true&id=93782 1/5 11/16/2020 Print Staff Report DISCUSSION: In 2018, the City engaged GPA Consulting to update the 2006 historic context statement and resources survey. The objective of the update was to gain a better understanding of the City's postwar past, identify its postwar historic resources, and review prewar resources identified in the previous survey. The goals reflect the City's commitment to building on past efforts that ensure significant historic resources are identified and protected. With these goals in mind, GPA Consulting was hired to update the context statement and conduct a citywide historic resource survey in accordance with best practices in the field, and to facilitate compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The first component of the project was to review properties constructed before 1946 that were identified in the 2006 study as potential historic resources. GPA identified and documented physical changes to the properties since the last survey. There were three categories of properties identified in the previous study: 1. Properties potentially eligible for listing on the National Register or California Register (Appendix A); 2. Properties potentially eligible for listing on a local register (Appendix B); and, 3. Properties within the potentially eligible Sunkist Village Historic District (Appendix C). In 2006, a total of 90 individual properties and one district were found to be eligible for National Register, California Register and/or as a local Historic Resource. The updated study makes recommendations to how the 90 properties and one district should be evaluated historically given changes to the property or the District over the past 15 years. GPA then conducted a citywide, reconnaissance -level survey of properties within the City constructed during the postwar period. This survey fieldwork, supplemented by archival research, was used to develop a Historic Context Statement (HCS) for the period between 1945 and 1978. The HCS describes the broad patterns of development and architectural style in the City, organized by period and theme. For each theme, associated property types and registration requirements are defined to identify and evaluate the significance and physical integrity of potential historic resources. The HCS is important because the significance of historic resources are evaluated in terms of how they reflect the City's history, development, and popular architectural styles. The HCS provides the basis for identification and evaluation. After completing the citywide reconnaissance survey and historic context statement, City staff and the consultant identified another list of 90 properties that warranted further evaluation as potential historic resources (Attachments 4 and 5). The evaluation of each property included an analysis of its significance and integrity based upon the eligibility standards outlined for each property type in the HCS. Following initial research, properties that merited a full evaluation were documented on California Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR 523) forms. Following a thorough process to identify historic resources in the City of West Covina, GPA identified 20 properties as potential historic resources representing the period between 1945 and 1978. These properties are listed in Appendix D with more detailed information provided in Attachment 4. https://destinyhosted.com/print_ag_memo.cfm?seq=658&rev_num=0&mode=Extemal&reloaded=true&id=93782 2/5 11/16/2020 Print Staff Report California Number Historical of Evaluation Resource Properties Status Code Properties individually eligible for listing the 10 National Register, California Register, and as 3S/3CS/5S3* local Historical Resources. Locally significant both individually (listed, eligible, or appears eligible) and as a contributor I to a district that is locally listed, designated, 3S/3CS/5S3* determined eligible or appears eligible through survey evaluation. Appears be a contributor to a district that 5 appears eligible for local listing or designation 5D3* through survey evaluation. Properties individually eligible only for local SS3* listing. Properties found ineligible for National Register, 65 California Register or local designation through 6Z survey evaluation. �1 Needs to be reevaluated. 7N Properties identified in reconnaissance level 4 survey, but not evaluated because the property 7R was not visible from the public right-of-way. * presumed to be historical resources for the purposes of CEQA) Use and Purpose of the Historic Context Statement (1945-1978) and Historic Resource Inventory Up da- to The purpose of the Historic Context Statement (1945-1978) and Historic Resource Inventory Update is to serve as a database and source of information to assist in protecting and preserving the historic resources in the City of West Covina. The ability to identify potential historic resources from the postwar era is critical to the City. West Covina, like much of southern California, developed rapidly during the postwar era, therefore a majority of our building inventory is reaching the 50-year benchmark for historic resources simultaneously. Completing this HCS and HRI Update provides a basis for streamlining the review process as it provides a framework for determining eligibility of postwar properties as potential historic resources. In addition, the findings of the survey have identified properties potentially eligible as historic resources that should be reviewed carefully in planning decisions. Ultimately, the goal is to avoid impacts to historical resources under CEQA. As such, the finding of the survey should be incorporated into the City's property database so planners can easily access information about whether or not a property has been identified as a historic resource. Though the report and findings are informational and do not strictly involve or encompass any mandatory requirement to preserve historic resources, those properties identified as eligible for listing in the California Register warrant further consideration as potential historic resources under CEQA for planning purposes. Projects involving these potential historic resources should be analyzed further to determine the possible https://destinyhosted.com/print_ag_memo.cfm?seq=658&rev_num=0&mode=Extemal&reloaded=true&id=93782 3/5 11/16/2020 impacts to the historic resource. Print Staff Report Planning Commission Review The Planning Commission reviewed the Historic Resources Study on December 10, 2019. The Commission discussed how the study will be used, how properties are identified as potentially eligible for historic status, how often the status of potential historic properties will be updated, if the results of the study will be posted on the city's website, how historical designation will affect the owner's ability to make improvements, the length of time between the first study and this one, and if the city would be able to force a property owner to list their home as historical. The Commission also discussed the house on Wrede Way designed by the architect Richard Neutra that did not show up on the list. At the conclusion of the review, the Planning Commission voted 5-0 to receive and file the study as presented. Next Steps The completion of the Historic Context Statement (1945-1978) and Historic Resource Inventory Update represents an important continuation of the effort to identify historic resources in West Covina and is an important informational tool for making informed planning decisions. The document will serve as the foundation for determining whether a particular postwar property may be considered a historic resource for the purposes of CEQA or eligible for voluntary designation as a local landmark and eligible for the tax, building code, and zoning benefits of designation. Future Studies for Consideration West Covina is a postwar community, but it has continued to evolve since its initial boom of development in the decades following World War II. The Woodside Development in the southern portions of the city includes buildings, planning, and landscaping elements that reflect a period outside the scope of GPA's study. Future studies should consider this area. The City might also consider examining the ethnic and cultural heritage of West Covina after 1978 in future studies. Additional Recommendations Currently, if a property owner wants to voluntarily have property designated a historic resource, the Municipal Code Section 17-111 requires that the property meet one or more of the following criteria: A. It exemplifies or reflects special elements of the City's cultural, social, economic, political, aesthetic, engineering, or architectural history; or B. It is identified with persons or events significant in local, regional, state or national history; or C. It embodies distinctive characteristics of a style, type, period, or method of construction, or is a valuable example of the use of indigenous materials or craftsmanship; or D. It is representative of the notable work of a builder, designer, or architect; or E. It has a unique location or physical characteristic(s) or represents an established and familiar visual feature or landmark of a neighborhood, community, or the City. Criteria A, B, C, and D are modeled after the four California Register of Historic resources criteria, which are modeled after the four National Register of Historic Places criteria. The approach of basing the City's registration program on the state and federal programs is appropriate and ideal as it simplifies the evaluation process for both City staff and the public. However, while the last criterion, E, is common among many cities in California, it can be problematic as it does not align with existing guidance for the evaluation of Historic resources and relies on more subjective judgments of importance to a community. GPA would recommend revising the criteria for evaluation to align completely with the national and state criteria. This would require the processing of a code amendment. If the City decides to proceed with this revision, GPA recommends engaging the services of a qualified consultant to draft the final code language and consultation with the City Attorney. https://destinyhosted.com/print_ag_memo.cfm?seq=658&rev_num=0&mode=Extemal&reloaded=true&id=93782 4/5 11/16/2020 Print Staff Report ATTACHMENTS The attachments are large documents and are posted on the City website https://www.westcovina.org/departments/community-development/planning-division/historic-preservation- copy. Under Historic Resource Inventory Draft (2019). Attachment 1 - DPR Forms - HRI Update Individual Properties, December 2019 Attachment 2 - DPR Forms - HRI Update Individual Properties Local Only, December 2019 Attachment 3 - DPR Forms - HRI Update Sunkist Village, December 2019 Attachment 4 - DPR Forms - Survey Findings (Eligible), December 2019 Attachment 5 - DPR Forms - Survey Findings (Not Eligible), December 2019 Prepared by: Jeff Anderson, Community Development Director Fiscal Impact FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact on the results of this study. The study was approved by City Council on September 18, 2018 for $74,905. CITY Enhance the City Image and Effectiveness COUNCIL GOALS & OBJECTIVES: https://destinyhosted.com/print_ag_memo.cfm?seq=658&rev_num=0&mode=Extemal&reloaded=true&id=93782 5/5