Cultural Heritage Committee Action Update

July 28, 2008                       Monday                                5:30p.m.

ROLL CALL:      Committee Members Barbara Breska, Chuck Crotser, Katy Davis,  Lynne Landwehr, Dean Miller, Vice Chair John Fowler, and Chairperson Elise Wheeler.   

                        Committee Member Fowler was absent. 

STAFF:                Phil Dunsmore, Associate Planner; Jeff Hook, Senior
                       Planner 

PUBLIC COMMENT:  There was no public comment. 

MINUTES:  Minutes of June 23, 2008, regular meeting.  Minutes were approved as amended. 

PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS: 

1.        1052 Islay Street.  CHCMA 78-08; Request for Mills Act contract for the historic Kaufman House located in the Old Town Historic District; R-3-H zone; Michael Singleton, applicant.  (James David)

Jeff Hook presented the staff report and recommended that the Committee forward a recommendation to the City Council to approve the applicant’s request to be part of the Mills Act Historic Preservation program and to endorse the attached draft Mills Act Contract.  He explained that this would be the eighth building considered for a Mills Act contract this year.   There was no public comment. 

On a motion by Committee Member Landwehr, seconded by Committee Member Davis, the Committee voted 6:0 to forward a recommendation to the City Council to approve the applicant’s request to be part of the Mills Act Historic Preservation program and to endorse the draft Mills Act Contract. 

2.        530 Islay Street.  ARCMI 73-08; Review of second-story addition to a Contributing Historic property in the Old Town Historic District; R-2-H zone; Mark Grondin, applicant.  (James David) 

Phil Dunsmore presented the staff report recommending the Committee determine that the proposed remodel is consistent with the Historical Preservation Program Guidelines and General Plan Policies regarding new construction for historic buildings and in historic districts, and recommend the Community Development Director conditionally approve the project as Minor or Incidental.  He showed slides of the property and summarized the recommended approval conditions. 

During the public hearing, several neighbors spoke in support of the projects.   

Committee members generally supported the project, and on a motion by Committee Member Crotser, seconded by Committee Member Davis, the Committee voted 6:0 to recommend the Community Development Director conditionally approve the project as Minor or Incidental. 

3.        667 Monterey Street.  ARC 74-08; Conceptual review of a new mixed-use project on the historic Leitcher House property; O-H zone; Shear Edge Development LLC, applicant.  (Phil Dunsmore) 

Phil Dunsmore presented the staff report and showed slides of the site and building.  He recommended the Committee determine the proposed remodel is not consistent with the Historic Preservation Program Guidelines or with General Plan Policies regarding new construction for historic buildings in historic districts, and recommended the project be modified to comply with these policies. 

Three members of the public spoke on the project and raised questions with the project’s scale, architectural design and compatibility. 

After lengthy discussion and on a motion by Committee Member Crotser, seconded by Committee Member Davis, the Committee voted 6:0 to determine that the proposed new construction is not consistent with the Historic Preservation Program Guidelines and with General Plan policies regarding new construction on historic properties in historic districts, and recommended the project be continued to a date uncertain, with direction to the applicant to modify the project design. 

4.        Citywide.  Review of updated Archaeological Resource Preservation Program Guidelines; City of San Luis Obispo, applicant.  (Continued from June 23, 2008, meeting)  (Jeff Hook) 

Jeff Hook presented the staff report and recommended the Committee provide direction on key issues and public comments and continue the item to the August 25, 2008, meeting.  

Chairperson Wheeler opened the public hearing.  Barry Price, archaeologist with Applied Earthworks, and Ethan Bertrando, archaeologist with Bertrando and Bertrando, addressed some of the public comments listed in the staff report, and expressed interest in reviewing future drafts of the Archaeological Guidelines Update, particularly on technical details of archaeological methods and standards.   

On a motion by Committee Member Crotser, seconded by Committee Member Davis, the Committee continued the item to its September 22, 2008, meeting with direction to revise the document and to work with community representatives to provide technical assistance.  The motion carried 6:0. 

COMMUNICATIONS: 

a.      Agenda Forecast – Staff gave a brief agenda forecast for the Committee’s August 25, 2008, meeting. 

b.  Committee - Committee Member Crotser announced that members of the CHC are welcome to come see the Shipsey house on the corner of Johnson and Mill Street.