Cultural Heritage Commission

OFFICIAL CITY OF LOS ANGELES Cultural Heritage Commission Minutes February 16, 2006 10:00 A.M. Room 1010, City Hall, 200 North Spring Street Los Angeles, California MINUTES OF THE CULTURAL HERITAGE COMMISSION HEREIN ARE REPORTED IN ACTION FORMAT. COMPLETE DETAILS, INCLUDING THE DISCUSSION, RELATING TO EACH ITEM ARE CONTAINED IN THE HEARING TAPES FOR THIS MEETING. COPIES OF TAPES ARE AVAILABLE BY CONTACTING CENTRAL PUBLICATIONS AT (213) 978-1255. The meeting was called to order by the Commission President, Mary Klaus Martin at 10:15 a.m. Commissioners Richard Barron, Alma Carlisle, and Stanley Stalford were present. Commissioner Singer was absent. 1. DIRECTOR=S REPORT / STAFF REPORT A. Other items of interest. Deputy Director Bob Sutton gave a Director’s Report. B. Update on Proposed Ordinance to the Los Angeles Municipal Code, Article 4, amending Cultural Heritage timelines for temporary stays of demolition, procedures for modification of the City’s List of Monuments, and establishment of standards for the issuance of permits for the substantial alteration or demolition of Monuments, CHC-2005-3236-CA. Discussion: Assistant City Attorney reported the matter is under review in her office. President Martin discussed changes to the proposed ordinance and suggested a Subcommittee review it to report back to the Cultural Heritage Commission on additional revisions. Commissioners Stalford and Carlisle volunteered to be the Subcommittee. 2. COMMISSION BUSINESS A. Old Business B. New Business 1) Advance Calendar 2) Minutes of February 2, 2006. Motion Required. Commissioner Stalford moved to adopt the minutes; Commissioner Barron seconded. Vote: 4-0 Minutes of the Cultural Heritage Commission 1 February 16, 2006  3) Briefing by Jeffrey Herr, representing the Cultural Affairs Department, on the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy proposal to submit a FLW legacy serial nomination to UNESCO’s World Heritage List for the Hollyhock House. Mr. Herr requested a recommendation and approval from the Cultural Heritage Commission to forward a motion to the City Council for approval of the subject nomination. Discussion took place regarding the appropriate procedure to follow in this regard. The Assistant City Attorney stated that she will review the process to determine which procedure applies. C. Commission Announcements/Requests 3. INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS / SELF-REALIZATION FELLOWSHIP, 3880 & 3846 SAN RAFAEL, 701 & 721 Mt. Washington, C.D. 14, CHC-2006-701-HCM. Review of Historic-Cultural Monument Application Motion Required. Applicant/Owner: Self-Realization Fellowship Discussion: The President opened the public hearing. Four speakers including the representative of the owner testified in support. Kaitlin Drisko, representative of the owner (Self-Realization Fellowship) corrected the record by testifying that Uma Mata was the preparer of the application and is not the owner’s representative. The speakers cited the site’s association with a religious and spiritual life of Los Angeles in 1925 and the significant character defining features of the site as well as the grounds. The President closed the public hearing. Commissioner Barron stated that the gardens and other aspects of the site need to be included in the requested nomination. Commissioner Barron moved to take the nomination under consideration; Commissioner Stalford seconded. Vote: 4-0 4. LOS FELIZ BROWN DERBY, 4500 LOS FELIZ BOULEVARD, C.D. 4, CHC-2006-822- HCM. Review of Historic-Cultural Monument Application Motion Required. Applicant: Los Angeles Conservancy Discussion: The President opened the public hearing. Fourteen speakers, including the Councilmember from the 4th Council District and the representative of the Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council, testified in support of the nomination. The speakers cited the site’s strong association with Hollywood’s history. The representative of the owner testified that the owner is working with neighborhood on the redevelopment of the site and that the redesign of the building will include some or all of the significant features. Minutes of the Cultural Heritage Commission 2 February 16, 2006  The President closed the public hearing. Commissioner Barron moved to take the nomination under consideration; Commissioner Stalford seconded. Vote: 4-0 5. TECHNICAL CORRECTION OF OMISSION OF A PREVIOUSLY CERTIFIED RESOURCES SURVEY PER SECTION 12.20.3 F3(d)(3) FOR A VACANT LOT AT 1435 N. GENESSEE AVENUE WITHIN THE SPAULDING SQUARE HPOZ (HISTORIC PRESERVATION OVERLAY ZONE),C.D. 4, CPC-1992-245-HPOZ. Motion Required. Applicant: City of Los Angeles Discussion: Staff reviewed the recommendation report to approve the non-contributing element designation for the vacant lot at 1435 N. Genesee Avenue. The President opened the public hearing. The representative for the owners of the property located south of the subject property testified in opposition to the designation, citing issues with Brown Act and General Plan compliance and CEQA. Two members of the Spaulding Square Historic Preservation Board, Richard Paddor and Joan Adler, testified in opposition to the designation, citing issues with the Spaulding Square Historic Preservation Overlay Zone Survey. Testimony and discussion with the Cultural Heritage Commission took place on the designation of vacant lots as contributing or non contributing elements and whether the Certificate of Appropriateness or Certificate of Completeness is the appropriate application for these types of lots. One speaker, the preparer of the subject Survey, Teresa Grimes, testified in support of the staff recommendation stating that the Survey was prepared in accordance with National Register standards. One speaker gave general comments stating that the definition for vacant lots is unclear. The President closed the public hearing. Commissioner Martin moved to approve the staff recommendation to approve the non-contributing element designation for the vacant lot at 1435 N. Genesee Avenue; Commissioner Stalford seconded. Vote: 4-0 6. HANCOCK PARK HPOZ (HISTORIC PRESERVATION OVERLAY ZONE), AN AREA GENERALLY BOUNDED BY WILSHIRE BOULEVARD TO THE SOUTH, MELROSE AVENUE TO THE NORTH, ROSSMORE AVENUE TO THE EAST AND HIGHLAND AVENUE TO THE WEST, C.D’S 4 AND 5, CPC-2002-230-HPOZ. Presentation by Planning Department on HPOZ boundaries and discussion of district in preparation of scheduled tour. Applicant: City of Los Angeles Minutes of the Cultural Heritage Commission 3 February 16, 2006  Discussion: Staff briefed the Cultural Heritage Commission on amendments to the proposed HPOZ boundaries. Maps and charts were distributed to the Cultural Heritage Commission. No action required. 5. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD One speaker, representative of the Los Angeles Conservancy, requested the inclusion of contributing structures on Highland Avenue. 6. NEXT MEETING DATE: THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2006. 7. INSPECTION TOUR 1. Commission Lunch 2. How House, 2422 N. Silver Ridge Avenue, C.D. 13, CHC-2006-111-HCM. This site was pulled from the tour schedule. 3. Hancock Park HPOZ (Historical Preservation Overlay Zone) an area bounded by Wilshire Blvd to the south, Melrose Avenue to the north, Rossmore Avenue to the east and Highland Avenue to the west, C.D’s. 4 and 5, CPC-2002-230-HPOZ. There being no further business to come before the Cultural Heritage Commission, the meeting adjourned at 12:10 p.m. Mary Klaus Martin, President Gabriele Williams, Commission Executive Assistant II Cultural Heritage Commission Adopted on March 2, 2006 Minutes of the Cultural Heritage Commission 4 February 16, 2006