Historic Preservation Commission Meeting

MINUTES HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION Thursday, September 8, 2011 4:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. COUNCIL CHAMBER, FEW MEMORIAL HALL OF RECORDS MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA Commissioners Present: Petty, Castagna, McLain, O'Brien, O'Neil, Palminteri, Ex-Officio Commissioner Hodgin Commissioners Absent: None Staff Members Present: Principal Planner Caraker, Recording Secretary Hanes CALL TO ORDER Chair Petty called the meeting order at 4:02 pm. CONSENT ITEMS On a motion by Commissioner O'Brien, seconded by Commissioner McLain, and carried by the following vote, the Historic Preservation Commission approved the Consent Agenda as submitted: AYES: 6 COMMISSIONERS: Petty, Castagna, McLain, O'Brien, O'Neil, Palminteri NOES: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None ABSTAIN: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None RECUSED: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None Approval of Minutes 1. August 11, 2011 ACTION: Approved as submitted. ***End of Consent Agenda*** PUBLIC COMMENTS None. PUBLIC HEARING 2. 290 Figueroa Street; HPC Application 11-223; Applicant/Owner City of Monterey; O- H-1 Zoning District; Exempt from CEQA Requirements. Readopt Historic Preservation Report  Historic Preservation Commission Minutes Thursday, September 8, 2011 ACTION: Approved re-adoption of the Historic Preservation Report. 7-0-0. Staff Presentation/Commissioners Questions: Elizabeth Caraker presented the staff report and answered Commissioners’ questions. Public Comments: Jim McCord spoke in favor of re-adoption of the report. Commissioner Comments: Commissioner Castagna motioned to approve re-adoption of the Historic Preservation Report. Commissioner McLain seconded the motion. On a motion by Commissioner Castagna, seconded by Commissioner McLain, and carried by the following vote, the Historic Preservation Commission approved re-adoption of the Historic Preservation Report: AYES: 6 COMMISSIONERS: Petty, Castagna, McLain, O'Brien, O'Neil, Palminteri NOES: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None ABSTAIN: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None RECUSED: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None PUBLIC APPEARANCE 3. Receive Report and Update on Citywide Transportation and Parking Study and Waterfront Master Plan Regarding Potential Impacts to the Passenger Depot. ACTION: Received report and update on the Citywide Transportation and Parking Plan and the Waterfront Master Plan regarding potential impacts to the Passenger Depot. Staff Presentation/Commissioners Questions: Elizabeth Caraker presented the staff report and answered Commissioners’ questions. Public Comments: Jim McCord expressed his concern with potential impacts on the setting of the Passenger Depot from the proposed North Del Monte Avenue alignment as a result of putting cars, busses, etc. next to the historic structure. He realizes that it is not a technical (CEQA) issue given the lack of integrity of the setting. He prefers construction of a pedestrian bridge to increase pedestrian access between the Downtown and the Waterfront. He is also under the impression that poorer circulation would result and the new alignment would not increase access to the Waterfront. He does not like the concept of directing visitors to the garages and requiring them to walk to their destination. He would prefer creating a small parking island between the North and South Del Monte alignments. Commissioner Comments: Chair Petty said he supports the idea of placing a historically accurate car in front of the Passenger Depot. He believes there are three issues at hand: managing motorized traffic, increasing pedestrian circulation, and preserving the history of the area. He questions how the plan would improve pedestrian circulation and whether the Passenger Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes Thursday, September 8, 2011 2 Historic Preservation Commission Minutes Thursday, September 8, 2011 Depot should be relocated to the south side of Del Monte Avenue, close to the Sports Center or whether a more historical context would be achieved by relocating the structure closer to the Waterfront. He said negative impacts to the structure would be reduced if the North Del Monte alignment were to be moved further north (greater than 30-feet from the structure) or relocated to the south of the structure, in which case the structure would be more closely linked with waterfront activities. He also requested that the Commission receive notification of the next Waterfront Subcommittee meeting. Commissioner O'Neil said she agreed that the proposed North Del Monte alignment should be relocated to the south of the Passenger Depot, which would allow adequate space for interpretive exhibits and a visitor center. She also said the context of the structure should be linked to Wharf No. 2 and the Waterfront and inquired why a true roundabout was not being studied for the Del Monte/Washington intersection. Commissioner Hodgin said he agreed that the proposed North Del Monte alignment does not support the historic setting of the Passenger Depot, creates too many turns for the motorist, and does not increase access to the Waterfront. He also agreed that the proposed North Del Monte should be located on the south side of the Passenger Depot and proposed that the square couplet become more of a triangle, with the North Del Monte alignment taking more of a straight line from Figueroa towards the tunnel, south of the Passenger Depot, which eliminates some of the corners. He also said the noise of the traffic resulting from the northerly alignment would negatively impact the historic resource. Commissioner Castagna said he does not think the site is appropriate for an interpretive center and agreed that the Passenger Depot should not be cut off from the Waterfront and that proposed roadway alignment would disrupt the historic integrity of the Passenger Depot setting. He also requested that the ideas expressed by the HPC be considered in the development of the Waterfront and circulation plan, though he acknowledged that the HPC has representation on the Waterfront Subcommittee. Commissioner O'Brien emphasized the importance of unifying the three historic buildings: The Passenger Depot, the Custom House, and the Pacific House. She questioned which has greater importance: the Passenger Depot structure or the surrounding site, and requested that the Waterfront Subcommittee receive copies of the Historic Preservation Report for the Passenger Depot. Commissioner Palminteri acknowledged the analysis in the agenda report that concludes that the setting of the Passenger Depot has lost its integrity, but agreed that the Del Monte couplet should not be designed around the Passenger Depot. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS Commissioners McLain and Castagna reported on a meeting that was organized by some of the downtown merchants together with State Parks to discuss public access to the adobes. Commissioner Palminteri clarified an earlier comment she made regarding the Passenger Depot and stated that the relationship of the depot to the Waterfront is important, even if the setting itself has lost integrity. Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes Thursday, September 8, 2011 3 Historic Preservation Commission Minutes Thursday, September 8, 2011 Commissioner O'Neil reported on upcoming talks on standards, historic structure reports, and case studies on relocating historic lighthouses. She also reported that the aquarium has video clips on how canneries operated and that there will be a Historic Ghosts event in October at the Point Sur Lighthouse. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS & STAFF COMMENTS None. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:43 P.M. Respectfully Submitted, Approved, Elizabeth Caraker Chair Principal Planner Historic Preservation Commission Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes Thursday, September 8, 2011 4