Historic Preservation Commission Meeting

MINUTES HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION Thursday, May 12, 2016 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm 580 PACIFIC STREET, COUNCIL CHAMBERS MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA Commissioners Present: Barlow, Hawley, O'Brien, O'Neil, Denley, Smith-Crivello, Dawson Commissioners Absent: None Staff Members Present: Principal Planner Caraker, Associate Planner Roveri, Recording Secretary Salameh CALL TO ORDER Chair O’Neil called the meeting to order at 4:02 p.m. PRESENTATIONS 1. Presentation on Proposed Old Monterey District by Member of the Public Sherna Stewart presented a written piece on the adobes of Monterey and their preservation within a proposed historic district. She described the historic district and spoke about the adobes’ locations within the City of Monterey, as well as their extensive gardens and features. She said that if one considered the size and layout of the adobes, there was more to the buildings than just their façades. She asked the HPC to consider their history as well as connecting the buildings on a map with an interactive path of history. Commissioner Smith-Crivello asked if Ms. Stewart was speaking on behalf of a group and said that she appreciated her presentation. Ms. Stewart said that she was a citizen activist and that she was passionate about the historic adobes located within the City of Monterey. Commissioner Hawley asked what the HPC could do in order to support Ms. Stewart’s cause. Ms. Stewart said that she would like to see historic districts indicated on maps of Monterey in order for visitors to easily identify and travel to them. She said that a historic district should appear on a map as a unified whole and that it should inspire people to seek the area out as an attraction. Chair O’Neil asked if the City had a definition for a Historic district. Ms. Caraker said that the City does define upper and lower downtown as Historic and that the adobes were incorporated in that. She said that this may qualify as a conservation district or something that may be distinguishable from the official, state- recognized, national landmark district. She said that it could be a marketing tool for increasing visitors to the area and that it could unite a lot of different interest groups in the community. She said that it was not necessarily a technical planning tool and therefore it may be of interest to the Cultural Arts Commission. Historic Preservation Commission Minutes Thursday, May 12, 2016 Ms. Stewart said that new life should be brought to the adobes and she felt that many people who live in Monterey have never experienced them. She said that designating the adobes within their own district would mean also focusing local attention on them. Commissioner Hawley said that she believed this was a special project and asked if this could be given to a group with more public influence so that it could come to fruition. Vice Chair O’Brien said that the HPC could help by openly supporting the project. She said that by supporting the project and working to preserve the adobes, she believed that others would follow suit. Chair O’Neil said that this seemed to be more of an overlay district and asked how the City should become involved in the project. Chair O’Neil said that making a map available to visitors prior to reaching their destination would be helpful and gave Google Maps as an example. Ms. Caraker said that the Cultural Arts Commission and the Communications and Outreach office would be good resources for Ms. Stewart. She noted that funding through NIP would be the best way to continue as long as her goal was a well-defined concept. Chair O’Neil said that it would be important for the district to be easily-identifiable on the internet. Ms. Caraker noted that this was more of a marketing project. Ms. Stewart said that at some point she would need to secure funding. Chair O’Neil said that Ms. Stewart would need to figure out an estimate for the project and secure Neighborhood Improvement Program Funding to proceed. Commissioner Hawley suggested that Ms. Stewart create a professional map and load it onto Google Maps in order to promote the district. Chair O’Neil suggested that Commissioner Hawley could assist with the project by placing a historic overlay on a Google map. Commissioner Hawley said that she could assist Ms. Stewart with the graphics of the map. Ms. Stewart asked if the HPC would be involved in the placement of directional kiosks she had suggested as a part of the program. Ms. Caraker said no, but that it would involve an encroachment permit. Commissioner Smith-Crivello asked if there was a way to show general support of this item. Commissioner Denley asked if the HPC could vote on the item. Ms. Caraker explained that this was not an action item, but that the minutes would reflect Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes Thursday, May 12, 2016 2  Historic Preservation Commission Minutes Thursday, May 12, 2016 the HPC’s support of the item. The HPC reiterated its support of Ms. Stewart’s proposed Old Monterey District. CONSENT ITEMS Approval of Minutes 2. March 10, 2016 Action: Approved as submitted. On a motion by Commissioner Denley, seconded by Commissioner O'Brien, and carried by the following vote, the Historic Preservation Commission approved the Consent Agenda. AYES: 6 COMMISSIONERS: Barlow, Hawley, O'Brien, O'Neil, Denley, Smith- Crivello NOES: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None ABSTAIN: 1 COMMISSIONERS: Dawson RECUSED: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None ***End of Consent Agenda*** PUBLIC COMMENTS None. PUBLIC HEARING 3. Consider 502 Pierce Street; Historic Permit 16-162 for the Addition of a Conservatory and Uncovered Deck to an Existing Guest House; Applicant Mark Porter; Owner Julie Kenner; PC-D-H1 Zoning District (Exempt from CEQA per Article 19, Section 15301, Class 1 and Section 15331, Class 31) Staff Presentation/Commissioner Comments Associate Planner Roveri presented the Agenda Report and took Commissioners’ questions. Commissioner Denley asked if the conservatory would be composed of glass. Ms. Roveri said yes. Commissioner Dawson asked if any updates or changes had been made to the report between the time of its creation and its presentation. Ms. Roveri said no. Chair O’Neil asked if any changes would be made to the original structure itself. Ms. Roveri said no. Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes Thursday, May 12, 2016 3 Historic Preservation Commission Minutes Thursday, May 12, 2016 Applicant Mark Porter said that Ms. Roveri had done an adequate job presenting the application and that he had no further comments to add. Commissioner Comments Commissioner Barlow said that whether it was historic or not, he would like to see that the deck would not be attached directly to the house itself. He said that he thought it was great that the property was being used for an office. Commissioner Denley asked if the conservatory would be heated or cooled. Ms. Roveri said that it would be neither heated nor cooled. Commissioner Denley asked about landscaping plans for a new garden. Ms. Roveri said that there was no new garden, but only an existing garden. She asked if the Commissioners would like to condition that the new deck not be attached to the guest house. Commissioner Barlow said that he would like to condition that the new deck be independently-supported. Ms. Roveri said that the guesthouse to be added onto was not historic. Commissioner Barlow said that if the guest house was demolished, there may be an issue. He said that he was considering the spatial relationship with the house. Ms. Roveri said that the preservation report addressed the spatial relationship between the adobe structure and the guest house. She said that she could make the finding that the spatial relationship would be maintained. Vice Chair O’Brien said that the guest house was not historic. Commissioner Barlow said that it would make more sense for the conservatory to be an independent structure in order to remain consistent with the staff report. However, he said that he would support the application as submitted also. Commissioner Dawson asked why the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards were being applied to a non-historic portion of the property. Ms. Caraker explained that because the property was designated as H-1, the Secretary of the Interior’s Standard’s were applicable to the entire property. Commissioner Dawson said that it appeared as though the applicant had designed the conservatory to be removable. Chair O’Neil said that the conservatory was intentionally created that way out of consideration for possible future property owners. Mark Porter, applicant, said that it was a recommendation made by staff that the conservatory should be removable. He said that the conservatory area was designed to look like a traditional, English-style garden to give it more character. Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes Thursday, May 12, 2016 4 Historic Preservation Commission Minutes Thursday, May 12, 2016 Commissioner Dawson asked if the HPC should require the applicant to do this if it was not actually a requirement. Commissioner Smith-Crivello asked Mr. Porter if his choice would be to support the application as submitted. Commissioner Dawson asked why the applicant was required to go to the extra trouble of making the conservatory removable if the guest house was not historic and if he had designed the addition as removable because he wanted to. Mr. Porter said that they were not doing this because they wanted to, but because staff recommended that it would make it easier for all parties to agree upon the project. He said that he would have preferred to make changes to the existing guest house and office building without making the conservatory a separate structure. Commissioner Hawley suggested to Mr. Porter that when he applied for building permits, he could address specific issues including how the new addition would be attached to the guest house. Commissioner Smith-Crivello said that she would like to vote on the application as it was submitted. Commissioner Barlow made a motion to approve the application as submitted. On a motion by Commissioner Barlow, seconded by Commissioner Denley, and carried by the following vote, the Historic Preservation Commission approved the application as submitted. AYES: 7 COMMISSIONERS: Barlow, Hawley, O'Brien, O'Neil, Denley, Smith- Crivello, Dawson NOES: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None ABSTAIN: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None RECUSED: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None COMMISSIONER COMMENTS Chair O’Neil said that former HPC member Ginny McLain’s memorial rock would be unveiled at San Carlos beach on Sunday, June 12, 2016 at 9:30 a.m. and said that it would be nice if the HPC could be present for the ceremony. She said that she would like to get the contact information of HPC members that had served with Ms. McLain. Commissioner Smith-Crivello said that she had brought handouts from the California Preservation Foundation’s Workshop at the Presidio in San Francisco. She said that she learned a lot of valuable information and that she appreciated the opportunity to attend. She also said that she appreciated the invitation to attend the Language Capital of the World Festival. She invited fellow Commissioners and staff to attend Monterey History and Art’s La Merienda, on June 4, 2016 at 11:15 a.m., as well. Commissioner Hawley thanked staff for the recent California Preservation Foundation Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes Thursday, May 12, 2016 5 Historic Preservation Commission Minutes Thursday, May 12, 2016 webinar opportunities. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS & STAFF COMMENTS Ms. Caraker said that the Historic Ordinance should be brought before the HPC for review soon. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 5:17 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Approved, Elizabeth Caraker, AICP Chair Principal Planner Historic Preservation Commission Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes Thursday, May 12, 2016 6