Historic Preservation Commission Meeting

MINUTES HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION Thursday, November 10, 2016 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm 580 PACIFIC STREET, COUNCIL CHAMBERS MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA Commissioners Present: O’Neil, O’Brien, Denley, Hawley, Barlow, Dawson Commissioners Absent: Smith-Crivello Staff Members Present: Principal Planner Caraker, Museum Arts and Archives Manager Copeland, Senior Planner Hopper, 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 from California State Parks District Manager Brent Marshall, California State Parks District Manager, introduced himself and spoke about current projects and goals at California State Parks. Mr. Marshall also introduced California State Parks Historian Matt Bischoff and Park Interpretive Program Manager Michael Green. Chair O’Neil asked Mr. Marshall about the reopening of buildings owned by State Parks and if there were any updates on their conditions. Mr. Marshall said that staff would have a better idea of future building openings once the fiscal year had drawn closer to an end. Commissioner Denley asked about staffing, seismic retro-fittings and renovations for the buildings. Mr. Bischoff noted that those types of repairs were costly and that staff hoped to secure monies for future plans to make ADA updates and appropriately retrofit the structures. Vice Chair O’Brien said she felt that revitalizing the adobes would be interesting and asked if cell phone tours or a similar technology were on the horizon for California State Parks buildings. Mr. Bischoff responded that they would like to have staffing for tours available on a regular basis and that cell phone tours were currently available at some locations. Mr. Marshall noted that California State Parks was undergoing a much-needed transformation and that administration was open to ideas. 2. Receive Presentation on Colton Hall Jail Historic Structure Report Dennis Copeland, the Museum and Cultural Arts Manager for City of Monterey, gave a background of the historic Old Monterey Jail. He said that this was the first historic structure report created for the Old Monterey Jail and that the building needed conservation and preservation work, noting that a preservation maintenance program  Historic Preservation Commission Minutes Thursday, November 10, 2016 would be necessary to ensure best practices. Lacey Bubnash of Architectural Resources Group presented the historic structure report for the jail and said that overall the building was in good condition. She addressed specifics pertaining to the condition of the jail and recommended a structural evaluation. Commissioner Hawley asked if the corroded metal doors would need to be replaced or repaired. Ms. Bubnash said that the doors would need to be repaired and repainted, but that because of their size the work would most likely need to take place offsite. Ms. Caraker said that copies of the report would be made available to HPC members. Approval of Minutes 3. October 13, 2016 Action: Approved as amended. On a motion by Commissioner Barlow, seconded by Commissioner O’Brien, and carried by the following vote, the Historic Preservation Commission approved the Minutes of October 13, 2016 as amended. AYES: 6 COMMISSIONERS: O’Neil, O’Brien, Denley, Hawley, Barlow, Dawson NOES: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: 1 COMMISSIONERS: Smith-Crivello ABSTAIN: 0 COMMISSIONERS: Smith RECUSED: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None ***End of Consent Agenda*** PUBLIC COMMENTS None. 4. Approving 998 David Avenue; Historic Permit 16-451 for Removing 998 David Avenue from the New Monterey Reconnaissance Survey List; Applicant Dwendra Singh; Owner Shalendra Kumar; R-1-5 Zoning District (Exempt from CEQA per Article 19, Section 15331, Class 31) Action: Approved as submitted. Staff Presentation/Commissioner Comments Associate Planner Roveri presented the Agenda Report and took Commissioners’ questions. Chair O’Neil asked if the home would be disqualified from removal from the New Monterey Reconnaissance Survey if only the windows were being considered for replacement. Ms. Roveri responded that because there was no record of what the original windows looked like, that decision would be difficult to determine. Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes Thursday, November 10, 2016 2  Historic Preservation Commission Minutes Thursday, November 10, 2016 Ms. Hopper said that if only the windows were proposed to be changed, that may indicate the character of the home had been maintained. She noted that many other changes had been made, therefore causing the home to lose its historic significance. Commissioner Barlow asked if the circular window on the front of the house had been replaced, remarking that the design was atypical. Ms. Roveri said that the intensive survey did not address the circular window. Commissioner Hawley asked if both frontages would be considered due to the home’s location on a corner lot. Ms. Roveri said that the front of the house facing David Avenue was the character-defining elevation that would determine whether it maintained integrity, but because the side was so visible, it would also be considered. Applicant Not present. Public Comments None. Commissioner Comments Commissioner Dawson moved to approve the project as submitted. On a motion by Commissioner Dawson, seconded by Commissioner Denley, and carried by the following vote, the Historic Preservation Commission approved the application as submitted. AYES: 6 COMMISSIONERS: O’Neil, O’Brien, Denley, Hawley, Barlow, Dawson NOES: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: 1 COMMISSIONERS: Smith-Crivello ABSTAIN: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None RECUSED: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None 5. Recommend that the Planning Commission Recommend that the City Council Rezone 733 Madison Street from R-1-20 to R-1-20-H-2 and Recommend City Council Authorize a Mills Act Contract for Said Property; HP Application 16-445; Applicant/Owner Mark S. and Laura J. Coor; R-1-20 Zoning District; Exempt from CEQA Requirements per Sections 15305, Class 5 and 15331, Class 31 Action: Approved as submitted. Staff Presentation/Commissioner Comments Senior Planner Hopper presented the Agenda Report and took Commissioners’ questions. Chair O’Neil asked about the letter from Jack Davies to Kent Seavey that referred to the house as a different address than given for the application. Ms. Hopper explained that the historic address of the home had varied over the years and therefore the house may have been referred to as another address in the letter. Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes Thursday, November 10, 2016 3 Historic Preservation Commission Minutes Thursday, November 10, 2016 Applicant Mark Coor said that he and his wife were new to the area and that they looked forward to restoring the house, despite concerns about the condition of the original windows. He said that they planned to maintain and restore the home in its original condition and that they believed the landscaping and current projects at the house would come nicely together. Chair O’Neil said that there were options the Coors could use to maintain their historic windows while simultaneously providing UV screening. Commissioner Denley asked about the possibility of building a retaining wall in the backyard. Mr. Coor said that the gulch behind the property created a severe drop in the yard and that a terracing system would need to be created to aid in lot stability. Commissioner Denley asked if the garden would also acquire historic status. Ms. Hopper said that the garden could be considered a historic component to the house with a maintenance schedule. Laura Coor said that she desired to maintain the integrity of the trees and shrubs in the garden. She said that she was currently researching methods of creating a drought-tolerant English garden. Commissioner Hawley asked what components should be preserved in an English garden. Ms. Hopper responded that the open space and the actual setting should be preserved. Commissioner Hawley said that she believed the historic designation in relation to the garden should not be so specific that it would force homeowners into a difficult maintenance schedule. Public Comments None. Commissioner Comments Vice Chair O’Brien and Commissioner Barlow spoke in favor of the project, noting that they were glad to see the application come before the HPC. On a motion by Commissioner Barlow, seconded by Commissioner O’Brien, and carried by the following vote, the Historic Preservation Commission approved the application as submitted. AYES: 6 COMMISSIONERS: O’Neil, O’Brien, Denley, Hawley, Barlow, Dawson NOES: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: 1 COMMISSIONERS: Smith-Crivello ABSTAIN: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None RECUSED: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes Thursday, November 10, 2016 4 Historic Preservation Commission Minutes Thursday, November 10, 2016 COMMISSIONER COMMENTS Chair O’Neil noted that the AMAP (Alliance of Monterey Area Preservationists) wine and cheese tour was well-done. She also noted that the Point Sur Lighthouse tours were open and encouraged visitors to attend. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS & STAFF COMMENTS Ms. Hopper said that this would be her last meeting with the HPC. She said that she appreciated all the HPC did and that she had enjoyed working with the Commission. The HPC wished her well in her future endeavors and thanked her for her service. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 5:05 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Approved, Elizabeth Caraker, AICP Chair Principal Planner Historic Preservation Commission Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes Thursday, November 10, 2016 5