REPORT TO HISTORICAL AND LANDMARKS COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
Public Hearing: Consideration of a Historical Preservation Agreement (Mills Act Contract) for 904 Madison Street
Report
BACKGROUND
Property owners Quenton and Marlene Diduck are requesting a Historical Preservation Agreement (Mills Act Contract) for the property located at 904 Madison Street. A requirement of the Mills Act is that the building must be a qualified structure, listed on either a local, State or National register. The property is currently listed on the City’s Historic Resource Inventory (HRI) for age and architectural integrity of the residential structure.
The property is located on the northwest corner of Madison Street and Homestead Road. The existing residence is an approximately 1,540 square-foot, two-story Stick architectural style constructed circa 1875. Typical of a Stick style home, the structure features an asymmetrical plan with a rectangular footprint and a cross-gabled roof with a front-facing gable. The home has had minimal external alteration since its construction other than the pre-1915 enclosure of the small rear corner porch, late twentieth century addition to the rear single-story wing, and 1994 addition of a contemporary raised rear side deck and modification of the rear entry steps. A small detached 280 square-foot one-car garage is also present on-site.
The proposal includes approval of a Mills Act Contract and adoption of a 10-Year Restoration and Maintenance Plan associated with the Historical Preservation Agreement.
DISCUSSION
A Department of Recreation (DPR) 523A Form was prepared by Lorie Garcia of Beyond Buildings on February 2, 2020, assessing the historical significance of the property, and is attached to this report. The property was initially designated as a Historically Significant Property and placed on the City’s list of Architecturally or Historically Significant Properties in 1981. The evaluator finds 904 Madison Street to be a fine example of the rare Stick architectural style and as it has undergone only minimal alteration since the time of its construction, to retain sufficient integrity to qualify as a historic property. The evaluator concluded that the property continues to retain sufficient integrity to qualify as an historic property since first designated as a Historically Significant Property based on National Register of Historic Places Criteria, the California Register of Historic Resources Criteria and the City’s Local Significance Criteria as articulated in the report.
The property owners have submitted a statement of justification and 10-Year Plan for restoration and maintenance of the property. The Plan includes repair and replacement of the roof, termite inspection and remediation, updating the electric wiring, and inspection foundation and repair,
Staff finds that the work proposed in the 10-Year Restoration and Maintenance Plan adheres to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. The proposed improvements support the preservation, protection and maintenance of a locally designated significant structure.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The Mills Act program is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) environmental review requirements per CEQA Section 15331, which exempts project limited to maintenance, repair, stabilization, rehabilitation, restoration, preservation, conservation or reconstruction of historical resources in a manner consistent with the Secretary of the Interior Standards.
PUBLIC CONTACT
No public comments have been received at the time of preparation of this report.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Historical and Landmarks Commission find that the Mills Act Application and associated 10-Year Plan for restoration and maintenance accomplish the intent of preserving and maintaining the historical significance of the property; and therefore, recommend Council approval of a Mills Act Contract, and the adoption of a 10-Year Restoration and Maintenance Plan associated with the Historical Preservation Agreement.
Staff
Reviewed by Rebecca Bustos, Senior Planner
Approved by Gloria Sciara, Development Review Officer
ATTACHMENTS
1. Legal Property Description
2. Historic Survey (DPR 523A Form)
3. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation
4. Statement of Justification
5. 10-Year Restoration and Maintenance Plan
6. Draft Historic Property Preservation Agreement