HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-11-10; Historic Preservation Commission; 01; Mills Act Program - Outreach Ad-Hoc SubcommitteeMeeting Date: Nov. 10, 2025
To: Historic Preservation Commission
From: Mike Strong, Assistant Director of Community Development
Staff Contact: Mike Strong, Assistant Director of Community Development
Mike.strong@carlsbadca.gov, 442-339-2721
Subject: Mills Act Program - Outreach Ad-Hoc Subcommittee
Recommended Action
Create an ad-hoc subcommittee and appoint two members to help reach target audiences and
share information about the benefits of a Mills Act contract.
Executive Summary
The Historic Preservation Commission recently completed a comprehensive assessment and
evaluated the success and sustainability of the city’s Mills Act program. The Commission
provided a set of recommendations for City Council consideration and possible direction. In
consideration of the Commission’s discussion, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-
122 on June 10, 2025, directing staff to implement the Commissions’ recommendations.
City staff recommend that the Historic Preservation Commission resume its discussion of the
Mills Act program, including a discussion of how commission members may separately achieve
ongoing public interest and solicit participation in the Mills Act program. City commissions and
boards may appoint ad hoc subcommittees or members to ad hoc subcommittees as needed.
The purpose of this report is to form an ad-hoc subcommittee to supplement other city efforts
and separately help promote awareness about the Mills Act program.
Discussion
The City Council approved a local Mills Act program on Nov. 3, 2022, when it approved various
amendments to the city’s historical preservation ordinance (Ordinance No. CS-438, which
amended Carlsbad Municipal Code Title 22). Since its adoption, several homeowners have
expressed interest in the program. Two households applied for the program in its inaugural
year (2023 calendar year). Both applications were later withdrawn due to processing costs,
improvement costs, and/or restoration requirements. No applications were received for the
2024 and 2025 calendar years. Thus, after three years of implementation, no Carlsbad
properties are enrolled in a Mills Act Program.
On July 8, 2024, staff presented a written report about the status of the Mills Act program to
the Historic Preservation Commission and the Commission discussed the program’s rollout and
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Nov. 10, 2025 Item #1 1 of 3
identified a series of operational and administrative improvements that could be made to
strengthen the program, with a focus on the participation rate. The Commission continued this
discussion to Jan. 23, 2025, when a series of recommendations were adopted. (Please refer to
the July 8, 2024 and Jan. 23, 2025 Historic Preservation Commission staff reports for more
background information.) In consideration of the commission’s discussion and
recommendations, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-122 on June 10, 2025,
directing staff to implement specific changes to the Mills Act program. The table below outlines
the implementation timeframe of each of the commission’s recommendations.
Table 1: Implementation Schedule
Recommendation Brief description Category Timeframe
Outreach
Use a targeted approach with stakeholders
and community partners to help reach target
audiences. Engage with property owners to
share information about the benefits of a
Mills Act contract
Administrative 2025
Streamline the process
Develop standardized templates for
rehabilitation and maintenance plans (10-
year work plan) and historical assessment
reports
Administrative 2025
Eligible expenses Encourage the use of the program to recover
application (consultant) costs Administrative 2025
Public information Record a pre-application workshop to
supplement existing collateral materials Administrative 2026
Amend the Master Fee
Schedule
Reduce or waive Mills Act Contract
application fees (for a two-year period to
jump start interest in the program)
Budget 2026-2027
Monitoring program
Report on status of Mills Act program to the
Historic Preservation Commission every two
years
Administrative 2027
The goals of implementation plan are to: (1) raise awareness of the Mills Act program; (2) educate
the public about contract benefits; (3) provide opportunities for to ask questions; (4) facilitate
interest in applying to the program (and Local Historic Resources Register); and (5) make the
application process easy to follow and understand. The table above helps ensure a systematic
approach to identify community stakeholders, utilize tools to communicate, including social
media platforms, and encourage individual engagement. It also includes opportunities to
update/revise application materials. However, city staff recommend that the Commission seek
other ways to achieve ongoing public interest and participation and establish an active role in the
process.
The Commission could form a subcommittee to help oversee the implementation of the activities
listed in the table and/or lead additional outreach efforts. The Commission could appoint two of
its members to serve on an ad-hoc subcommittee, supported by city staff. Ad-hoc subcommittees
are not subject to the Brown Act because the intention for their convening is for a single or limited
Nov. 10, 2025 Item #1 2 of 3
purposes and for which the subcommittee will dissolve once the time-limited issue/project is
resolved or completed. Ad-hoc subcommittee meetings can be held virtually. It is anticipated that
the time commitment to complete the subcommittee’s work would be between now and May
2026, when the Mills Act contract applications are due for submittal.
The Commission may also decline to form a subcommittee and explore outreach and
engagement opportunities in some other format.
Fiscal Analysis
Forming an ad-hoc subcommittee has no fiscal impact. Should the ad-hoc subcommittee
require technical staff support, it is anticipated that it could be fully accommodated within
existing budgeted funds.
Environmental Evaluation (CEQA)
Pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21065, this action does not constitute a “project”
within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in that it has no
potential to cause either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably
foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, and therefore does not require
environmental review.
Exhibits
None.
Nov. 10, 2025 Item #1 3 of 3
Mike Strong
Assistant Director of Community Development
Nov. 10, 2025
MILLS ACT AD HOC SUBCOMMITTEE