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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-07-08; Historic Preservation Commission; ; Additional Historic Preservation Benefits and IncentivesMeeting Date: July 8, 2024 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: Additional Historic Preservation Benefits and Incentives Recommended Action Adoption of a resolution recommending City Council authorization to initiate ordinance or policy changes for additional historic preservation benefits and incentives (Exhibit 1). Executive Summary At its Jan. 8, 2024, meeting, the Historic Preservation Commission adopted a work program to evaluate new incentives and benefits to historic preservation. On March 11, 2024, the Historic Preservation Commission reviewed ways to: (1) expand the use of a historic property to allow more home-based businesses; and (2) to provide development standard flexibility. On May 13, 2024, the Historic Preservation Commission reviewed ways to: (3) create potential façade improvement easements; and (4) official recognition and awards. At its July 8, 2024 meeting, the Historic Preservation Commission will be asked to adopt a resolution to forward recommendations to the City Council to process ordinance or policy changes for additional historic preservation benefits and incentives. 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). California’s Mills Act provides cities with a mechanism to encourage the preservation of their historic buildings. It allows the city to give owners of qualified historic properties who actively participate in the restoration and maintenance of their properties a reduction in their property tax. During the course of developing the ordinance, the Historic Preservation Commission also recommended that the City Council direct staff to further investigate additional benefits and incentives, including: (1) expanded home based businesses, (2) development standard flexibility, (3) façade improvement easements, and (4) official recognition and awards. The City Council authorized the initiation of the study, which was provided through a series of meetings with the Historic Preservation Commission. During the course of the work program, city staff prepared regular, status updates to Historic Preservation Commission, which were set and discussed in public meetings. To date, three informational meeting sessions were conducted. The “review meetings” schedule is HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION July 8, 2024 Item #2 1 of 7 reflected in Table 1. Each meeting intended to advertise a project milestone and/or to examine a specific component of the project. Table 1: Historic Preservation Commission Review Schedule Meeting No. Topic or Discussion Item Covered Target Date 1 Introductory meeting and initiation of the work program Jan. 8, 2024 2 A.Expanded use of a historic property to allow more home- based business activity; and B.Development standard flexibility such as parking and setbacks. March 11, 2024 3 A.Façade preservation easements for possible tax incentive; and B.Official recognition or awards by the Commission May 13, 2024 4 Finalize recommendations for City Council consideration to initiate formal code amendments or policy changes July 8, 2024 The first meeting helped establish the study session scope and format. The second meeting on March 11, 2024 introduced ways to explore expanding home-based businesses in historic homes; and adding development standard flexibility to encourage historic preservation. The May 13, 2024 meeting was devoted to the evaluation of façade improvement easement programs, and official recognition and awards to help support local historic preservation efforts. Now that the work session is complete, all content necessary to provide a recommendation to the City Council has been prepared. The draft recommendations to be presented for City Council consideration are listed in Exhibit 1. All comments and recommendations from the Historic Preservation Commission have been incorporated into the draft resolution (Exhibit 1) and is summarized below. Please refer to the previous staff reports for more background information. The following presents a summary of commissioner comments at the March 11, 2024 meeting: •Chair Majer, expressed concern regarding indoor equipment, especially in kitchen operations since poor equipment in these spaces could compromise the structure of a building. Chair Majer added, there was a need to allow small artisanal businesses such as woodworkers for example to be able to work in small areas. •Commissioner Jacobs emphasized the Committee’s receptiveness to all recommendations from staff; but those providing the most incentives for small businesses being the most relevant for consideration. July 8, 2024 Item #2 2 of 7 • Ex-officio Commissioner Lafferty cited local examples of historic buildings that are being used as businesses and reminded staff and committee members to ensure how other cities handle this situation. • Commissioner Diaz’s commented that it would be valuable for staff to explain or define how displays inside and outside of a building will be managed. • Commissioner Diaz requested that the “applicable professional qualification standards” are defined by someone such as a historian or architect so as to create consistent and clear definitions. The following presents a summary of commissioner comments at the May 13, 2024, meeting: • Commissioner Diaz requested more information about the façade easement program, if it was limited to exterior elevations, and the eligibility and program benefits of including interior portions of a historic building or structure. After adoption of the attached resolution, City staff will docket the agenda item with the City Council, present the recommendations, and seek authorization to initiate formal ordinance or policy changes. The Chair or Vice Chair is being asked to be responsible for representing the Historic Preservation Commission and to speak in support of the Commission’s recommendations with the City Council. As of this writing, no date with the City Council has been selected, but would be coordinated separately with the Chair and Vice Chair. Fiscal Analysis There is no direct fiscal impact associated with receiving this informational report. Environmental Evaluation (CEQA) The action before the Historic Preservation Commission is to review potential historic preservation benefits and incentives and to provide feedback that may be considered formally at a separate meeting date. Any direction received shall be construed as general direction and does not have a legally binding effect on any possible future discretionary action. 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 1. Resolution July 8, 2024 Item #2 3 of 7 RESOLUTION NO. 2024-003. A RESOLUTION OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA, RECOMMENDING CITY COUNCIL AUHTORIZATION TO INITIATE AMENDMENTS TO ORDINANCES AND POLICIES FOR ADDITIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION BENEFITS AND INCENTIVES. WHEREAS, the Historic Preservation Committee can solidify a community's past and can help strengthen a community's future; and WHEREAS, providing preservation benefits or incentives to property owners who voluntarily wish to preserve any structures, buildings, sites, artifacts, or landscape features, or portions thereof with historic authenticity, integrity, value, and/or importance can help safeguard the city's historic heritage; and WHEREAS, studying additional historic benefits and incentives is a work program activity included in the 2024-2025 Historic Preservation Commission Work Plan; and WHEREAS, the action to recommend authorizing the processing of amendments to ordinances and policies for additional historic preservation benefits and incentives was evaluated for environmental processing in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act, (CEQA, Public Resources Code section 21000 et. seq.), and its implementing regulations (the CEQA Guidelines, Article 14 of the California Code of Regulations section 15000 et. seq.). The action does not constitute a "project" within the meaning of CEQA in accordance with Public Resources Code section 21065 or CEQA Guidelines section 15378. The project, therefore, is not subject to CEQA. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Historic Preservation Commission of the City of Carlsbad, California, as follows: 1.That the above recitations are true and correct. 2.The Historic Preservation Commission recommends City Council authorization to process the amendments to city ordinances and policies or to otherwise coordinate the following. A.Expanded home-based businesses: The city's existing regulations of home occupations limit the type of commercial activity that may occur in different zones, as intended. The Historic Preservation Commission recommends updating Title 21 of the Carlsbad Municipal Code (the Zoning Ordinance) to establish a Exhibit 1 Additional Historic Preservation Benefits & Incentives. Mike Strong, Asst. Director, Community Development Department JULY 8, 2024 5 HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MEETING RECOMMENDED ACTION Adopt the resolution recommending City Council authorize the initiation of ordinance or policy changes for additional historic preservation benefits and incentives. 6 ITEM2 : Additional historic preservation benefits and incentives.