HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-02-12; Historic Preservation; |Smithson, Suzanne | Pizzuto, Heather|To .the members of the:
CITY COUNCIL
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Date ~lifi?\ CM 1/ COO .JL
Feb. 12, 2019
Council Memorandum
To: Honorable Mayor Hall and Members of the City Council
From: Suzanne Smithson, Deputy Library Director
Heather Pizzuto, Library & Cultural Arts Director
Via: Gary Barberio, Assistant City Manage~
Re: HISTORIC PRESERVATION
{cityof
Carlsbad
This memo is intended to provide background on the status ofthe city's historic preservation
efforts.
In 1985, the Planning Commission adopted a resolution recommending approval of an
amendment to the General Plan to adopt a Historic Preservation Element. In 1985, Ordinance
9776 established the City's Council's goals for historic preservation through the adoption of
Carlsbad Municipal Code Title 22 and the founding of the Historic Preservation Commission.
Initial efforts focused on protection, enhancement and perpetuation of historic resources,
landmarks and districts. A key activity was the development of a historic resources inventory.
On April 16, 1991, the City Council approved Resolution No. 91-114 adopting a Cultural
Resources Inventory. Following adoption, concerns expressed by property owners regarding
potential restrictions on their rights to make modifications or limit sale potential led to
reconsideration of the inventory. On May 18, 1993, the City Council approved Resolution No.
93-151 directing that the Cultural Resources Inventory be deleted and expressing its intent to
establish a voluntary listing whereby a property owner could apply in writing to be included on
the Cultural Reso_urces Inventory and withdraw from the listing at any time.
Over the years, a number of properties have been designated by individual City Council
resolutions as a local historic site, landmark or point of interest. Since the original Cultural
Resources Inventory was deleted, the city has not established a comprehensive inventory or a
historic district. The deleted document is located in the Carlsbad History Collection at the
Georgina Cole Library and in the Planning Department for purposes of preserving the
descriptive information on the referenced properties. Three resources in Carlsbad are listed on
the National Register of Historic Places and/or the California Register of Historical Resources:
Alt Karlsbad/Frazier's Well, Santa Fe Depot and Leo Carrillo Ranch.
In 2015, the city's General Plan was updated to reflect the community vision for the future
development of Carlsbad. The Arts, History, Culture and Education Element speaks to the
continuing importance of historic and cultural elements that make Carlsbad unique. The
City Manager's Office
City Hall 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive I Carlsbad, CA 92008 I 760-434-2820 t
Memo ID #2019012
Feb. 12, 2019
Page 2
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General Plan contains goals and policies to guide the city's direction and, more specifically, the ·
Arts, History, Culture and Education Element contains goals and policies to guide the city's
historic preservation efforts.
Next steps:
As with all of the Boards and Commissions this year, staff is working with the Historic
Preservation Commission and the City Attorney on clarifying the role of the commission by
updating its governing ordinance in the Carlsbad Municipal Code. Several new commissioners
have recently been appointed. The commission reviewed draft changes at its January meeting
and a special meeting held February 11, and unanimously approved recommended changes.
Staff will bring forward these updates to the code for City Council consideration. The
commission will also propose a work plan aligned with the governing ordinance as
recommended for revision.
The Historic Preservation Commission is desirous both to clarify the current inventory with the
City Council as well as to return to the practice of recommending to City Council that additional
sites be designated as local historic resources. Such sites, added with voluntary agreement by
the owner, may include a marker of some type notifying passers-by of the designation.
There is also opportunity for continued efforts in historic preservation by addressing the goals
and policies included in the General Plan, Arts, History, Culture and Education Element.
cc: Scott Chadwick, City Manager
Celia Brewer, City Attorney
Gary T. Barberio, Assistant City Manager
Debbie Fountain, Community & Economic Development Director
Chris Hazeltine, Parks & Recreation Director