TO: ARCHITECTURAL COMMISSION
FROM: BRAD JOHNSON, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
DATE: APRIL 10, 2024
SUBJECT:
Title
STUDY SESSION ON SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR’S STANDARDS FOR THE TREATMENT OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES WITH GUIDELINES FOR PRESERVING, REHABILITATING, RESTORING, AND RECONSTRUCTING HISTORIC BUILDINGS
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SUMMARY
On March 26, 2024, the City Council unanimously approved the first reading of a new Cultural Resources Preservation Ordinance, which had previously been reviewed by the Architectural Commission on February 14, 2024, and the Planning Commission on March 5, 2024. The new ordinance is expected to go into effect on May 9, 2024. In preparation for the likely adoption of the ordinance, staff has placed this study session on the agenda to aid the Commission, the community, and staff in learning about important topics that are relevant to the implementation of the Preservation Ordinance. Additional study sessions on other relevant topics will follow at future meetings, as time permits.
During the meeting, staff will present information regarding national standards used for the treatment of historic properties, and provide an opportunity for general discussion and questions from the Commission and the public. There will be no formal decisions or direction to staff.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommended Action
Staff recommends the Architectural Commission review the subject material, staff’s presentation, invite public comment, ask questions of staff, and hold a general discussion regarding the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.
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ALTERNATIVES TO RECOMMENDATION
There are no alternatives as this item has been advertised as a study session with no formal action occurring at this time.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
The staff cost to research the Standards and prepare this report are estimated at $750 and is included in the operating budget of the Community Development Department.
ANALYSIS
Background
The bulk of the work of drafting the Cultural Resources Preservation Ordinance was completed by an Ad Hoc Committee appointed by the City Council on December 19, 2017. The Ad Hoc Committee also concluded that the City needed to develop guidelines for protecting the historic character of existing historic structures, landscapes, and places throughout the City. While a draft guidelines document was created and will be brought forward to the Commission in the near future, staff believes the Commission would also benefit from a study session of the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards as they serve as the seminal document on which most state and local guidelines for preservation are based.
Secretary of the Interior Standards
The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties (36 CFR Part 68, 1995) (“Standards”) were originally created in 1977 and have been amended and expanded regularly. The most recent major revision was approved in 2017. The Standards provide guidance for four treatment approaches: Preservation, Rehabilitation, Restoration, and Reconstruction. The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation are required for projects seeking funding through the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives program and are the criteria used to determine if a project qualifies as “a certified rehabilitation.” The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, in particular the Standards for Rehabilitation, are intended as general guidance for work on all historic properties, are widely used, and have been adopted at the Federal, State, and local levels.
The National Park Service’s web page for the Standards notes that; “The Guidelines are intended as an aid to assist in applying the Standards to all types of historic buildings. They are not meant to give case-specific advice or address exceptions or unusual conditions. They address both exterior and interior work on historic buildings.” The website also notes that each section includes a set of standards with accompanying guidelines to be used throughout the course of a project to provide guidance to historic building owners and building managers, preservation consultants, architects, contractors, and project reviewers prior to beginning work. This study session is intended to provide an overview of the documents to the Commission, who will serve the role of project reviewer. As specific projects are considered in the future, staff will prepare reports that reference relevant sections of the Standards. Over time, staff intends to develop summary documents that provide succinct guidance for projects that occur regularly in Claremont. These will likely include standards regarding: appropriate window repairs/replacements, roof repair versus replacements, restoration of exposed rafter tails, seismic stabilization methods, and additions to existing structures as well as guidelines for types of architecture commonly found in Claremont.
Generally, one set of the Standards (Preservation, Rehabilitation, Restoration, or Reconstruction) will apply to a given property. The set chosen will depend on the property’s significance, existing physical condition, the extent of documentation available, and the historic intent (interpretive goals) of the project. The Standards are intended to be applied in a manner that takes into consideration the economic and technical feasibility of each project. The Standards apply to a variety of historic resource types including buildings, sites, structures, landscapes, and districts.
The Standards are available for review at: https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1739/secretary-standards-treatment-historic-properties.htm. A summary of the most relevant sections for the Architectural Commission will be presented by staff during the Commission’s study session.
CEQA REVIEW
This study session to review the content on an existing federal document is not a “project” under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(1)-(3), 15061(b)(3), and 15378(a) & (b) of the CEQA Guidelines. On its own, this discussion of an existing federal document with no action being taken will not result in a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. Therefore, no additional review is required at this time.
PUBLIC NOTICE PROCESS
This item has been noticed through the regular agenda notification process. Copies are available at the City Hall public counter. The agenda and staff report for this item have been posted on the City website and distributed to interested parties including Claremont Heritage, Sustainable Claremont, and the members of the Ad-hoc Committee. If you desire a copy, please contact the City Clerk’s Office.
Submitted by: Prepared by:
Brad Johnson Christopher Veirs
Community Development Director Principal Planner