HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 1989-09-06Mayor Roberta Cerri Teglia
Council:
Mark N. Addiego
Jack Drago
Richard A. Haffey
Gus Nicolopulos
AGENDA
ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING
CALL TO ORDER: (Cassette No. 1)
ROLL CALL:
Joint study session with the' 9°~
Historic Preservation Commission
to discuss items of mutual concern.
MINUTES
City Council
Municipal Services Building
Community Room
September 6, 1989
ACTION TAKEN
ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING
7:06 p.m. Mayor Teglia presiding.
Council present:
Council absent:
Drago, Halley,
Nicolopulos, and
Teglia.
Addiego
Historic Preservation Commission present:
Feudale, Harks, Mullin,
Arndt, and Gookin.
Historic Preservation Commission absent:
None.
Mayor Teglia stated the three selected
topics to be discussed from the six draft
items in the packet: 1) the appropriate-
ness of criteria used in considering
historic designation - the criteria used
was very broad and should be looked at
for future designations; 2) incentives
currently available to the owners of the
designated properties - memo from City
Attorn'ey with suggested possible criteria
items and revisions to the ordinance; 3)
education efforts to acquaint the pro-
perty owners with positive aspects of
historic designations.
She understood that the Council felt that
the historic preservation was a worthy
goal, but was concerned that what started
out to be a very positive thing for the
community was being viewed now as less
than positive; and may become even more
negatively viewed. She spoke of
Commission efforts to educate the com-
munity, and the need for a joint effort
with the Council to make the public aware
of the process, and what was available
rather than having the public b~e
adversaries .
Historic Preservation Chairwoman Gookin
stated that she had put a lot of time
into Item 2 and 3 based on previous
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Joint study session - continued.
discussions, and wanted to address the
criteria. She proceeded as follows: that
concern could be in whether the
Commission was looking deeply enough into
whether or not a specific building meets
the historic criteria; the definition of
historic in the ordinance itself; men-
tions architectural, as well as having to
do with individuals; architectural sig-
nificance as opposed to the history of
the site or the people, which could be
one of the reasons it was defined as
historic in the ordinance; the individual
structure was looked at to see if it was
necessarily historic and contributed to
the area; a structure was looked at to
see if it contributed to the integrity of
the entire area or neighborhood, and was
integral to the history of the area; that
the ordinance did not say that a designa-
tion had to meet one or more of the
criteria.
Vice Mayor Haffey expressed concern over
discretion in designations, and where it
came into play by the Commission.
Chairwoman Gookin stated that the
Commission reviewed properties, and if
they met that criteria and were important
to the City were designated.
Vice Mayor Halley stated that the agenda
packet had six items to discuss -- now
there were only three items. He
questioned who had set the new agenda
after the meeting of the Mayor, Vice
Mayor, Chairwoman, and Vice Chairman of
both bodies had set the original agenda.
Mayor Teglia stated that the City Manager
had returned from vacation after the
six item agenda had been printed, and
they had consolidated the agenda into
three items.
Vice Mayor Halley stated that the six
item agenda in his packet was stamped
"draft", and it was fortunate that this
meeting was a study session with no
action to be taken, because the City was
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Joint study session - continued.
accusing the County of violating the
Brown Act. He stated that it was impor-
tant to be consistent in agendizing the
packet in final form before distribution.
City Manager Armas stated that Vice Mayor
Haffey was correct, the agenda did not
list any action to be taken by the
Council, but merely to give direction.
Mayor Teglia stated that the ordinance
was too broad and did not spell out the
number of criteria needed for a designa-
tion, which the Council had to address in
the future.
Councilman Drago agreed that it was too
broad in the sense that if there were two
buildings side by side that fell under
different criteria - there could be
resultant problems because it was not
specific. He stated that application of
any of the eleven guidelines was subjec-
tive, and too broad and should not be
thrown down the community's throat. He
stated that perhaps now with all the
problems, was the time to reevaluate and
start again with more specific language.
Commissioner Feudale stated that the Com-
mission had utilized the Bamburg Historic
Survey of 173 homes, which after it was
streamlined to 100 homes had been sub-
mitted to Council for review. He stated
that the Commission had designated five
homes and had held a meeting at Magnolia
Center to inform people of the advantages
and disadvantages of historic
designations.
Councilman Drago stated that at a study
session Council had looked at the survey,
but it had not come back to Council
after it was amended to reflect Council
input. He stated that the criteria and
the conditions for designation had to be
looked at to see what was creating
problems.
Vice Mayor Halley stated that the Council
had made a mistake in sending the
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AGENDA
-~ 1. Joint study session - continued.
ACTION TAKEN
Commission on a task without direction,
and this study session was intended to
give that direction.
Discussion followed: to wean the list
down; that the Council policy was the
ordinance; that the National Trust guide-
lines had been used because of the broad-
ness of the ordinance; the criteria of
setting time and place was open to
question, interpretation, and criticism;
definition of historic event; signifi-
cance of historical architecture, and its
ratings; to only consider voluntary
historic designations; the loss of the
Martin home before the ordinance was
effected; that historic designations
affected land uses; the concern of apart-
ment buildings replacing historic
buildings; that the General Plan or
Zoning Ordinance should address preser-
vation of an area rather than through
designation; Commissioner Mullin had
heard complaints that people felt the
designation restricted the property
rights; incentives needed; that the
Commission should address property
rights, and incentives for property
owners for historic designations and
bring it to Council; the Commission
should have a joint meeting with the
Planning Commission to address land uses
and planning; modifying the ordinance, so
it was not so ambiguous; Vice Mayor
Haffey wanted CDBG Funds and Low and
Moderate Income Housing Set Asides used
for incentives rather than General Fund
monies; Councilman Drago felt that this
Commission should disburse funds for
restoration of historic buildings; that
the public should be encouraged to make
suggestions at Commission meetings; the
tax effect on properties designated; Vice
Mayor Halley wanted the Commission to
hold off on making any designations and
concentrate on the directives given by
Council this evening; that the Commission
did not have a resource against demotion
of potentially historic properties;
drafting an emergency ordinance prohi-
biting demolition of buildings on the
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AGENDA ACTION TAKEN
-- 1. Joint study session - continued.
Mayor Teglia Left the Meeting:
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,
Barbara A. Battaya, City Cl~k
City of South San Francisco
historic list; that Council direction was
given to the Commission on the following:
1) tightening the criteria; 2) to look at
incentives; 3) come back with recommen-
dations and alternatives; Councilman
Nicolopulos questioned what the Council
really wanted in historic designations;
Commissioner Mullin felt that a mora-
torium would further alienate the com-
munity through its restrictions, etc.
Mayor Teglia excused herself from the
meeting at 8:25 p.m.
Mr. Bruce Couch questioned if all of the
homes came under CEQA -- which could
solve the problem of demolition.
Vice Mayor Haffey did not believe that
CEQA applied.
Mr. Couch questioned why homes could not
be removed from the historic designation
list.
Commission Chairwoman Gookin stated that
the Commission would continue their
meeting at the close of the Council
meeting.
M/S Drago/Nicolopulos - To adjourn the
Council meeting.
Carried by unanimous voice vote.
Time of adjournment was 8:25 p.m.
APPRI)VED . f~
~oDer~a C~Pri Teg/i~,~l~ayor
City of South San Francisco
The entries of this Council meeting show the action taken by the City Council to dispose
of an item. Oral communications, arguments, and comments are recorded on tape. The tape
and documents related to the items are on file in the Office of the City Clerk and are
available for inspection, review and copying.
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