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Home My WebLink About1808 - Participation in the Mills Act Historic Property Tax Abatement Program or Inclusion on the Local Register of Qualified and Candidate Historic PropertiesCITY OF REDDING, CALIFORNIA COUNCIL POLICY SUBJECT Determination of historic property status; participation in the Mills Act Historic Property Tax Abatement Program and/or inclusion on the Local Register of Qualified and Candidate Historic Properties. RESOLUTION NUMBER POLICY NUMBER EFFECTIVE DATE PAGE 2008-62 1808 07-17-08 1 BACKGROUND 1. Mills Act Implementation: On June 3, 2008, the City Council added Chapter 18.23, Historic and Architectural Preservation, to the Redding Municipal Code (RMC). The ordinance reflects the General Plan policy direction to protect the community's historic and architecturally important structures and places and implements the Mills Act Historic Property Tax Abatement Program. Enacted in 1972, the Mills Act legislation grants local governments the authority to enter into contracts with property owners who agree to maintain the historic character of their property in exchange for receiving reductions in property taxes. It also serves to establish a Local Register of Qualified and Candidate Historic Properties. 2. CEQA Exemption: Section 18.24.050 of the RMC - Projects Exempt for State CEQA Guidelines - includes an exemption for demolition permits that do not involve structures of historical significance. However, Section 18.24.050 provides no guidance on making a determination of historical significance. PURPOSE It is the purpose of this policy to clarify the criteria and processes which will be used by the Planning Commission and the Development Services Department Director (Director) for determining if: 1) a property is eligible for designation as a "Qualified Historic Structure" which will allow participation in the Mills Act Historic Property Tax Abatement Program, as set forth in Section 18.23.040.B of the Redding Municipal Code or for inclusion on the list of Qualified Properties in the "Local Register of Qualified and Candidate Historic Properties."; and 2) whether the issuance of a demolition permit for a structure listed on the “Local Register of Candidate Historic Properties” is exempt from CEQA. POLICY Additions and Deletions from the Local Register of Candidate Historic Properties: Pursuant to Section 18.23.030, the Planning Commission has the authority to add or remove properties from this Register upon receipt of an application to do so. The application must be accompanied by documentation, as deemed appropriate by the Director, supporting the request. For purposes of additions to this Register, the level of detailed investigation need not be as comprehensive as that required for inclusion on the Local Register of Qualified Historic Properties. CITY OF REDDING, CALIFORNIA COUNCIL POLICY SUBJECT Determination of historic property status; participation in the Mills Act Historic Property Tax Abatement Program and/or inclusion on the Local Register of Qualified and Candidate Historic Properties. RESOLUTION NUMBER POLICY NUMBER EFFECTIVE DATE PAGE 2008-62 1808 07-17-08 2 Mills Act: A property may be eligible to enter into a Mills Act contract if it meets one or more of the criteria within Chapter 18.23 and is consistent with this or other policy or guidance of the City Council for evaluating historical significance, as demonstrated by materials prepared by a qualified professional as required by that Chapter. The Planning Commission will review and consider such requests as provided for in Chapter 18.23. In determining if inclusion of a structure or site on the Qualified Properties list is consistent with the intent of the ordinance, the Commission shall use the factors outlined in this policy. A building will not be considered for historic designation unless it is at least 50 years old. Exceptions may be made if the property is the site of a historic event or is related to a person of historic importance to the community, state, or nation or otherwise contributes significantly to local history. CEQA Exemption: Issuance of a demolition permit for a structure on a property listed on the Local Register of Candidate Historic Properties will be considered exempt from CEQA review unless the Director determines, based on substantial evidence presented to the City, that there is a reasonable probability that the property meets one or more of the evaluation criteria outlined in this policy. Determination/Consultation: 1. Properties listed on the Local Register of Candidate Historic Properties shall be individually noted on the City’s internal electronic land use data base which shall serve as notice to City staff that the property may be of local historic significance. 2. If an application for demolition of a structure listed on the Local Register of Candidate Properties is received, said application will be referred to organizations and individuals requesting review of the applications which will be given a minimum of ten (10) working days to provide the Director with an assessment of whether there is substantial evidence that the property is reasonably likely to meet one or more of the evaluation criteria based on information provided. This timeline may be extended by mutual consent of the City and interested parties. Staff may also request information regarding a property’s historic status from the California State University, Chico, Northeast Information Center. 3. If substantial evidence is presented documenting that there is a reasonable probability that the structure may be historically significant based on one or more of the criteria contained in this Policy, the Demolition Permit shall not be issued until the property is evaluated and a determination made as to whether demolition of the structure will result in a significant or potentially significant impact in accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.5. CITY OF REDDING, CALIFORNIA COUNCIL POLICY SUBJECT Determination of historic property status; participation in the Mills Act Historic Property Tax Abatement Program and/or inclusion on the Local Register of Qualified and Candidate Historic Properties. RESOLUTION NUMBER POLICY NUMBER EFFECTIVE DATE PAGE 2008-62 1808 07-17-08 3 Historic Designation Evaluation Criteria I. Buildings Associated with Historic Events or Persons The ordinance criteria within this category are as follows: 1. Has significant inherent character, interest, or value as part of the development or heritage of the community, state, or nation. 2. Is the site of an event significant in local, state, or national history. 3. Is associated with a person or persons who contributed significantly to the culture and development of the community, state, or nation. To be considered under these criteria, a building must be associated with an event or person that has made a significant contribution to our history. If related to a historic event, it must be documented through accepted means of historical research that the property under consideration did exist at the time of the event and that the property was directly associated with the event. For consideration of a building through its associations with a person who has made a contribution to our history, a property’s association with an individual must be documented by accepted methods of historical research. The length of association should be identified and will be an important factor when considering an application. II. Buildings Associated with Historic Architecture or Historic Period The ordinance criteria within this category are as follows: 1. Exemplifies the cultural, political, economic, social, ethnic, or historic heritage of the community, state, or nation. 2. Embodies distinguishing characteristics of a type, style, period, or specimen in architecture or engineering. 3. Is the work of a person whose work has influenced significantly the development of the community, state, or nation. 4. Contains elements of design, detail, materials, or craftsmanship which represent a significant innovation. CITY OF REDDING, CALIFORNIA COUNCIL POLICY SUBJECT Determination of historic property status; participation in the Mills Act Historic Property Tax Abatement Program and/or inclusion on the Local Register of Qualified and Candidate Historic Properties. RESOLUTION NUMBER POLICY NUMBER EFFECTIVE DATE PAGE 2008-62 1808 07-17-08 4 To meet these criteria, a structure must embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction or represent the work of a master or possess significant cultural or artistic values. Embodying the distinguishing characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction means representing the way in which a building was conceived, designed, or fabricated by a people or person in past periods of history. Representing the work of a person refers to illustrating the technical and/or aesthetic achievements by a craftsman or professional of significance within a field (e.g., Architect Frank Lloyd Wright). Possessing significant artistic values concerns the expression of aesthetic ideals or preferences and applies to aesthetic achievement. Cultural, political, economic, social, ethnic, or historic heritage refers to a structure or site which represents the needs, technologies, aesthetic preferences, attitudes, or activities of a people or culture in a definable period of history. A building must clearly represent a historic type, period, or method of construction for eligibility. A building may be significant because it represents an unusual method of construction or represents an innovative or influential method of construction that was broadly used to support traditional or vernacular design for a period of history. Significant innovation may be expressed in terms, such as form, structure, plan, style, or materials. The design of an eligible structure may reflect historical functions and technologies or aesthetics, including materials; structural system; massing; arrangement of space; fenestration pattern; textures or colors of surface materials; and type, amount, and style of ornamental detailing. Materials are the physical elements that represent a pattern or configuration for a building of a historic period. Craftsmanship is the physical evidence of the crafts of a particular culture or people during a period in history. Craftsmanship may be expressed in vernacular methods of construction or in sophisticated configurations and ornamental detailing. It may be based on common traditions or innovative period techniques. Craftsmanship can furnish evidence of the technology of the craft, illustrate the aesthetic principles of a historic period, and may reveal individual or local applications of both technological practices and aesthetic principles. III. Buildings or Places of Historic Community Significance The ordinance criteria within this category are as follows: A. Represents an established and familiar visual feature of the neighborhood or community. CITY OF REDDING, CALIFORNIA COUNCIL POLICY SUBJECT Determination of historic property status; participation in the Mills Act Historic Property Tax Abatement Program and/or inclusion on the Local Register of Qualified and Candidate Historic Properties. RESOLUTION NUMBER POLICY NUMBER EFFECTIVE DATE PAGE 2008-62 1808 07-17-08 5 B. Has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history. These criteria apply to buildings or structures having a special historical, cultural, archaeological, architectural, community or aesthetic heritage as determined by the work of a qualified professional, and subject to confirmation by the Planning Commission. A historic structure, place, or feature may only be considered for inclusion on the Local Register of Historic Properties if it has been documented by accepted methods of historical research. Amended on January 19, 2016, by Resolution 2016-010