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A PLANNER’S VIEW: LESSONS LEARNED

A PLANNER’S VIEW: LESSONS LEARNED. PAM FIGGE, PRESENTER. Overview of Presentation. Background: Regulation and Why are Land Use Planners in Charge? The LESSONS: Don’t Miss the Forest for the Trees Know the Terminology Don’t be Fooled by Facades Champion Re-use

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A PLANNER’S VIEW: LESSONS LEARNED

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  1. A PLANNER’S VIEW: LESSONS LEARNED PAM FIGGE, PRESENTER

  2. Overview of Presentation • Background: Regulation and Why are Land Use Planners in Charge? • The LESSONS: • Don’t Miss the Forest for the Trees • Know the Terminology • Don’t be Fooled by Facades • Champion Re-use • Know Your City-County Permit Process • Understand Contextual Setting • Recognize Historical Associations and Private Investors

  3. Local Regulatory Agency • City or County Planning Department • General Plans (Optional Historic Preservation Element - POLICY) • Zoning Regulations (Implement goals and policies of the General Plan - LAW) • Historic Preservation Ordinance • Historic or Landmark Overlay Zones • Specific Plan • Down-zoning • Historical Building Code • Financial Incentives (Tax Credits – Mills Act)

  4. The Role of a Planner • Generalists • Development Applications • State Mandates • Not Policy Makers • Lack Specialized Training • Work in a Political Arena

  5. Ministerial and DiscretionaryActions: CEQA • Ministerial Actions – Involves little or no personal judgment; standards have been adopted – e.g.: building permits • Exempt from CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) • Discretionary Actions – Board, Commission, Council exercise judgment or deliberation – Involves due process • Subject to CEQA

  6. CEQA Section 21084.1 “The fact that a resource is not listed in, or determined to be eligible for listing in the California Register of Historical Resources, not included in local register of historical resources (pursuant to section 5020.1(k) of the Public Resources Code), or identified in an historical resources survey (meeting the criteria in section 5024.1(g) of the a Public Resources Code) does not preclude a lead agency form determining that the resource may be an historical resource as defined in Public Resources Code sections 5020.1(J) or 5024.1.”

  7. Categorical Exemptions CEQA 15300.2(c) “Significant Effect. A categorical exemption shall not be used for an activity where there is a reasonable possibility that the activity will have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances.”

  8. Lesson #1 What’s Below the Surface?

  9. Are You Grading or Excavating?

  10. Lesson #2 Know the Difference Between Preserve, Rehabilitate, Restore, Renovate and Replicate

  11. But…Don’t Get Hung-Up on Language to Preserve Resource Historical vs Aesthetic Resource

  12. Lesson #3 Facades…Faux-Historical • Keep new architecture true to its historical time and its setting • Buildings should not present a false sense of historical development

  13. New Construction New buildings can respect adjacent older architecture through the use of similar materials, size/height, window meter and style, roof shape and pitch

  14. Lesson #4 RE-USE IS ESSENTIAL

  15. Re-use Makes Economic Sense

  16. Lesson #5 Building Permits and Demolition Does your city/county issue demolition permits over the counter?

  17. The Stone Block Building

  18. Unsafe Buildings – Local Government’s Responsibility

  19. ECONOMICS VS PRESERVATION The loser? The Community Triple-brick Construction

  20. Saving the Cupola

  21. INCENTIVES FOR SAVING BUILDINGS • City/County in leadership role • Façade Improvement Program – Why not a Structural/Restoration Improvement Program? • Provide public improvements: • curb, gutter, sidewalk repairs or “relax” off-street parking requirements • Streamline permit process: flexibility for re-use projects; CA Historic Building Code • (Educate Building Department)

  22. Opportunities

  23. Lesson #6 Contextual Setting:Building New Structures in an Old Neighborhood

  24. CONTEXTUAL SETTING

  25. Architectural Review

  26. Third Street HousesChico’s Federally-Listed District 1972 - Language Houses 1999 - Renovated

  27. Lesson #7 The Committed Private Investor with Support from the Local Historical Association

  28. Baby Steps Are OK • “MUST HAVES” • Community Support & Political Will • “In it for the long-run” attitude • A Local Historic Preservation Group to Keep Preservation in the Forefront and be “Watchdogs” • Preservation Goals and Policies in the General Plan • Trained Planning and Building Staff • An Adopted Local Inventory of Resources is Best

  29. “These old buildings do not belong to us only; they have belonged to our forefathers, and they will belong to our descendants, unless we play them false.”William Morris

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