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COUNCIL MEETING: May 14, 1991
M~Y 1 4 i991
Santa Monica, California
TO:
Mayor and city Council
FROM:
City staff
SUBJECT: Recommendation Regarding the Moratorium on the Approval
of Development Applications for Any Residentially Zoned
Property on 11th street Between Wilshire Boulevard and
Arizona Avenue and Between 1107 and 1115 Arizona Avenue
Inclusive.
INTRODUCTION
This report recommends that the City Council take no further
action on the development moratorium on 11th street between
Wilshire Boulevard and Arizona Avenue and between 1107 and 1115
Arizona Avenue inclusive and allow the moratorium to expire
automatically on May 24, 1991. On April 9, 1991 the City Council
extended the moratorium for an additional 45 days in order to
provide the lIth street neighbors with additional time to
research buildings in the surrounding area.
While this
preliminary research has been completed, based on the evaluation
of the research by the City'S Historic Resources Inventory
consultant and staff, the Ilth Street neighborhood does not
embody the architectural character,
quality or
integrity
typically found in designated historic neighborhoods.
Further,
Phase I and Phase II of the City's Historic Resources Inventory
has already documented neighborhoods with both a higher quality
and greater concentration of early 20th century bungalow
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structures that are better candidates for district consideration,
while the on-going Phase III Inventory has noted other examples
of this type of housing that are of equal or better quality in
other portions of the city.
BACKGROUND
Expanded Research Area
After the April 9th Council meeting the City's Historic Resources
Inventory consultant Leslie Heumann prepared a list of 20 turn of
the century bungalow structures, in addition to the 10 previously
researched buildings on 11th street, for the residents to
research. These buildings were selected since they appeared to
be representative clusters, rather than isolated examples, of
early 20th century housing. A list of these structures is
contained in Attachment A. These structures were selected from a
windshield survey, also known as a Preliminary Survey, which was
prepared by the consultant as a research tool for the Historic
Inventory project.
At their April 8th meeting the Landmarks Commission requested
that the neighbors prepare additional information to support
their argument that a thematic historic district was justified.
The concept of a thematic district is based on a recommendation
from the Landmarks Commission that the City Council amend the
City's Landmarks Ordinance to permit the designation of districts
that consist of non-contiguous groupings of thematically related
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properties which have a concentration of historic sites and are
unified by architecture or physical development.
In their motion recommending an extension to the initial 45 day
moratorium the Landmarks Commission stated that during the period
of the extension the 11th street neighbors should work with the
Inventory consultant to develop and complete a research work
program that includes the study of additional buildings in the
area and a discussion of the area's development history.
llth Street and Surrounding Area Preliminary Evaluation
The consultant evaluation of the 11th street neighborhood is
divided into a discuss ion of the area's architecture, history,
and context. The complete evaluation is contained in Attachment
B. In general, the structures were not found to have noteworthy
architectural value, unique or unusual physical characteristics,
or a unified sense of physical development. The one exception to
this statement is the "Oriental" bungalow at 1216 llth street.
This building is notable for its integrity, detailing, and
Oriental roof line treatment. However, the building is typical
of pattern book bungalows whose plans could be ordered through
catalogues and then assembled locally. The City's best examples
of the oriental influence Craftsman bungalow are the Henry Weaver
House at 142 Adelaide Drive, a City and National Register
Landmark, and the Millbank House at 236 Adelaide Drive.
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The research did not show the area to have outstanding historic
merit. Identification with historic persons or significant
events in local, state, or national history was not found.
Finally, the amount of infill in the area severely compromises
the integrity and continuity of any potential district. On 11th
street alone it was found that in 1918 each parcel on the block
contained one story bungalows. Today only seven of the 20
residentially zoned parcels on the block contain original
bungalow structures. The infill consists of large apartment
structures, which are more characteristic of this portion of the
City than the bungalow structures. The amount and the type of
infill severely diminishes the sense of time and place that is
typically a key factor in determining the value of a potential
historic area. Therefore, the consultant has concluded that
there are examples of this type of housing in other portions of
the City of both better quality and context.
Of the additional buildings researched in the surrounding area,
the consultant reached the preliminary conclusion that no other
potential historic districts remain in the area between Wilshire
Boulevard and the Santa Monica Freeway. In addition, even if the
Municipal Code were amended to allow for thematic districts, it
would be difficult to justify such a designation in this area.
This determination is due to a number of factors. Better
examples of pre-192 Os housing have already been identified by
earlier phases of the Inventory in the Palisades Tract, the
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Central Beach Tract, and in a scattered grouping of Craftsman
bungalows located between San Vicente Boulevard on the north,
Marguerita Avenue on the south, Lincoln Boulevard on the west,
and Twenty-third street on the east, most of which were built
between 1912 and 1914. Also, the Preliminary Survey for the
Historic Resources Inventory Phase III has identified a higher
density of pre-l920s bungalows in the Ocean Park survey area, and
a scattering in the North of Wilshire area that are further
enhanced by the neighborhood's community design features.
Landmarks Commission Evaluation and Recommendation
Given the timeline established by the 45 day extension to the
moratorium, the Landmarks Commission's evaluation of the llth
street research and consultant report is scheduled for the May
13, 1991 commission meeting. Therefore, the Commission's
comments and recommendation as of this report's preparation are
not known. This information will be presented at the Council
meeting. However, staff is recommending that the Council take no
further action on the lIth Street moratorium.
Effect on Inventory Timeline
To accommodate the llth street neighborhood moratorium and
district request, the research priorities for the Inventory were
shifted from an initial focus on the Ocean Park survey area to a
combination of the Ocean Park, North of Wilshire and Mid city
survey areas. This was accomplished without any additional,
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unbudgeted, time. However, due to the amount of time spent on
the 11th street issue, the initial results from the Inventory for
the above three survey areas will be delayed. In addition,
unbudgeted time was spent in preparing additional memos,
attending Landmarks Commission hearings, organizing the targeted
research assignments, and conducting two additional volunteer
training sessions. staff feels it is necessary to resume work on
the Ocean Park and North of Wilshire survey areas that appear to
have greater historical significance.
Further, funding for the Inventory was approved in order to
systematically identify all potential historic resources,
research the buildings, and make a determination on which are
worthy of documentation in the final Inventory. In that the
Preliminary Survey has already shown that there are other areas
of the city that appear to have better resources, staff believes
that the highest priority should be given to completion of the
Inventory. The completed Inventory will enable the Commission to
make more educated decisions when evaluating buildings proposed
for demolition, to determine which buildings are rare examples of
a type in the City and make those structures a priority for
designation and preservation, and to develop a City-wide plan for
the designation and preservation of structures that have been
identified as important components of the City's cultural
heritage.
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The moratorium and study of the 1lth street area has detracted
from and delayed the Inventory process. Since early March, the
consultant has spent virtually all of her time on the 11th Street
issue.
Due to this, the Inventory results will be delayed at
least two months.
If Council were to extend the moratorium in
order to complete a thorough study of this area, further delays
would occur.
Specifically, a thorough study of the area would
involve complete research of both the Mid City and the adjacent
North of Wilshire survey areas.
If this were to occur,
completion of research in the Ocean Park survey area, previously
identified as the highest priority due to the density of
potential resources, would be delayed six months.
BUDGET/FINANCIAL IMPACT
The recommendation presented in this report does not have a
budget or fiscal impact.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council take no further action on
the development moratorium for residentially zoned property on
llth street between Wilshire and Arizona Avenue and between ll07
and ll15 Arizona Avenue inclusive, allowing the ordinance to
expire automatically on May 24, 1991.
Prepared By: Paul Berlant, Director of LUTM
Suzanne Frick, Planning Manager
Amanda Schachter, Associate Planner
Land Use and Transportation Management Department
Program and Policy Development Division
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.
Attachments: A.
B.
Additional Buildings Researched in the
Vicinity of the Ilth street Neighborhood
Revised Evaluation of 11th street Neighborhood
Request for Landmark District Designation
Prepared by Historic Resources Inventory
Consultant Leslie Heumann
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ATTACHMENT A
Additional Buildings Researched in the Vicinity of the llth
street Neighborhood
The 1lth street residents have completed preliminary research on
the following 20 buildings:
l428 6th street
1433 6th street
1437 6th street
l447 6th street
l453 6th street
1418 7th street
l420 7th street
1423 7th street
l422-24 7th street
l428 7th street
1430 7th street
1432 7th street
1457 7th street
1518 11th street
1339-1341 14th street
1512 l5th street
l517 15th street
l5l8 l5th street
l523 l5th street
1527 15th street
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