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SR 08-13-2019 7A City Council Report City Council Meeting: August 13, 2019 Agenda Item: 7.A 1 of 2 To: Mayor and City Council From: David Martin, Director, City Planning Subject: Appeal 19ENT-0260, an appeal of the disapproval of Historic District 18ENT - 0356, an application for a proposed Historic District on 4th Street consisting of certain properties located within the 2500 block of 4th Street including 2506 - 2516, 2518, 2524, 2525, and 2528 4th Street, and 317 -321 Ocean Park Boulevard and Introduction and first reading of an Ordinance amending the Santa Monica Municipal Code adding Section 9.56.330 for potential designation of the 4th Street Corner Historic District. (Item continued from the July 23, 2019 City Council Meeting) Recommended Action Staff recommends that the City Council: 1. Uphold Appeal 19ENT-0260 based on the findings provided in the attached Statement of Official Action; and 2. Introduce for first reading the attached Ordinance amending the Santa Monica Municipal Code to add Section 9.56.330 designating the proposed 4th Street Corner Historic District based on the findings provided in the Ordinance. Executive Summary On July 23, 2019, the City Council held a public hearing to consider Appeal 19ENT - 0260, an appeal of the disapproval of Historic District 18ENT-0356, an application for a proposed Historic District on 4th Street consisting of certain properties located within the 2500 block of 4th Street including 2506-2516, 2518, 2524, 2525, and 2528 4th Street, and 317-321 Ocean Park Boulevard. City Council continued the item to the August 13, 2019 City Council meeting and directed City staff to prepare an Ordinance amending the Santa Monica Municipal Code to add Section 9.56.330 designating of the 4th Street Corner Historic District. This Ordinance is attached for Council consideration (Attachment A). In addition, a Statement of Official Action upholding the appeal is also attached (Attachment B). Financial Impacts and Budget Actions 2 of 2 There is no immediate financial impact or budget action as a result of the recommended action. Prepared By: Steve Mizokami, Senior Planner Approved Forwarded to Council Attachments: A. 4th Street Historic District Designation Ordinance (first reading) 08.13.19 B. Statement of Official Action 18ENT-0356 (4th Street Historic District) C. Written Comments D. PowerPoint Presentation 1 City Council Meeting: August 13, 2019 Santa Monica, California ORDINANCE NUMBER _________ (CCS) (City Council Series) AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA ADDING SECTION 9.56.330 TO THE SANTA MONICA MUNICIPAL CODE DESIGNATING THE 4TH STREET CORNER HISTORIC DISTRICT WHEREAS, historic preservation is a defining community value for the City of Santa Monica (the “City”); and WHEREAS, the value reflects the community’s consensus that the City’s unique identity and character springs from its long and rich history; and WHEREAS, the community’s present and future welfare depend, in part, upon understanding the City’s history and evolution as a unique community; and WHEREAS, retention and preservation of historic resources also promotes the public health, safety and welfare by revitalizing neighborhoods and business districts, enhancing the City’s economy, improving local aesthetics, and enriching the City’s culture and aesthetic standing; and WHEREAS, the City’s Landmark Ordinance was first adopted in 1976 to: protect improvements and areas that represent elements of the City’s cultural, social, economic, political and architectural history; safeguard the City’s heritage as it is embodied and reflected in such improvements and areas; foster civic and community pride; protect and 2 enhance aesthetics and attractions; and promote the education, pleasure and welfare of City residents and visitors alike; and WHEREAS, the City’s ongoing commitment to historic preservation was reaffirmed in 2002 when the City Council adopted the Historic Preservation Element of the General Plan, and again in 2010 when the City adopted the Land Use and Circulation Element o f the General Plan (“LUCE”); and WHEREAS, on November 20, 2018, the Santa Monica Conservancy filed an Historic District application for properties located within the 2500 block of 4th Street and situated on the corner of 4th Street and Ocean Park Boulevard, including 2506-2516, 2518, 2524, 2525, and 2528 4th Street, and 317-321 Ocean Park Boulevard; and WHEREAS, on January 17, 2019, in accordance with Santa Monica Municipal Code (“SMMC”) section 9.56.130(B), City Staff conducted a duly-noticed public meeting to discuss the potential Historic District designation, including, but not limited to, the designation process, the effect of designation on future property development, and the benefits of designation; and WHEREAS, on May 13 and June 10, 2019, in accordance with SMMC Section 9.56.130(F), the City’s Landmarks Commission conducted duly-noticed public hearings on the Historic District application; and WHEREAS, the Landmarks Commission failed to act on a recommendation to the City Council on the Historic District application after two motions failed to receive the required number votes in favor of or against recommending that the City Council approve the Historic District application; and 3 WHEREAS, on June 27, 2019, the Historic District Application was deemed disapproved in accordance with SMMC Section 9.56.130(I); and WHEREAS, on July 8, 2018, the Santa Monica Conservancy filed a timely appeal of the deemed disapproval in accordance with SMMC Section 9.56.180(A)(6); and WHEREAS, in order to preserve the historic character and integrity of the District, and to promote consistency in the review process, until such time as an ordinance is adopted that specifies the nature of any alteration, restoration, construction, removal, relocation, or demolition of or to a building or structure within the District that can occur without prior approval of a Certificate of Appropriateness, the City desires to require that: any such work require a Certificate of Appropriateness or Certificate of Economic Hardship from the Landmarks Commission; any such work be exempt from Architectural Review Board review, provided that a Certificate of Appropriateness is obtained; and all fees for Certificates of Appropriateness be waived; and WHEREAS, on July 23 and August 13, 2019, the City Council conducted duly noticed public hearings on the appeal and the Historic District application. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 9.56.330 is hereby added to the Santa Monica Municipal Code to read as follows: 9.56.330 The 4th Street Corner Historic District A. The City Council has reviewed and considered the Historic District application for the area (the “4th Street Corner Historic District” or “District”) and 4 has reviewed and considered the record of proceedings before the Landmarks Commission. B. The City Council finds and declares that: 1. The 4th Street Corner Historic District exemplifies, symbolizes, or manifests elements of the cultural, social, economic, political or architectural history of the City. The District is a diverse grouping of buildings spanning the first third of the twentieth century and manifests the patterns of residential development that shaped the Ocean Park neighborhood of Santa Monica in the early decades of the twentieth century. Constructed in two of the earliest subdivisions in Ocean Park, the District exemplifies early twentieth century residential development in the area, with its variety of architectural styles and modest scale. All of the properties within the District retain substantial elements of historic integrity. The District also exemplifies the economic history of the City, when new transportation infrastructure in Ocean Park created the framework for residential development. In 1875, when the Town of Santa Monica was established, Ocean Park was the Lucas Ranch. Early settlement of Ocean Park was concentrated at the western end close to the beach. The Lucas family homestead was a grand mansion on what is now Hotchkiss Park at 4th and Strand Street. This block of Fourth Street extended all the way to Hill Street, as Central Avenue (which was later renamed Ocean Park Boulevard) terminated east of 4th Street. Until a major roadway improvement was launched by the City in 1917, 4th Street was a very long block with sparse development. Then Central Avenue/Ocean Park Boulevard was opened up 5 through 4th Street and extended to the beach. The new thoroughfare reaching from Los Angeles through the heart of Ocean Park to the ocean was a catalyst. Residential development in the 4th Street Corner District began immediately, with most of the homes dating from 1917-1925. The Period of Significance for the 4th Street Corner District is 1904 -1936. The 1904 house at 2506 4th Street was the first in this then-sparsely settled neighborhood, followed by a cluster of residential structures built from 1917 to 1925. The last house in the District dates from 1936 and represents a new step forward in residential development as a multi-family residence in the Spanish Colonial Revival style. It replaced a small 1905 single-family residence that was adjacent to the original 1904 structure on the block. This group of early residential properties has remained intact to the present day, despite major infrastructure changes that occurred beginning in the late 1960s, with Redevelopment Agency projects intended to remove what was considered blight. 4th Street and Ocean Park Boulevard were widened, and the intersection of 4th Street and Ocean Park Boulevard was reconfigured to create an underpass for a larger Ocean Park Boulevard. Despite these major alterations of the urban streetscape, this cluster of historic properties remained intact and unaltered, manifesting the original residential character of early Ocean Park. 2. The 4th Street Corner Historic District embodies distinguishing architectural characteristics valuable to a study of a period, style, method of construction, or the use of indigenous materials or craftsmanship, or is a unique or rare example of an architectural design, detail or historical type valuable to 6 such a study. The architectural features of the residences within the District are valuable to a study of the early period of residential architectural history in Ocean Park. A variety of architectural styles are represented that portray the architectural evolution of the period, and different residential property types. Moreover, the District maintains a high level of original architectural integrity. Generally, the character-defining features of the District include modestly sized, one and two story residential buildings in a variety of architectural styles popular in the early twentieth century. The earliest residence in the District is a late Victorian/Neoclassical hipped roof cottage at 2506 Fourth Street, constructed in 1904. This architectural style was prevalent in the first decade of the 20th century, but has become increasingly rare. Its character-defining features consist of wood cladding of both shingles and clapboard, a steeply - pitched hipped roof with flared bracketed eaves, wood sash double -hung windows with plain surrounds and projecting sills, recessed partial-width porch with Corinthian columns; central dormer with leaded -glass window and decorative scrollwork. The original wraparound porch was partially enclosed between 1909 and 1918. The next architectural phase reveals the emergence of diverse architectural styles: Craf tsman, American Colonial Revival and Mediterranean Revival. This development is manifested in two clusters, Craftsman and American Colonial Revival in the bungalow court adjacent to the original 1904 Victorian/Neoclassical cottage on the west side of 4th Street, and Craftsman and Mediterranean Revival adjacent to the corner of 4th Street and Ocean Park Boulevard. There are three modest Craftsman bungalows at 7 317, 319 and 321 Ocean Park Boulevard (c.1920), and a pair of Craftsman bungalows at 2514 and 2516 4th Street (1921). Character-defining architectural features of the Craftsman bungalows include: simple rectangular massing; wood cladding of clapboard or shingles; low-pitched front-facing gable roof with extended eaves and exposed rafter tails; front porch with gable supported by wood posts; wood sash casement or double -hung windows with plain surrounds and projecting sills. The four-unit, two-story structure at 2510 4th Street is a unique hybrid reflecting American Colonial Revival, Monterey Revival and Tudor Revival in a one-of-a-kind eclectic design. Constructed in 1925, it is valuable for a study of architectural trends in the 1920s. The bungalow court also includes two American Colonial Revival bungalows constructed in 1925 located at 2508 and 2512 4th Street. Character-defining features are wood clapboard exterior cladding, divided-light wood sash casement windows with plain surrounds and projecting sills; side gable roof with tight eaves; asymmetrical composition. Three Mediterranean Revival-style residences located at 2524, 2525 and 2528 4th Street form a distinct subgroup that is worthy of further study. Based upon the stucco cladding and terra cotta roof tiles, these residences relate to Mission Revival precedents combined with Craftsman windows and doors. Character-defining architectural features are: horizontal orientation, smooth plaster exterior wall cladding, flat roof with stepped parapet, wood sash windows of Craftsman design (tripartite or crossed muntins), shed roofs with terra cotta barrel tiles supported by wood brackets. Leaded glass windows and ornate window design are also found. The Spanish 8 Colonial Revival triplex located at 2518 4th Street, constructed in 1936, is a designated Structure of Merit. This architectural style was the successor to the earlier adjacent Mediterranean Revival residences Character-defining features include: asymmetrical composition, complex massing; smooth stucco exte rior wall cladding; low pitched roofs with terra cotta barrel tiles; wood sash double - hung windows with plain surrounds and projecting sills; curving exterior staircase. In the rear of this triplex is an accessory two-story structure with ground floor garages and residential units above. It is stucco clad with a low- pitched side gable roof and clay barrel tiles. 3. The 4th Street Corner Historic District has a unique location, singular physical characteristic, or is an established visual feature of a neigh borhood, community, or the City. The 4th Street Corner District is an established and familiar visual feature of the Ocean Park neighborhood. This highly intact group of historic residences has a unique location at the summit of a hill, giving the district a strong visual and physical presence. The visibility of this intersection was enhanced when reconfigured in the 1960s to create a vehicular bridge and underpass for Ocean Park Boulevard. Despite these roadway reconfigurations, the district has maintained its integrity as a cohesive group of historic residences. As a group of residential properties uninterrupted by non- contributing properties located at the crest of a hill, the highly visible integrity and cohesion of the district is a singular physical characteristic. 9 4. The 4th Street Corner District is a noncontiguous grouping of thematically related properties or a definable area possessing a concentration of historic scenic or thematic sites, which contribute to each other and are unified aesthetically by plan, physical development, or architectural quality. The District is a highly unified and cohesive grouping of residential structures located in the Ocean Park neighborhood, at the north side of the intersection Ocean Park Boulevard and Fourth Street. As a group of residential properties uninterrupted by non-contributing properties, the District is unified by physical development and architectural quality. The buildings represent modest examples of a variety of architectural styles popular in the early 20th century and reflect the development of Ocean Park during such time. The period of significance begins in 1904 with the first residence in the District at 2506 4th Street and ends with the 1936 Spanish Colonial Revival triplex at 2518 4th Street. Most structures in the district are Craftsman bungalows and Mediterranean Revival architecture and were constructed between 1917 and 1925 following the westward extension of Central Avenue (now Ocean Park Boulevard) toward the beach. Most are one-story and of modest scale, oriented towards the two streets that frame the District; a second group is oriented around an open grass courtyard in a bungalow court configuration. Architectural variety is manifest in the different architectural styles, which portray a chronological sequence from late Victorian to mature Spanish Colonial Revival. The residences retain a high level of original architectural integrity, and, therefore, the District retains a sense of time and place. 10 5. The 4th Street Corner Historic District reflects significant geographical patterns, including those associated with different eras of settlement and growth, particular transportation modes, or distinctive examples of park or community planning. The 4th Street Corner District provides a visible representation of early twentieth century residential development in Ocean Park, a period of growth in the neighborhood. The catalyst for early residential development was new transportation infrastructure, the extension of Central Avenue (later Ocean Park Boulevard) across 4th Street to the west in 1917. The new roadway, Ocean Park Boulevard from 4th Street to the west, provided access to the parcels which became the 4th Street Corner District. Thus the area is united by a transportation mode and physical development. The period of significance, 1904-1936 portrays different eras of settlement and growth, from a late Victorian hipped roof cottage to a highly articulated example of Spanish Colonial Revival in 1936. The District contains an unusual example of a bungalow court, with homes of different architectural styles sited around an open grass courtyard. Subsequent reconfiguration of the street infrastructure of Fourth Street and Ocean Park Boulevard, due to Redevelopment Agency activity in the late 1960s, did not result in compromise or loss of the integrity of the District. The streetscape reflects those changes, but the homes remained intact and cohesive. 11 C. The 4th Street Corner Historic District consists of the properties located within the 2500 block of 4th Street and situated on the corner of 4th Street and Ocean Park Boulevard, including 2506-2516, 2518, 2524, 2525, and 2528 4th Street, and 317-321 Ocean Park Boulevard. D. Structures that contribute to the character and integrity of the 4th Street Corner Historic District shall be defined as the multi-unit residential condominium complex located at 2506-2516 4th Street, the front residential triplex structure and rear detached residence above garage structure located at 2518 4th Street, the multi-unit residential structure located at 2524 4th Street, the single-unit residences located at 2525 and 2528 4th Street, and the single-unit residences located at 317-321 Ocean Park Boulevard. Noncontributing buildings or structures shall be defined as buildings or structures constructed that are not listed as contributors. E. Pursuant to Sections 9.56.130 and 9.56.140 of this Code, until such time as an ordinance is adopted that specifies the nature of any alteration, restoration, construction, removal, relocation, or demolition of or to a building or structure within the District that can occur without prior approval of a Certificate of Appropriateness, any such work must obtain approval of a Certificate of Appropriateness or Certificate of Economic Hardship by the Landmarks Commission. F. Until such time as an ordinance is adopted that specifies the nature of any alteration, restoration, construction, removal, relocation, or demolition to a building or structure within the District that can occur without prior approval of a 12 Certificate of Appropriateness, all work to buildings, structures or sites located within the District is exempt from review by the Architectural Review Board, provided that a Certificate of Appropriateness is obtained from the Landmarks Commission or the Landmarks Commission Secretary pursuant to authority granted by the Landmarks Commission in accordance with 9.56.130(L), and all Certificate of Appropriateness fees for any alteration, restoration, or construction, in whole or in part, to a building, structure or site located within the Historic District are waived. SECTION 2. In accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), this Ordinance is exempt from CEQA as it can be seen with certainty that the Ordinance does not have the potential to significantly impact the environment. This determination is made based on the record as a whole, which includes, but is not limited to, evidence that the designation of these properties as an Historic District pursuant to the City’s Landmarks Ordinance will promote the retention and preservation of historic resources. SECTION 3. Any provision of the Santa Monica Municipal Code or appendices thereto inconsistent with the provisions of this Ordinance, to the extent of such inconsistencies and no further, is hereby repealed or modified to that extent necessary to effect the provisions of this Ordinance. SECTION 4. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of this Ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Ordinance. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed 13 this Ordinance and each and every section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase not declared invalid or unconstitutional without regard to whether any port ion of the ordinance would be subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional. SECTION 5. The Mayor shall sign and the City Clerk shall attest to the passage of this Ordinance. The City Clerk shall cause the same to be published once in the official newspaper within 15 days after its adoption. This Ordinance shall become effective 30 days from its adoption. APPROVED AS TO FORM: _________________________ LANE DILG City Attorney FINDINGS AND DETERMINATION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA IN THE MATTER OF THE DESIGNATION OF THE 4TH STREET CORNER HISTORIC DISTRICT _____________________________________________________________________ DESIGNATION OF PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE 2500 BLOCK OF 4TH STREET AS AN HISTORIC DISTRICT 18ENT-0356 SECTION I. On November 20, 2018, the Santa Monica Conservancy filed an Historic District application for properties located within the 2500 block of 4th Street and situated on the corner of 4th Street and Ocean Park Boulevard, including 2506 -2516, 2518, 2524, 2525, and 2528 4th Street, and 317-321 Ocean Park Boulevard. The City’s Landmarks Commission, having held public hearings on May 13 and June 10, 2019, failed to act on a recommendation to the City Council on the Historic District application after two motions failed to receive the required number votes in favor of or against recommending that the City Council approve the Historic District application. On June 27, 2019, the Historic District Application was deemed disapproved in accordance with S anta Monica Municipal Code Section 9.56.130(I). On July 8, 2018, the Santa Monica Conservancy filed a timely appeal of the deemed disapproval. The City Council, on appeal, having held public hearings on July 23 and August 13, 2019, hereby upholds the appeal based on the following findings: 9.56.100(A)(1). It exemplifies, symbolizes, or manifests elements of the cultural, social, economic, political, or architectural history of the City. The District is a diverse grouping of buildings spanning the first third of the twentieth century and manifests the patterns of residential development that shaped the Ocean Park neighborhood of Santa Monica in the early decades of the twentieth century. Constructed in two of the earliest subdivisions in Ocean Park, the District exemplifies early twentieth century residential development in the area, with its variety of architectural styles and modest scale. All of the properties within the District retain substantial elements of historic integrity. The District also exemplifies the economic history of the City, when new transportation infrastructure in Ocean Park created the framework for residential development. In 1875, when the Town of Santa Monica was established, Ocean Park was the Lucas Ranch. Early settlement of Ocean Park was concentrated at the western end close to the beach. The Lucas family homestead was a grand mansion on what is now Hotchkiss Park at 4th and Strand Street. This block of Fourth Street extended all the way to Hill Street, a s Central Avenue (which was later renamed Ocean Park Boulevard) terminated east of 4th Street. Until a major roadway improvement was launched by the City in 1917, 4th Street was a very long block with sparse development. Then Central Avenue/Ocean Park Boulevard was opened up through 4th Street and extended to the beach. The new thoroughfare reaching from Los Angeles through the heart of Ocean Park to the ocean was a catalyst. Residential development in the 4th Street Corner District began immediately, with most of the homes dating from 1917-1925. The Period of Significance for the 4th Street Corner District is 1904 -1936. The 1904 house at 2506 4th Street was the first in this then-sparsely settled neighborhood, followed by a cluster of residential structures built from 1917 to 1925. The last house in the District dates from 1936 and represents a new step forward in residential development as a multi- family residence in the Spanish Colonial Revival style. It replaced a small 1905 single - family residence that was adjacent to the original 1904 structure on the block. This group of early residential properties has remained intact to the present day, despite major infrastructure changes that occurred beginning in the late 1960s, with Redevelopment Agency projects intended to remove what was considered blight. 4th Street and Ocean Park Boulevard were widened, and the intersection of 4th Street and Ocean Park Boulevard was reconfigured to create an underpass for a larger Ocean Park Boulevard. Despite these major alterations of the urban streetscape, this cluster of historic properties remained intact and unaltered, manifesting the original residential character of early Ocean Park. 9.56.100(A)(4). It embodies distinguishing architectural characteristics valuable to a study of a period, style, method of construction, or the use of indigenous materials or craftsmanship, or is a unique or rare example of an architectural design, detail, or historical type valuable to such a study. The architectural features of the residences within the District are valuable to a study of the early period of residential architectural history in Ocean Park. A variety of architectural styles are represented that portray the architectural evolution of the period, and different residential property types. Moreover, the District maintains a high level of original architectural integrity. Generally, the character-defining features of the District include modestly sized, one and two story residential buildings in a variety of architectural s tyles popular in the early twentieth century. The earliest residence in the District is a late Victorian/Neoclassical hipped roof cottage at 2506 Fourth Street, constructed in 1904. This architectural style was prevalent in the first decade of the 20th century, but has become increasingly rare. Its character-defining features consist of wood cladding of both shingles and clapboard, a steeply-pitched hipped roof with flared bracketed eaves, wood sash double -hung windows with plain surrounds and projecting sills, recessed partial-width porch with Corinthian columns; central dormer with leaded-glass window and decorative scrollwork. The original wraparound porch was partially enclosed between 1909 and 1918. The next architectural phase reveals the emergence of diverse architectural styles: Craftsman, American Colonial Revival and Mediterranean Revival. This development is manifested in two clusters, Craftsman and American Colonial Revival in the bungalow court adjacent to the original 1904 Victorian/Neoclassical cottage on the west side of 4th Street, and Craftsman and Mediterranean Revival adjacent to the corner of 4th Street and Ocean Park Boulevard. There are three modest Craftsman bungalows at 317, 319 and 321 Ocean Park Boulevard (c.1920), and a pair of Craftsman bungalows at 2514 and 2516 4 th Street (1921). Character-defining architectural features of the Craftsman bungalows include: simple rectangular massing; wood cladding of clapboard or shingles; low-pitched front- facing gable roof with extended eaves and exposed rafter tails; front porch with gable supported by wood posts; wood sash casement or double-hung windows with plain surrounds and projecting sills. The four-unit, two-story structure at 2510 4th Street is a unique hybrid reflecting American Colonial Revival, Monterey Revival and Tudor Revival in a one -of-a-kind eclectic design. Constructed in 1925, it is valuable for a study of architectural trends in the 1920s. The bungalow court also includes two American Colonial Revival bungalows constr ucted in 1925 located at 2508 and 2512 4th Street. Character-defining features are wood clapboard exterior cladding, divided-light wood sash casement windows with plain surrounds and projecting sills; side gable roof with tight eaves; asymmetrical composit ion. Three Mediterranean Revival-style residences located at 2524, 2525 and 2528 4th Street form a distinct subgroup that is worthy of further study. Based upon the stucco cladding and terra cotta roof tiles, these residences relate to Mission Revival precedents combined with Craftsman windows and doors. Character-defining architectural features are: horizontal orientation, smooth plaster exterior wall cladding, flat roof with stepped parapet, wood sash windows of Craftsman design (tripartite or crossed m untins), shed roofs with terra cotta barrel tiles supported by wood brackets. Leaded glass windows and ornate window design are also found. The Spanish Colonial Revival triplex located at 2518 4th Street, constructed in 1936, is a designated Structure of Merit. This architectural style was the successor to the earlier adjacent Mediterranean Revival residences Character-defining features include: asymmetrical composition, complex massing; smooth stucco exterior wall cladding; low pitched roofs with terra cotta barrel tiles; wood sash double -hung windows with plain surrounds and projecting sills; curving exterior staircase. In the rear of this triplex is an accessory two-story structure with ground floor garages and residential units above. It is stucco clad with a low-pitched side gable roof and clay barrel tiles. 9.56.100(A)(6). It has a unique location, a singular physical characteristic, or is an established and familiar visual feature of a neighborhood, community, or the City. The District is an established and familiar visual feature of the Ocean Park neighborhood. This highly intact group of historic residences has a unique location at the summit of a hill, giving the district a strong visual and physical presence. The visibility of this intersection was enhanced when reconfigured in the 1960s to create a vehicular bridge and underpass for Ocean Park Boulevard. Despite these roadway reconfigurations, the District has maintained its integrity as a cohesive group of historic residences. As a group of residential properties uninterrupted by non-contributing properties located at the crest of a hill, the highly visible integrity and cohesion of the district is a singular physical characteristic. 9.56.100(B)(2). It is a noncontiguous grouping of thematically related properties or a definable area possessing a concentration of historic, scenic or thematic sites, which contribute to each other and are unified aesthetically by plan, physical development or architectural quality. The District is a highly unified and cohesive grouping of residential structures located in the Ocean Park neighborhood, at the north side of the intersection Ocean Park Boulevard and Fourth Street. As a group of residential properties uninterrupted by non-contributing properties, the District is unified by physical development and architectural quality. The buildings represent modest examples of a variety of architectural styles popular in the early 20th century and reflect the development of Ocean Park during such time. The period of significance begins in 1904 with the first residence in the District at 2506 4th Street and ends with the 1936 Spanish Colonial Revival triplex at 2518 4th Street. Most structures in the district are Craftsman bungalows and Mediterranean Revival architecture and were constructed between 1917 and 1925 following the westward extension of Central Avenue (now Ocean Park Boulevard) toward the beach. Most are one -story and of modest scale, oriented towards the two streets that frame the district; a second group is oriented around an open grass courtyard in a bungalow court configuration. Architectural variety is manifest in the different architectural styles, which portray a chronological sequence from late Victorian to mature Spanish Colonial Revival. The residences retain a high level of original architectural integrity, and, therefore, the District retains a sense of time and place. 9.56.100(B)(3). It reflects significant geographical patterns, including those associated with different eras of settlement and growth, particular transportation modes, or distinctive examples of park or community planning. The District provides a visible representation of early twentieth century residential development in Ocean Park, a period of growth in the neighborhood. The catalyst for early residential development was new transportation infrastructure, the extension of Central Avenue (later Ocean Park Boulevard) across 4th Street to the west in 1917. The new roadway, Ocean Park Boulevard from 4th Street to the west, provided access to the parcels which became the 4th Street Corner District. Thus the area is united by a transportation mode and physical development. The period of significance, 1904 -1936 portrays different eras of settlement and growth, from a late Victorian hipped roof cottage to a highly articulated example of Spanish Colonial Revival in 1936. The District contains an unusual example of a bungalow court, with homes of different architectural styles sited around an open grass courtyard. Subsequent reconfiguration of the street infrastructure of Fourth Street and Ocean Park Boulevard, due to Redevelopment Agency activity in the late 1960s, did not result in compromise or loss of the integrity of the District. The streetscape reflects those changes, but the homes remained intact and cohesive. 9.56.100(B)(4). It has a unique location, a singular physical characteristic, or is an established and familiar visual feature of a neighborhood, community, or the City. The District is an established and familiar visual feature of the Ocean Park neighborhood. This highly intact group of historic residences has a unique location at the summit of a hill, giving the district a strong visual and physical presence. The visibility of this intersection was enhanced when reconfigured in the 1960s to create a vehicular bridge and underpass for Ocean Park Boulevard. Despite these roadway reconfigurations, the district has maintained its integrity as a cohesive group of historic residences. As a group of residential properties uninterrupted by non-contributing properties located at the crest of a hill, the highly visible integrity and cohesion of the district is a singular physical characteristic. SECTION II. Structures that contribute to the character and integrity of the 4th Street Corner Historic District shall be defined as the multi-unit residential condominium complex located at 2506-2516 4th Street, the front residential triplex structure and rear detached residence above garage structure located at 2518 4th Street, the multi-unit residential structure located at 2524 4th Street, the single-unit residences located at 2525 and 2528 4th Street, and the single-unit residences located at 317-321 Ocean Park Boulevard. Noncontributing buildings or structures shall be defined as buildings or structures constructed that are not listed as contributors. AYES: NOES: ABSENT: Each and all of the findings and determinations are based on the competent and substantial evidence, both oral and written, contained in the entire record relating to the Project. All summaries of information contained herein or in the findings are based on the substantial evidence in the record. The absence of any particular fact from any such summary is not an indication that a particular finding is not based in part on that fact. If this is a final decision not subject to further appeal under the City of Santa Monica Municipal Code, the time within which judicial review of this decision must be sought is governed by Code of Civil Procedure Section 1094.6, which provision has been adopted by the City pursuant to Municipal Code Section 1.16.010. I hereby certify that this Statement of Official Action accurately reflects the final determination of the City Council of the City of Santa Monica. ________________________________ _____________________________ Denise Anderson-Warren, City Clerk Date 1 Vernice Hankins From:Arlene Hopkins <arlene.hopkins@gmail.com> Sent:Friday, August 9, 2019 1:46 PM To:Council Mailbox; councilmtgitems Cc:Steve Mizokami Subject:3rd Request /Re: 2nd Request to Approve /Re: Request to Approve: 4th Street Historic District Honorable Members of the City Council, I write to request your vote to support the Historic District Designation for the 2500 Block of 4th Street. As a founding member of the Santa Monica Conservancy, the urgent need to approve the Historic District Designation for the 2500 block of 4th Street is clear. Thank you for your consideration of this request. Yours truly, Arlene Hopkins On Tue, Jul 16, 2019 at 9:49 AM Arlene Hopkins <arlene.hopkins@gmail.com> wrote:  Good day Honorable Members of the Santa Monica City Council, On July 23 I urge that you please approve the Historic District Designation for the 2500 Block of 4th Street. As a resident -- I have lived in this neighborhood for 35 years, and this block is integral to the culture and context of this community. As an architect and planner -- I very well understand the various arguments pro and con of the historic designation. Fundamentally, this is a highly subjective issue, so it would be wise to "to do harm" and, if necessary to "ere," to minimally do so. As a former SM Planning Commissioner and as a licensed real estate salesperson -- I understand the economic pressures applied by our own SM Planning Dept, and even our SM Economic Development staff -- all of which result in disruption to community, "gentrification" and worse. Please protect our neighborhood by approving the 4th Street Historic District on 23 July. Yours sincerely, Arlene Hopkins On Tue, Jun 4, 2019 at 12:17 PM Arlene Hopkins <arlene.hopkins@gmail.com> wrote:  Good day Honorable Members of the Santa Monica City Council, Item 7-A 08/13/19 1 of 3 Item 7-A 08/13/19 2 I write to express my support for the proposed 4th Street Historic District. I am a 3rd generation of the Santa Monica Bay area, and a 40 year resident of Santa Monica. Further, as a founding member of the Santa Monica Conservancy, a local history lover, an educator and an architect, I hold dear and very much value our historic community buildings. Our historic buildings maintain our local sense of community and historic continuity. Thank you for your consideration of this proposal for the 4th Street Historic District. Yours truly, Arlene Hopkins Item 7-A 08/13/19 2 of 3 Item 7-A 08/13/19 1 Vernice Hankins From:David Auch <dwauch@gmail.com> Sent:Sunday, August 11, 2019 10:37 PM To:Ted Winterer; Terry O’Day; Council Mailbox Cc:councilmtgitems; Steve Mizokami; Scott Flax Subject:Beef with the new historic 4th Street District I am disappointed that the council is moving forward with the new 4th Street historic district.   My Gosh ‐ the landmark commission couldn’t even support this!   The properties are of questionable, arguable historic  merit.  I’m suspicious that this is social engineering, pitting one socio economic group against another.  While I feel greatly for  the tenants who are there, the property owner bought this under one set of rules, and now you are changing the rules.  I  feel like you may be doing this to preserve the below market rents of the tenants involved.  While that could be an  admirable goal, you should be honest about what you are doing, and try to do it through appropriate means.    If you support low income housing, it should be through zoning code, long term planning, building low income units, and  encouraging property owners to develop new smaller units that are more affordable, etc.  If you support renters, then  also make it more expensive for landlords to displace them through city laws.  Heck ‐ I could see a tenant, under certain  circumstances, getting $100k to move out.  This would better reflect the value to property owner and the cost of  relocation.  That would really help the tenants and still provide an opportunity for owners.  But what you are doing here  is wrong to me.    Or perhaps you just don’t want change.  It is unfathomable to me that the city is doing this because of the architectural  merit of these properties.  I’ve read the report, and lived next to these buildings for almost thirty years.  Virtually any  home in the city could be similarly romanticized, but to raise these properties to the level of a historic district is just  wrong.  Heck, you might as well make the entire city a historic district.  Ocean Park is a unique community that I love and  have worked to make better, but unique does not mean archaic or rigid or just old for old sake. I love the craziness and  diversity, but it should not be unfair.  Sure, the buyers may have more money than other people, but that does not make them bad people or bad neighbors,  and they should not be treated unfairly as a result.  Heck ‐ even the application asks if the property owners were involve  in the application.  Only one properties owners was behind this effort.   Given the very questionable nature of the architecture, I would only support this effort if a supermajority or even  unanimity of the property owners wanted it.  If not, I think this is wrong, and what you are doing here is unfair.   David Auch  2532 5th Street  Item 7-A 08/13/19 3 of 3 Item 7-A 08/13/19 CITY COUNCIL HEARING July 23, 2019 4th Street Historic District 18ENT-0356 4th Street Corner Historic District 2500 Block 4th Street -18ENT-0356 Appeal 19ENT-0260 July 23, 2019 CITY COUNCIL HEARING City of Santa Monica Historic Preservation Program (City Landmark, Structure of Merit, Historic District Designations) §Landmarks and Historic District Ordinance (Adopted 1976) Landmarks Commission: -Protect the City’s cultural, social, economic, political, architectural history. -Safeguard City’s historic, aesthetic, cultural heritage. -Educate and Promote Historic Preservation. §Historic Designations: City Landmarks: 132 designated Landmarks Structure of Merit: 13 designated residences Historic Districts: 4 designated Historic Districts -Third Street Neighborhood Historic District (1990) -Bay Street Craftsman Cluster (2000) -San Vicente Blvd Courtyard Apartments (2015) -11th Street Bungalow Historic District (2019) July 23, 2019 4th Street Historic District 18ENT-0356 CITY COUNCIL HEARING §11/20/18: District Application Submitted §01/17/19: Information/Community Meeting §05/13/19: Landmarks Commission Meeting §06/10/19: 2nd Landmarks Commission Mtg. §07/08/19: Appeal Filed by SM Conservancy §07/23/19: City Council Hearing (Appeal) Timeline of Events July 23, 2019 4th Street Historic District 18ENT-0356 CITY COUNCIL HEARING July 23, 2019 4th Street Historic District 18ENT-0356 Potential 4th Street Corner Historic District (2500 Block 4th Street –18ENT-0356) 1.2506-2516 4th Street -2506 4th Street (Neoclassical) -2508 4th Street (American Colonial Revival) -2510 4th Street (American Colonial Revival) -2512 4th Street (American Colonial Revival) -2514 4th Street (Craftsman) -2516 4th Street (Craftsman) 2. 2518 4th Street (Spanish Colonial Revival) 3. 2524 4th Street (Mediterranean Revival) 4.2525 4th Street (Mediterranean Revival) 5.2528 4th Street (Mediterranean Revival) -317 Ocean Park Blvd (Craftsman) -319 Ocean Park Blvd (Craftsman) -321 Ocean Park Blvd (Craftsman) *Listed on 2018 Updated HRI CITY COUNCIL HEARING July 23, 2019 4th Street Historic District 18ENT-0356 Proposed Historic District: §5 Subject Properties: Contiguous Grouping 14 Buildings + 1 Accessory Structure All 14 buildings would be considered Contributors as intact + Conveying Historic Significance from Period of Significance (1904-1936) §Districts: Majority of contributing properties within a potential district + a District should have sufficient historical integrity and possess significance as a whole. §Should be able to visually and physically convey its sense of time, place, and historical development from its period of significance. CITY COUNCIL HEARING Context of Proposed District July 23, 2019 4th Street Historic District 18ENT-0356 CITY COUNCIL HEARING 2506 4th Street (Neoclassical)2508 4th Street (Amer.Colonial)2510 4th Street (Amer.Colonial)2512 4th Street (Amer.Colonial) 2514 4th Street (Craftsman) 2506-2516 4th Street July 23, 2019 4th Street Historic District 18ENT-0356 2516 4th Street (Craftsman) CITY COUNCIL HEARING 2518 4th Street (Spanish Colonial)2524 4th Street (Mediterranean) 2525 4th Street (Mediterranean) 2528 4th Street (Mediterranean) 317 Ocean Park (Craftsman) July 23, 2019 4th Street Historic District 18ENT-0356 321 Ocean Park (Craftsman) 319 Ocean Park (Craftsman) Rear Building (Spanish Colonial) CITY COUNCIL HEARING July 23, 2019 4th Street Historic District 18ENT-0356 Historic Context: §1910 -1915: Early single-family residences constructed during Craftsman Period §1920s-1930s: Development of the Block -1920s: Revival-style buildings -1930s: Colonial, Spanish, Tudor revival styles §Subject Block: Substantial redevelopment beginning in the 1950s and 1960s: 2-story multi-unit apartments §Late 1960s:Ocean Park Blvd Regrading, 4th Street Overpass, Widening of 4th Street §Infill development creates small clusters of modest residences throughout Ocean Park CITY COUNCIL HEARING July 23, 2019 4th Street Historic District 18ENT-0356 Appellant Statement: §Appellant does not agree that the District is insufficient in size to qualify as a Historic District, and that District size is not a requirement established in the Landmark designation criteria. §Appellant states a precedent for the formation of small historic districts: -Bay Street Craftsman Historic District (2000) -11 th Street Bungalow Historic District (2019) §Appellant states their reasons of why the properties uniquely represent a specific period in the development of the Ocean Park neighborhood was not given sufficient consideration. §Appellant states the streetscape changes in the 1960s had no impact on the cohesion of the District as a whole. CITY COUNCIL HEARING July 23, 2019 4th Street Historic District 18ENT-0356 Landmarks Commission Discussion: Support of District: §Sufficient concentration of properties that represent the architectural styles during its period of significance; §Sufficient architectural integrity that continues to convey the history of the area. §Summary of Findings Not in Support of District: §Lack of cohesiveness and definable area, does not consist of a sufficient concentration of properties. §Architectural styles do not appear unified to rise to level of significance as a district. §Based on Staff Recommended Findings CITY COUNCIL HEARING July 23, 2019 4th Street Historic District 18ENT-0356 Historic District Findings: §Criterion 1: small grouping of residences as a whole does not appear to significantly convey the architectural and historic development history of Ocean Park. §Criterion 2 & 4: Architecturally, the subject buildings are typical examples of their architectural styles and do not embody distinguishing architectural characteristics valuable to a study. §Criterion 3: No evidence to indicate any former owners or occupants of the subject properties were associated with any important historical events. §Criterion 5: Research indicates that the properties are not associated with notable builders/designers/architects §Criterion 6: District not located within a unique location or share a singular physical characteristic §Criterion B(2): Does not appear as a definable area unified aesthetically through its architectural style to contribute to each other cohesively as a district. §Criterion B(3): Grouping of these residences as a whole does not appear to uniquely or significantly convey the historic development pattern of the Ocean Park area that occurred during the first quarter of the twentieth century. CITY COUNCIL HEARING July 23, 2019 4th Street Historic District 18ENT-0356 Council Focus: Consider Appeal Statement, Landmarks Commission Arguments And Staff ’s Recommendation that the Proposed District Appears Ineligible for Designation CITY COUNCIL HEARING July 23, 2019 4th Street Historic District 18ENT-0356 CITY COUNCIL HEARING January 22, 2019 11 th Street Historic District 18ENT-0166 Historic District Designation Criteria A geographic area or a noncontiguous grouping of thematically related properties may be designated a Historic District if the City Council finds that such area meets one of the following criteria pursuant to Santa Monica Municipal Code 9.56.100(B): 1.It exemplifies, sym bolizes, or manifests elements of the cultural, social, economic, political or architectural history of the City. 2.It has aesthetic or artistic interest or value, or other noteworthy i nterest or value. 3.It is identified with historic personages or with important events in local, state or national histor y. 4.It embodies distinguishing architectural characteristics valuable to a study of a period, style, method of construction, or the use of indigenous materials or craftsmanship, or is a unique or rare example of an architectural design, detail or historical type valuable to such a study. 5.It is a significant or a representative example of the work or product of a notable builder, designer or architect. 6.It has a unique location, a singular physical characteristic, or is an established and familiar visual feature of a neighborhood, community or the City. 7.It is a noncontiguous grouping of thematically related properties or a definable area possessing a concentration of historic, scenic or thematic sites, which contribute to each other and are unified aesthetically by plan, physical development or architectural quality. 8.It reflects significant geographical patterns, including those associated with different eras of settlement and growth, particular transportation modes, or distinctive examples of park or community planning. 9.It has a unique location, a singular physical characteristic, or is an established and familiar visual feature of a neighborhood, community or the City. CITY COUNCIL HEARING January 22, 2019 11 th Street Historic District 18ENT-0166 §Criterion 1: compromised historical integrity of many of its resources, no geographically definable area possessing a distinct concentration of bungalow properties. §Criterion 2 & 4: Architecturally, the subject bungalows are typical examples of their architectural styles and do not embody distinguishing architectural characteristics valuable to a study. §Criterion 3: No evidence to indicate any former owners or occupants of the subject properties were associated with any important historical events. §Criterion 5: Research indicates that neither Waldo Cowan or Joseph Rowe were notable or master builders in the City. §Criterion 6: Properties within the study area va ry in building types, setbacks, scale and massing forms, and levels of historical integrity (lack of cohesiveness and uniformity. §Criterion B(2): Does not visually manifest as a cohesive, unified entity of the early residential development patterns of the Santa Monica that occurred in the area during the first quarter of the twentieth century. §Criterion B(3): Proposed District includes varied residential development pattern lacking unity, cohesiveness, and a distinct concentration of resources.