TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute a Mills Act Historic Property Contract with Shalla Callahan, owner of 395 Wisconsin Avenue, a qualified historic property in the Bluff Heights Historic District. (District 2)
DISCUSSION
The Mills Act Historic Property Contract for 395 Wisconsin Avenue was recommended by the Cultural Heritage Commission on November 16, 2005, and approved by the Planning Commission on November 17, 2005 (see attached Planning Commission staff report).
The Mills Act was enacted as State legislation in 1972 and amended in 1984. The Mills Act Historic Property Contract is a contractual agreement between the City and a property owner allowing a reassessment and reduction in property taxes in return for maintaining and rehabilitating a qualified historic property. The economic incentive of the Mills Act fosters the preservation of residential neighborhoods and the revitalization of commercial areas. The Mills Act is the single most important economic incentive program in California forthe preservation, restoration, and rehabilitation of qualified historic buildings by private property owners.
To qualify, a property must be officially designated as historic, either as an individual landmark or as a contributing building in a historic district. In reviewing candidates for Mills Act contracts, the Cultural Heritage Commission seeks owners with a strong commitment to protect, preserve, and maintain their property in accordance with specific preservation standards and other conditions. The resulting tax savings from a Mills Act contract assists an owner with the financial burdens of preserving and restoring a historic building.
The subject property is an intact turn-of-the-century Queen Anne-inspired residence that was built in 1903. It is a very good example of the idiom and is a contributing property to the Bluff Heights Historic District, which was designated as such by Ordinance No. C-7937 in 2004. Since purchasing the house, the applicant has already begun to rehabilitate the property. Ms. Callahan is very appreciative of the historical and architectural qualities of the house, and has applied for a Mills Act contract in order to be able to afford the proper standards for historic restoration and preservation. The style, age and materials of the house make it a challenge to preserve and maintain. However, the owner is aware of the associated obligations and responsibilities under the contract and readily accepts them.
The Mills Act program for this property is as follows:
. Term: Ten years
. Option to Renew: Renewed automatically annually, unless or until discontinued by either party.
. Rehabilitation Work Proqram: Over the next ten years the owner intends to restore and repaint the north side of house; repair plumbing; paint the interior in appropriate colors of the era; landscape with appropriate plantings along the north and west sides of the dwelling; refinish the hardwood floors; lay European wool carpet in the upstairs rooms and stairway (design and style are consistent with the era); and continue the general upkeep and maintenance according to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
SUZANNE FRICK
DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND BUILDING