TITLE
Recommendation to receive a report and consider amendments to the Cultural Heritage Commission Ordinance as recommended by the Cultural Heritage Commission (Version A); or as recommended by the Development Services Department (Version B);
Request City Attorney to draft an ordinance amending Long Beach Municipal Code Chapter 2.63 related to the Cultural Heritage Commission (Version A or Version B), and amending Long Beach Municipal Code Chapter 9.65 related to Administrative Citations and Penalties; and
Increase appropriations in the General Grants Fund (SR 120) in the Development Services Department (DV) by $69,000. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
In 2015, Development Services staff began initial discussions with Long Beach Heritage regarding the process to designate select City buildings as historic landmarks. In reviewing the landmark designation process in the Cultural Heritage Commission (CHC) Ordinance (Ordinance), Chapter 2.63 of the Long Beach Municipal Code (LBMC), it was apparent that the application and review process was somewhat cumbersome. Though the regulations were intended to facilitate designating landmarks for protection and appropriate rehabilitation, the lengthy and unwieldy process deterred eligible properties from being considered. As a result, the City’s historic consultant, Galvin Preservation Associates (GPA), was tasked with streamlining the process for designating landmarks and landmark districts. The objective of reworking the Ordinance is to create a more streamlined and effective process to designate and protect appropriate structures among the City’s rich inventory of historic resources.
Working closely with staff, the consultant reviewed a number of model landmark ordinances, including the cities of Pasadena, Glendale, and Los Angeles, as a point of comparison for best practices in designating historic resources. The proposed Ordinance changes represent a combination of local experience, best practices from other cities, consul...
Click here for full text