TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute a Mills Act Historic Property contract with Kevin Poi and Thomas Hoehn, owners of 4242 Pine Avenue, a designated landmark generally referred to as the Henry Clock House. (District 8)
DISCUSSION
The Mills Act Historic Property Contract for 4242 Pine Avenue was recommended by the Cultural Heritage Commission on September 20, 2006, and approved by the Planning Commission on September 22, 2006.
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 for the 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 assist an owner with the financial burdens of preserving and restoring a historic building.
The subject property is an intact Monterey Revival style residence designed by Kirtland Cutter, a noted architect, for Mr. and Mrs. Clock. It is a very good example of the idiom and was designated by the City Council as a City Landmark in 1985 (Municipal Code 16.52.190). Since purchasing the house, the applicants have already begun to rehabilitat...
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