TITLE
Recommendation to declare ordinance amending the Long Beach Municipal Code by amending Chapter 2.63 in its entirety; and amending Section 9.65.060.A, all relating to the Cultural Heritage Commission, read and adopted as read. (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, GPA 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 changes to the Ordinance represent a combination of local experience, best practices from other cities, consultant recommendations, and feedback from Long Beach Heritage and liaisons from the City’s historic districts compiled over the years since the last CHC Ordinance amendment in February 2009. A summary of the Ordinance revisions included are as follows:
1) Definitions. Definitions were added for the following terms:
a) Contributing property
b) Cultural resource
c) Days
d) Façade easement
e) Integrity
f) M...
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