HomeMy WebLinkAbout2A PresentationVilla Roma Garden Homes –Historic District DesignationAgenda Item 2A
Case No. HSPB 140February 21, 2023
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Request for Historic District Designation
•Applicant: Villa Roma Homeowners Association
•Applicable Municipal Code Section 8.05.090
Site or District?
District because:
•Multiple parcels
•Individual separate ownership
•Reflecting common characteristics
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•Fee Land on the Tribal Reservation.(Subject to Tribal review)
•Built in 1964
•3.92 acres
•69 condominium units within 19 residentialbuildings
•Common areas:
•Clubhouse & pool
•Corner park
•Smaller courtyards & paseos
•13 multi-car carport structures & driveaisles
Details of the application:
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DEPARTMENT OF
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Historic Districts may be designated when they meet all three of the following criteria:
1.The proposed district and the contributing resources located therein exhibit exceptional historic
significance;
2.The contributing resources within the proposed district have been evaluated for and demonstrate
integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association; and
3.The proposed district:
a)Contains contributing resources on a majority of the sites within the proposed district which
individually meet criteria (1) and (2) of this section;
b)Includes non-contributing properties or vacant parcels only to the extent necessary to establish
appropriate, logical or convenient boundaries.
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DEPARTMENT OF
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HSPB Determination:
1.HSPB determined that the proposed historic district met all three findings by:
a)Exemplifying exceptional historic significance;
b)Reflecting a particular period of national, state, or local history; and
c)Representing a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack
individual distinction.
2.HSPB’s resolution would designate all structures within the Historic District as
contributing resources, enabling property tax reductions through the Mills Act
3.HSPB evaluated the proposed historic district as a whole, but did not evaluate each of
the contributing resources as required by the Municipal Code
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Staff analysis:
•Lacking historic integrity and exceptional historic significance
•Changes over the years have diminished the integrity of the
development, including mismatched windows and
corrugated plastic panels
•The characteristics of Palm Springs mid-twentieth
century architecture are not present
•Is not indicative of Garden Apartment typology that
rises to level of exception historic significance
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PLANNING
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HSPB Recommendation
The HSPB recommends City Council adopt the draft Council Resolution to designate the “Villa RomaGardenHomes”as a historic district (2500 South Sierra Madres Drive)
Owners’ Position
The majority of owners in the proposed district support Historic District Designation
City Staff & THPO Recommendation
Staff concluded that the complex does not meet the findings for exceptional historic significance toqualifyfordesignationand that the contributing resources have not been evaluated nor do theypossessthe integrity as required by the Municipal Code. The Tribal Historic Preservation Officer(THPO)concurred with this finding
Staff and the THPO did not recommend HSPB designate the “Villa Roma”as a Historic District
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Villa Roma Garden Homes –Historic District DesignationAgenda Item 2A
Case No. HSPB 140February 21, 2023
DEPARTMENT OF
PLANNING
SERVICES 2A - 9
Relevant Project Timeline
October 2, 2021
December 4, 2021
February 5, 2022
Three Community meetings conducted remotely via Zoom with property owners within the
proposed HD and City Staff pursuant PSMC 8.05.090 (B,1).
May 2022 Site inspection by members of the HSPB and City Staff.
May 9, 2022 Draft review sent to Tribal Historic Preservation Officer (“THPO”) for comment.
June 7, 2022 HSPB considered the application at a noticed public hearing and voted 5-1-1 (Rose absent,
Rosenow recused) to recommend historic district designation with conditions. (Staff to return at
the July meeting with a draft resolution reflecting the Board’s action.
July 5, 2022 HSPB voted 5-1-1 (Rose absent, Rosenow recused) to reject the draft resolution by staff and
requested revised findings be incorporated for consideration at the September HSPB meeting.
September 6, 2022 HSPB voted 4-1 (Rosenow recused) to adopt the revised resolution (HSPB #140) recommending
that the City Council approve the proposed historic district designation with conditions.
October 17, 2022 Review comments received from THPO concurring with Staff’s findings of ineligibility.
Processing of the application - Timeline
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