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Home My WebLink About7/16/2014 - STAFF REPORTS - 2.L. A. I?P`M s'04 .y c V N r r f ��O•rouao`•4 r °a<rFORN`P CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT DATE: July 16, 2014 CONSENTAGENDA SUBJECT: APPLICATION BY THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION TO ESTABLISH THE CITY AS A CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT PURSUANT TO THE NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACT. FROM: David H. Ready, City Manager BY: Department of Planning Services SUMMARY The Certified Local Government (CLG) program is a partnership among local governments, the State of California and the National Park Service that promotes the integration of local preservation interests and concerns into local planning and decision- making as a means of increasing the economic and cultural development of the City. RECOMMENDATION: Adopt Resolution , "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS CALIFORNIA, APPROVING THE APPLICATION AND CERTIFICATION AGREEMENT FOR THE CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROGRAM." PREVIOUS ACTIONS: On November 12, 2013, the Historic Site Preservation Board (HSPB) recommended approval of the application for CLG status by the City Council. STAFF ANALYSIS: The CLG program was established in 1980 by amendment to the Federal National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA). Local jurisdictions may participate in the CLG program by implementing a local historic preservation program based on state and federal standards. Most of Palm Spring's historic preservation initiatives already conform to these standards. REM NO. 2 ' City Council Staff Report Page 2 of 3 July 16, 2014 The CLG program has numerous benefits for participating jurisdictions: Economic and Funding Benefits. CLG's are eligible to compete for State grants. Each state is required to pass through 10% of its annual Historic Preservation Fund grant from the National Park Service to CLG's to fund their preservation activities. In California, the CLG grant program is competitive for a wide variety of preservation planning activities. This funding can support activities including completion of a preservation element or plan, a survey, or preparation of a National Register district application. Historic Preservation Fund grants are awarded to CLG's on a 60/40 matching basis. The matching share is a requirement to maintain consistency with other federal allocations to the state and to ensure standard accountability in fiscal management. Where preservation is supported by local government policies and incentives, historic designation can increase property values and pride of place, producing secondary economic benefits. Revitalization of historic places and adaptive reuse of historic districts and buildings conserves resources, uses existing infrastructure, generates local jobs and purchasing, supports small business development and cultural tourism and enhances quality of life and community character. Cultural Tourism. Strengthening Palm Springs as a destination for "Cultural Tourism", a growing segment of the international tourism market, can also be enhanced by improved support of the City's historic preservation initiatives through participation in the CLG program. Eighty-one percent of the 146.4 million U.S. adults who took a trip of 50 miles or more away from home in the year 2003 were defined as cultural tourists. Cultural/heritage tourism generates millions of dollars for destination communities in spending on shopping, food, lodging and other expenses. This can be attributed in part to the fact that cultural/heritage trips are likely to last seven nights or longer. Here is a comparison of cultural tourists to the average U.S. traveler:' • Spend more: $623 vs. $457 • Are more likely to have a graduate degree: 21 percent vs. 19 percent • Are more likely to spend $1,000+/-: 19 percent vs. 12 percent • Travel longer: 5.2 nights vs. 3.4 nights • Travel by air: 19 percent vs. 16 percent Involvement. The CLG program encourages and requires participation in the boards, commissions, and community members in the historic preservation initiatives of the City. ' Sources: Travel Industry Association of America Travel Scope survey 2003; The Historic/Cultural Traveler, 2003 Edition, TIA and Smithsonian Magazine, updated 2004. 02 City Council Staff Report Page 3 of 3 July 16, 2014 Technical Assistance. CLG's are granted access to an on-line "listserv" of CLV citiesz, hosted by the State Office of Historic Preservation (SHPO). This communication tool offers CLG's access to the sharing of information about preservation issues, training opportunities, publications, procedures, grants, and a variety of technical assistance to CLGs. Streamlining. The use of the National Register/California Register criteria and the Secretary of the Interior Standards integrates local, state, and federal levels of review on projects before the HSPB. It brings clarity to the question of what resources are significant when it comes to CEQA and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Staff believes there are numerous benefits that would flow to the City if it were to pursue approval as a Certified Local Government under the National Historic Preservation Act and the California Office of Historic Preservation. FISCAL IMPACT: None. M. Margo W eeler, FA P David H. Ready Director of Planning Services City Manager Attachments: 1. Draft Resolution 2. Certified Local Government Application Materials. 3. Minutes of the HSPB meeting of November 12, 2013. 4. Example of past grants awarded in 2013/14 to other CLG cities 2 Other Southern California Cities that are also CLG's include: Burbank, Calabasas, Colton, Glendale, Highland, La Quinta, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Norco, Ontario, Pasadena, Pomona, Redondo Beach, Riverside, Santa Ana, Santa Monica, South Pasadena, Tustin, and West Hollywood. 03 RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING THE APPLICATION AND CERTIFICATION AGREEMENT FOR THE CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROGRAM. WHEREAS, the Unites States Congress, under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, amended (16 U.S.C. 470), has authorized the establishment of a Certified Local Government program; and WHEREAS, the State of California, represented by the State Historic Preservation Officer, is responsible for the administration of the program within the state and the establishment of necessary rules and procedures governing the application by local agencies under the program; and WHEREAS, the City of Palm Springs established Municipal Code Section 8.05 "Historic Preservation" for the purpose of "...preserving areas and specific buildings of the city which reflect elements of its cultural, social, economic, political, architectural and archaeological history. This chapter is intended to stabilize and improve buildings, structures or areas which are considered to be of historical, architectural, archaeological or ecological value, to foster civic beauty, to strengthen the local economy and to promote the use of specific buildings for the education and welfare of the citizens'; and WHEREAS, on November 12, 2013, the Historic Site Preservation Board reviewed information related to the Certified Local Government program and recommended its approval by the City Council; and WHEREAS, said adopted procedures established by the State of California require the applicant to certify by resolution of the local government's elected officials the approval of said applications to the state. NOW, THEREFORE THE CITY COUNCIL RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS: Section 1: The City Council approves the filing of an application for certification under the Certified Local Government Program. Section 2: The City Council appoints the City Manager or his designee as agent of the City to coordinate, process, and execute all agreements, amendments, and ancillary documents within the scope of the attached application for certification. 04 City Council Resolution No. July 16, 2014 Application &Certification Agreement for the Local Certified Government Historic Preservation Program Page 2 of 2 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that, based upon the foregoing, the City Council hereby approves the filing of an application for the Certified Local Government program and directs the City Manager to coordinate and execute all documents related to the submittal of that application. ADOPTED this 16th day Y of Jul , 2014. David H. Ready, City Manager ATTEST: James Thompson, City Clerk CERTIFICATION STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE ) ss. CITY OF PALM SPRINGS ) I, JAMES THOMPSON, City Clerk of the City of Palm Springs, hereby certify that Resolution No. is a full, true and correct copy, and was duly adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Palm Springs on by the following vote: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: James Thompson, City Clerk City of Palm Springs, California 05