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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-04-19 City Council (12)City of Palo Alto City Manager’s Report TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: PLANNING AND COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT DATE:APRIL 19, 2004 CMR:222:04 SUBJECT:TRANSMITTAL LETTER TO STATE OF CALIFORNIA HISTORIC RESOURCES BOARD REVIEW OF NOMINATIONS OF GREENMEADOW AND GREEN GABLES NEIGHBORHOODS TO NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES This is an informational report: No Council action is required BACKGROUND In its March 15, 2004 packet, the City Council received an informational report regarding State applications for nomination of the Green Gables and Greenmeadow neighborhoods as historic districts to the National Register of Historic Places initiated by the Eichler Historic Quest Committee. The State requested the Mayor to provide comments on the proposed National Register applications and to submit a report of the City’.s Historic Resources Board (HRB) to the State prior to consideration of the applications by the State Historical Resources Commission at its April 28 meeting in San Francisco. If the State Historical Resources Commission approves the nominations, they will subsequently be forwarded to the Keeper of the National Register in Washington, D.C for final review and approval. DISCUSSION On March 17, 2004 the HRB reviewed the applications for nomination for both the Greenmeadow and Green Gables neighborhoods. The HRB focused its review and comment on the adequacy and accuracy of the nomination applications under the National Register’s nomination criteria. There were several speakers at the HRB meeting representing the two neighborhoods that addressed the National Register nominations. Since the district listing is honorary only and imposes no restrictions on the two neighborhoods, all who spoke were supportive of the listings. CMR:222:04 Page 1 of 3 The HRB concluded that the majority of homes in the Green Gables and Greenmeadow neighborhoods have retained their historic integrity and convey a strong sense of past time and place and meet the criteria for listing on the National Register. As a result, the Board unanimously recommended the nomination of both the Green Gables and Greenmeadow neighborhoods to the National Register as districts (5-0-0-2 DiCicco, Murden absent). The Board considered the Greenmeadow and Green Gables subdivisions exemplary of Eichler aesthetics. The developments have retained their original architectural character, convey a mid-20th century modernist style and are important in the context of Eichler subdivisions in California. A unique feature of Greenmeadow is its centralized community center that has fostered neighborhood unity. Both Greenmeadow and Green Gables are considered by the Board to be representative of an architect-designed subdivision, another unique aspect of Eichler developments. Staff has drafted the attached letter (Attachment A) to be signed by the Mayor and forwarded to the State Office of Historic Preservation that conveys to the State the HRB comments and its r~commendation. Subsequent to the HRB meeting, a community meeting attended by approximately 25 residents of Greenmeadow and Green Gables was held at the Greenmeadow Community Center on April 3 to discuss the National Register nominations for the two neighborhoods. The State Office of Historic Preservation conducted the meeting. City staff attended the meeting and responded to questions regarding City development processes affecting Eichlers in both neighborhoods. Staff explained that National Register listing for either neighborhood would not impose additional restrictions on individual properties. It was stated at the meeting that to-date, the State has received only one letter from a property owner (in Green Gables) opposing either nomination. ATTACHMENTS Attachment A: Draft Letter to State Office of Historic Preservation transmitting Historic Resources Board recommendation ~Planning Manager CMR:222:04 Page 2 of 3 /¢gt~ve Emslie of Planning and Community Environment APPROVAL: Emily Harrison, Assi t’~anant City Manager CC:Historic Resources Board Barry Lee Brisco State Office of Historic Preservation CMR:222:04 Page 3 of 3 Attachment A April 19, 2004 Dr. Knox Mellon Office of Historic Preservation Department of Parks and Recreation P.O. Box 942896 Sacramento, CA 94296-0001 SUBJECT:Review and Comment on Nominations to the National Register of Historic Places for Greenmeadow and Green Gables subdivisions This letter forwards to the State Historical Resources Commission the City of.Palo Alto’s comments on the proposed nominations of the Greenmeadow and Green Gables subdivisions to the National Register of Historic Places. Both nominations are currently scheduled to be r~viewed by the State Historical Resources Commission at its April 28t~ meeting. The City’s Historic Resources Board, as a Certified Local Government, carefully reviewed the proposed nominations at its March 17, 2004 meeting. The Board concluded that the majority of homes in the Green Gables and Greenmeadow neighborhoods have retained their historic integrity and convey a strong sense of past time and place and meet the criteria for listing on the National Register. The Board considered both subdivisions exemplary of Eichler aesthetics. Both developments have retained their original architectural character, convey amid-20th century modernist style that has influenced American architecture and are significant in the context of Eichler subdivisions in California. A unique feature of Greenmeadow is its centralized community center that has fostered neighborhood unity. Both Greenmeadow and Green Gables are also considered by the Board to be representative of an architect-designed subdivision, another unique aspect of Eichler developments. For all these reasons, the Board unanimously recommended the nomination of both the Greenmeadow and Green Gables neighborhoods to the National Register as districts. The City of Palo Alto appreciates the referral of the nominations for these two proposed National Register districts and the State Historical Resources Commission’s consideration of these recommendations from the City’s Historic Resources Board. Sincerely, Bern Beecham Mayor City of Palo Alto