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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 3.G 06/02/2014Agenda Item #3.G DATE: June 2, 2014 TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council through City Manager FROM: Heather Hines, Planning Manager SUBJECT: Adoption (Second Reading) of an Ordinance Removing the —H Overlay Zone and Rescinding the Local Historic Landmark Designation of the French Laundry, Landmark No. 14, located at 570 Bodega Avenue pursuant to Section 15.040 of the Implementing Zoning Ordinance. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council adopt an Ordinance removing the —H Overlay Zone and rescinding the Local Historic Landmark Designation of the French Laundry, Landmark No. 14. BACKGROUND At their meeting on May 19, 2014, the City Council considered the rescission of the local historic landmark designation for the French Laundry. In review of Planning Commission Resolution No. 2014-04, the staff report and presentation, and other supporting material, the City Council found that the French Laundry no longer retained enough integrity to convey its historical significance. There was no public testimony on this item. The City Council unanimously approved the first reading of the Ordinance. No modifications were made to the draft ordinance. FINANCIAL IMPACTS The rescission of the local historic landmark designation for the French Laundry and the associated demolition of existing structures is a cost recovery project with all expenses paid by the applicant. The applicant has paid $5,606.00 in cost recovery fees to date. ATTACHMENTS 1. Ordinance No. 2497 NCS for Rescission Agenda Review: City Attorney Finance Director City Manag ATTACHMENT 1 ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PETALUMA RESCINDING THE LOCAL HISTORIC LANDMARK DESIGNATION OF THE FRENCH LAUNDRY, LANDMARK NO. 14 AND AMENDING THE ZONING MAP TO REMOVE THE —H OVERLAY ZONE OF THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 570 BODEGA AVENUE APN 006-441-006 WHEREAS, the French Laundry and rear carriage house were constructed in 1914. The French Laundry was designated a local historic landmark in 1990 (Ord. No. 1815 N.C.S); and WHEREAS, in 2004, the French Laundry was damaged by a storm which caused a large portion of the west fagade to collapse; and WHEREAS, in 2005, the roof and floor of French Laundry collapsed and the character - defining false front parapet and sign were removed; and WHEREAS, other buildings and structures that once stood on the subject lot, including overhead cranes, floor gutters, wooden water tank and a one room cottage no longer exist and remaining structures on site are deteriorated and uninhabited; and WHEREAS, although the building has not moved since its original construction, the setting of the designated landmark has been compromised due to the development of the surrounding neighborhood with modem structures; and WHEREAS, on December 3, 2013, Sergei Oleshko submitted an application to demolish the French Laundry and rear carriage house at 570 Bodega Avenue, and on March 3, 2014, submitted a request to remove the local historic landmark designation of the property; and WHEREAS, on March 4, 2014, Christina Dikas, Senior Architectural Historian at Page and Turnbull prepared a Historic Resources Memorandum (incorporated herein by reference) assessing the integrity of the property, and evaluated whether the property continued to represent its historic significance and should remain a local landmark; and WHEREAS, the Page and Turnbull Report found that due to a loss of several important character-defming features and loss of overall historic integrity, the French Laundry is no longer adequately able to convey its historic significance and should not remain a local landmark or be considered a historic resources pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); and WHEREAS, on April 8, 2014, at a duly noticed joint public hearing of the Historic and Cultural Preservation Committee and Planning Commission, the Historic and Cultural Preservation Committee recommended to the Planning Commission rescission of the local landmark designation of the French Laundry located at 570 Bodega Avenue and removal of the — H overlay zone for the property based on findings that the building no longer appears locally significant based on California Register criteria related to integrity of design, materials, and worlananship as several of the character defining features of the building are missing or in an irreversible state of disrepair, and other buildings on site that contributed to the integrity of setting are no longer extant; and WHEREAS, on April 8, 2014, the Planning Commission concurred with the finding of the Historic and Cultural Preservation Committee that the French Laundry no longer appears locally significant based on California Register criteria related to integrity of design, materials, and workmanship and approved PC Resolution No. 2014 -XX recommending that the City Council adopt a rescission ordinance removing the historical designation and zoning of the property; and WHEREAS, on May 19, 2014 the City of Petaluma City Council held a duly noticed public hearing to consider the proposed rescission of local historic landmark designation and the zoning map amendment to remove the —H overlay zone for the property. NOW THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PETALUMA AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. Rescission of Local Historic Landmark Status and Removal of —H Overlay Zone. The City Council hereby rescinds the local historic landmark designation of French Laundry and hereby amends the Zoning Map to remove the —I -I zoning district of the property located at 570 Bodega Avenue, APN 006-441-006, based on the following detein inations: A. Rescinding the designation of the French Laundry as a local landmark does not conflict with the Petaluma General Plan 2025. The site no longer retains integrity due to a loss of several character -defining features and the property lacks overall historic context. The French Laundry no longer represents a historic resource that is part of Petaluma's unique and irreplaceable cultural heritage (3-P-1). Therefore, the site should not continue to be designated a local landmark subject to the development review process (3-P-11)). B. The zoning map amendment removing the —H overlay zone for the property does not conflict with the Petaluma General Plan 2025. The site no longer represents a historic resource that is part of Petaluma's unique and irreplaceable cultural heritage (3-P-1) as classified on the City of Petaluma Zoning Map. In addition, the proposed removal of the —H zoning will allow for potential new residential construction on the property which is consistent with the Petaluma General Plan 2025 Housing Element policies which promote residential development within the Urban Growth Boundary (Policy 11-P-1.1) and encourage the development of housing on underutilized land (Policy 11-P-1.2). C. Rescinding the designation of the French Laundry as a local landmark does not conflict with the objectives outlined in Chapter 15 of the Implementing Zoning Ordinance (IZO). The site does not serve to promote the health, safety, and general welfare of the public through the protection and enhancement of a building that is a reminder of past eras, events, and persons important to local history. The site is no longer able to convey its historical significance. The French Laundry should not be subject to the historic preservation controls and standards in said Chapter. D. Pursuant to the requirements of IZO §15.0408 the following is a description of the characteristics that merited the original designation of the French Laundry as a local historic landmark as well as supporting evidence regarding the loss of historical significance justifying the rescission of the landmark designation: 1. The following list of character -defining features of the French Laundry is excerpted from Jane Lauder's May of 1990 California Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) Inventory form (incorporated herein by reference) and Page and Turnbull's Historic Resource Memorandum for 570 Bodega Avenue: a. False Front commercial building type with plain parapet. b. Italianate style symmetry and fagade shape. c. Simple shed roof display window bays on notched brackets. d. Doors and operable windows with proportions typical of twentieth century construction. e. Oversize sign lettering in a range of antique typestyles (on the parapet, sign read "The Bodega Avenue French Laundry, Cleaning and Pressing"). f Overhead cranes, gutters, outdoor crane drive and wood water tank on the property that demonstrate original laundry use. g. Horizontal shiplap wood cladding. h. Gable roof behind false front parapet. i. Central entry with partially glazed and paneled wood door. j. One-story wood frame building 2. The following character -defining elements of the French Laundry are missing or have been removed from the site: a. The false front parapet. b. The painted sign. c. The overhead cranes. d. Gable roof. e. Floor gutters. f Wooden water tank. g. Associated one room cottage. E. The deteriorating condition of all remaining building components prevents the rehabilitation of the French Laundry. F. Based on the loss of character -defining features, the French Laundry is not significant for architecture (equivalent to Criterion 3- California Register of Historic Places) nor local significance as an early French laundry in Petaluma (equivalent to Criterion 1 - California Register of Historic Places) and should no longer remain a local historic resource. Section 2. Recordation of Removal of Designation and Overlay Zone. The rescission of this local historic landmark designation and removal of the —H overlay zone shall be recorded by the applicant with the Sonoma County Recorder's office and noted as applicable to assessors parcel number 006-441-006. Proof of such recordation shall be provided to the Planning Division prior to any building permit final relating to the Historic and Cultural Presentation Committee's approval of demolition of the existing structures on the property. Section 3. Severability. If any provision of this ordinance or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the ordinance, including the application of such part or provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby and shall continue in full force and effect. To this end, provisions of this ordinance are severable. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed each section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause, or phrase hereof irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, subdivisions, paragraphs, sentences, clauses, or phrases be held unconstitutional, invalid, or unenforceable. Section 4. Effective Date. This ordinance shall become effective thirty (30) days after the date of its adoption by the Petaluma City Council. Section 5. Posting/Publishing of Notice. The City Cleric is hereby directed to post and/or publish this ordinance or a synopsis of it for the period and in the manner required by the City Charter. INTRODUCED and ordered posted/published this 19th day of May, 2014. ADOPTED this day of 2014 by the following vote: