Agenda

Return

C.122

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	John Kopchik, Director, Conservation & Development Department
Date:	September 12, 2017

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Approval of a Historical Property Preservation Agreement (Mills Act Contract) for 2067 Alameda Diablo, Diablo area. District III

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 09/12/2017

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:

Dominique Vogelpohl, (925) 674-7814

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: September 12, 2017
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

1. DETERMINE that the proposed actions are categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA Regs, Section 15331, Class 31):


2. APPROVE the Historial Property Preservation Agreement (Mills Act) Contract for the property identified as 2067 Alameda Diablo in the Diablo area;

RECOMMENDATION(S): (CONT'D)

3. AUTHORIZE the Chair to execute the Mills Act Contract for the property identified as 2067 Alameda Diablo in the Diablo area;

4. DIRECT the Department of Conservation and Development to record the Mills Act Contract with the County Recorder, and to forward copies to the California Office of Historic Preservation and the Office of the County Assessor; and

5. DIRECT the Department of Conservation and Development to file a Notice of Exemption under CEQA with the County Clerk.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The applicant is responsible for application and processing costs for the nomination and preparation of the Mills Act Contract. Approval of a Mills Act Contract for 2067 Alameda Diablo will result in a reduction of property taxes for the subject property based on the calculations prescribed by the State Board of Equalization for use in assessing properties under the Mills Act.

BACKGROUND:

Mills Act: The Mills Act Program (Government Code, Sections 50280-50290) is a state law that grants participating local governments authority to enter into contracts with owners of qualified historic properties who actively participate in the restoration, rehabilitation, and maintenance of their historic properties while receiving property tax relief. The law enables the County to enter into 10-year agreements with owners of historic properties, which are automatically renewed for an additional 10-years, unless the County or owner files a notice of non-renewal. The Mills Act Program can be utilized with historic properties listed in any state, city, or county official register of historical or architecturally significant sites, places, or landmarks. Property taxes are recalculated using a formula in the Mills Act and Revenue and Taxation Code. The Mills Act requires that historic property owners spend the property tax money that is saved through the Mills Act on preserving and/or restoring their property. Once a Mills Act Contract is terminated for any reason, the property taxes would increase to the level they would have been before execution of the Mills Act Contract.

2067 Alameda Diablo: The subject property, 2067 Alameda Diablo, is located within the boundaries of the Diablo Historic District. The Diablo Historic District was established and placed on the County's Historic Resources Inventory (HRI) by the Board in 2002. In a Design Review & Historic Assessment report dated August 31, 2016, prepared by architectural historian, Valerie Nagel, the residence has been assessed as a historical resource for its relevance within the Diablo Historic District. The residence was built in 1925 and is of the English Tudor Style of architecture. A design review application for an addition to expand the kitchen and living area and add a new bedroom to the residence was approved by the Department of Conservation and Development on March 25, 2017. The addition is consistent with the existing English Tudor style and will not result in a significant impact to the historical resource.

As part of the Mills Act Contract, a 10-year Schedule of Stabilization or Rehabilitation and Architectural Rehabilitation and/or Restoration was prepared for 2067 Alameda Diablo. The 10-year Schedule of Stabilization or Rehabilitation and Architectural Rehabilitation and/or Restoration outlines specific alterations, repairs and maintenance intended to preserve and rehabilitate 2067 Alameda Diablo. According to the historical assessment prepared for this nomination, the building’s English Tudor style remains intact. The previous alterations to the structure do not negatively impact its architectural value. The Design Review & Historic Assessment report prepared for the residence evaluated the proposed alterations, repairs and addition, and has concluded that the proposed development will follow the Secretary of the Interior Standards of the Treatment of Historic Properties and will further enhance the architectural integrity and preserve the resource.

Historical Landmarks Advisory Committee (HLAC) Recommendation: At the HLAC meeting held on November 30, 2016, the HLAC recommended that the Board of Supervisors add the single-family residence at 2067 Alameda Diablo in Diablo to the County's HRI and approve a Mills Act Contract in order to restore and rehabilitate the historical resource. According to the background information provided for the creation of the Diablo Historic District, 2067 Alameda Diablo is one of the building that contributes to the Diablo Historic District.

Board of Supervisors Approval: At the Board of Supervisors meeting held on February 7, 2017, the Board adopted the recommendation of the HLAC to add the single-family residence at 2067 Alameda Diablo in Diablo to the County's HRI.

Conclusion: Approval of the Mills Act contract for 2067 Alameda Diablo would secure the restoration, rehabilitation, and maintenance of the building’s historical and architectural integrity by current and future owners of the property.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

If the subject property is not approved for a Mills Act Contract the restoration, rehabilitation, and maintenance of the building’s historical and architectural integrity would not be monitored and may not be maintained by current or future owners of the property.