AgdaPkt 2011-12-12 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Attachment 3. b. applicant has also requested that the City approve a Mills Act contract whicr - Page 17 processed sequentially and at the same public hearing as the Landmarking process. On June 6, 2011, the HRAC held a special meeting on-site to review the terms of a potential Mills Act Contract for the long term rehabilitation and maintenance of the subject property. A recommendation was made by the HRAC that the Planning Commission recommend to the City Council that the Mills Act contract be approved as revised. Assuming that the Planning Commission supports the landmark designation, the Mills Acct contract application would be reviewed at the December 6, 2011 Planning Commission meeting. Mills Act contracts are considered by numerous municipalities and counties throughout California as one of the most beneficial historic preservation incentives available today. Mills Act contracts provide for yearly tax savings that can be channeled towards the long term maintenance of a property, according to clear historic rehabilitation standards. This historic preservation program was adopted by the City Council in 1990. To date, out of approximately 100 known eligible properties, approximately 15 Mills Act contracts have been granted by the City. The historic landmark designation process can be characterized as a three-step process which first involves a recommendation from the HRAC to the Planning Commission. The next step involves a recommendation from the Planning Commission to the City Council and the final action is then taken by the City Council. As is the case for the subject property, individual historic landmark designations can be initiated by the property owners. The historic designation process involves the evaluation of the "application;" in this case the historic consultant's report (as well as the companion Mills Act Contract proposal), in light of the City's historic designation criteria (see Attachment 4). The City receives numerous inquiries by property owners who seek to designate their property as a historic landmark, not only because of the status associated with the historic designation but also because once designated, landmarked properties become eligible for individual Mills Act Contracts which provide property tax relief benefits. Mills Act contracts are considered by numerous municipalities and counties throughout California as one of the most beneficial historic preservation incentives available today. Mills Act contracts provide for yearly tax savings that can be channeled towards the long term maintenance of a property according to clear historic rehabilitation standards. This historic preservation program was adopted by the City Council in 1990. To date, out of approximately 100 known eligible properties, approximately 15 Mills Act contracts have been granted by the City. The minimum duration for Mills Act Contracts is 10 years. Contracts renew automatically every year and transfer in the event the property is sold to another party. Once approved, each contract is recorded against the title of the subject property and the information forwarded to the County Assessor's office. In order to insure compliance with the proposed program, staff/HRAC conducts yearly inspections. General questions: Q: Why should the City provide property tax relief benefit to this particular building? A: Mills Act contract-eligibility is currently limited to designated landmarks and contributing structures to historic districts. Redwood City adopted the Mills Act Contract