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Commission backs ordinance amendments to clarify chair-review thresholds and HRE applicability
Summary
The Cultural Heritage Commission voted to recommend that City Council adopt revisions to the commission ordinance to adjust chair‑review square‑foot thresholds, require on‑site noticing, extend COA validity to 24 months and narrow HRE applicability for non‑historic accessory structures.
The Cultural Heritage Commission voted to recommend city council adopt proposed amendments to the municipal ordinance that clarify thresholds for chair review of Certificates of Appropriateness and narrow the applicability of intensive historic resource evaluations (HREs) for certain accessory‑structure demolitions.
Staff told the commission the draft amendments arose from earlier commission review and City Council direction following public comment. Key revisions presented to the commission included: extending the validity period of an approved Certificate of Appropriateness from 18 to 24 months to match other zoning entitlements; adding an on‑site noticing requirement for hearings; and changing the chair‑review threshold for additions on historic properties to “500 square feet or 25% of the existing square footage of the home, whichever is less,” so that the threshold applies proportionally to both large and small houses. Staff also clarified the ordinance language about HREs: the revision narrows exemptions to apply only to non‑historic accessory structures (for example, a non‑historic garage) so those limited scenarios do not require an intensive HRE, while properties already identified as potential cultural resources would still require the full HRE where applicable.
Staff reported it had met with a public commenter, Debbie Howell, after the council hearing to review concerns and had incorporated clarifying language; Ms. Howell later provided written comments supporting the revised language. Commissioners said the changes addressed prior concerns, and a motion to forward the amended ordinance language to the City Council carried on roll call.
Staff noted the director retains discretion to require a full commission review even where chair review would otherwise apply. The revised language for the chair‑review threshold mirrors an approach the city already uses for design review: a hybrid metric of a fixed square‑foot threshold combined with a percent‑of‑existing‑area limit. The commission will forward the recommended ordinance amendments to City Council for consideration.
