Mendocino review board denies replacement plan for Main Street water‑tower access; owners cited safety concerns

The Mendocino Historical Review Board on a 3–1 vote denied the application from the property owner to replace the Main Street water‑tower stairway with the proposal before the board (identified in the hearing as MHRV 2024‑009). The board’s action means the applicant may appeal the denial to the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors within the 10‑day appeal period.

Planner Liam Crowley summarized the property’s history and the application, telling the board the water tower dates to early 1900s construction and later reassemblies and that the structure is not listed separately in the county inventory though it “likely meets the definition of historically important.” Crowley said the application would remove the existing tower stairway and replace it with an uncovered staircase; the office had previously determined the county’s “duty to maintain” provisions did not apply because the tower is not specifically listed in the inventory. He also told the…