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Applicants withdraw Verdugo Woodlands historic-district application; council, neighbors discuss process concerns
Summary
Three applicants withdrew their nomination for a Verdugo Woodlands historic district while the Historic Preservation Commission's "appears eligible" determination had temporarily placed properties under pending historic-district review. Councilmembers and residents urged process changes to avoid protracted uncertainty for homeowners.
Three applicants withdrew their nomination for a proposed Verdugo Woodlands historic district before the Glendale City Council's Aug. 12 session, ending the immediate possibility of a council hearing on a historic-district overlay. The Historic Preservation Commission had previously found the area "appears eligible," which placed property work in the district under HPC review while the process ran.
City attorneys told council that the withdrawal restores the status quo: properties are no longer subject to the pending historic-district review and return to the normal design-review process. Staff said any future application would start the nomination process again.
Neighbors and council members criticized the process timeframe. Speakers said many homeowners in the study area lived with uncertainty about approvals for months while the nomination moved through the HPC and toward council review. Opponents said the initial petition and the council timeline effectively shifted the burden to neighbors to organize opposition under tight timeframes.
Council direction: Members asked staff to return with options for revising the historic-district nomination and review process, including possible filing or cooldown periods after withdrawals and clearer notice requirements, so similar situations do not leave homeowners in prolonged permitting limbo.
Ending: With the applicants' withdrawal, the planning process for properties in the Verdugo Woodlands reverts to standard design-review rules; council requested staff paper a report proposing code and process changes for future historic-district nominations.
