Salinas Historic Resources Board advances citywide survey, refines certificate design options

At a meeting of the City of Salinas Historic Resources Board (HRB), board members reviewed proposed priorities for 2025 and discussed two staff-led projects: a comprehensive update to the city’s historic-resources survey and refinements to a certificate-of-appreciation template.

Board members and staff emphasized the survey’s scope and outreach role. Grant Leonard, planning manager, said the city contracted Page & Turnbull and that the firm is under contract "as of December 3rd." The HRB heard that the survey scope includes writing a historic context statement, resurveying previously identified properties and historic districts, and producing DPR inventory forms for individual resources to be integrated with the city’s planning/permit systems.

Why it matters: the survey will determine which properties are documented as historic or potentially eligible for designation, shape how the city flags resources in permitting, and provide research the public can access online.

Board discussion and details - Contract and scope: Board members confirmed the city followed a public proposal/pick process using an on-call list and awarded the work to Page & Turnbull. The project was described as comprehensive: it will revisit three previously identified historic districts, resurvey roughly 104 properties previously identified as eligible in the 1989 survey, and review approximately 15,500 parcels constructed before 1980 to determine eligibility (figures discussed in the meeting packet and presentation). - Records and DPR forms: Staff showed a sample DPR (Department of Parks and Recreation) inventory form and explained the format differs from the 1989 survey. Staff said the updated work will produce fully digital copies of new survey materials for public access; board members raised that older DPR appendix material referenced in the packet is not currently available on the city website and requested improved online access. - Designation process: Staff summarized the designation options: properties identified in the 1989 survey would follow the steps listed on the city’s planning pages, and owners of other qualifying properties may pursue designation by working with a qualified historian, HRB review, and final city council action.

Certificate-of-appreciation program - Template options: Bianca (community outreach assistant) and Commissioner Wadsworth presented revised certificate templates. Bianca said the group "went for a more architectural detailed view" and displayed options that mix illustrative and photographic imagery. - Board preferences: Commissioners expressed consistent preferences for warmer color palettes, inclusion of the Salinas emblem/logo on the document, and offering separate certificates for residential and commercial resources rather than a single one-size-fits-all template. Several members suggested designing a pair of templates (residential and commercial) as a compromise between a single generic template and fully individualized certificates. - Personalization and production: Board members debated a more personalized certificate that would include a historic photograph or project-specific background for each honored property versus a standardized template with a gold Salinas seal. Staff noted the personalized option would require more production time and approval of artwork, but did not rule it out. The board directed staff (Bianca and Grant) to continue working with Commissioners Wadsworth, Masgay, and Muñoz on revised templates and to return with options at the next meeting.

Other items and next steps - Plaque program and public education: The board agreed to continue work on a plaque program and to pursue public awareness and training opportunities, including possibly city membership in preservation organizations to reduce per-person training costs. - Future agenda items: The HRB noted future follow-ups including a construction update on the Empire House and further work on integrating survey results into the permit process and public-facing materials.

Ending: Staff committed to returning with revised certificate templates and additional survey deliverable details at a subsequent meeting. The board closed the discussion and moved on to remaining agenda items.