The Carlsbad Historic Preservation Commission on Nov. 10 voted unanimously to form an ad hoc Mills Act Outreach Subcommittee to help increase awareness and streamline applications for the city’s historic-property incentive program.

Mike Strong, assistant community development director, told the commission the body had completed an exhaustive study of the Mills Act program and found that after about three years of implementation, no new properties had been enrolled. He said the City Council directed staff to implement outreach and simplify the application process. “That means if there's a letter or announcement going out to the public, there'll be another set of eyes on that information,” Strong said.

Commissioners moved to create the voluntary subcommittee, noting most of the outreach work would occur over the next two months. Staff suggested the subcommittee’s time commitment would be defined by its members and recommended a report back at the commission’s March meeting about outreach activities conducted by staff and any supplementary work by commissioners.

The commission then moved to name members: it appointed Commissioner Jacobs and Commissioner Peterson to the outreach subcommittee. The motion passed unanimously.

The subcommittee is intended to oversee materials and stakeholder outreach and to provide additional review before staff releases public notices or application changes. Staff said they will coordinate with property owners as needed and return any formal recommendations to the commission for a subsequent vote.

What happens next: staff will work with the appointed commissioners on outreach tasks and report back to the commission in March with activities completed and any recommended revisions to the application process.