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Fullerton council approves two Mills Act contracts for historic homes
Summary
The City Council unanimously approved Mills Act preservation contracts for homes at 336 West Brookdale Place and 520 West Valley View Drive, citing preservation benefits and modest city tax impacts; staff said the savings are intended to be reinvested into property maintenance.
The Fullerton City Council on June 3 adopted resolutions approving Mills Act historic‑preservation contracts for two privately owned homes, voting unanimously to authorize the agreements.
Community and Economic Development staff told the council that the properties — a 1916 Craftsman at 336 West Brookdale Place (owners Kyle and Shanna Bem) and the landmark “Maxwell House” at 520 West Valley View Drive (owners Ron and Amy Michelotti) — meet the city’s eligibility criteria and submitted multi‑year rehabilitation and maintenance plans that staff said will preserve defining exterior architectural features.
Staff recommended approval, saying the program’s tax savings are intended to be reinvested in upkeep. “It is staff’s recommendation this evening that we adopt a resolution approving a Mills Act contract between the city and owner of historic property at 336 West Brookdale” and similarly for the West Valley View property, staff told the council during both presentations.
Residents who spoke at the public hearings asked how Mills Act assessments affect city revenue and whether tax benefits transfer when a property sells. Staff and the city attorney said the Mills Act contract typically transfers with the property, and that the city’s share of the reduced revenue is small compared with the maintenance work the owners commit to complete on the homes.
One commenter drew attention to the scale of potential homeowner savings, citing a Fullerton portion example: “My taxes would go from $1,497.50 to $624.50,” a resident said during public comment, prompting staff to note that the example reflected the city’s share of assessed property taxes rather than total tax bills and that the overall tax assessment and other taxing‑entity amounts remain in force.
Council members supported approval, with the council recording unanimous roll‑call votes on both items. Staff said the Mills Act contracts bind future owners to the submitted rehabilitation and maintenance plans and that the program intends the tax offsets to fund the work necessary to maintain the properties’ historic integrity.
The council also noted program limits: the city can process no more than 10 new Mills Act contracts per calendar year under its guidelines and uses pre‑application surveys (including Fullerton Heritage review) to vet candidates.
