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Planning staff revives Preservation Element draft and asks commission for direction on cultural and social heritage
Summary
The Planning Department returned an updated draft Preservation Element to the commission and outlined a schedule for outreach and environmental review; staff asked the commission for guidance on adding cultural/social heritage, clarification of historic resource definitions, sustainability and ADA policies.
Planning Department preservation staff presented the draft Preservation Element of the City’s general plan and asked the Planning Commission for initial comments and direction. The presentation emphasized that the Element establishes long‑range goals, objectives and policies for identifying and protecting historic resources and that funding in the 2014–15 budget allowed staff to restart work on the document.
Shelly (preservation staff) said the draft builds on prior work (an earlier consultant draft prepared in 2007) and identified nine objectives that will be reviewed in stages this summer and fall. Staff outlined priorities for improving usability (structure and clarity), aligning policies with Secretary of the Interior Standards, expanding public education and awareness components, strengthening sustainability and ADA policies, and explicitly including cultural and social heritage and cultural landscapes.
Commissioners generally welcomed the restoration of work on the Preservation Element but pressed staff to broaden historical coverage beyond the nineteenth century, incorporate twentieth‑century ethnic and social histories (Japantown and other communities were cited), and to clarify definitions of what constitutes a historic resource. Commissioner Antonini urged more inclusive research into twentieth‑century neighborhoods and ethnic groups; Commissioner Sedai asked whether the term “preservation element” had been shortened in reports and whether the element should be called the “historic preservation element” or include “heritage.”
Staff said the department plans an open house in September and a phased review of objectives with the commission and the Historic Preservation Commission; after revisions the document will move into CEQA review next year.
Commissioners encouraged staff to produce clearer context statements and implementation measures and to coordinate with the Historic Preservation Commission and community stakeholders as the draft is refined.
