Salinas approves citywide historic-survey contract; Page & Turnbull to produce 18-month plan B

The Salinas Historic Resources Board was briefed on a citywide historic-resources survey that the City Council authorized the city manager to negotiate with Page & Turnbull on Dec. 3; staff told the board the contract will follow the more detailed option B, with an estimated timeline of about 18 months.

Grant Leonard, the city planning manager, said Page & Turnbull submitted a proposal that includes two options and that "option B has a more robust and detailed historic context statement" that staff recommended and council approved. Leonard told the board the more detailed context will be useful for future analysis the city may need.

Why it matters: the survey will update an earlier, partial survey and create a searchable public database of potential historic resources across Salinas. Staff said the work will identify properties eligible for potential designation and provide the city with a consistent context and inventory for future preservation planning.

Key details: staff reported the full price for the chosen plan B is in the packet; portions of the proposed fee were flagged as optional. Outreach and public-hearing line items were listed as optional at $21,840 and $10,440 respectively, and the proposal included a contingency of about $46,364. Staff said those consultant-driven items can be reduced if city staff perform portions of the outreach or logistics. The draft timeline included with the proposal was described as approximately 18 months.

Staff also described expected deliverables and methods. Leonard said the consultant will use California Historical Resource forms (DPR 523) for individual property records and offered to provide sample DPR 523 entries to the board for review. He said the final survey is expected to be published online as a searchable database when complete.

Board questions and staff responses: commissioners pressed on public involvement, translation and the list of organizations the consultant will consult. Leonard said translation into Spanish was not part of the current scope but called it an "excellent point" for staff to pursue. Board members asked for early access to preliminary lists of identified properties so the board can flag any significant omissions; staff committed to early coordination with the Historic Resources Board.

Scale and context: staff noted the consultant estimated Salinas has roughly 15,500 parcels constructed before 1980; that figure does not mean all those parcels will be eligible for designation. The consultant's scope cites prior surveys that identified about 104 properties from a 1989 survey and related follow-ups.

Next steps: staff said the city will finalize and execute the contract with Page & Turnbull and initiate the survey work. Board members requested copies of sample survey reports from other cities and asked that staff circulate sample DPR 523 forms and the consultant's outreach plan before substantive public outreach occurs.

Votes and approvals at the meeting: the board did not take a formal vote on the survey at this meeting; members were asked for feedback and staff said they will return with contract execution updates and sample materials.