Claremont panel unanimously recommends Mills Act contract for 746 Harvard Avenue

The Claremont Architectural and Preservation Commission voted unanimously to recommend City Council approval of a Mills Act agreement for the house at 746 Harvard Avenue, owners Meghan and Anthony Clark.

Assistant planner Daniel Kim told the commission the property is a 1921 Craftsman bungalow listed on the local register, with an existing floor area of about 1,420 square feet on a 5,499-square-foot lot. He said the Mills Act is a preservation tool that creates a contract between the city and property owners and "allows for reduction in the property owner's taxes," while incentivizing investment in character-defining features.

Staff described the applicants’ proposed 10-year scope as a mix of repair and restoration focused on urgent stability issues: reroofing; plumbing and sewer work (which staff emphasized is in poor condition and at risk of damaging the house); chimney and brick work; porch and stonework restoration; attic bracing to address rodent damage; foundation anchoring and spot repairs; grading and drainage improvements; and selective interior repairs.

Commissioners questioned the degree of prior modification and whether enough original material remains. Commissioner Grisha Perry said the house has been significantly altered in places but that the application identifies work that will return elements of the property closer to their original appearance and will address urgent structural needs. One commissioner said staff "struggled with this one" but ultimately recommended approval because the contract focuses on repairs that will keep the building standing and because the owners showed a clear commitment to preservation.

Ben Nance, who identified himself as a local real-estate agent involved in the sale, urged the commission to note a related trend: insurance companies are increasingly requiring seismic anchors, foundation work or tree trimming for continued coverage, which is driving many similar repair-focused applications.

Commissioner Perry moved to adopt a resolution recommending City Council approval of Mills Act agreement 25-MA-02 for 746 Harvard Avenue and to find the item exempt from environmental review under CEQA; Commissioner Deal seconded. The motion passed unanimously. Chair Nyberg noted the applicants have 10 days to file an appeal of the Commission’s action.

What happens next: the Commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to the City Council for final action; the owners may appeal the Commission’s decision within 10 days, and any council action will be subject to the City’s notice and appeal procedures.