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Board hears update on El Rey Theater permits; members urge better documentation of designated properties
Summary
Staff reported El Rey Theater received a conditional use permit and subsequent building permits; board members pressed for clearer documentation and periodic photographic updates for designated properties and asked staff to clarify how the state historic building code interacts with local designation.
City planning staff provided an update on the El Rey Theater’s recent permitting history and the board discussed documentation expectations for designated historic resources.
Assistant Planner Yesenia Segovia reviewed the permit record: the theater applied for a conditional use permit in January 2024, which was approved in September 2024, and later applied for a building permit in February 2025 for interior accessibility upgrades that was approved in July 2025. "El Rey Theater has also been receiving regularly check-ins from the city," Segovia said.
Board members raised concerns about the scarcity of interior photographic documentation submitted with the designation materials and suggested requiring periodic updates, including photos of façade and marquee work. One board member said the 1940 interior photo in the DPR was insufficient to understand current conditions and urged the board to consider requiring ongoing documentation so it can monitor progress.
The board questioned the limits of its review authority over interiors. Planning Manager Grant Leonard clarified that designation follows the city’s historic resources ordinance and that property owners may opt to use the California historic building code for construction on designated historic properties; the historic building code affects construction techniques and may include provisions for interiors, but the designation process itself follows the city ordinance and Secretary of the Interior guidelines.
Board members asked staff to follow up with more detail on how the city’s ordinance, the Secretary of the Interior guidelines, and the California historic building code interact in designation and post-designation review. Staff agreed to provide clarification at a future meeting and to check available historical reports and DPR materials for the El Rey Theater.
No formal action was taken on the theater at this meeting; the board requested additional documentation and follow-up.
