City architectural historian outlines next steps after San Gabriel survey; explains Mills Act, 51% petition threshold

Jen Remillion, San Gabriel’s city architectural historian, told the Historic Preservation and Cultural Resource Commission that the citywide preservation survey is finished and that the next phase will emphasize community education and targeted workshops.

Remillion said the survey — approved by the city council — puts identified properties onto the city’s inventory; formal designation moves eligible properties from the inventory onto the register and requires the process set out in the preservation ordinance. “Now that the survey work is complete, there is or soon will be quite a lot more to do,” she said, proposing a series of small workshops to build understanding and to dive deeper into topics such as designation procedures and design review.

Why it matters: designation unlocks preservation incentives and regulatory tools that inventory status alone does not. Remillion described individual eligible resources (for example, the Beauvoir Wilson Hayes House, the Mission Playhouse and the San Gabriel Village entrance sign) and contrasted them with collective resources and planning districts, where an area’s pattern of development must retain integrity to be eligible for historic‑district designation.

Remillion walked commissioners through key elements of the ordinance and practice. She said landmark nominations can be initiated by anyone; district nominations require a petition signed by owners representing at least 51% (the ordinance threshold). On design review she distinguished exempt, minor administrative and major reviews, noting that minor, in‑kind actions (for example, re‑roofing in kind) can be handled administratively while major alterations, relocations, demolition and new infill in a historic district come to the commission. She cited a modest administrative allowance — rear additions up to 150 square feet are handled as administrative/minor reviews when they meet the criteria.

On incentives, Remillion summarized the Mills Act, a state program administered locally that is available only to designated resources. “The Mills Act … is a state act, administered at the local level,” she said, and described it as “a 10 year renewable contract” that is recorded on the deed; later she clarified that it is a rolling 10‑year contract that extends each year. The contract redirects property tax dollars toward ongoing repair and restoration work in exchange for reduced property taxes.

Staff provided scheduling and application details for Mills Act applicants: a June 30 application deadline in the guidelines, planning review in July–August, a city‑council decision in October and contract signing in November–December so the first year of a contract aligns with the calendar year. Staff also summarized fee levels discussed earlier in the process (staff said a prior proposal near $5,000 was reduced after community feedback to about $2,600 for an application; minor alteration review fees were cited at about $1,800 and major alteration review fees at about $3,500). Staff warned that application processing commonly requires several rounds of materials review and can take several months.

Remillion emphasized next steps for the commission and the public: staff will support community education, prepare design guidelines after designation work proceeds, and facilitate petitioning where neighborhoods decide to pursue district designation. She said petition circulation is typically grassroots: community members initiate and collect ballots or signatures and the commission later evaluates petition adequacy at a public hearing. Remillion reminded the commission that the survey was adopted by council on August 19 and that some planning districts (notably San Gabriel Village) show strong potential for future designation if community restoration or sensitive modifications reduce inappropriate alterations.

Commissioners asked for follow‑up workshops on design review, targeted outreach to affected districts and specific examples showing appropriate and inappropriate alterations. Remillion said she will return with more detailed examples and slide images in future workshops.

What’s next: staff and the commission will plan additional public workshops, prepare design‑guideline materials and support neighborhood leaders who wish to circulate petitions for district designation.