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County committee backs nomination of two San Lorenzo homes to local historic register; owner calls for preservation
Summary
Planning staff presented unanimous PRHC nominations for two San Lorenzo Village homes as Alameda County landmarks; the owner said the designations would preserve postwar architecture and guard against redevelopment pressures, and staff added language acknowledging David Bohannon’s history of racially restrictive covenants.
Alameda County planning staff asked the Transportation Planning Committee to comment on nominations to place two privately owned homes in San Lorenzo Village on the Alameda County Register of Historic Resources, explaining the nomination timeline and the legal and programmatic effects of landmark designation.
Dominic Lucchese, a planner with the county, said the two properties — 16026 Paseo Del Campo and 225 Via Linares — were nominated by their owners in December 2024 and that the Parks, Recreation and Historical Commission voted unanimously to forward the nominations after a public hearing. Lucchese said both properties were evaluated by a historic architectural historian and were found to be intact examples of post‑World War II tract housing tied to developer David Bohannon.
The staff memo and presentation noted that landmark designation triggers an architectural review process for exterior changes and can make owners eligible for Mills Act contracts, a voluntary tax‑relief program for preservation work. Lucchese also said staff had added language to the draft resolution acknowledging Bohannon’s history of racial covenants and the lasting harms that practice created, addressing concerns raised during earlier hearings.
Emmanuel Robinson, the property owner who nominated his home, described his restoration work and said preservation is a hedge against demolition or wholesale alteration in the face of development pressure. “I’m passionate about making sure that when I leave this planet, these 2 homes are preserved in perpetuity,” Robinson said, and described the plaques he plans to place on the properties with community approval.
Committee members voiced support and asked procedural questions about plaque standards and next steps. Staff said the nominations will be placed on the full Board of Supervisors agenda for final consideration on April 10. No opposition appeared at the committee level, though staff noted prior public comment on whether a broader historic district would be preferable; district designation would require signatures from a majority of property owners in a defined area.
If the Board approves the nominations, owners would be subject to review for significant exterior changes and would have Mills Act eligibility — but staff said the county currently has only one active Mills Act contract in the unincorporated area and that the aggregate fiscal impact would require additional analysis.
