Cultural Heritage Commission Regular Meeting - November 14, 2024
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Cultural Heritage Commission Regular Meeting - November 14, 2024
The Cultural Heritage Commission held a regular meeting on November 14, 2024, at 5:30 PM in the City Hall Council Chambers. The meeting included a consent calendar, consent hearing, public hearing, administrative report, and commissioner comments. All votes were unanimous. No public comments were received on non-agenda items.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the minutes of the September 12, 2024 regular meeting after a brief discussion regarding the accuracy of the recorded questions from that meeting. Staff agreed to verify and correct if needed. (Motion carried unanimously)
Consent Hearings
- 1112-1126 George Street HRI Removal: The Commission voted to forward a recommendation to the City Council to adopt a resolution removing the property (APN: 001-144-010) from the Historic Resources Inventory (HRI) and determine the action is exempt from CEQA. The site contains two individually listed structures and is not within a local landmark district. (Motion carried unanimously)
Public Hearings/Appeals
- Blackbird Inn Mills Act Contract – 1755 First Street: The Commission received a staff presentation on the proposed ten-year Mills Act contract for the historic Blackbird Inn and Finch Guest House. Commissioner Wesson inquired about the treatment of historic landscaping in Mills Act plans and noted the $150,000 landscape maintenance line item. No members of the public spoke. The Commission voted to forward comments or recommendations on the ten-year rehabilitation plan and forward a recommendation to the City Council to determine the project exempt from CEQA and authorize the Community Development Director to execute the contract. (Motion carried unanimously)
Administrative Reports
- 974 G Street Demolition: Staff reported that the building at 974 G Street was demolished after the Chief Building Official determined it was a threat to public health and safety due to sanitary sewer issues. The building permit was issued May 30, 2024 and finaled July 2, 2024. Commissioners discussed the lack of advance notice to the commission and the missed opportunity to salvage historic materials. Chair Van Giesen suggested exploring a policy for material reuse in future ordinance updates. The report was received; no formal action required.
Comments by Commissioners and Staff
- Thomas Earl House Update: Chair Van Giesen noted a for-sale sign on the property. Staff confirmed that entitlements (certificate of appropriateness, use permit, plan development zoning) run with the land and a new owner would be bound by them. The owner is still in discussions about restarting construction. Commissioners expressed disappointment about the stall in the preservation project.
- Historic District Initiative: Chair Van Giesen advocated for resuming efforts to establish historic districts, specifically the Napa Abajo–Fuller Park area. She asked how the Commission could formally request funding and prioritization from the City Council. Staff offered to research whether the Commission can make a direct request to Council and whether an annual commission-Council meeting (which existed in the past) could be reinstated.
- Upcoming Event: Staff announced the historic property tour (formerly the Candlelight Tour) on December 14, 2024, from noon to 4 PM on Brown Street. Tickets are available at Napa County Landmarks website.
- Next Meeting: The next regular meeting is scheduled for December 12, 2024.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned.
Meeting Transcript
Okay, we can start traffic was difficult. All right. I think we would like to call this meeting to order. And if we could start with roll call, please. Commissioner McKinney. Here. Commissioner Rasmussen. Here. Commissioner Wesson. Here. Chair Van Giesen. Here. And then I have Chair Tweak, Vice Chair Tweek on this as absent. Okay, very good. Moving to the Pledge of Allegiance, please. Everyone stand. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God. Indivisible with liberty and justice. Good. All right. Item three with the agenda review and uh supplemental reports. Um are there any changes at this time? No changes from staff. And uh commissioners, uh are there any revisions or changes at this time? No, okay, very good. Um the culture and to make a statement of that though, would you like me to read it into record or are we should I read the part that we normally do? Yes. Okay, very good. The Cultural Heritage Commission conducts conducts all meetings in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act and pursuant to the city rules of order for the Cultural Heritage Commission meetings, policy resolution number 10. Uh moving on then to number four. Um the public comment. Um the public comment provides an opportunity for members in the public to directly address the Cultural Heritage Commission on items of interest not otherwise noted on the agenda. Each speaker's comments will be limited to three minutes and will comply with the rules of order for the Cultural Heritage Commission meetings. Uh, do we have any members of the public who wish to provide public comments on a non-agenda item? Okay, very good. Seeing none, then we will be able to move um move on. And our next item is uh item five, which is consent calendar, and these are routine items that may be approved by a single vote. However, any member of the public or any commissioner may remove an item for condition consideration, sorry, during the public hearing portion of the agenda. This evening we are reviewing the Cultural Heritage Commission regular meeting minutes from September twelfth. And does anyone have any questions or changes at this time? I I did have one question that um maybe um uh you might be able to clarify. Um staff member walker. When reading the minutes, um we had talked about that project uh with the applicants at the time, and we had talked about some of those items that we had given sort of questions about. Are the items are they solely about that those ones under the commission? The commission had the following questions and comments. How many how materials are chosen for the lower floor and the height of the railing and its style? Were those the only two? I thought I I can't remember.
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