Sacramento Preservation Commission Meeting – January 15, 2020

On January 15, 2020, the Sacramento Preservation Commission held a regular meeting at City Hall, 915 I Street, 1st Floor, starting at 5:40 p.m. (agenda called for 5:30 p.m.) and adjourning at 7:23 p.m. All commissioners were present; Commissioner Carter arrived at 5:44 p.m. The commission approved previous meeting minutes, elected officers for the coming year, reviewed the Certified Local Government Annual Report, and received a detailed progress update on the Sacramento Valley Station Master Plan.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of December 18, 2019 Meeting Minutes – Approved by a vote of 5:0:2 (Commissioner Carter absent; Commissioner Miller-Cruiess abstained).

Discussion Items

• Nominations and Elections for Chair and Vice‑Chair – Commissioner Valania nominated Chair Jacqueline Whitelam to continue as Chair; Commissioner Miller seconded. Commissioner Miller later nominated Alice Valania for Vice‑Chair, seconded by Commissioner Miller-Cruiess. The commission voted unanimously (7:0) to re‑elect Whitelam as Chair and Valania as Vice‑Chair for the upcoming term.

• Draft Certified Local Government (CLG) 2018‑2019 Annual Report (Review and Comment) – Preservation Director Carson Anderson presented the draft report, which covers activities from October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2019. The report will be finalized and submitted to the Office of Historic Preservation by April 2020. Commissioners discussed the need to include in the “goals for next year” section: (1) developing a checklist for SB 35 compliance in historic districts, (2) creating reporting forms for staff‑delegated actions, (3) planning staff training on historic district procedures, and (4) monitoring potential impacts of proposed SB 50 on transit‑oriented development near historic resources. The draft report was reviewed and commented on; no formal vote was required.

• Sacramento Valley Station Master Plan Progress Update (Review and Comment) – Project Manager Gregory Taylor (Public Works) and Gidi Sewall (Perkins & Will, lead designer) presented a 30% schematic design update. Key elements included: a new multimodal transit plaza with a bus mobility center (18 bays), a new station concourse aligned with the historic station, a proposed 24‑7 open footbridge connecting to the rail yards, sustainability goals (Living Community Challenge – net positive water and energy, biophilic design), and two tower configuration options for private development. The project seeks to reduce surface parking, improve pedestrian and bike connectivity, and potentially relocate the I‑5 northbound ramp to restore I‑Street frontage. Commissioners asked about: the relationship of the historic station to new development (ensuring it remains a public destination), bike parking capacity (approx. 2,500 sq. ft. of bike parking area planned), pedestrian wayfinding, and the importance of extending 4th Street and removing the current on‑ramp to improve pedestrian access. The presentation was received for review and comment; no action was taken.

Key Outcomes

• Election of Officers – Chair Jacqueline Whitelam and Vice‑Chair Alice Valania were re‑elected unanimously (7‑0).
• CLG Annual Report – Reviewed and commented; staff will incorporate suggestions before the April deadline.
• Sacramento Valley Station Master Plan – Comments received; the project team will continue design development and will seek public input via the project website (www.sacramentovalleystation.org) through January 29, 2020.
• Director’s Report – Noted that Commissioner Caru Bounds has termed out and will continue serving until a replacement with landscape/planning background is found; Commissioners Valania and Miller terms expire but they may reapply. Staff reported progress on the General Plan update, historic district plan training, and ongoing discussions with the school district regarding deferred maintenance at a historic property.

No public comments were made on matters not on the agenda.