Sacramento Preservation Commission Meeting Summary - August 16, 2023
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Sacramento Preservation Commission Meeting Summary - August 16, 2023
The Sacramento Preservation Commission held its regular meeting on Wednesday, August 16, 2023, starting at 5:32 PM and adjourning at 6:24 PM. The meeting was called to order by Chair Max McSlavkin, with a quorum present. All five present commissioners voted unanimously on each item. Commissioner Margo Nayyar was absent. Key actions included approving the consent calendar, recommending landmark designation for the Alden Anderson House with amended criteria, and recommending acceptance of the African American Experience Project findings.
Consent Calendar
- Item 1: Approval of Meeting Minutes – The commission unanimously approved the minutes of the June 21, 2023 meeting. Motion by Commissioner Montemayor, seconded by Vice Chair Root. Vote: 5-0.
Public Hearings
- Item 2: Ordinance Listing 1230 45th Street (Alden Anderson House) as a Landmark – Staff presented the nomination, highlighting the property's significance under criteria 2 (association with Alden Anderson, a former Lieutenant Governor and developer), criteria 3 (notable architect Harry Devine Sr.), and criteria 4 (French Eclectic architectural style). During discussion, commissioners raised concerns about the historical significance of Alden Anderson and the appropriateness of listing based on that criterion. Commissioner Montemayor suggested removing criterion 2 to focus on the architectural merits. The commission voted to approve the ordinance with criterion 2 removed, recommending the City Council adopt the landmark designation. Motion by Commissioner Root, seconded by Chair McSlavkin. Vote: 5-0.
Discussion Calendar
- Item 3: African American Experience History Project Final Draft Historic Context and Historic Building Survey Findings – Staff, led by Preservation Director Sean deCourcy, presented the final draft of the historic context statement and survey findings. The project was funded by a $50,000 grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and was a response to the deaths of Stephon Clark and George Floyd. Over 41 oral histories were collected, and 53 historic resources were identified. Of these, 12 are recommended as eligible for the Sacramento Register, and 11 are already listed on local, state, or national registers. The project also provided $10,000 in community stipends with support from Preservation Sacramento. The commission voted to recommend the City Council accept the report and findings. Motion by Chair McSlavkin, seconded by Commissioner Montemayor. Vote: 5-0.
Director's Report
- Sean deCourcy reported on ongoing efforts, including:
- Continued outreach for the Southland Park Hills Historic District.
- Approval of the Sacramento Shops Historic District amendments by the City Council (effective in 30 days).
- Four Mills Act contracts to be recommended to the City Council next month.
- The upcoming LGBTQ+ grant from the State Office of Historic Preservation.
- The Montgomery Way Gateway Historic District has been recommended for listing on the National Register, despite 30% owner opposition (less than the required 51% to block listing).
Commissioner Comments & Questions
- Commissioner Merker acknowledged the earlier discussion on landmark naming and expressed a commitment to conduct additional research on historical figures to avoid celebratory naming of individuals whose legacies may be problematic.
Public Comments – Matters Not on the Agenda
- None.
Key Outcomes
- Approved the consent calendar (minutes) unanimously.
- Recommended the City Council adopt an ordinance listing the Alden Anderson House as a landmark, removing the significance-of-individual criterion (criterion 2) while retaining the architectural criteria.
- Recommended the City Council accept the African American Experience Historic Context Statement and Survey Findings unanimously.
- Directed staff to consider additional research on Alden Anderson for future educational purposes.
- Noted the upcoming submission of an RFP for the LGBTQ+ grant and ongoing outreach for historic district designations.
Meeting Transcript
Chair staff is ready when you are. Commission meeting. The meeting is now called to order. Will the clerk please call the roll to establish a quorum? Thank you, Chair. Commissioner Merker. Commissioner Root. Here. Commissioner Burns. Here. Commissioner Nayar is absent. Commissioner Montamayor? Here. And Chair McSlavkin. Here. Thank you. We have quorum. Great. Thank you. I would like to remind members of the public and chambers that if you would like to speak on an agenda item, please turn in a speaker slip when the item begins. For members of the public who wish to join virtually, please refer to the agenda for the Zoom link. Once you have joined the meeting and wish to speak, raise your hand to provide public comment when the chair confirms the public comment speaking period for your desired item. If you are online, click on the raise hand on the bottom of your screen. In the mobile app, you can raise your hand by tapping the raise hand option in the more tab. And if you are calling in via telephone to raise your hand, dial star nine. Then to unmute or mute, dial star six. Speakers will be called on by the last four digits of their phone number. You will have two minutes to speak once you are called on. After the first speaker, we will no longer accept speaker slips, and the raise hand feature in Zoom will be disabled. We will now proceed with today's agenda, starting with the land acknowledgement from me because I forgot to ask anybody if they wanted to do it. So it's my turn. Please rise. To the original people of this land, the Nissanan people, the Southern Maidu, Valley and Plains Miwok, Patwinwintu peoples, and the people of the Wilton Rancheria, Sacramento's only federally recognized tribe. May we acknowledge and honor the native people who came before us and still walk beside us today on these ancestral lands by choosing to gather today in the active practice of acknowledgement and appreciation for Sacramento's indigenous peoples history, contributions, and lives. Thank you. Please remain standing for for the Pledge of Allegiance allegiance from Vice Chair Root. I pledge allegiance to the flag for the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Please take a seat. Absolutely. Thank you very much. Very pleased to be here and serve the community. I have some experience with Sacramento Heritage, uh, another uh uh board from the past in the city, and uh looking forward to serving on this commissioner. Great, thanks so much. Great to have you. Our first business item today is the consent on the consent consent calendar. I'm sorry, I don't know what's going on. Approval of the preservation commission meeting minutes. Clerk, are there any members of the public who wish to speak on this item?
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