San Jose Historic Landmarks Commission Meeting - April 7, 2025
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San Jose Historic Landmarks Commission Meeting - April 7, 2025
The San Jose Historic Landmarks Commission (HLC) met on April 7, 2025, to discuss several general business items, including the Certified Local Government (CLG) report for 2023–2024, the creation of a hardship advisory committee, and signage for historic districts. The meeting also included public comments and updates on preservation efforts.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Ben Leach (Preservation Action Council San Jose) spoke on the need for standardized hardship application criteria, referencing a 2022 letter and noting that hardship is a constitutional requirement for preservation regulation. He supported a subcommittee to evaluate hardship applications independently of other design issues.
- Mike Sodigrid emphasized the importance of design objectives in hardship cases and suggested that a hardship committee should review projects upfront to anticipate financial challenges.
- Kay Guttneck (Shiley Subdivision, Alameda Park Historic District) presented on the need for signage in historic districts, noting a lack of city standards and process. She requested assistance in installing street signs with historic district designations.
- Mike (unaffiliated) commented on the digital signage ordinance, initiating a request to landmark the Center for Performing Arts, and raised concerns about proposed demolitions at San Jose State University (music and science buildings). He also mentioned working on surety bonds for preservation.
Discussion Items
- CLG Report (2023–2024): Staff presented the annual report covering October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024. Commissioners praised the report and noted accomplishments: four designations (including one landmark district), three historic resource surveys, and 27 HRI editions. The report was accepted unanimously.
- Adaptive Reuse Incentive Committee: Discussion was deferred to the next meeting to allow absent Commissioner Galandari to participate. The committee aims to explore adaptive reuse strategies to save historic buildings.
- Hardship Committee: Extensive discussion on creating a committee to develop criteria for evaluating hardship applications. Commissioners noted the lack of clear guidelines following recent cases (e.g., Herald Building). Ben Leach and Mike Sodigrid provided public testimony. The commission voted to establish an advisory committee (with public participation allowed) to research and develop hardship criteria. Commissioners Royer, Cohen, and Bainowal volunteered to serve on the advisory committee.
- Historic District Signage: Kay Guttneck presented challenges in obtaining signage for the Shiley Subdivision historic district. Commissioners discussed the need for a clear process with the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Office of Economic Development. A motion passed (6–0–1) supporting a clear, publicized process for adding historic signage to existing street signs.
Key Outcomes
- CLG Report Accepted (6–0–1): Motion to accept the Certified Local Government annual report for 2023–2024.
- Adaptive Reuse Committee Deferred (unanimous): Deferred to the next meeting to allow full commission participation.
- Hardship Advisory Committee Established (6–0–1): Motion to create an advisory committee to develop hardship criteria; members: Commissioners Royer, Cohen, and Bainowal.
- Signage Process Motion Passed (6–0–1): HLC supports a clear process for the public to work with DOT to add historic signage to street signs and publicize it.
- February Meeting Minutes Approved (6–0–1).
- Next Meeting: Scheduled for April 2, 2025 (noted as next meeting in transcript).
Meeting Transcript
Yeah. I'd like to welcome everyone to our historic landmarks commission meeting. Following roll call during our summary of hearing procedure, we will review how the public may provide comment to today's session. Um Commissioner Galandari, I believe is absent. Commissioner Cohen. Here. Commissioner Camuso. Here. Commissioner Bainowal. Here. Commissioner Arnold. President. Vice Chair Royer. Present. And Chair Baim, I'm here. And we have a special guest, and I'd like to introduce her now. Karina is from Councilmember Mulkehy's office. To be here with you all, sorry. Just hoping it worked. Yeah. I just wanted to let you know that we've kind of done a new setup here for the liaison. Yeah. Um, so when council member Mulkaney was is here. We have a separate one that says Mike Mulkaney on it. Um, so they'll they can they'll be sitting here if that's um comfortable for them. We haven't had this before, so we're just sort of figuring out what's the best best way to okay. Yeah, wonderful. We're very happy that you're joining us. Thank you for having me. The procedure for the hearing is as follows. After the staff report, applicants and appellants may make a five-minute preserve presentation. If you wish to speak on an item, complete a card. Do you have a card? Um, and place it uh on the eight HPO's Peak Edwards uh desk or give it to her to Dana. And when she gives me your speaker card, I will call you forward. Each speaker will be given up to two minutes for public testimony, and a speaker using a translator will have up to four minutes at the discretion of the chair. The time allotted to each speaker may be changed depending on the number of items on the agenda, the number of speakers, and other factors. Speakers using a translator will have double the time allotted. After the public testimony, the applicant may make closing remarks for up to an additional five minutes. May ask questions of the speakers. Response to the commissioner questions will not reduce the speaker's time allowance. The public hearing will then be closed and the historic landmarks commission will take action on the item. The commission may request staff to respond to the public testimony, ask questions, or discuss the item. If a commissioner would like a topic to be addressed under the one one of the good and welfare items, please contact planning staff in advance of the commission meeting. All public records relating to an open session item on this agenda, which are not exempt from disclosure pursuant to the California Public Records Act that are distributed to a majority of the legislative body will be available for public by emailing planning support staff at San Jose California.gov at the same time that the public records are distributed or made available to the legislative body. Before we begin, I want to remind the historic landmarks commission members and members of the public to follow our code of conduct at meetings. This includes commenting on the specific agenda item only and addressing the full body. Public speakers will not engage in a conversation with the staff commissioners or staff. All members of the Historic Landmarks Commission, staff, and the public are expected to refrain from abusive language. Repeated failure to comply with the code of conduct, which will disturb, disrupt, or impede the orderly conduct of this meeting, may result in removal from the meeting.
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