The meeting covered two major agenda items: a request to rescind the city landmark designation for the Southern Pacific Switching Tower at 725 Chestnut Street (destroyed by fire and removed), and an application for landmark designation and a Mills Act contract for 647 South 6th Street, a Neoclassical Revival house designed by Wolf and Mackenzie. Commissioners also heard public comments about the proposed closure of the California Room at the San Jose Public Library and updates on historic preservation month events.
That's the way you go. Should I go? Yeah. All right. Welcome to the historic landmark commission meeting. Following roll call during summary of hearing procedure and we'll review how the public may provide comment during today's session. I'm going to start with roll call. Um, Chair Royer, absent today. Um, Chair Vice Chair Gondright present. Uh, Commissioner Arnold. She's absent today. Commissioner Bainlaw. Commissioner Caluso. Present. Commissioner Cohen. Yes, maybe. Commissioner Kagura. Present. Okay. Uh, the procedures for this hearing are as follows. After the staff report, applicants and opponents may take may make a five-minute presentation. Um, if you wish to speak on an item, complete a card and place it in the speaker card box or bring your card to uh historic preservation officer Edwards. When I receive your speaker call card, I will call you forward. Each speaker will be given up to two minutes for public testimony, and speakers using a translator will have up to four minutes. At this discretion of the chair, the time allotted to each speaker may be changed depending on the number of items on the agenda, 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. Of the speakers, response to commissioner questions will not reduce the speakers' time allowance. The public will then be 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 staff questions, and discuss the item. If a commissioner would like a topic to be addressed under one of the good and welfare items, please contact planning staff in advance of the commission meeting. So that maybe it's too late. Um I really need to read the rest of the two paragraphs. Yeah, right. So California Public Records Request Act. Okay. 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 email by emailing planning support staff at San Jose CA.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 and 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 commissioners or staff. All members of the historic landmarks commission staff and public are expected to refrain from abuse of language, repeated failure to comply with this code of conduct, which will disturb disrupt or impede the orderly conduct of this meeting, may result in removal from the meeting. This meeting of the historic landmarks commission will now come to order. Okay. All right, the first item is deferrals. Um there's no items. The second item is consent calendar. Once again, no items. The third item is public hearings. I understand we're we're gonna be taking it out of order and starting with item B, which is HL26001 application for rescission of city landmark designation for southern Pacific Switching Tower Building and site at 725 Chestnut Street to reflect existing conditions as the structure was destroyed by fire and is no longer extant. Uh Union Pacific Railroad Company Owner, Council District 6.