Title
Ordinance Listing 1950 Arden Way (Home Savings and Loan Building) as a Landmark on the Sacramento Register of Historic and Cultural Resources (M23-011) [Pass for Publication 08/13/2024; Published 08/16/2024; Noticed XX/XX/2024]
End
FileID
File ID: 2024-00597
End
Location
Location: 1950 Arden Way (277-0271-007-0000), District 2, Represented by Mayor Steinberg
End
Recommendation
Recommendation: Conduct a public hearing and upon conclusion: 1) pass a Motion determining the listing of 1950 Arden Way (Home Savings and Loan Building) as a landmark on the Sacramento Register of Historical and Cultural Resources is exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15308, which exempts actions taken to assure the maintenance, restoration, enhancement, or protection of the environment and where the regulatory process involves procedures for the protection of the environment; and 2) adopt an Ordinance listing the Home Savings and Loan Building as a landmark on the Sacramento Register of Historic and Cultural Resources.
End
Contact
Contact: Sean de Courcy, Preservation Director, (916) 808-2796, sdecourcy@cityofsacramento.org, Community Development Department
End
Presenter
Presenter: Ella Cross, Historic Preservation Intern, ecross@cityofsacramento.org; and Henry Feuss, Assistant Preservation Planner, (916) 808-5880, hfeuss@cityofsacramento.org, Community Development Department
End
Attachments
Attachments:
1- Description/Analysis
2- Background
3- Ordinance
4- Historic Evaluation
5- Public Comment Letters
End
Description/Analysis
IssueDetail
Issue Detail: In August 2023, the owners of the Home Savings and Loan Building at 1950 Arden Way approached the City regarding a proposal to demolish the building and replace it with drive-through restaurants. At the request of the Preservation Director, the property owner retained the services of Dudek to evaluate the Home Savings and Loan Building at 1950 Arden Way (found in Attachment 5). The historical evaluation concluded the property lacked sufficient historic significance necessary for listing as a historical resource on the Sacramento Register of Historic and Cultural Resources (Sacramento Register), the California Register of Historical Resources (CRHR), or the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). This evaluation was circulated to neighborhood and interest groups, and to certain experts with knowledge of this period of architecture and the company that built the building at 1950 Arden Way. In response to the Dudek evaluation, staff received comments from Preservation Sacramento, Sacramento Modern, Vintage Arden Arcade, and Adam Arenson, Professor and Chair of History at Manhattan College and an art scholar and expert on Millard Sheets, the artist who designed the building.
These comment letters provided substantial new information not included in the Dudek evaluation, leading the Preservation Director to question the findings presented in the Dudek report and directed preservation staff to research the property further and if justified, prepare their own historic evaluation of the building and Statement of Nomination. After review of the background research, staff presented a Statement of Nomination to the Preservation Director, at a public hearing on January 4, 2024, which concluded that the property appears eligible for listing in the Sacramento register pursuant to the criteria provided in Sacramento City Code section 17.604.210.A.1.iii, iv and v, and the Preservation Director concurred with Staff’s recommendation of the building’s eligibility. The Preservation Director then directed staff to draft an Ordinance (Attachment 2) for review by the Preservation Commission, who reviewed the Ordinance on February 21st, 2024, and made a recommendation to the City Council to list 1950 Arden Way on the Sacramento Register under criteria iii. iv, and v.
End
PolicyConsideration
Policy Considerations: The City has an interest in maintaining the relevance and integrity of the Sacramento register and ensuring that properties listed on the Register meet the criteria for listing specified in City Code sections 17.604.210 and 17.604.220. To this end, City Code directs the Preservation Director, to “make preliminary determinations relative to properties’ eligibility for listing on the Sacramento register” and to “initiate proceedings to nominate resources for listing on the Sacramento register” (Pursuant to City Code sections 17.604.100.C.2 and 17.604.220.).
The nomination of 1950 Arden Way for listing as a landmark on the Sacramento Register is consistent with Sacramento 2040 General Plan goal HCR-2.3, which provides for the identification and preservation of historical and cultural resources. General Plan policy HCR-2.3 states, “The City shall maintain and update the Sacramento Register of Historic and Cultural Resources on a regular basis, including proactively identifying and listing additional unidentified landmarks and historic districts...”
End
EconomicImpacts
Economic Impacts: Not applicable.
End
EnvironmentalConsiderations
Environmental Considerations: The listing of 1950 Arden Way as a historic landmark on the Sacramento register is exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15308. Section 15308 exempts from review acts that are undertaken to assure the maintenance, restoration, enhancement, or protection of the environment where the regulatory process involves procedures for protection of the environment. Listing the property as a historic landmark would ensure that future development on the site would undergo preservation review, as part of the city’s site plan and design review process, prior to the granting of any entitlements, thereby protecting the historic resource, which would be considered part of the environment.
End
Sustainability
Sustainability: Not applicable.
End
Commission/Committee Action
Commission/Committee Action: On January 4, 2024, the City of Sacramento’s Preservation Director, in conformance with Section 17.604.220 of the City Code, held a public hearing, reviewed the historic analysis prepared by staff (Attachment 4) and concurred with a draft statement of nomination and directed staff to prepare a draft Ordinance (Attachment 3) for review and consideration by the Preservation Commission. On February 21, 2024, the Preservation Commission held a public hearing and reviewed a draft ordinance and passed a motion recommending City Council list 1950 Arden Way on the Sacramento Register of Historic and Cultural Resources as a landmark.
End
RationaleforRecommendation
Rationale for Recommendation: Listing of 1950 Arden Way (Figure 1) as a landmark on the Sacramento Register is consistent with the Historic Preservation Chapter (17.604) of the City Code and the goals of the 2040 General Plan. Listing the nominated resource on the Sacramento register will help ensure its preservation and encourage rehabilitation consistent with the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. Additional information can be found in the Background Section below.
End
Figure 1: Home Savings and Loan Building at 1950 Arden Way
FinancialConsiderations
Financial Considerations: Not applicable.
End
LocaBusinessEnterprise
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
End