Goleta is calling for comments from community members with regards to the city’s first Historic and Cultural Resource Preservation Ordinance.
Having historic preservation standards and process has been a goal of the city since the General Plan adoption in 2006. The purpose of the ordinance is for the recognition and preservation of resources that reflect the cultural, historical and architectural heritage of Goleta.
Adoption of the ordinance will provide the city with a process by which to designate historic resources, have regulations regarding changes to such resources, and have tools to encourage preservation.
The general public mostly likely will not be impacted as there are only a handful of sites (about 60 out of some 11,000 in the city) that have been identified as being eligible for designation as a historic resource.
As proposed in the draft regulations, properties already listed in the National Register of Historic Places or the California Register of Historical Resources, or were previously designated by Santa Barbara County as a historic landmark, would automatically be designated as a Goleta historic landmark.
All other individual properties identified as potentially eligible for designation would be placed on an inventory list and would have to undergo the designation process to be formally designated.
The ordinance also proposes establishment of a Historic Preservation Commission (HPC), which would be an advisory body to the City Council regarding designation of historic properties and Mills Act contracts.
The HPC would also be an advisory body to the Design Review Board on proposed exterior modifications to designated historic structures through the normal design review process.
The first of likely several hearings on the proposed provisions will occur at the Planning Commission on Dec. 14. The Planning Commission will start discussing the Historic Resource provisions and the proposed Historic Inventory List, and will continue the hearing to Jan. 25 to discuss Cultural Resource provisions.
An agenda will be available shortly at www.CityofGoleta.org/GoletaMeetings. Public participation is important to know if what is drafted is an appropriate reflection of what the community wants.
Send feedback or questions to planning manager Lisa Prasse at lprasse@cityofgoleta.org. Comments can be sent before, during or after the Planning Commission meeting. Learn more about the Historic and Cultural Resource Preservation Ordinance here. Sign up for updates on this topic here.