County of Monterey - File #: PAR 23-026

• File #: PAR 23-026
• Name: Preliminary Response to Referral No. 2023.17 - Safeguard and Maintain Historic Buildings
• Type: Preliminary Analysis Report
• Status: Received
• File created: 9/1/2023
• In control: Board of Supervisors
• On agenda: 9/12/2023
• Title: Safeguard and Maintain Historic Buildings Receive a report responding to referral number 2023.17 (Adams) regarding preparation of an ordinance making it unlawful for any person to cause, or cause others to damage a structure that has been listed as an historic resource, and provide direction to staff. Location: County-wide Proposed CEQA action: Find this response is not a project as defined in Section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines.

Date	Action By	Action	Result
9/12/2023	Board of Supervisors

Title
Safeguard and Maintain Historic Buildings
Receive a report responding to referral number 2023.17 (Adams) regarding preparation of an ordinance making it unlawful for any person to cause, or cause others to damage a structure that has been listed as an historic resource, and provide direction to staff.
Location: County-wide
Proposed CEQA action: Find this response is not a project as defined in Section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Find that the preliminary response to the Board referral is not a project as defined in section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines;
b. Receive a report on safeguards for historic resources;
c. Provide direction to staff.

SUMMARY:
On July 25, 2023, Supervisor Adams submitted a referral requesting a report to the Board of Supervisors regarding preparation of an ordinance that would protect historic resources in Monterey County unincorporated areas. The referral recognizes that the County does not have effective regulations safeguarding historic resources and requests that the Housing & Community Development (HCD) prepare an ordinance that would allow the County to withhold building and demolition permits until the property is restored to historic status. Additionally, any person, including the owner, who is found guilty of damaging a historic building or who fails to secure a historic building would incur fines and/or criminal charges. This report is intended to provide a preliminary response to the referral and to solicit direction form the Board on this matter.

Currently, Historic Preservation Regulations are contained in Chapter 18.25 of the County Code (Attachment A). Updates to these regulations are directed by Policy PS-12.1 of the 2010 General Plan. The General Plan policy states "The historic preservation plan and a historic preservation ordinance shall be updated and implemented to maintain the necessary tools to protect the County's cultural resources....