The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About061620-05.08 ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF REPORT 5.8 TO: Mayor and Town Council June 16, 2020 SUBJECT: Resolution No. 18-2020, designating the Fazzio/Fisher House as a Danville Heritage Resource and approving a Historic Preservation Incentive Package for the historic structure located at 342 Railroad Avenue BACKGROUND On March 26, 2019, the Danville Planning Commission and Heritage Resource Commission approved Development Plan DEV18-0016 allowing the renovation of the existing 988 square foot historic building and the construction of a new 2,604 square foot two-story building at the rear of the site located at 342 Railroad Avenue, known as the Fazzio/Fisher House. In addition, the Heritage Resource Commission approved a resolution recommending the Town Council designate the historic structure as a Danville Heritage Resource and approve a Historic Preservation Incentive Package for the project. DISCUSSION Historic Significance The existing structure on the site is not currently a designated heritage resource but is listed as a potential resource on the Town’s Survey of Historically Significant Resources. The historic report that was prepared as part of the subject development application confirmed that the structure meets the requirements to become a Designated Heritage Resource. The structures’ history includes: 1. The structure is believed to have been built in 1941. 2. The structure was built by Joe Foster Jr., a prolific builder responsible for the construction of several craftsman style houses along Hartz Avenue and East Prospect Avenue. 3. The building is representative of a particular architectural style and/or reflects special elements of a distinct historical period, type, style or way of life that is important to the Town. Preservation Incentives 2 June 16, 2020 342 Railroad Avenue Preservation Incentives The Town’s Historic Preservation Ordinance states that “In order to more effectively and equitably achieve the purposes of this section, the Town may offer incentives to the owners of heritage resources and contributing properties in a historic district in order to support the preservation, maintenance and appropriate rehabilitation of those resources. Preservation incentives shall be considered on a case-by-case basis and may include economic assistance, relaxation of otherwise applicable development standards or use restrictions.” The recommended preservation incentives are contained in Resolution No. 18-2020. The key components of the incentive package are comparable to preservation incentives granted for the 120 West Linda Mesa, Shuey/Podva, Mason, Cabral, James Root, Vecki, and 160 East Prospect heritage resources and are summarized as follows: • Fee waivers - These are fees that the Town would have otherwise collected, including: Child Care Facility fees ($651); Commercial Transportation Improvement Program (CTIP) fees ($11,718); and building permit fees associated with the historic building renovation (approximately $2,000). As recommended, off-site parking in-lieu fees would be waived for the parking demand associated with office use for the new building, which would total approximately $144,019, based on the current fee schedule. Should the applicant desire a land use with a higher parking demand, such as a restaurant, then the applicant would be required to pay the parking in-lieu fees in effect at the time of the establishment of the use to cover the increased parking demand. Currently, the fee for non-retail uses is set at $15,555 per parking space. • Mills Act Contract (property tax reduction opportunities). • Application of the Historic Building Code. • Assistance to the owner in efforts to apply for preservation grants or aid. • Relaxation of ground floor land use restrictions for the new building only. This would allow land uses in addition to retail and restaurant, such as office. The Town feels that the new building to the rear of the site would not be conducive to retail or restaurant uses. The total amount of the proposed fee waivers is approximately $158,388. As a comparison, the Historic Preservation Incentive Package that was approved for the development at 120 West Linda Mesa (Austin Root House) was approximately $180,814 Preservation Incentives 3 June 16, 2020 342 Railroad Avenue (corrected for the subsequent increase of the off-site parking in-lieu fee from $7,000 to $15,555 per space for non-retail uses). In addition, the fee waivers that were approved for 90 Railroad Avenue (James Root House) would have been approximately $210,000 (corrected for the current parking in-lieu fee amounts). PUBLIC CONTACT Public notification was mailed to all property owners within 750 feet. Posting of the meeting agenda serves as notice to the general public. FISCAL IMPACT The recommended preservation incentives include provisions for waiving a total of approximately $158,388 in revenue that otherwise would have been collected by the Town. RECOMMENDATION Adopt Resolution No. 18-2020, designating the Fazzio/Fisher House as a Danville Heritage Resource and approving a Historic Preservation Incentive Package for the historic structure located at 342 Railroad Avenue. Prepared by: David Crompton Principal Planner Reviewed by: Tai J. Williams Assistant Town Manager Attachment: Resolution No. 18-2020 RESOLUTION NO. 18-2020 DESIGNATING THE FAZZIO/FISHER HOUSE AS A DANVILLE HERITAGE RESOURCE AND APPROVING A HISTORIC PRESERVATION INCENTIVE PACKAGE FOR THE HISTORIC STRUCTURE LOCATED AT 342 RAILROAD AVENUE WHEREAS, Todd Fitch is the owner of the property located at 342 Railroad Avenue (APN: 208-025-006); and WHEREAS, the property owner is requesting that the historic structure located at 342 Railroad Avenue, also known as the Fazzio/Fisher House, be designated as a Heritage Resource; and WHEREAS, the property owner is also requesting approval of a Historic Preservation Incentive Package; and WHEREAS, Chapter 32-72 of the Danville Municipal Code (Historic Preservation) requires the Heritage Resource Commission review and recommend approval of a Heritage Resource Designation and a Historic Preservation Incentive Package for Town Council review; and WHEREAS, on March 26, 2019, the property owner received approval of a Development Plan request DEV18-0016 allowing the renovation of the existing 988 square foot historic building and the construction of a new 2,604 square foot two-story building at the rear of the site; and WHEREAS, on May 13, 2019, the Town’s Heritage Resource Commission adopted Heritage Resource Resolution No. 2019-05 recommending that the Town Council approve the request; and WHEREAS, Section 32-72 of the Danville Municipal Code (Historic Preservation) establishes criteria for designation of a Heritage Resource; and WHEREAS, the history of the Fazzio/Fisher House includes the following: 1. The structure is believed to have been built in 1941. 2. The structure was built by Joe Foster Jr., a prolific builder responsible for the construction of several craftsman style houses along Hartz Avenue and East Prospect Avenue. DocuSign Envelope ID: A773E80B-F72F-48C9-9EB6-2CA2A3BF0F21 PAGE 2 OF RESOLUTION NO. 18-2020 3. The building is representative of a particular architectural style and/or reflects special elements of a distinct historical period, type, style or way of life that is important to the Town. WHEREAS, the property owner is requesting a Historic Preservation Incentive Package related to the Development Plan approval and the preservation and restoration of the historic structure on the site; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the Danville Town Council designates the Fazzio/Fisher House as a Town of Danville Heritage Resource and grants a Historic Preservation Incentive Package for 342 Railroad Avenue that includes the following: 1. Commitment by the Town to assist the developer in any efforts they undertake to obtain Federal and/or State historic preservation grants and/or aid. 2. Authorizes the Town Manager, on behalf of the Town, to enter into and execute a Mills Act Contract with the property owner, potentially providing for a reduction in property taxes associated with the historic building. 3. Authorizes application of the provisions of the Historic Building Code to work involving the historic building. 4. Provision of Heritage Resource identification plaques for the building. 5. Expands the range of uses allowed for the new ground floor space in the new building to allow service commercial, service office, and professional offices, in addition to the allowable uses allowed under the site’s DBD Area 1 zoning district. The existing historic building is not authorized for expanded uses. 6. Waives all Town off-site parking in-lieu fees associated with the creation of an additional off-site parking demand of 11 spaces as a result of this project. This parking demand is determined assuming retail use of the new ground floor and office use of the second floor. If uses with a higher parking demand occupy any portion of the site, as calculated per the Municipal Code (e.g., restaurant uses or personal service uses on the second floor), the applicant shall make payment to the Town of an in-lieu parking fee in the amount of $15,555 (or the amount of the payment in effect at the time of the establishment of the use) for each additional one parking space needed. The off-site parking in-lieu fee to be waived has been preliminarily estimated to be $144,019. DocuSign Envelope ID: A773E80B-F72F-48C9-9EB6-2CA2A3BF0F21 PAGE 3 OF RESOLUTION NO. 18-2020 7. Waives all other Town-controlled fees (except plan check fees where outside plan check consultant review services are utilized) associated with the issuance of building permits for the historic building, including the Town’s Child Care fee ($651), Commercial Transportation Improvement Program fee (CTIP) ($11,718), and building permit fees associated with the historic building renovation (approximately $2,000). 8. Inclusion of 342 Railroad Avenue in all marketing plans and public information brochures developed and maintained by the Town of Danville to increase public awareness of the Town’s Historic Preservation Program. APPROVED by the Danville Town Council at a special meeting on June 16, 2020, by the following vote: AYES: NOES: ABSTAINED: ABSENT: MAYOR APPROVED AS TO FORM: ATTEST: CITY ATTORNEY CITY CLERK DocuSign Envelope ID: A773E80B-F72F-48C9-9EB6-2CA2A3BF0F21