Historical & Landmarks Commission - Regular Meeting

Is 60602. I would now call to order the historical and landmarks commission meeting of 08/07/2025 at 06:02PM. We'll start a roll call. Vice chair Mark Farga

Smith? Here.

Commissioner Romano? Here. Commissioner Soso? Here. Commissioner Stocks? Here. And we welcome commissioner Farshney.

Yeah.

Thank you. And I get received a note from commissioner Insiarte, will not be able to make it tonight. Do I have a motion to excuse her absence?

Move to excuse her.

Thank you. Do I have a second? Second by commissioner Stocks. Those who are in favor, say aye. Aye. Aye. Those who oppose? Abstain. Unanimous of one absence. Yvonne is excused.

Next item we have is continuances and exceptions. This part of the meeting allows for applicants, members of the public, or other interested party to request an item to be continued without hearing or withdrawn or taken out of order. Are there any requests applicants are there any requests from applicants, the public, or the commission for continuance or exception for any of the items that is on tonight's agenda. I think we only have two items. Okay.

Being none, there is actually announcement I have is that the historical and landmarks commission has seven members. Whenever a full commission is not present, like, today, applicants have the option to continue the item to another meeting. So the next item we have is consent calendar. The procedure for a consent calendar is as follows. A consent calendar item may be enacted, approved, or adopted by one motion unless requested to be removed by anyone for discussion or explanation.

If any member of the historical and landmarks commission staff, the applicant, or a member of the public wishes to comment on a consent calendar item I would like the item to be heard on a regular agenda and make this request now. The items listed on the consent calendar with associate file numbers constitute a public hearing item. We only have one item on today's consent calendar. It is our meeting minutes from 06/05/2025. You do have the option to abstain from this if you were not present at that meeting.

So we will we may have to roll call this one because I think some folks weren't there in the last meeting. Right? I don't think we have enough votes to pass this one.

Yeah. Let's continue this to our September meeting.

Okay. I think that's fine. I would ask to just continue this item because we don't have, four people who are present at that meeting at this meeting to vote on the minutes. Okay.

Do you need a motion for that, or can you do the motion?

Or We

can just make a simple request on here because that's, as part of the procedures that we can just pull it for

Okay.

A reschedule. Yep.

Cool.

And then the next section we have is for public presentations. This is a section where anyone can address the commission on items that are not on the agenda tonight. We do ask, to make ask you to make any comments brief. We are not able to enact on any items that are brought up during this segment. So are there any members of public or commissioners, anyone who would like to bring up an item for presentation?

I don't see any requests in chamber. I'm not seeing any hands on Zoom either, so I think we can move on from public presentation. Now we're on our regular public hearing on items. So we'll start with item two is the public hearing on the recommendation on a significant property alteration and architectural review on PLN 2500300 for a 441 square foot 1st Floor addition and 800 18 square foot basement addition to existing single story residence resulting in a 2,307 square foot residence in the on the historic resource inventory with five bathrooms located at 21 No. 4120 Bassett Street.

So I'm a turn this over to staff.

Thank you, chair Long. I'll be presenting this item for Daniel. He's not able to be present tonight. Thank you. So before I get started, I just wanna say this likely looks familiar to many of you. This project was reviewed by the HLC in May 2023. Since then, the entitlement has expired, and the property was sold. And so my understanding is the new owner wants to reentitle the exact same project. And so I'll just give you a brief reminder, and then you can discuss it. And I believe the applicant is present as well.

So the existing site, as you say stated, is on Bassett Street. It's surrounded by other single family residences, and there are quite a few other HRI listed properties in the surrounding block. There are five.

This is the I believe this is

the proposed elevation. He didn't label this. Okay. But let's look at the demo and the new site plan. So as you stated when you read the project description, they're proposing kind of three elements.

First is digging out the basement to create an ADU, doing an addition off the back of the house, and then putting dormers in the attic so they can use that as living space. So here is the new attic lounge on your left hand side, and you can see where the dormers pop out to provide headspace. Then the middle is the basement floor plan. So, again, they're digging that out further to create an accessory dwelling unit. And then the main residence, they are adding onto the rear of the property.

So here is the new front elevation compared to the existing, and you can see toward the rear of the house, you do see those dormers kind of popping up behind the main pitch of the existing roof. And then here is the rear. Project includes an addition and also demo of that kind of deck staircase, and they're creating a new staircase and deck area as well. Here is the north side elevations. You can kind of see the the dormer as well as that rear addition.

The the dormer on the existing attic and then the rear addition. Same on our south side elevation. So as part of your packet, and this was also included in when you reviewed this in 2023, Laurie Garcia did prepare an SIS review of the project. She confirmed the project aligned with the secretary of the interior standards for rehabilitation and would the addition would be allowing a modern use of this historic property while retaining all the historic features. There there is a preservation plan prepared that's included in the plan set.

It's a detailed treatment plan, and it's gonna guide the construction professionals on the proper techniques for doing the addition and alteration and maintaining the existing materials. So this is an analysis of the consistency with the project with our design guidelines. So the rear addition allows them them to maintain the front facade entirely, so they're not making any changes in except for the front staircase they're reconstructing. And then the dormers on the new attic space are pushed back far enough that they're not making a significant alteration to how you perceive the property from the street. And they are including some angled bay windows on the south side elevation, which are compatible with kind of the style of the residence.

So this is considered categorically exempt from CEQA because it's a modification to a single family residence. And we are recommending that the historical and landmarks commission find that the proposed addition and interior modifications don't destroy or have a significant adverse effect on the resource, and we ask that the commission recommend approval to the development review hearing officer.

Thank you for our presentation. Are there any immediate questions to staff before I invite the applicant? Go ahead.

Conditions of approval compared to the 2023 to 2025, are they the same, or were there edits edits made to those?

They're the same, including adherence to that

what was it called?

Preservation plan that we have the treatment plan in the plan set.

Thank you.

Go ahead.

You said this came before the commission in 2023?

May 2023. Yes.

Do you have what our recommendation was then?

Yes. You the commission I'm not sure exactly who was sitting on the commission on that date, but it was recommended unanimous approval.

With no conditions?

No. I I looked at the minutes. There weren't any added conditions.

Okay. Thank you.

Yeah. I remember this one because it was Northside, and we had a long discussion about that.

Oh. Yeah. Okay.

And Amy was really happy because it was a Northside property.

Amy was what? Really happy because why?

Sad because it was a a property on the North Side.

Oh, yeah. Maybe I wasn't in that meeting. Oh, you might. I don't know. Okay.

I can check.

This is here. Any other questions before I invite them?

Yeah. I wasn't in that meeting. Yes.

I have questions. So when you say while preserving historic Can you detail on this thing, historic features?

So they're maintaining the entire front facade. They're not modifying that, the materials and the windows. So that's a primary concern when we're doing modification is that the house is still presenting the same from the street.

From all sides. Right, sir?

Yeah. But primarily from, like, the sidewalk from the street. Okay. Facing facade.

I have a question. Looking at these I guess it doesn't matter. South elevation is the picture I'm looking at. I I can't remember, and maybe I'm just not finding it. Is there a differentiation in siding for the addition or the bay window, which is not original to the house so that it's clear that that's an addition?

Yes. I believe the siding material, and we can double check with the applicant, is a different width to kinda differentiate it.

Mhmm.

And then, of course, the window will be, like, a more modern glass, I assume.

Okay. Alright. Thank you.

I was actually wondering about that too. Because when I was reviewing the development plans, it did state that the addition beyond where the sunroom is currently, which is gonna be, like, the new construction in the back of the house. They did mention that they're gonna be having that siding be slightly different in width to differentiate from the front of the house. But I also noticed on the development plans that they said for the bay windows on the south face, I think it is, that they're planning to reuse the shiplap siding from some other part of the house, maybe the sunroom area, and use that on the the bay windows. So that was a little confusing to me because I thought if they wanted to differentiate that to make it, you know, appear as though it's an addition and not part of the original construction, that by recycling some of the shiplap from the older original construction and using that on the bay windows would make it appear as though it was part of the original construction and then not, you know, differentiated from the rest of the original structure.

So it looks like on the notes on the plans that they're utilizing some of the old siding for trim around the windows, around the the the bottom of the bay windows. So I in my opinion, that's more like of a nod to the existing house versus, like, an attempt to make it look the same.

Okay. But it looks like the bay window is pretty big, and it looks like there is siding under the trim. So is that siding gonna be the same width as the rest of the siding on the original structure, or is that siding gonna be a different width? I mean, in in addition to the trim around both of the bay windows, there is siding around the new construction where it pops out on the sides and on the front face of the windows.

From the notes, it appears that that would be the new differentiated siding, and they're just using the salvage materials for the the window window trim or detailing.

Okay. That was just something I noticed. I just wanted to ask about it.

Yeah. I clarify. I just found it on page 27. Letter b, salvage removed materials for reuse by residents per new plan specs for materials to be removed from site.

So it

sounds like they can use it. I would just want that that that bay window be distinctive as new and not reuse siding material so that it's clear that that wasn't part of the original structure. I think it's beautiful, and it's great that they're doing that, but just needs a slight variation.

I agree.

I I understand that we're giving a little bit of contradictory opinion here because, like, we wanna salvage and reuse as much as possible. But I don't know. Like, with a bay window, we're we're treading into discussion territory. But it I think it would be hard for us to say, like, it is a recreation with the salvaged material, like, in that specific instance. And we could talk about

it when we get into that discussion. I have a couple thoughts.

So, anyway, do we have any more kinda, like, technical questions for staff before I invite the applicant?

Yeah. One other thing that I noticed on the technical specs sheet, the numbers are like, they seem off. I don't know where how they're getting arriving at the numbers that are listed there.

You mean, like, they're not matching the corresponding item on the plan?

Yes. Okay. Yeah. It should has the individual numbers, and then it adds up, you know, the total space. And I tried different ways to add up the numbers, and nothing seems to add up.

And then also on the technical spec sheet, it only shows a difference of something like 700 square feet between the original structure and the renovated structure. But then even in Lori Garcia's DPR, that thing, you know, that she wrote, she said it would be an addition of an additional 1,700 some square feet to the original structure. So the numbers in that technical sheet, the PDF attached to the agenda item, they seem they seem to be off.

Yeah. We got this comment. I think it's I believe you're talking about the data sheet that's attached to the staff report.

Yeah.

I think Lori was probably counting some of the uncovered spaces that we don't consider living space, such as the new rear deck.

Mhmm.

So I think that might account for some of the differences.

Well,

yeah, it's not an undercount or it's not an overcount. It's it's an undercount. So I'm not looking at the document right now. But when I added up all the numbers, it was 3,677 square feet, you know, including the garage and all that. And I think their numbers are 2,600 or something.

They're just really they're really off. Like, I don't know how they arrived at those numbers. They must have been, you know, doing something to arrive at them. But based on the information that I have seen in other, you know, documents regarding this development, both the original structure and I think the original structure also and the renovated structure, the figures in that datasheet just don't match what I'm saying.

Okay. Well, the plan's rule. So if there's errors on the datasheet, we'll correct it before we go to development review hearing. But I I again, I think it's a discrepancy between what we consider living space. Like the garage, we wouldn't count, etcetera.

Yep. I understand that. But even if you were to just add what you would consider a living space, the conditioned basement, the conditioned attic, and the main living floor of the renovated, that's I think it comes out to 3,000 or something. And the figure in the datasheet is something like 2,700. It's off. So it's yeah. It doesn't it doesn't match. I I don't know how he arrived or whoever did that, but you definitely would wanna revisit that because it doesn't match anything in the plans. I don't know what however you add it up, they don't equal the numbers there in the totals.

Okay. Thank you.

Mhmm. You're welcome.

So at this time, I would like to invite the applicant if you'd like to address the commission. You're the applicant. Right? Or okay. If you yeah. If you if you like to speak to yeah. About the project and, like, you know would you mind would you mind going up to the mic?

Yeah. Everyone okay. Well, my name is Otoniel. We use use bought the house, and I like the idea to make it a little bit, you know, more rooms for the place. And we just want to make a little bit No. Add more space for my family that's following whatever rules we have to do. And if something has to if we don't have to touch something, touch it or if we have to fix it, we will fix it. That's all we want to do.

Awesome. Thank you.

Anymore idea. And everything was already there, and I checked with the company. They say, yeah. Everything looks good. Like, we have to work through this. Okay. And he just came to the gentleman, Daniel, and he say, if you would come one week before, you you you wouldn't even have to pay again, like, the the fees. But I I didn't know. You know? I was waiting on closing date. And then he said, well, it was approved before. Probably can be approved, hopefully. Right? If everything goes well and if we have to fix something, we will do it. K?

Got it.

Thank you.

Does anybody have any questions for for our applicant?

No. No?

No? K.

I have one more question for staff. I forgot to ask. When because I've never had where one expired and had to come back. Do they have to do another DPR, or does a DPR last for a certain amount of time?

We no significant changes have been made to the house since 2022 when the DPR was completed, we didn't require a new one. But if there was modifications in between, we likely would or if it was more than maybe ten years old.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

We'll open this up for public comments. We don't have anybody in chamber right now. I think there's one person in public. If you have any questions, comments, please raise your hand. This would be your time. I'm not seeing a hand. Do I have a motion to close public comments?

A motion to close public comments.

Thank you. I got a motion. Do I have a second? I second. Thank you. Those who are in favor, say aye. Aye. Aye. Thank you. Motion passes. Unanimous when absence. Discussion on that item?

I was gonna respond to your comment about the saving materials versus comparable but no but different in where they're taking out a window, I think that's a great place to salvage material and fill in the siding so it matches. But I would think that the bay window is significant enough that I would want some differentiation. Other than that, that's the only thing I would say.

As a history geek, I just wanna I appreciate all the history here. I'm fascinated by all the details. In fact, the time that the earthquake actually happened at 05:13AM. So it's an incredible report and a a life well lived in the home by the family. You know? He left the civil war and came out west to get away from it. So this house is deserving of a wonderful owner like yourself to take care of it and keep it going, but it's a beautiful story attached to this house and that neighborhood.

I what do I need to do? I'm also like, I like it, and I want to know who was the mean, the the original owner. How do I get that?

Yeah. Oh, thank you. Yeah. There's actually a whole report already submitted for this, like, from the original plan. So, yeah, you can Rebecca, I can send that to you, and it's a really rich story about your house. Yeah. Yep.

I'd like to add that the plans are great. I think they do a good job of expanding the home in a way that allows to get more use out of it, but it doesn't detract from the original profile. And it does it's very cognizant of the history of the home and staying within those guardrails. And, yeah, beyond just my question on sighting, that's what's really all I have.

I have a question. For the garage, in the plans, it looks like, you know, there's that little accessory office in the backyard behind the garage. And then in the proposed plan, you know, that accessory office building is, like, demolished or done away with. And then it appears that the main garage is further back towards the and towards the backside of the lot. So I'm just wondering, is that garage gonna be moved?

Is that, like, a movable structure? Because it it looks like in the proposed plan that, you know, that little building has been removed and that the main garage is further closer to the back. Does anyone know, staff or the owner? Do you know is that garage gonna be moved, or it just looks that way in the plan?

The garage, if if it's gonna move,

I don't Oh.

I don't think so. But if we have to move it, we we will move it.

Okay. Staff, do you know the answer?

Scales are just different on these two new site plans on the front page. Let me look a little.

Okay.

Yeah. I was looking at page 48. It does show the little accessory building with a deck in the preview in the existing, and then it shows that attached garage moved back into that very corner in the new.

Yeah. So that's what I was wondering because, you know, are they gonna move the garage? There's really good pictures of it in Laurie's document. It's kind of a neat little office, you know, behind the garage. Have you seen it? Yeah. It's kinda cool. But, anyway yeah. Because, I mean, the garage looks pretty substantial. It doesn't look like something you can just kinda, like, pick up and move. You know?

Yeah. It looks like the scales are just different on the two site plans, and the new site plan doesn't include the rest of the property.

Oh, okay. So that little building is gonna stay? Or no. Wait. Oh, I'm sorry. It says on the data plan, they're gonna demolish it.

Yeah. So the existing accessory building is proposed for demolition, and then the detached garage, it will stay.

Yeah. See the little accessory behind the garage on the current? Yeah. I think those are the ones that are getting demolished, but, like, not the garage itself. Yep. Okay.

I was just wondering. What what would be the reason for demolishing that little ADU behind the garage? I mean, it's not really connected at all to the new construction. They just wanted more room. They got tired of it.

Are you aware of that part of the application that the accessory building behind the garage is proposed to be demolished? Behind the garage? Okay. I mean, you can keep it if you want. They were the original project was proposing to demolish it.

Yeah. Okay. I'll have Daniel check if it was legally constructed and the size of it. Maybe that was the reason. I'll I'll have him confirm.

Okay. Thank you.

Any more questions, comments, discussion? Do we wanna have, like, a motion and say something about the siding if we need to? I know I know there's some formulating going on, probably. And and while we're at it, just wanna say, like, thank you for committing to continue to protect this historic resource. I know, you know, having this home and then being able to expand it to accommodate for family is very important even though we're we're not supposed to talk about use.

But, you know, I I think I remember seeing this, like, first time go around. I really think that was, like, a really good plan going in for protecting this particular resource. And, you know, we thank you for for stepping in on this. So

I just wanted to say I didn't see this plan originally in 2023 because I wasn't at the meeting, but I was really impressed by the plans. You know? It seems really well thought out. You know, they try to reuse materials, some of the windows. They're gonna restore the steps to how they originally were. It's just very impressive, I think, how the architect worked out these plans. So and it's great that you're gonna, you know, continue this to preserve the home. And, yeah, I think they just did a great job. Thank you.

I'd like to make a motion to approve the plan as recommended with the minor condition change of using the same siding that's on the addition, which is larger than the original siding to be also used on the new bay window. Did you wanna add any friendly amendment for the little building in the back? Okay. I'm just gonna leave it at that.

Should we add something too about, you know, the flexibility of the owner being able to keep the little 120 foot accessory dwelling unit in the back if he chooses to and if it's not you know, like, wasn't illegally built or whatever?

There's no need because it's not part of the historic building. It's kind of like an out Mhmm.

Oh, okay.

Do we have a motion? Are there any friendly amendments, comments, or seconds?

I had a a question. Is is there a historic is there a Mills contract for this house? No? Okay. It

was already on HRI.

Can we ask the applicant if they're interested? Okay. So one of the things that you can do for your historic home is you can apply for a Mills Act contract later. And what that does is you go into contract with the state saying you're gonna take care of it, and you make a list of what you wanna work on, and you get a significant property tax break. So something to consider.

And Daniel will be able to give you a lot more information about it if you want.

Yeah. I'll ask Daniel to send you the information just so you have it. Yep.

Cool. Do we have a second on the motion? I second it. Thank you. Those who are in favor, say aye. Aye. Yeah. Aye. Okay. Those who are not saying nay. Those who are abstain abstain. K. Motion passes. Unanimous. One absent.

Sorry. I missed. Who is the second?

Yeah. Yep. Cool. Thank you. K. Thank you so much.

Good luck.

You're good good to go. Yeah. Yep. Yep. Alright. Good luck. Bye. Alright. Thank you. Thank you.

Moving on to the second item, we have item twenty five seven fifty three, the election of historical landmarks commission chair and vice chair. We have a quorum tonight, but we don't have everybody. Yeah. We're we are missing Yvonne tonight. Do we want to actually do the election tonight, or do we wanna push out to September? It's my question for everybody.

Do you wanna wait until we have a full commission? Or

I can go either way. It kinda depends on,

like, what they want.

Will everyone be here in September? It's September 4.

Yeah. What was that again?

Yeah. I think I think the

thing is, like, if anybody wants to nominate Yvonne for anything or if she wants to self nominate, I don't know, for, chair, vice chair. So that's the the only consideration I have. So I I I can leave it the recommendation for the commission because I can go either way. What we're comfortable with.

I'm happy to wait.

No.

I didn't say.

Wasn't me. What were you saying? Okay. So maybe we continue to to September. You just don't wanna run into that loop we had that one year again.

We're doing it in September. Is everybody going to be here on September?

I know. And that's the problem because, like, that's that that was that one year we never had, like, a full seating, and that was that went a little bit crazy. Okay. I think we can push it once, and then whoever's gonna be here in September is gonna be it. Okay.

I know I say that to people, but I should check if I'm gonna be here. I'll be here. Okay. Okay. So that's actually all the items we have tonight.

Chair, we have a speaker for public presentation, though we have passed that portion of the agenda. So it's at your discretion if you wanna revisit public presentations or not.

We are do we we can do this out of order. I do request that, like, anything that gets addressed to us in public, presentation has to be has to do with something that the HLC has purview over. So I just wanna make sure we're having the right time. Okay. Okay.

You know what? Let's let's make this actually, like, into the public comment.

Yes. I know what this is regarding. The person the planner he spoke to talk to me. Sorry.

Okay. Cool. Please come on up to to the podium and speak directly into the mic. Thank you for coming in.

Thanks a lot. So, yeah, I'm a member right across the street and at the United Methodist Church, and the the we're having a hundred and eightieth anniversary. Our congregation is shrinking slowly down to, like, a very small group of people, but the history is very rich of this church. So the founding of this and we've had the city come out before for other centennials and such. But the history is rich, and it begins with I tell people who are curious about our church, well, we're it begins in 1846 with the landing of Joseph Arum and his wagon train that came over the Sierras, and they were led by chief Truckee over the Sierras.

When they came here to California, they arrived, I believe, in the October at John Sutter's Fort, and, unfortunately, they ran into the person of John c Fremont, colonel John c Fremont, who enlisted them into the California battalion and told them from the fort they should go to Santa Clara because there was already a mission there, and, of course, you had a Pueblo. But he he he brought the leader of the wagon train, Joseph Arum, made him enlisted him as a captain of a military company, and Aram, when they arrived with eventually, over the couple weeks you know, trains would would stretch out. Over the couple weeks, they had a 127 people there, and they they stayed. They held up in the fort. Unfortunately, it was a very wet year, which is kind of unusual in California, but they suffered or endured a pretty bad typhoid epidemic during that 1846 into '47.

They lost about 20% of their party. And according to some archivists, the first Protestant sermon was given, sadly, over the grave of a very young girl of Silas Bennett, his youngest daughter, and it was given by a man named Agna Hecox. So we have a couple founders that came with Joseph Arum for our church. This is largely considered the Methodist mission that was initially headed to Oregon but decided that they would make the turn and come to California. They followed they attached themselves to the Donner party.

And after once they got near Salt Lake or after Fort Bridger, Hastings men Lansford's Hastings men were there trying to flag them down. Take the shortcut. Take the shortcut. Well, most of the Donner party, as we know, sadly took the shortcut, and it turned out to be a disaster. They decided to take the more treacherous route, more dangerous route, and the longer one, and they beat the Donner party over the Sierra.

They got to the fort. Unfortunately, it was in the middle it was the beginning of the Mexican American war, so they were mustered into service. And colonel Fremont had them fortify the mission and put barricades on Alameda. And the reason why I mentioned this is because there's a number of plaques here in the city of Santa Clara that commemorate that event because it was the only battle during the Mexican American War that happened in the so called Northern Department at the time or Upper California. It took place on Saratoga Creek down on if you go down El Camino Real about a mile from here, that's where we're spot.

And there is a a clamper plaque that is there. And then, of course, when they widen the road, they move the plaque over here right next to the city. So probably on your breaks or your visits here, you've probably wandered around. You have this wonderful stroll of the past, and it talks about other founding members that came with Joseph Arum on the wagon train, principally William Campbell and his son Benjamin. It mentions him as plating the old quad.

Campbell not only plated the old quad, but he also plated Washington Square. And like many of them, they went to the Goldfields in '48, early forty eight, and they didn't most didn't stay. They'd stay a month or two, and they said, no. We could do better coming back to town planting potatoes. For Campbell, it was lumber and timber, and they went up into where we know Congress Springs or Saratoga Springs is, and they built a mill.

And that part of the mill is still there, and there's a plaque there that talks about William Campbell. In fact, Saratoga Creek was called Campbell Creek, but he was a very serious Methodist, and Joseph Arum was too, and they built the Methodist churches here in Santa Clara. After that terrible 1846, they began to settle out here and make their mark, and it was Santa Clara and San Jose. And and and these were mostly laypeople. And so until they had the organization of the church, meaning like a bishop or ordained conference men, it was William Campbell who kept the party together at his own home, his own residence.

That was at the time here in Santa Clara before he moved out to Winchester. And he kept them together having regular worship, which they began at the Mission Santa Clara in the the outback buildings of it when it was mostly in ruins. It was a very poor condition. That battle that was fought is called the battle of the muster stocks on Saratoga Creek. Aram and the Methodist were part of it.

They had a company that was at the fort, and they came up on the flank. And that's one of the reasons commodore Francisco San Sanchez surrendered because he was being outflanked and that he was outnumbered that time. Of course, he had the marines from Yorba Buena. That was the main force and outgunned. And And so that was a pivotal moment.

And and but Aram went on. He became a was at the first state legislature, which we know is in Downtown San Jose, And then he went on he was at the constitutional convention. I mean, excuse me. That was in sounds like constitutional convention in Monterey at Colton Hall and helped with that the writing of that important document. Campbell went on. These were all very serious Methodists, and they did they're involved with a lot of social reform. Temperance was really important for them. So College Park, that was named because they started a university in the old quad. It was called we know Pacific University. That was in 1850.

It was the first institution of higher learning or college in California, a couple months before Santa Clara University. And when they built they did the buildings, they paid for it by selling portions of the land, and that's how College Park neighborhood began. And then that street, University Avenue, that's named after Pacific University. So, eventually, they sold it to the Roman Catholics, and that is now Bellarmine prep school. So that was the location of Pacific University, and that got started in 1850.

So it was basically what they came over here. They came before the gold rush. They're mainly agriculturalists, but they also were missionaries. And so they started the church as a mission station. And, of course, if you do that, it's more than just a place to gather and worship. It's a place where you have schooling, you have economics, start you farms. You help support people come out and move, and you build and plant. So that's what they did, and it was really important. That's just a small segment of the history of this church, but it was a very important era because these were civilization these were builders. They weren't here just to speculate on gold mines or yell they didn't have the yellow fever bug.

And and and then so, anyway, we're gonna celebrate our hundred and eightieth, and we're gonna add a plaque to what we call the Bell Wall Garden. So if you go behind the church, there's a, like, a liberty bell, and it was, I think, origin in 1875, and it was in the first church that we had that was on the old Quad. The first church they built was partly made from if you go down to the I'm all over the place, but if you go down to the city library, the city the Plaza Park, it says that the corral was used that well, the the those adobe bricks from that corral were used to build the first Methodist church. Now if you go across the street from right near the library across across the street from Superior Court, there's Liberty Towers, which is a retirement home. That's that was the original site of the Methodist Church.

So they're very close to the mission and Santa Clara. And then later, as it grew, they built a brick church. That came down in the nineteen o six earthquake, and so they rebuilt. And the picture of the rebuild after nineteen o six from nineteen o six to 1965 is in when you go in the planning department, you'll see a picture of it. And there was a big bell tower in front, and that's where that 1875 bell was hung.

It was kept there. And then, eventually, they thought they were gonna get real big, so they moved out here. And Warburden was a member, so the street here is named after Warburden. He gave them the land, four acres. So they have four acres today in Santa Clara. You can imagine what that's worth. I think he donated war burden was good to donate land to the city here because this was his farm right in here. And and they expected to grow, and they did grow for a time. But by the late seventies and eighties, things they were challenged. Things have dwindled.

Now we're down where we formerly, maybe there was several 100 members. We're down to, like, just a handful of people. So the Santa Clara it's a great history. It's unfortunate. I've gone through the master plan and some of the documents, and I haven't seen all the documents. But it's unfortunately, it's not marked. So when you asked about purview, right, I don't know. It hasn't been registered. So it needs this needs to be done because there's a gap there. But excuse me.

But so but, anyway, the it's declined, and so the future is like, I'm I'm wondering where it's gonna go. Now this is not something I'm privy to talk about, but we do have the beginning of something of a park back there. So if you ever have, like, a lunch break or you're in the area, you can actually walk, you know, down the plaza or this street here, look read the plaques, and then you're gonna go across the street and see the Armistice Park. And then you can come over to this church and read the small little plaque that we got. Now we're gonna add another plaque.

It's gonna be bigger with more information. But we really need something would be real and between that and then the library and the plaques that are there, it'd be nice to have, like, a metaplack that tells me that kinda weaves these plaques together because these were direct actors. These founders like Joseph Arum, William Campbell, Benjamin Campbell, and Adna Hecox were directly involved in these events. They were not peripheral. And so it'd be good to have a metaplas, and we're we're kinda shy of that. We're not asking the city, but we're gonna try to expand our plaques. But I think there's something of an embryo of a city park. Now I'm not a big pro development guy. That's just my personal politics. Development's important because you need housing.

Right? But and so I've noticed living here and growing up in the South Bay that the developments are going up to the sidewalk. But it'd be nice to preserve a little bit of slit a sliver there for the bell Wall garden into the future, green it up. It's so beautiful on the other side of the street with the redwoods and at the Jameson Brown House. And it you have something there that can serve the city and keep and retain this important memory and some very important first that Santa Clara can claim.

And it's all connected, and it it becomes coherent. You know, it's there's a coherency to it. So things I'm proposing is we're gonna have a hundred and eightieth. It's gonna be next year, maybe October, November 2026. We would love to have someone from this commission there to be at least present, if not speak.

Another something another thing that's specific is I'd like to give I pretty much gave you the spiel right now, but I mean, the history in a nutshell. But I'd like to do I could we would like to do a history walk for anyone interested on this commission. We're working with the Santa Clara Valley Historical Society and a couple other historical groups, but they seem to be very limited on on funds. But we're they're gonna be there. We're working with the Episcopal Church, and we have a committee now, and we're trying to expand it.

So we'd like a liaison on the committee if possible. After all, we're just right across the street. And I think we'd like to have a deeper conversation and some guidance too about, like, if we develop this area because it's four acres, but the Bell Wall Garden is, like, a a very small fraction of that. But there is the beginning of a monument and a story there. But we'd like as we develop it and add plaque a plaque or other memorials and we improve the space and make it more you know, beautify it, we'd like probably some guidance because I think someday it needs to be integrated into this section of town and and the valley history too.

It needs to be integrated. Because I've talked to some of the planners today. I'm from Fremont. But I was really surprised. Like, I told them about the bell wall guard. And you ever take your break and go out there and walk? Because there are people who walk their dogs through, and they cut through, and that's fine. And, like, no one has ever the people I talked to, the three people, they never heard of it or seen it. It's right across the street. Of course, it's hidden by the big church, but it it needs to have some kind of public access.

And I think that in time will come, but I'd hate to see no planning done beforehand and losing a resource that's already partially been laid. The history has been well documented, and and it just something being built up to the curb. You know? Frankly, I'd like to see if the city ever expanded its office, and it'd be great if you guys expanded that way because you could have community rooms and things like that. But that's that's a whole another subject.

But I'd like to start a deeper conversation. We would like to do this with our committee, have someone from the city that's connected to this commission, have a deeper conversation, and then do maybe a historical walk in the next couple months. And it's basically a triangle. We could start at the Jamison House, we could do either a triangle or a diamond and walk down here and then go across the street and go in the back and then, you know, have some treats or something, do a historical walk, and then, of course, have you all at the hundred and eightieth anniversary. It's the oldest Protestant church.

Some say West Of The Mississippi, more correctly, in Alta California. The old the first Protestant church is still convening was in Alta California. Thanks. Don't wanna lose at least the memory of it.

Oh, thank you for the history. Like, I definitely there are definitely things that rings bells, like, we're, like, aware of, and, like, you're tying, like, a lot of the history together for me tonight. So that

was fantastic. Out here taking pictures,

you know, of the flags? Yeah. Because they got the American, the 30 star American, and then they got the bear flag one, and they got the Spanish and the Mexican one.

Mhmm.

And and then they have the more modern ones. But, I mean, it all ties together. You just in fact, this is how I got interested in history, taking my kids out because they have to get outdoors. And as I walk around, I explore these parks, and I don't miss I read the plaques all way up going into the meeting. I don't miss these plaques. And after a while, you can kinda piece them together, and you get a total story. So we wanna keep the story going and make it more coherent. Mhmm. Tie these elements together. But there a lot of it's already been laid. If if I I left my information with the administrator Mhmm. So I hope to hear back, and we can plan something fun in the near future, like, starting maybe with a history walk.

Thank you. Could I

ask a quick question? Sir? You said that your congregation is shrinking.

Yeah. It's it's a universal problem, but yeah.

Do you have any plans to make this a historical landmark property?

I think it should be. I think that'd be a because then it'd be secured. It's the future. That's what I'm worried about.

So it is actually currently listed on the HRI. I checked.

Oh. It is? Oh, good.

It's what? What was that?

It's listed on the city's historic resource inventory, the strut the building, the structure.

The structure. Mhmm. So that's good. And then so what I'm worried about is if there isn't a plan. Now the denomination, two years ago, lost almost 40% of the membership walked out. So they have the conference ministers and the bishops. They have they they have retirement packages, and they have other things they need to take care of. And so right now, they're money starved, and they are looking around to liquidate. If they ever if the what's keeping us going is we have a Korean congregation, and they'll probably take over. They're doing better than us, but they got the similar problems.

So it's an uncertain future, and the denomination needs they need funds. And this would be a great place to liquidate because it'd be worth quite a bit, four acres in Silicon Valley. So they would be apt. But they you know, low income don't know. But I think there should be a a conversation, something get some groundwork done. So when that day happens, you know, we have more options.

Thank you. Before we move on, I just wanna make sure we know that there we can't take any actions on this particular item tonight because it's not an agenda item, but we can start asking a little bit of questions on how we can incorporate this into our work plan because it it sounds like there are a couple items that would fit neatly into what we have, like, as part of our work plan already to incorporate this particular property as a consideration, like, on education, on, like, the history park and stuff like that. Those are the things that I'm thinking about that can tie in. But, like, maybe we can agendize this for, like, a further discussion on a different meeting to to how to do this. Looks like you had a question.

Thoughts on that? No.

I I like that. I think this there's so many firsts that you mentioned. It just kinda blew my mind, and I think we do need to educate the community on the relevance of what you shared here tonight. Thank you for sharing that. It was very important.

I know you you left your contact information on the card. Is it okay for our staff member to share the contact with the rest of us? Okay. Sounds good. Thank you so much for bringing this to our attention. This is actually fascinating. It's great. Okay. Thank you.

Have

a great night. We're done with those. So we'll move on to staff report.

I had a quick work plan update. So the city clerk's office has provided a template now. So I'll be transferring everything we previously discussed into the new template. We still don't have a date for the council review of the work plans, but I'll keep you posted on that. But just wanted to let you know next time you see it, it'll be slightly different format, but same information.

Okay. Very cool. That was that. And then we have commissioner's report. I know that we've been doing subcommittees. I don't know if we're starting out the banners again because I think that was pretty good success this year. And I think we were talking about starting it earlier this this term. We have a little bit more runway to work with it, so I don't know. Just a quick reminder. I don't think we've been meeting, so that's all.

I agree. I think September, October, it should be on the agenda.

We will just have it as an item to discuss on the commission's report subcommittee reporting. Next time, we just kinda get the parameters going for the next term for the banner project and see if we need to ask for more funds or anything like that.

It's a big year. It's our biggest sports year ever, so it's opportunity. So

So I think we that's why I was thinking because we got both World Cup and Super Bowl. Yeah.

Okay. We have, like, 77 Olympians that came out of Santa Clara. 40 are swimming, 24 synchronized, and the rest, rugby, soccer, etcetera.

Wow. Okay. That's very cool. Maybe something we can put a little bit of focus on on some of that and then work with comms team on, like, on the social post for next year or two. So Okay. Cool. Board and committees. So we'll just go down the rows. Sackler Arts and Historic Consortium.

The last time I was there, was it June? Yeah. They have the once a month tourism through there for a couple hours on a Sunday for Sunday of the month. Last time I was there, there was no one came in. So that doesn't mean that it didn't pick up during the summer, but that's a status quo on that so far. I guess the repairs on it, I went by there, and the big hole outside looked like it was fixed, so that's a good thing. It's like a rat hole.

Historic Preservation Society of Santa Clara.

They had a really incredible event. I think they had, like, 77, 80 people there, lots of families, lots of kids. It was everyone on the board agrees it was a tremendous success. I went there. I had a blast. They had a lot of things that catered to the kids, like bubble machines. You really love the bubble machines. And a few of the kids, the tweens, went through the house, and they enjoyed the tour, actually. So I I went out tagged along just to see the reaction on the tour. Very positive. Mary Hannell was leading that, and she told some great stories about what life was in Santa Clara. So the ladies are doing a really great job over there of enticing younger families because I would say it was all young families that day.

Mary gives the best tours. Yes. O'Connor Residence Association. So there was a a bit of a call to action last month. There was a hearing from a public works department that talks about parking meters around the Franklin Square area.

So potentially. So because the what what they're doing is actually doing a study on, like, where it makes sense in the city, where city owned parking, where it makes sense to charge. So because there are city owned parking around Franklin Square that was looped into looped into part of the discussion. And I think they got an RFP for a consultant to come in to kinda talk about to look at feasibility and stuff like that. The meetings wise, you know, it was kinda half and half on residents around the area because there will be parking impact.

If there is charge at Franklin Square, then people make sure they park in the neighborhood. That's really, like, what the what the impetus is for for some of the folks. But, you know, there is also of a mind that if that happens, then we would ask for the public works department to look at instituting a parking program, like a permitting program, like, in the area too so to kinda protect the street parking as well. There was actually a lot of opposition from the the businesses and property owners in the area because there isn't, like, a lot of foot traffic today, like, in the in that area. So they worry that if we institute, like, a a charged parking program in the area, it would diminish, like, the amount of people going to those businesses at the first place, so it would that may hurt them.

So, yeah, it's it's a very different situation than, like, say, the parking lot that's that's across from Levi's Stadium. So but but that's actually all lumped into the same study.

Chair Long? Mhmm. I have a question. Why do they wanna make that parking lot a paid parking area?

One of the reasons why is there's a lot of maintenance costs, like, for that purse particular parking. There is a maintenance district where the the building owners do pay into, but it's it doesn't cover all the costs or for the maintenance, like regular maintenance of the the common areas in in Franklin Square.

We're we're talking about that the main parking area that's, like, behind the dry cleaners, the

There are

two Italian restaurant.

Yeah. There are two parking lots, actually, in Franklin Square, and then all the other parking that's around it, like, on the street.

There's two lots? Oh, yeah. You're right.

Yeah. I mean, if you go down, you know, go down Homestead, go down Monroe and Benton, there's actually, like, street parking, like, around there too, and they would be subject to meters.

Yeah. There's not always a lot of park parking spaces, but it seems like, you know, he usually can find a parking space there.

Mhmm. I mean, it's one way of income, like, for for that area. So it's not it's not a solid proposal. It is a feasibility study. Like, at the at the moment. But yeah.

I would imagine Mhmm. Folks, you know,

wouldn't be too happy about that.

But then I understand the owners have to maintenance fees and stuff. But Yeah. Yeah.

We'll see what comes out of it. It doesn't mean it's gonna be a universal program. They're gonna look at the feasibility to see, like, what the proposal actually is. But that is we wanted the members to come out to actually make comments of, like, what how they feel about it. Development review hearing, anything?

The meeting in July included the five twenty Hilmar that we already previously had come before us. So it was just the next step for it. Other than that, there weren't any properties that would be part of HLC.

Bart, high speed rail of VTA VRC committee.

Kinda status status quo. They canceled the last meeting, and they rescheduled it for the August 14. So sort of like a regroup meeting. We haven't been very active during the summer, so I'll keep the commission posted.

Yeah. It also sounded like the some of the construction's already started. Hear them? There are definitely some comments about that. VTA actually did a presentation at the at our station area meeting in the last meeting, so that was good to see. El Camilo Real, specific plan committee community advisory committee. I don't know where we are with that.

So we are working with our consultant to finalize the EIR for public comment. So that should be out in the fall.

Right. Thank you. Downtown Precise One.

So the last meeting, they did hire a consultant. The contract's in the works. I don't know if it's money that they're working on, but so they have an individual. We haven't met them, so legal department's going through that. I'd say, this rate, at this pace, probably the end of the year or January

by the time we get started with meeting with the Google.

It's for the NEXUS study. Right?

Yes. It's the NEXUS study. As far as other meetings we've had, we've we've discussed with the city management's office. We have opportunities for activation in those six acres in the meantime, so that's been sort of a hot topic, especially with the, you know, FIFA and Super Bowl coming. It's like, we have these six acres. Why don't we activate the downtown in some way? So that's sort of being considered right now. And maybe like a night market, maybe like an antiques fair, maybe a bigger farmer's market. There are ways to activate beyond what we're doing now. So I think timing's good now that everyone's gonna be here for the Super Bowl

and for

FIFA to consider the downtown as an opportunity.

Basically, to

I forget. What was the consultant for? There was a part that wasn't done yet.

Oh, NexSys study, we have community benefits that should have been built in when it was approved in 2023. So we approved council approved it with a condition that we would do this NexSys study to clarify what those ben benefits would be if someone wanted to build higher densities. So they would have to give back to the community in order to achieve those higher densities. And it's not clear. It's a total gray zone. So this consultant will help us articulate what the community wants in case that situation arises when we do get a developer interested.

Then it's more of, like, evaluation and a trade off on, like, how much, like, it's kinda like a scoring in in some way to kinda figure out how many Adding metrics. Needed to use so that you can take advantage of the density bonus of that were in the plan already kinda pending this. Right?

Yeah. In the in 2023, we sort of put a hold on density. So if we were to have an opportunity where someone came in and says, I'm ready to build, the density is kind of on hold. But with this next study, I think this will make that conversation easier.

Get some clarity on it. Santa Clara Station Area Task Force just had a meeting couple weeks ago. We got presentation from from VTA because, like, we're in a station area. Obviously, it's a very big part of it. They did give an update that currently because of finances, they are not planning on currently going to build the big garage that was proposed with the kind of the elevated platform and stuff like that.

Well, concourse area. Actually, no. They got rid of that. They got they're not they're do surface area like, first surface level parking instead of doing a a parking structure that will reduce cost for the time for the time being. So there there will be maybe plans to actually build a parking structure at a later date, but, like, not for the current plan was revised.

So because of that and and they have to keep the number of parking spaces that were proposed, some of the tracks and service facilities are getting moved out a little bit more towards the San Jose side to to make enough room that we will keep the same number of parking spaces on on surface as opposed to have it in the garage. So so that's part of what was presented. The other part was actually, like, our our own cons consultants, WRT, came back with another revision of our of the plan, of the proposal based on all the inputs that we've been giving for the last few months. It's looking pretty good, actually. Like, at this in this point, I would encourage people to actually go watch the meeting.

I think it's actually on YouTube because I keep seeing my face on there. So there's there's some proposals, like because previously, we had actually assumed that there was gonna be a parking garage on the other side. There was, like, a future proposal of maybe doing, like, a pedestrian cross right by from, like, by where Starbucks is ish and then kinda going across as, like, one of the the paths to go across. But, like, you know, I I had to do a little bit of clarifications. Like, we did that because we thought the building was gonna be there.

You don't have to make the building for us to have that crossing. So it's like a chicken egg thing, like, in that way. There were, like, a lot more dense a lot of density and height that we wanted to add towards the airport. There was also a proposal on maybe, like, doing a a tall building in the middle of the where the Caltrain parking lot is kinda towards the where the PD is. There was always plans of, like, maybe allowing a building, like, on that particular corner, but there was a thought maybe we need to do an iconic building, and I think we weren't happy with that.

We I don't need a 20 story building in the middle of that parking lot. So I know. In the middle of

the train station parking lot? I said no.

Oh. But yeah.

Ohio are what's the density on those buildings there right now?

No. I mean, it's the envelope. Right? I mean, Jim's just proposing drawings.

12? Or

Yeah. I mean, right now Mhmm. It wasn't gonna be that high. Yeah. It was yeah. It was gonna be it was gonna be a lot. It was it was gonna be comparable to the stuff that were I can see at Tasman right now. I don't know. So, anyway, I we had a lot of discussions on that particular bit. But, yeah, I think we're almost there on the kinda like the on the

plan itself. So who gets to decide that since it's VTA, but it's Santa Clara? No.

I mean, it's not it's not a project proposal. Right? It's basically, like it's kinda like a similar thing that we did with that downtown plan saying, like, oh, maybe this may be appropriate to put something like this over here. And I did remind the consultant that, like, because that is actually the VTA plot, in part of their their work plan is to focus on housing. So even if BTA want to build over there, they wouldn't propose an office building. It's gonna be housing, like, probably affordable housing if possible. Because the last time I saw a plan come through for that particular parcel, that's actually what they were proposing was gonna be going to be affordable housing tower.

Isn't that where the Old Quad Well is?

Correct. That is where the well is. That was the other bit. It's actually the Old Quad Well. The third mission extends to that side.

Actually, it goes under El Camino and, like, goes across to, like, around that parking lot as well. So there's gonna be archaeological findings if we go down that way. I have reminded them of that multiple times. Because I was talking to one of our members who is with the train depot because when they were doing work, like, around the depot, they were finding stuff, like, at the depot itself. And, also, like, one one of the main things, like, we we always talk about is, like, we wanna make sure we preserve the those setting for the train depot and the towers.

So, like, one of the things that we've always objected, kinda objected to, is actually, like, have a over crossing that would bifurcate where the the depot is and where the control tower is, which is right next to the the the PD. Because the control tower used to be, like, really the switchboard on where, like, the tracks are supposed to go, and you need to have a line of sight all the way across, like, north and south. Highly encourage people to do the tour when they actually have that open, actually. Like, when you're up in the tower, you can then it makes sense on on what you can see. And, like, if you have, like, a stuff going overhead, it'll be it changes the view significantly.

Yeah. That's why I wanted Jim to go up there sometime. So, yeah, that's that's kinda where we are.

I have a question. Sure. So maybe six months ago, we had a meeting. There was not a lot of commissioners present. I think there's only about four of us, But there was some planner, you know, about revamping the library system, I believe.

And they asked for input, and we provided, you know, some feedback, some ideas as how they could incorporate historical preservation and, you know, community and and the new spaces for the library or the renovations of existing libraries. And I'm just wondering, was there any you know, have they finalized their plans yet? You know? And just I'm just wondering if there's like, if that has been finalized, and we could kinda see what of our suggestions might have been incorporated into their final view of what their plans are for the library system.

Believe he's referring to the library master plan. Mhmm. And y'all had a presentation, I think, when I was out, but there was also a presentation to the stationary task force. Yeah. I can check-in on that. I need to check on in on it for other reasons anyway, but I can provide an update at the next meeting.

Okay. Cool. Thank you.

Thank you. That's actually everything we have. Unless, anyway, you have anything else, I can I will take a motion to adjourn?

I have a good of the order.

What was that? I have the

good of the order comment here. Okay. So if anyone likes seafood cioppino, the Santa Clara parade of champions is having their annual fundraiser on August 16, and it's upstairs. It's very nice. We have a live auction, some really great donations this year. And it's you know, you can even bid on the police chief. He's, you know, take you to work with Stan's Donuts. There's some really fun experiences, the fire department, and things like that. So it's a very lively community event. You're all invited. Just wanna put it out there.

For information, we should just go to the parade site?

Yes. Go to scparadechampions.org and click on the live auction page, and you can buy your tickets online. No doubt you'll do it everybody there.

Is that at SES we can? Mhmm. Nice.

SES is also historical and marked since 1896.

I

know. And cool. Unless there's any announcements,

I I can take motion to adjourn. I just wanted to apologize really quick. I didn't mean to offend anyone regarding the datasheet for the property at 4210 Bassett Street. I tried every which way to add up the numbers that are there, and it didn't add up. So I don't know.

Maybe there's they're doing some kind of I don't know how honestly they're arriving at those figures. It seemed like if there should be from the numbers that are listed some way to arrive at those figures. So if they are adding things that aren't listed, I feel like for transparency, they should be on the datasheet. But I literally tried every which way to arrive at the totals, and I could not do it. So maybe there's a mistake there. Maybe there's not, but I don't mean to, like, offend anybody if they're just doing some kinda work with the numbers that I don't see. So I just wanted to put that out there.

For communication, it's also I appreciate the discussion. I Mhmm. Appreciate that. For it it it looks like you you spent a lot of time, like, on the item before before we came here tonight. I would encourage you to actually reach out to staff earlier, like, on email with the discrepancies, like, when if you see it, like, moving forward. So because it's it's hard for us to do references and and try to figure it out, like, on the dais. But, like, if they can do some pre research before coming in, that would be very helpful for for the discussion. Okay. And that's for everybody. If you see something that looks a little off, and that's why we get the agenda ahead of time so so we can, like, look at stuff and then actually note it before we actually meet up.

So that's gonna be very helpful. And I appreciate you looking through the packet early.

For sure.

Yep. Thank you. Thank you. Motion to adjourn.

I move to adjourn.

Thank you. Do I have a second? Second. Thank you. Those who are in favor?

Aye.

Aye. And we're adjourned at 07:23. Thank you, everyone. Thanks.