Agenda Item Wording:
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Committee Annual Update - Review and accept the 2024/2025 Annual Report from the City of Visalia Historic Preservation Advisory Committee.
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Deadline for Action: 10/20/2025
Submitting Department: Community Development
Contact Name and Phone Number:
Tyler Davis, Chairperson, Historic Preservation Advisory Committee;
Cristobal Carrillo, Associate Planner, (559) 713-4443, cristobal.carrillo@visalia.city;
Paul Bernal, Planning and Community Preservation Director, (559) 713-4025 paul.bernal@visalia.city
Department Recommendation:
Staff recommends the City Council review and accept the annual report from the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee. The annual report provides the City Council with a detailed overview of all activities conducted and projects reviewed by the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee between July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025.
Summary:
The HPAC Annual Report provides an overview of the activities conducted by the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee during the 2024/2025 fiscal year. Activities summarized include project reviews, project consultations, long range projects, and public outreach.
Discussion:
Project Reviews
Between July 2024 to June 2025, the HPAC held a total of 19 public meetings, with a total of 47 members of the public attending, averaging 2.5 people per meeting. Over that span of time, a total of 22 exterior alteration requests were reviewed, with 91% of projects (20) approved outright or with modifications. Two projects received denials, listed in Attachment No. 1 as HPAC No. 2025-04 (918 West Main Street) and HPAC No. 2025-05 (410 North Court Street). The item at 918 West Main Street was related to a request to conduct exterior alterations to a dental office. This item was denied due to incompatibility of the proposal (placement of stacked/rustic stone veneer on a craftsman bungalow containing undamaged wood siding and river rock) with the architectural elements of the building. The applicant was informed of the potential for denial but did not attend the meeting. Upon notification of the denial, the applicant stated that they respected the decision of the HPAC and would not appeal, choosing to paint the structure instead. 410 North Court Street was a request to replace 48 original wood windows with new vinyl windows. The request was denied due to doubts that the original windows could not be repaired, and the buildings affiliation with the Bradley Family. The property owner appealed the decision, and the denial was overturned by the Visalia City Council on May 5, 2025. The last time a decision of the HPAC was appealed to the City Council was in 2008, for a residence at 944 South Court Street.
Projects considered during the one-year timeframe consisted largely of residential alterations, with a few requests relating to commercial developments, such as new medical spa uses in existing buildings. Of the 22 projects reviewed, approximately 55% (12) were initiated as the result of code enforcement action taken by either Neighborhood Preservation or Planning Division staff. In these instances, exterior alterations were conducted prior to HPAC review or Building Permit issuance.
All projects, as well as decisions rendered by the HPAC, are summarized in Attachment No. 1.
Project Consultations
National Register of Historic Places Designation - 513 North Encina Street
On September 5, 2025, through the efforts of property owner Joshua Cain, the residence at 513 North Encina Street was placed on the National Register of Historic Places (see Attachment 2). As part of review processes conducted by the California Office of Historic Preservation, the HPAC was informed of the potential designation. To assist in the applicant’s request, the HPAC sent a letter of support to the Office of Historic Preservation on July 16, 2024 (Attachment 3) recommending approval of the national designation request. Staff and members of the HPAC also virtually attended the August 2, 2024, meeting of State Historical Resources Commission, to provide public comment in support of the designation.
Single Family Residential Objective Design Standards / Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance
In 2025, the City of Visalia adopted design and development standards for new single family residences and accessory dwelling units (ADU). As part of the drafting process, the HPAC reviewed the draft ordinances and provided staff with comments to ensure that the documents did not negatively impact historic resources. In particular, language was provided to ensure that ADUs (the development of which is now exempt from HPAC review) would still be required to be architecturally compatible with the primary dwelling onsite. This language was accepted by staff and ultimately included in the final version of the ADU ordinance approved by the City Council.
Long Range Projects
Goal Setting 2025-2026
Staring in 2024, the HPAC updated its 2022-2024 goals statement to guide its activities for the next two years. Goal setting consisted of multiple discussions by the HPAC during public meetings. Goal setting was completed in January 2025, with revisions conducted in May 2025. The list of goals is included as Attachment No. 4. Since completion of goal setting, the HPAC has focused its efforts on two main goals:
1. Re-establish an awards program for historically designated structures (Goal 2.a). Work on this goal is ongoing in 2025.
2. Complete the evaluation of sites surveyed as part of the Historic District Survey Project, an effort to survey sites within and around the Historic District for potential inclusion in the Historic District and/or Local Register of Historic District (Goal 1). Work on this is ongoing in 2025.
Historic District Survey Project
In 2024/2025, the HPAC continued work on the Historic District Survey Project (HDSP), an effort to identify historically significant sites and neighborhoods in and around the Historic District for possible inclusion on the Local Register of Historic Structures and/or expansion of the Historic District. Activities during this timeframe included conducting site visits, documenting conditions for evaluation by the HPAC, and evaluating sites for possible historic designation during HPAC public meetings. During this time, staff also enlisted the services of the City’s Geographic Information System (GIS) staff to create an online map which graphically depicts the results of the HPAC’s evaluations, which will help to assist the HPAC in formulating recommendations for future potential City Council consideration. Once the HPAC has completed its review of the HDSP materials and formulated a recommendation, staff will conduct outreach with property owners to gauge interest in joining the Local Register or the Historic District. Once outreach is completed, a work session will be scheduled with the City Council to share findings, discuss input received from outreach efforts, and seek direction on whether to move forward with public hearings to incorporate properties into the Historic District and/or Local Register.
Historic Recognition/Awards Program
On July 24, 2024, the HPAC approved a request through the Historic Recognition Program (HRP) to place a historical marker at the Darling Hotel (210 North Court Street). The HRP provides guidelines for the HPAC to give a “stamp of approval” for the placement of a plaque on a property. The program provides no funding for plaques, and requires the applicant to fund and place the plaque themselves. In this instance, the plaque was funded by the Kaweah Kollectors of Questers, a local historical society which spearheaded previous plaques efforts at places such as the Togni Building (116 East Main Street) and the Bank of Italy Building (128 East Main Street).
At the July 24, 2024, HPAC meeting, the Kaweah Kollectors stated that they would no longer be active. To fill the void, the HPAC has been working to develop an annual awards program wherein the HPAC would identify and recognize individuals who restore historic homes and award plaques or letters of commendation. The HPAC also hopes to fund the making of plaques for awards recipients, using monies allocated by the City Council to committees and commissions, to acknowledge and incentivize historic preservation efforts. The HPAC has also endeavored to shift facilitation of the Historic Recognition Program to Visalia Heritage, a separate historical society that has been much more active in recent years. These efforts are ongoing in 2025. Once the HPAC has developed a draft program, staff will set up a joint work session with the City Council to obtain comments and direction prior to its implementation.
Public Outreach
City of Visalia Winter Recreational Guide
Through coordination between Planning Division and Parks & Recreation Department staff, an advertisement was published in the 2024 City of Visalia Winter Recreational Guide, providing overview of the Committee, exterior modifications that require review, and staff contact information. The advertisement is included as Attachment No. 5.
Historic Preservation Mailer
In 2024 and 2025 the HPAC conducted its mailing of the Historic Preservation Informational Pamphlet to all occupants and property owners of sites on the Local Register and within the Historic District. The mailer is in both English and Spanish, and contains information on what types of projects require HPAC review. In 2025, the HPAC began mailing the informational pamphlet on a bi-annual basis (March and September), further ensuring that property owners and occupants are regularly informed. A copy of the pamphlet is included in Attachment No. 6.
Background:
As one of the oldest cities in the Central Valley, Visalia hosts an impressive collection of historic sites and structures. Numerous structures with distinctive architectural styles are present in Visalia, concentrated in the city’s historic core. The Historic Preservation Ordinance, adopted in 1979 and updated in 2001 and 2022, established the HPAC to act as a steward for historic preservation causes. The HPAC is a seven-member committee that is primarily responsible for periodically updating the Local Register of Historic Structures, nominating properties to Local, State, and Federal Historic Registers, and reviewing building/planning actions related to historically designated structures within the Historic District and/or on the Local Register. Review of building and planning actions is the most frequent task undertaken by the Committee, consisting of review of exterior alterations to historically designated structures, and review of zoning actions on sites within the Historic District (ex. Change of Zones, Conditional Use Permits, Variances, and Planned Unit Developments). HPAC reviews are free of charge and conducted with a focus on preserving the integrity of historic structures and maintaining the character of historic neighborhoods. Committee actions are appealable directly to the City Council.
The Committee currently consists of seven members with a wide variety of knowledge relevant to historic preservation. Current members of the HPAC work in construction, education, insurance, design, and landscaping, and many of the members are active in community groups. Two of the seven members also reside within the boundaries of the Historic District (Chair Tyler Davis and Vice-Chair Karen Ayala). The Committee meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays of every month to provide expedient review of development requests.
Fiscal Impact: None.
Prior Council Action:
At the September 16, 2025, City Council meeting, the Council accepted the 2023-2024 Annual Report from the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee.
Committee/Commission Review and Action:
The Historic Preservation Advisory Committee discussed the preparation and content of the annual report at its September 24, 2025, meeting.
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
I move to accept the 2024/2025 Annual Report from the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee.
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CEQA Review: Not applicable.
Attachments:
1. Historic Preservation Advisory Committee - Project Reviews July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025
2. State of California, Natural Resources Agency, Department of Parks and Recreation, Office of Historic Preservation - Listing of 513 North Encina Street in the National Register of Historic Places
3. HPAC Letter of Support - National Register of Historic Places Nomination for Hyde, Jeremiah D. and Mary, House
4. HPAC Goals 2025-2026 (Updated May 28, 2025)
5. 2024 City of Visalia Winter Recreational Guide - HPAC Advertisement
6. HPAC Informational Pamphlet
7. Committee Member List