Agenda Item Wording:
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Appointment of Committee Member - Request to appoint Erick Arriaga to a partial first term on the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee.
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Deadline for Action: 10/21/2024
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 <mailto:cristobal.carrillo@visalia.city>
Paul Bernal, Planning and Community Preservation Director, 713-4025 paul.bernal@visalia.city <mailto:paul.bernal@visalia.city>
Department Recommendation:
Staff recommends that the City Council accept the recommendation of the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee (HPAC) and do the following:
1. Appoint Erick Arriaga to the Committee for a partial first term, beginning immediately and ending June 30, 2026. This appointment would be for more than half of a term so it would be counted as a first term. Mr. Arriaga would be eligible for two additional terms at the conclusion of this term.
Summary:
The HPAC currently has six seated members out of seven available positions. The appointment of Erick Arriaga will provide the Committee with a fully seated seven-member panel, which will continue to pursue its mission to protect historical resources in the City of Visalia.
Background Discussion:
The HPAC is a seven-member committee which administers the Historic Preservation Ordinance and encourages property owners to maintain the historic character of their properties. The Committee meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month.
The HPAC currently operates with six active members. The HPAC is currently working on a survey of the Historic District and adjacent areas. Appointment of Erick Arriaga will restore the HPAC to a fully seated membership, providing additional assistance to bring the Historic District survey project to completion. If the nomination is approved, Mr. Arriaga will fill the vacancy left by Patricia Kane, who resigned October 10, 2024. Ms. Kane, who completed six years of service on the HPAC as of June 30, 2024, was serving an extended term per the guidelines of the City of Visalia Committee and Commissions Handbook to provide the HPAC with a full membership while a search was conducted to fill her eventual vacancy. This is why Mr. Arriaga’s 1st term will be a partial term beginning October 21, 2024, if appointed.
Erick Arriaga is a community outreach coordinator with the Delta Mosquito and Vector Control District, creating and sharing educational materials via events, tours, and social media. Mr. Arriaga also volunteers his time working with the Public Relations Committee for the Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California, creating educational materials for underserved districts. Mr. Arriaga has studied at both Reedley College and the College of the Sequoias, earning an Associates of Science degree in Communications from the former, and an HVAC Certificate from the latter. Mr. Arriaga has a strong interest in photography, mountain biking, the study of trees, and architecture, particularly the works of American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. When not working or engaging in beloved hobbies, Mr. Arriaga enjoys taking his children to the many “Live and Play” programs held by the City of Visalia.
The current HPAC membership is as follows:
1. Tyler Davis, Chair - 3rd term
2. Jay Hohlbauch - 2nd term
3. Karen Ayala - 1st term
4. Jerome Melgar - 2nd term
5. Kim Lusk - partial 1st term
6. Michael Tomola - 1st term
7. Vacant (previously filled by Patricia Kane).
With this appointment, three out of the seven HPAC members will reside within the Historic District (Mr. Davis, Mr. Tomola, and Ms. Ayala). This ratio was the same prior to Ms. Kane’s resignation.
Fiscal Impact: None.
Prior Council Action:
On July 15, 2024, the City Council took the following actions:
1. Appointed Kim Lusk to the Committee for a partial first term, beginning July 15, 2024, and ending June 30, 2025.
2. Appointed Michael Tomola to the Committee for a first two-year term beginning July 15, 2024, and ending June 30, 2026.
3. Reappointed Tyler Davis to the Committee for a third two-year term beginning July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2026.
4. Reappointed Jerome Melgar to the Committee for a second two-year term beginning July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2026.
Alternatives:
The City Council may direct staff to initiate the recruitment process for Historic Preservation Advisory Committee members immediately.
Recommended Motions (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
I move to appoint Erick Arriaga to a partial first term beginning immediately and ending June 30, 2026.
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CEQA Review:
No environmental review is required for Committee appointments.
Attachments:
1. Erick Arriaga Application
2. Historic Preservation Advisory Committee - 2024 Meeting Attendance
3. City of Visalia Committee and Commissions Handbook