General Plan - Historical /Cultural Element
INTRODUCTION
Historic and cultural preservation represents a responsibility of the
present generation to maintain unique and significant structures and
areas established in the past for the use. edification and enjoyment of
future generations. Pasadena, because of its rich history and legacy of
architecturally significant buildings has a particularly handsome
endowment to protect and retain. The Historic and Cultural Preservation
Element seeks to identify and protect areas, sites and structures
having architectural, historical or cultural significance and to
reaffirm their continuing value as a resource contributing to the
vitality and diversity of the present. To insure that the concerns of
this element not be isolated from the concerns of other elements to
which it is so clearly related urban design, neighborhood enhancement,
circulation. zoning, land use, conservation - and to eliminate the
possibility of conflict and contradiction among the various elements,
concerns of this element shall be cross-referenced to pertinent
sections of the other elements.
BACKGROUND
Issues and Problems
- Efforts to preserve and protect historic and cultural
landmarks have been hindered by the following:
- Their location in transitional areas
- Development pressures on their sites
- Lack of effective response to impending loss of landmarks
- Disincentives built into existing codes and policies that
discourage continued use of older buildings
- Failure to develop programs to take advantage of funding
sources
- Maintenance of the character and integrity of existing
historic and cultural buildings. streets and districts.
- Determination of an equitable distribution of the costs and
responsibilities for historic and cultural preservation.
- Conflict, between economic development and historic
preservation.
- Historic preservation versus building and safety code
requirements.
- Failure of government to recognize historic and cultural
assets and the assumption that age alone is a factor on the
determination of blight.
Opportunities
- The preservation of Pasadena's unique cultural and
historically significant buildings, streets and districts can be aided
by increased concern and changing attitudes which grasp the necessity
of making use of these no longer expendable resources. These resources
represent a key factor in relating Pasadena's future economic and
social well-being to its roots in the past.
- Pasadena is actively pursuing a historic preservation
program through its Cultural Heritage Committee.
- Reflecting a national mood, potential resources for
historic preservation have become increasingly available.
- Promising new legislation and innovative concepts, such as
Transfer of Development Rights and Tax Incentive Programs provide
precedent and guides which could be utilized to preserve historic and
culturally significant buildings and districts.
- Use of older buildings may not only offer cultural heritage
advantages, but also economic benefits due to increasing new
construction costs.
- Cultural heritage can increase community appeal and
stabilize property values.
Goals and Objectives
Goal:
Preservation and enhancement of the City's cultural and historic
buildings, streets and districts, not merely as gentle reminders of a
pleasant past but also as relevant and unique alternatives for the
present and the future - a source of community identity, social,
ecological and economic vitality.
Objectives:
- Identification, maintenance and protection of buildings.
streets or districts having historic and cultural significance.
- A program of public awareness and support for historic and
cultural preservation as a key to Pasadena’s uniqueness and future
economic vitality.
- A positive philosophy of preservation as a valid and
necessary component at every phase of governmental decision making.
- Relating new development to existing environment in scale,
material and character so that Pasadena's inherent human scale, visual
and functional diversity may be maintained and enhanced.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND POLICIES
Strategy:
Establishment of an equitable process for maintaining and perpetuating
historical and cultural landmarks through a combination of public and
private efforts.
Policies:
- Private preservation and restoration efforts shall be
encouraged and facilitated. and incentive programs to further such
efforts shall be studied and developed.
- Cultural and historic preservation at the neighborhood
level shall ensure the opportunity for the full range of citizen
participation and relate the intent of preservation activities to local
cultural diversity.
- The City will act as a resource of last resort when all
other options and opportunities for preservation have been exhausted.
if the landmark in question is deemed to have sufficient historic or
cultural significance to warrant City intervention.
- Where restrictions on permitted uses make it unlikely that
worthy structures can be preserved. such restrictions may be relaxed.
particularly if the proposed use would not adversely affect surrounding
properties.
Programs:
- Adoption of a strong Cultural Heritage Ordinance.
- Identification of significant buildings, streets and
districts.
- Development of an educational program in cultural heritage.
drawing on and supplementing school programs. expanding contact with
historical experience throughout the community and region.
- Establishment of an information exchange network
coordinated by the Historic Preservation Officer.
- Development of historic preservation overlay zone.
- Utilization of the redevelopment agency as a vehicle for
preservation activity. The agency is currently empowered to acquire,
hold. restore, and resell buildings.
- Creation of a rehabilitation loan program.
- Develop programs in the areas of tax relief, transfer of
development rights, and building code relaxation, as these apply to
historic buildings and districts.
- Establishment of a program to relocate reusable older
buildings from or into redevelopment projects as a means of historic
preservation.
REFERENCES
"The California Historic Preservation Plan, Vats. 1-3", State of
California, The Resources Agency, Department ofParks and Recreation,
(Sacramento, 1975).
"Historic Preservation in California: A Legal Handbook". Grady Gammage,
Jr.. Philip N. Jones. Stephen L. Jones. Stanford Environmental Law
Society and The National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Leland
Stanford University Press. 1975.
"What Time is this Place", Kevin Lynch, MIT Press. (Cambridge, Mass. -
1972).
"California Design 1910", Tim Anderson, Eudorah Moore and Robert Winter
(editors), California Design Publication. (Pasadena, 1974).
"Historic Preservation Today," Essays presented to the Seminar on
Preservation and Restoration at Williamsburg, Sept. - 1963. University
of Virginia Press. (Charlottesville. 1966).
"Old Glory: A Pictorial Report on the Grass Roots History Movement".
Warner Paperback Library, 1973.
"The Presence of the Past: A History of the Preservation Movement in
the United States before Williamsburg", Putnam, (New York, 1965).
"The Death and Life of Great American Cities", Jane Jacobs. Random
House. (New York, 1961).
"Historic Preservation in Inner City Areas: A Manual of Practice".
Allegheny Press. (Pittsburg, 1971).
"With Heritage So Rich", U.S. Conference of Mayors. Random House, (New
York. 1966).