The petition Statement

This petition calls for the City of Roseville to take the first step towards ensuring the preservation of Roseville’s historical properties.  As of now, Roseville has no preservation ordinances in place.  The most mitigation offered when a building faces demolition (even in the Old Town Roseville Historical Dist.) is a written report of that building and sometimes the opportunity for public comment before it’s gone.  We want to see the true, actual preservation of our valuable historical structures.  In 2004, the City of Roseville General Plan 2020 included historical preservation goals.  We request that those goals finally be met by taking the following action: 

We are asking that the City of Roseville adopt a comprehensive historic preservation program.  

Such a program would include a historic preservation ordinance, a historic preservation commission/board; and a local Historic/Historical Resources/Places/Landmarks Register.  The California Office of Historical Preservation (located in Sacramento) is available to answer questions and/or help facilitate such a program.    

Adopting these programs will meet goals set in the City of Roseville General Plan 2020.

Here are those goals, as stated in the City of Roseville General Plan 2020:

“Archaeological, Historic and Cultural Resources Goal: Strengthen Roseville’s unique identity through the protection of its archaeological, historic, and cultural resources. 

Archaeological, Historic and Cultural Resources Policy 5: Establish standards for the designation, improvement, and protection of buildings, landmarks, and sites of cultural and historic character. 

Archaeological, Historic and Cultural Resources Policy 6: Participate in the completion of a countywide inventory of historical sites.

Archaeological, Historic and Cultural Resources Policy 7: Encourage public activities, including the placement of monuments or plaques that recognize and celebrate historic sites, structures, and events.”

Some of the many benefits to this would be; parking variances, streamlined design review, an increase in heritage tourism, increase in property values, use of the State Historical Building Code, Historic Tax Credits and the adoption of a Mills Act program. 

Through an adopted Mills Act program, building owners who are eligible and choose to be on the local historic building register "may realize substantial property tax savings of between 40% and 60% each year for newly improved or purchased older properties because valuations of Mills Act properties are determined by the Income Approach to Value rather than by the standard Market Approach to Value." (per the Office of Historical Preservation website.)  A local historic register would be much more inclusive and comprehensive than the CA or National Register, benefiting more building owners.

According to the OHP website, the adoption of the Mills Act benefits local governments as well:  

"The Mills Act allows local governments to design preservation programs to accommodate specific community needs and priorities for rehabilitating entire neighborhoods, encouraging seismic safety programs, contributing to affordable housing, promoting heritage tourism, or fostering pride of ownership. Local governments have adopted the Mills Act because they recognize the economic benefits of conserving resources and reinvestment as well as the important role historic preservation can play in revitalizing older areas, creating cultural tourism, building civic pride, and retaining the sense of place and continuity with the community’s past." 

Owners of identified historic buildings can utilize the State Historic Building Code. Use of the Historic Code allows some flexibility and can result in a minimum of 10% cost savings for these building owners. 

In regard to the economic impact of Local Designation/historic preservation on property values, According to the Preservation Sacramento website, "For decades, in study after study, the results are the same: home prices in historic districts are higher when compared to similar neighborhoods that lack historic district designation.  This has led economists to conclude that historic designation will lead to higher average home prices for residential communities."  

 To see the many studies backing this statement, go to http://www.preservationsacramento.org/moneymatters 

We want to see our city benefit from and take pride in the preservation and promotion of our historical identity by taking this step.  For any help understanding the process of adopting a comprehensive Preservation program or questions about the Mills Act, the City of Roseville can reach out to shannon.pries@parks.ca.gov at the California Office of Historical Preservation.  Once such an Historical Preservation program is adopted, the City can also apply for Certified Local Government (CLG) status through the OHP.  

The Office of Historical Preservation has done a wonderful job training up volunteers to identify historical architecture styles and accomplish preservation projects such as the recent Mid-Century Modern Historic Survey in Sacramento (they matched grants to make that project possible): 

Read more about that award-winning project at:  https://www.cityofsacramento.org/Community-Development/Planning/Urban-Design/Preservation/Mid-Century-Modern

We are ready and willing to organize any volunteer help that may be needed.

Sincerely,

Belvedere Preservation Alliance