Historic decision: City weighs tier system for reviewing properties for preservation
By Martina Schimitschek
Five years ago, the city of Coronado started a process to review how buildings are assessed for its historic preservation program.
The city contracted Dudek, an Encinitas-based environmental, planning and engineering firm, to conduct a survey evaluating the architectural style of every structure 50 years or older in the city’s core. The only buildings not included were those already designated historical and those already determined not to be historical. The study did not extend to the Cays nor to any city, state and federal properties. The project also involved creating a historic context statement that identifies important themes and patterns of development in Coronado.
The survey, which encompassed 2,258 buildings, began in early 2019, and a draft was presented to the City Council on June 20, 2023. The goal for the survey and the accompanying historic context statement was to streamline the city’s historical review process.
Property owners can apply for a historic resource designation if their property is at least 75 years old. Owners can also apply if a property is less than 75 years old and has historic significance. Every building more than 75 years old that is slated for demolition or a remodel that affects its appearance from the street must also go through a historical review process.
Since 2019, that process involves a historical research report for every property. The city pays consultants to put together these reports, which cost, on average, $7,000 each.