200 S. Anaheim Blvd.
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Anaheim, CA 92805
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CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
City of Anaheim
PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT
DATE: SEPTEMBER 27, 2022
FROM: PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: DESIGNATION OF RESIDENCES LOCATED AT 2020 WEST ORANGE AVENUE AND 735 NORTH WESTWOOD PLACE
AS CITYWIDE “HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT
STRUCTURES”
ATTACHMENT (Y/N): YES ITEM # 08
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council, by Motion, designate a one-story Spanish Colonial Revival style residence located at 2020 West Orange Avenue and a one-story Mid-Century Modern style residence located at 735 North Westwood Place as citywide “Historically Significant Structures.”
DISCUSSION:
On May 18, 2010, the City Council adopted the Citywide Historic Preservation Plan.
The plan includes a list of “Historically Significant Structures.” Historically Significant Structures are those which have been determined to represent a characteristic part of the historic built environment, but do not contribute to the character of one of Anaheim’s four locally-designated historic districts. To qualify as an Historically Significant Structure, the owner of the property first completes a historic survey, with guidance from the City’s Heritage Services Manager, to determine if the structure is at least fifty years old. In addition, for the City Council to designate the building as a Historically Significant Structure, the findings of the historic survey must determine whether the structure is associated with a significant event in local, regional, or national history, a significant person, a particular style of architecture, or a significant visual feature of the City. Staff makes a recommendation to Council based upon historical themes in Anaheim’s history, as outlined in the Citywide Historic Preservation Plan. The condition of the property, as seen from the street, must also appropriately reflect the integrity of the era of the property’s historical significance as outlined in the U.S. Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.
At the request of the homeowners located at 2020 West Orange Avenue and 735 North Westwood Place, historic surveys and inspections of the properties were completed by staff, in conjunction with their Mills Act applications. Through this process, staff has determined that the properties exhibit a high degree of historic integrity and significance and recommends their designation as “Historically Significant Structures.”
Designation of 2020 West Orange Avenue and 735 North Westwood Place as Citywide “Historically Significant Structures” September 27, 2022
2020 West Orange Avenue
The one-story single-family residence located at 2020 West Orange Avenue was built in 1929 in the Spanish Colonial Revival architectural style. The house retains a high degree of historic integrity to convey its significance as an example of an early 20th century Anaheim family citrus farmhouse. Many of its original architectural features remain, such as the large arched picture windows with decorative attic vents above, original wood door, prominent front gables, and shallow coved eaves.
2020 West Orange Avenue was historically located within a 20-acre Valencia citrus ranch that had replaced a sugar beet farm in the early 1900s. Despite the changes in development around the house, the property has maintained its overall massing, form, and character-defining architectural features. The property also possesses historic significance due to its association with Anaheim’s agricultural period (1890-1955), and reveals historical information about the patterns of the city’s agricultural plots as citrus groves gave way to surrounding tract housing developments in the mid-20th century.
735 North Westwood Place
The one-story residence located at 735 North Westwood Place was built in 1962 in the Mid- Century Modern architectural style. The house was designed by Howard Morgridge and represents a notable and rare residential work by the master architect, who primarily designed churches and educational institutions. (One of Morgridge’s projects includes Anaheim’s First Presbyterian Church and School located at 310 West Broadway.) Many of the original architectural features of 735 North Westwood Place remain, such as the prominent low-pitched and angled gable roof, exposed structural purlins, wood cladding, and floor-to-ceiling windows.
The house is largely intact from its original construction. 735 North Westwood Place possesses historic significance because it embodies the distinctive characteristics of Mid-Century Modern residential architecture and represents the work of the influential modernist architect, Howard Morgridge.
The designation of 2020 West Orange Avenue and 735 North Westwood Place as citywide “Historically Significant Structures” is consistent with the goals of the Citywide Historic Preservation Plan to identify historic resources throughout the city and promote the importance of preserving and protecting historic structures as a significant component of the city’s physical built environment and identity.
Mills Act
The Mills Act is a California State law enacted in 1972 to encourage historic preservation. It grants local governments the authority to enter into contracts with owners of historic properties who agree to maintain and preserve their property in exchange for a reduction in local property taxes. The City’s program has been in place since 2001.
Properties eligible to apply for a Mills Act Contract are those listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the California Register of Historical Resources, and/or Anaheim’s list of “Qualified Historic Structures.” The last category includes properties that are documented to Designation of 2020 West Orange Avenue and 735 North Westwood Place as Citywide “Historically Significant Structures” September 27, 2022
contribute to the significance of historic districts as well as individually significant properties, which are designated in Anaheim as “Historically Significant Structures.” In addition to the honor of being placed on the city’s official list of “Historically Significant Structures,” the historic designations would allow both properties to be part of the city’s award- winning Mills Act Contract Program. Mills Act Contracts are reviewed and approved at staff level based on historical significance, condition and maintenance of the property, and the absence of any major character-defining alterations. Mills Act Contracts for the subject properties are pending, and finalization of the contracts is contingent upon the historic designation of each property by City Council.
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the requested historic designations.
IMPACT ON BUDGET:
There is no budgetary impact associated with the historic designation of these properties.
Respectfully submitted,
Ted White
Planning and Building Director
Attachments:
1. 2020 West Orange Avenue Historic Survey
2. 2020 West Orange Avenue Location Map with Photograph
3. 735 North Westwood Place Historic Survey
4. 735 North Westwood Place Location Map with Photograph