Agenda Report
Fullerton City Council
MEETING DATE: August 1, 2023
TO: CITY COUNCIL / SUCCESSOR AGENCY
SUBMITTED BY: SUNAYANA THOMAS, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PREPARED BY: CHRIS SCHAEFER, AICP, PLANNING MANAGER
TAYLOR SAMUELSON, SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST
SUBJECT: GENERAL PLAN REVISION TO ADD TWO LOCAL LANDMARKS TO THE CITY OF FULLERTON HISTORIC PRESERVATION ELEMENT, REGISTER OF HISTORICAL RESOURCES AND MAP OF HISTORICAL RESOURCES
SUMMARY
This application requests a General Plan revision to add properties located at 444 West Malvern Avenue and 125 West Elm Avenue as Local Landmarks to the Register of Historical Resources and Map of Historical Resources.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt Resolution No. 2023-XXX.
RESOLUTION NO. 2023-XXX – A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FULLERTON, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING A GENERAL PLAN REVISION TO ADD PROPERTY LOCATED AT 444 WEST MALVERN AVENUE (HL-108) AND 125 WEST ELM AVENUE (HL-110) TO THE FULLERTON PLAN HISTORIC PRESERVATION ELEMENT, TABLE 6 – CITY OF FULLERTON LOCAL REGISTER OF HISTORICAL RESOURCES AND EXHIBIT 3 – MAPS OF HISTORICAL RESOURCES – NATIONAL AND LOCAL
CITY MANAGER REMARKS
The City Manager recommends approval of the Resolution to add the properties to the the Historic Preservation Element.
PRIORITY POLICY STATEMENT
This item matches the following Priority Policy Statement:
Infrastructure and City Assets.
FISCAL IMPACT
Not Applicable.
DISCUSSION
Designation of a resource requires review and approval by the Landmarks / Planning Commission following submittal of a property owner authorized application. The Landmarks / Planning Commission reviewed these requests for historic designation on December 7, 2022 (444 West Malvern Avenue) and March 15, 2023 (125 West Elm Avenue) during noticed public hearings and unanimously approved the designations with a recommendation that City Council revise the General Plan to add the resources as Local Landmarks to the Register of Historical Resources, Table 6 and Map of Historical Resources, Exhibit 3. Staff has attached Planning Commission Staff Reports, Resolutions and Minutes are provided for reference (Attachments 4 through 9). 125 West Elm Avenue – Historic Context and Background
Fullerton Heritage researched and reviewed the historical significance of this property as well as identified various aspects of significance that contribute to the key qualifiers in FMC Chapter 15.48 relating to local landmarks and significant properties. Local contractor Earl G. Snyder, an important builder in Fullerton’s history, designed and built the property. Snyder built hundreds of homes in Fullerton between 1921 and until his death in 1952.
He designed his first homes in a Minimal Traditional style, followed by Spanish Colonial Revival and English cottage homes. He developed a signature English cottage architecture style in the mid-1920s unique to Fullerton. Snyder took ornate English Cottage and Storybook architectural elements popular in the early 1920s – turrets, thatched roofs, large fireplaces, small diamond-paned windows, etc. – and simplified the style, designing charming, almost modern, cottages around the City.
This home has English Cottage Style architecture. The front façade of the subject property’s dwelling features two wings or sides, each with a steeply pitched gable roof, separated by a small arched landing or porch.
The property is consistent with the goals and policies contained in the Fullerton Plan Policy 4.2 and 4.4 related to historic resource awareness and character and sense of place. The site provides an additional historic asset to the growing portfolio of valuable and important locations for the community. 444 West Malvern – Historic Context and Background
Fullerton Heritage researched and reviewed the historical significance of this property identifying various aspects of significance that contribute to the key qualifiers in FMC Chapter 15.48 related to local landmarks and significant properties. The cottage-styled home has received nomination as a Fullerton Local Landmark for its historic association with two notable Fullerton residents: original owner Earl Scott Dysinger, the first Student President of Fullerton College and second owner Chemist and Businessman Charles Henry Schugt, co-owner and soft drink creator for the LaVida Bottling Company, Inc., Fullerton’s first and only soft drink manufacturing firm. The company marketed and sold its bottled drinks throughout Northern and Southern California, with each bottle proudly stating that it was produced in Fullerton, bringing recognition to the City.
The architectural style of this home is English Country Cottage. The home was constructed in 1928 and provides an excellent example of this style popular in Fullerton and the United States during the 1920s and 1930s. Cottage-like features of the home include a steep roof pitch with rolled edges, fish-scale asphalt singles that roll under at the roof edges, clipped gables, stucco walls with brick trim around the ground floor windows and doors on the primary façade, a prominent chimney on the east side wall and small front porch. Overall, the home has an inviting and charming quality enhanced by a grassy lawn, planters and simple plantings.
The property is consistent with the goals and policies contained in the Fullerton Plan Policy 4.2 and 4.4 related to historic resource awareness and character and sense of place. Of particular significance, LaVida Bottling Company, Inc. had its name changed to the Dr. Pepper Bottling Company of Fullerton and constructed a new plant on West Orangethorpe Avenue. Many colloquially refer to the property as the ‘Dr Pepper House’ thanks to this contribution from the property’s second owner, Mr. Henry Schugt who co-founded the company.
The Historic Preservation Element is not a mandatory element of the General Plan and not subject to limitation on the number of amendments which may occur in a calendar year pursuant to California Government Code Section 65358.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 – PowerPoint Presentation
Attachment 2 – Draft Resolution No. 2023-XXX
Attachment 3 – Amended Register of Historical Resources and Map Attachment 4 – Planning Commission December 7, 2022 Staff Report Attachment 5 – Planning Commission March 15, 2023 Staff Report Attachment 6 – Planning Commission Resolution No. PC-2022-37 Attachment 7 – Planning Commission Resolution No. PC-2023-06 Attachment 8 – Planning Commission December 7, 2022 Minutes Attachment 9 – Planning Commission March 15, 2023 Minutes cc: City Manager Eric J. Levitt
Historic Register Update
August 1, 2023 - Page 2