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CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Report: Professional Services Agreement with Architectural Resources Group for preparation of a Historic District Survey for the proposed Verdugo Woodlands historic district.
1. Motion authorizing the City Manager or his designee to execute a Professional Services Agreement with Architectural Resources Group for a historic district survey for the proposed Verdugo Woodlands historic district for a not-to-exceed contract amount of $91,760.
2. Resolution of appropriation in the amount of $91,760 for the Verdugo Woodlands historic district survey.
3. Motion requiring the applicants to circulate a petition within the proposed Verdugo Woodlands historic district obtaining the support of the owners of more than 25% of the properties in the proposed district.
COUNCIL ACTION
Item Type: Hearing
Approved for August 12, 2025 calendar
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The preparation of a historic district survey is a required step in the Glendale district designation process. On August 15, 2024, the Historic Preservation Commission reviewed an application for a proposed Verdugo Woodlands historic district. After considering public testimony and sitting in on the community forum held just before the hearing, the Commission found that the application contained sufficient information to suggest the proposed area may meet the City’s thresholds and criteria for district designation. This vote moved the application forward to the next step in the designation process, which is conducting a historic district survey.
Council initially considered funding the Verdugo Woodlands survey when it approved funding for the East-West Glendale Historic Resource Survey and the Cleveland Knoll Historic District Survey on September 17, 2024. Due to potential conflicts for several 210a
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Councilmembers whose families own property in the proposed Verdugo Woodlands district or within 500 feet of its boundary, consideration of the survey funding was pulled out for separate consideration, which is the subject of tonight’s hearing. Since City Council previously authorized a contract with Architectural Resources Group (ARG) to conduct the East-West Glendale Historic Context and Survey, there will still be efficiencies in including the Verdugo Woodlands district survey with the larger survey since the consulting team will already be researching and conducting field survey in the area and is already familiar with the history of its development.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council authorize a Professional Services Agreement with Architectural Resources Group to conduct a historic district survey for the proposed Verdugo Woodlands historic district and approve a Resolution of Appropriation for $91,760.
ANALYSIS
Background
The proposed district consists of the portion of the Verdugo Woodlands neighborhood located to the west of Canada Boulevard, which serves as the eastern boundary. The south side of San Gabriel Avenue is suggested as the northern boundary and Verdugo Park is included at the south. The west boundary is irregular but generally conforms to the areas of relatively early development at the lower elevations of the Verdugo Mountains. The proposed district will surround the Niodrara Drive Historic District, which was designated in 2016. The proposal includes 788 properties, but includes the previously designated Niodrara Drive Historic District, containing thirty-two homes. For this reason, the exact number of properties is uncertain pending a decision by the City about whether Niodrara Drive will remain a standalone district or if it will be subsumed into a new, larger district.
The area features a number of early residences, including the Catalina Verdugo Adobe (GR No. 1, c. 1860) and the 1912 home of the Verdugo Woodland’s initial developer, John Pirtle. Several Craftsman-style homes from the 1910s and 1920s remain, but much of the area’s development reflects the Revival styles popular in the 1920s and 1930s, along with the Minimal Traditional style that came to prominence in the years prior to World War II. Numerous Ranch and Modern style properties were built on undeveloped lots in the 1940s and 1950s, with the neighborhood being largely built about by the mid-1960s. True to its name, the area is notable for the number of mature trees on both private and public property, including the many oaks and sycamores that dominate its streetscapes.
The district application was reviewed by HPC on August 15, 2024. This is the first proposed district to be reviewed under the streamlined designation process approved by City Council in 2023. The Commission made a preliminary finding that the proposed district appears likely to meet the thresholds and criteria requirements established in the Historic Preservation Ordinance (GMC 30.25) and voted to authorize staff to begin the process for retaining a historic preservation consulting firm to conduct a survey of the area. This decision also shifted the proposed area’s status from “proposed district” to “pending district,” meaning that design review authority shifted from DRB and the 310a
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Citywide Design Guidelines to HPC and the Historic District Design Guidelines.
At the hearing and the preceding community forum, speakers and callers expressed a variety of opinions about designating a district, ranging from strong support to strong opposition. Under the streamlined designation process, the Commission chose not to invoke the option to require a petition requiring the owners of over 25% of the properties in the area to request that the City conduct the survey. At the present hearing, Council has the same option if it desires to better gauge the level of support before deciding whether to authorize the survey.
Historic District Survey
Historic district surveys are different than historic resource surveys. Their focus is on determining the overall character of a specific area and identifying the properties that contribute to that character and those that do not. District surveys also assess a proposed district against the set of thresholds and criteria established in the Glendale Municipal Code. Until a survey is completed, it is unknown whether the proposed district will qualify for designation or if its proposed boundary will be found appropriate.
Because the Verdugo Woodlands neighborhood is in the East-West Glendale study area, staff asked the preferred bidder for that project to provide a supplemental bid for conducting the Verdugo Woodlands historic district survey.
ARG proposes to produce the Verdugo Woodlands survey for $91,760. This fee works out to about $114 per property for the approximately 750 houses within the proposed boundary. The per property cost is in keeping with those for other recent district surveys.
Councilmember Participation
Mayor Najarian and Councilmembers Brotman and Gharpetian own property in or within 500 feet of the proposed historic district. As such, they generally have a conflict of interest under the Political Reform Act and the regulations of the Fair Political Practices Commission (“FPPC”). Under FPPC regulations, it is reasonably foreseeable that decisions on the proposed historic district will have material financial effects on their real property. The City sought advice from the FPPC on this issue. In its advice letter (Exhibit 6), the FPPC confirmed the conflicts.
Notwithstanding these conflicts, the FPPC also opined that its regulations permit the City to invoke the “legally required participation” exception to select councilmembers to be selected at random to form a quorum with respect to the decisions necessary to act on the proposed historic district. No more conflicted councilmembers may participate in decisions than are necessary to lawfully take action on the item. For purposes of the decision on authorizing a survey and approving an appropriation, that quorum is three councilmembers. Thus, one of the three conflicted councilmembers will be selected at random to form a quorum with the other two councilmembers and participate in the decision whether to authorize the survey and appropriate the funds. That councilmember will then participate in any future decisions on the proposed district. 410a
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Additional councilmembers may be selected at random for future decisions, if any, where a supermajority is required to take action, e.g. the four-vote supermajority necessary to adopt the historic district.
STAKEHOLDERS/OUTREACH
Outreach for proposed historic districts is built into the Glendale Municipal Code. The first required community forum and HPC hearing for the pending Verdugo Woodlands historic district was held on August 15, 2024. Notice of this meeting was mailed to owners and residents of properties inside the proposed boundary and within a 500-foot radius. A notice indicating the outcome of the HPC meeting was subsequently mailed to the same group. This notice explained that the Commission’s vote led to the change of the area within the proposed boundary to the status of “pending historic district” and shifted the design review authority for projects proposed during the period the district remains under consideration.
FISCAL IMPACT
The cost for the Verdugo Woodlands Historic District Survey is $91,760, which was not included as a part of the FY 25-26 budget. Staff is requesting an appropriation of $91,760 from the General Fund balance. The appropriation request is outlined below:
Requesting Appropriation
Amount From (Account
String)
To (Account String) Funding Source
$91,760 25300-1010-000 43110-1010-CDD-
2502-P0000
General Fund
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (CEQA/NEPA)
The project is exempt from CEQA as a Class 8 “Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment” exemption pursuant to Section 15308 of the State CEQA Guidelines because historic contexts and surveys provide information and guidance that will help protect the city’s historic built environment.
CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE
The names and business addresses of the members of the board of directors, the chairperson, CEO, COO, CFO, Subcontractors and any person or entity with more than 10% interest in the company proposed for contract in this report are attached in Exhibit #1, in accordance with the City Campaign Finance Ordinance No. 5744.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
1. Do not authorize a Professional Services Agreement with Architectural Resources Group for preparation of the Verdugo Woodlands historic resource survey and adopt a Resolution of Appropriation for $91,760.
2. Direct historic district proponents to circulate a petition requesting that City Council authorize completion of a historic district survey.
3. Any other alternative not proposed by staff.
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ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Submitted by:
Bradley Calvert, Director of Community Development
Prepared by:
Jay Platt, Principal Planner
Approved by:
Roubik R. Golanian, P.E., City Manager
EXHIBITS/ATTACHMENTS
Exhibit 1: ARG Revised Fee for Verdugo Woodlands Survey Exhibit 2: Verdugo Woodlands Historic District Application Exhibit 3: Map of Proposed District
Exhibit 4: Streamlined District Designation Process Flow Chart Exhibit 5: Campaign Disclosure Form
Exhibit 6: FPPC Advice Letter dated December 23, 2024