City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: JANUARY 13, 2026 FROM: COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WARD: 1
DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: PLANNING CASE DP-2023-01895 – REQUEST BY GEOFFREY STARNS TO DESIGNATE THE HAYS-PATTEE RESIDENCE - LOCATED AT 3611 MOUNT RUBIDOUX DRIVE - AS A CITY LANDMARK ISSUE:
Adopt a Resolution to designate the Hays-Pattee Residence, located at 3611 Mount Rubidoux Drive, as a City Landmark.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Determine that Planning Case DP-2023-01895 (Historic Designation), to designate the Hays-Pattee Residence as a City Landmark, is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) and 15308 (Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment), as the proposal will have no significant effect on the environment, identifies the structure as a cultural resource, and preserves the historic character of a cultural resource; Approve Planning Case DP-2023-01895 (Historic Designation) based on, and subject to, the Cultural Heritage Board facts for findings outlined in the attached Cultural Heritage Board staff report; and Adopt the attached Resolution designating Hays-Pattee Residence as a City Landmark.
CULTURAL HERITAGE BOARD RECOMMENDATIONS:
On November 19, 2025, the Cultural Heritage Board (CHB) unanimously voted (7 ayes) to recommend that the City Council approve Planning Case DP-2023-01895 and designate the Hays-Pattee Residence as a City Landmark (Attachments 2 and 3).
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A “Landmark” is defined in Section 20.50.010 of Title 20 of the Riverside Municipal Code as:
Any improvement or natural feature that is an exceptional example of a historical, archaeological, cultural, architectural, community, aesthetic or artistic heritage of the City, retains a high degree of integrity; and meets one or more of the following criteria:
Exemplifies or reflects special elements of the City's cultural, social, economic, political, aesthetic, engineering, architectural, or natural history; Is identified with persons or events significant in local, state or national history; Embodies distinctive characteristics of a style, type, period or method of construction, or is a valuable example of the use of indigenous materials or craftsmanship; Represents the work of a notable builder, designer, or architect, or important creative individual; Embodies elements that possess high artistic values or represents a significant structural or architectural achievement or innovation; Reflects significant geographical patterns, including those associated with different eras of settlement and growth, particular transportation modes, or distinctive examples of park or community planning, or cultural landscape; Is one of the last remaining examples in the City, region, State, or nation possessing distinguishing characteristics of an architectural or historical type or specimen; or Has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in history or prehistory.
DISCUSSION:
The property owners, Geoffrey and Christina Starns, are requesting approval of a Historic Designation to recognize the Hays-Pattee Residence as a City Landmark.
Located at 3611 Mount Rubidoux Drive, the two-story Mission Revival residence with Arts & Crafts era influences, was designed in 1903 by architect Franklin P. Burnham and constructed by builder A.W. Boggs for Howard Thomas Hays. The residence was later purchased by William P. Lett, who gifted it to his daughter, Lila Rose Lett, upon her marriage in 1906 to Captain Harry Gordon Pattee, the son of his business partner. A detached garage, designed in 1909, complements the primary residence and reflects the Mission Revival style, though it was altered at an unknown date. In 1912, a second-story addition designed by architect Garrett Van Pelt, Jr. transformed the home from its original Arts & Crafts character into a more formal Mission Revival residence. Despite this substantial addition, the property retains exceptional integrity and clearly illustrates its architectural evolution over time.
Howard Thomas Hays
Howard Thomas Hays was a prominent early banker and civic leader who played a formative role in establishing Riverside’s financial institutions in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. As cashier of the Orange Growers Bank, he was among the city’s rising young professionals whose success paralleled Riverside’s prosperity during the height of the citrus boom. Beyond banking, Hays contributed significantly to Riverside’s cultural and social life as president of the Rubidoux Club, founding president of the Riverside Lawn Tennis Club, and an active participant in the Loring Opera House. His involvement in real estate development, including the subdivision of Rubidoux Heights (later known as Banker’s Hill), further demonstrate his influence on Riverside’s early residential growth. Although his career was later overshadowed by a widely publicized embezzlement scandal, Hays’ impact on the city’s civic and social development remains historically significant.
Harry and Lila Pattee
Captain Harry G. Pattee and his wife, Lila Rose Lett Pattee, owned and resided in the home for more than six decades, a tenure that reflected both their social prominence and longstanding community involvement. Captain Pattee was a respected businessman, serving as president of the Riverside Country Club and the Riverside Polo Club and holding directorships in several local firms, including the Royal Steam Laundry and the Indiana Avenue Orange Packing Company. His military service was equally distinguished; he reorganized and commanded Riverside’s National Guard unit (Company M, 160th Infantry) during World War I, for which he received the City’s ceremonial key from Mayor Porter upon the unit’s return from training.
Franklin P. Burnham
Franklin P. Burnham was a nationally recognized architect best known for designing the Riverside County Courthouse, completed in 1903, as well as the Georgia State Capitol and numerous Carnegie libraries nationwide. The Hays-Pattee Residence, designed the same year as the courthouse, is one of only a few residential commissions by Burnham in Riverside. The home reflects his skill in blending classical proportions with the handcrafted detailing characteristic of the Arts & Crafts movement.
Garrett Van Pelt, Jr.
The 1912 second-story addition was designed by Garrett Van Pelt, Jr., an emerging architect who later became a partner in the prominent Pasadena firms Marston & Van Pelt and Marston, Van Pelt & Maybury. Van Pelt went on to design significant civic and residential buildings throughout Southern California. The Hays-Pattee Residence is among his earliest known projects and demonstrates his developing mastery of the Mission Revival style.
Historic Significance
The Hays-Pattee Residence is historically significant as an excellent example of early-twentieth-century residential architecture in Riverside, combining features of the Arts & Crafts movement with the emerging Mission Revival style. The home reflects the architectural transition occurring in the city during this period, pairing handcrafted wood details with smooth stucco wall surfaces and red clay tile roofing typical of Mission Revival design.
Designed in 1903 by noted architect Franklin P. Burnham and expanded in 1912 by prominent Southern California architect Garrett Van Pelt, Jr., the residence is historically significant as it represents the work of two accomplished designers whose contributions helped shape the region’s architectural landscape.
The property is further significant for its association with Howard Thomas Hays and Captain Harry G. Pattee, both influential figures in Riverside’s early civic and social history. Hays played a key role in the City’s financial and cultural development, while the Pattee’s contributed to local business, philanthropy, and community leadership for more than sixty years.
Retaining a high degree of integrity, the Hays-Pattee Residence remains a distinguished example of the early development of Banker’s Hill. With no major alterations, the property meets the integrity requirements for Landmark designation.
PUBLIC COMMENT
As of the writing of this report, no responses have been received by staff regarding this historic designation request.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact resulting from the City Landmark designation.
Prepared by: Scott Watson, Historic Preservation Officer Reviewed by: Jennifer Lilley, Community & Economic Development Director Certified as to
availability of funds: Kristie Thomas, Chief Financial Officer Approved by: Mike Futrell, City Manager
Approved as to form: Rebecca McKee-Reimbold, Interim City Attorney Attachments:
Resolution for Historic Designation
Cultural Heritage Board Staff Report – November 19, 2025 Cultural Heritage Board Draft Minutes – November 19, 2025 Presentation
DP-2023-01895 (HD) – 3611 Mount Rubidoux Drive ● Page 3