City of Santa Clara
Meeting Minutes
Historical & Landmarks Commission
Draft
6:00 PM Hybrid Meeting
City Hall Council
Chambers/Virtual
1500 Warburton Avenue
Santa Clara, CA 95050
10/02/2025
The City of Santa Clara is conducting the Historical and Landmarks Commission Hearing meeting in a hybrid manner (in-person and method for the public to participate remotely) o Via Zoom:
o https://santaclaraca.zoom.us/j/97233262035 or
o Phone: 1 (669) 900-6833
Meeting ID: 972 3326 2035
How to Submit Written Public Comment Before Historical and Landmarks Commission Meeting:
By email to [email protected] by 12 p.m. the day of the meeting.
Those emails will be forwarded to Staff and will be uploaded to the Historical and Landmarks Commission Agenda as supplemental meeting material. Emails received after 12:00 P.M. cutoff time up through the end of the meeting will form part of the meeting record. Please identify the Agenda Item Number in the subject line of your email.
Note: Emails received as public comment will not be read aloud during the meeting.
Agendas, Staff Reports and some associated documents for Historical and Landmarks Commission items may be viewed on the Internet at
https://santaclara.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx
All public records relating to an open session item on this agenda, which are not exempt from disclosure pursuant to the California Public Records Act, that are distributed to a majority of the legislative body will be available for public inspection at the Office of the City Clerk at Santa Clara City Hall, 1500 Warburton Avenue, Santa Clara, CA 95050 at the same time that the public records are distributed or made available to the legislative body.
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Vice Chair Stocks called the meeting to order at 6:02 p.m.
Commissioner Michael Celso , Commissioner Yvonne Inciarte, Commissioner Kathleen Romano, Vice Chair Ed Stocks,
Commissioner Ana Vargas-Smith , and Commissioner Kaushal Varshney
Present 6 -
10/02/2025Historical & Landmarks Commission Meeting Minutes Chair Patricia LeungAbsent 1 -
A motion was made by Commissioner Celso, seconded by
Commissioner Inciarte, to excuse Chair Leung.
Aye: Commissioner Celso, Commissioner Inciarte, Commissioner Romano, Vice Chair Stocks, Commissioner Vargas-Smith, and Commissioner Varshney
6 -
Excused: Chair Leung1 -
CONSENT CALENDAR
1.A 25-1046 Historical and Landmarks Commission Meeting Minutes of September 4, 2025
Recommendation: Approve the Historical and Landmarks Commission Meeting Minutes of the September 4, 2025 Meeting.
A motion was made by Commissioner Celso, seconded by
Commissioner Inciarte, to approve items 1.A and 1.B on the consent calendar.
Aye: Commissioner Celso, Commissioner Inciarte, Vice Chair Stocks, and Commissioner Varshney
4 -
Excused: Chair Leung1 -
Abstained: Commissioner Romano, and Commissioner Vargas-Smith2 -
1.B 25-1014 Historical and Landmarks Commission 2026 Calendar of Meetings Recommendation: Approve the Historical and Landmarks Commission 2026 Calendar of Meetings.
A motion was made by Commissioner Celso, seconded by
Commissioner Inciarte, to approve items 1.A and 1.B on the consent calendar.
Aye: Commissioner Celso, Commissioner Inciarte, Commissioner Romano, Vice Chair Stocks, Commissioner Vargas-Smith, and Commissioner Varshney
6 -
Excused: Chair Leung1 -
10/02/2025Historical & Landmarks Commission Meeting Minutes
PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS
None.
GENERAL BUSINESS
2. 25-985 Public Hearing: Consideration of a Historical Preservation Agreement (Mills Act Contract) (File No. PLN25-00350) for 1458 Lexington Street Recommendation: Staff recommends that the Historical and Landmarks Commission determine the project to be exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Section 15331 of the CEQA Guidelines (Class 31 - Historical Resource Restoration / Rehabilitation) and find that the Mills Act Application and associated 10-Year Plan for restoration and maintenance accomplishes the intent of preserving and maintaining the historical significance of the property; and therefore, recommends City Council approval of a Mills Act Contract, and the adoption of a 10-Year Restoration and Maintenance Plan associated with the Historical Preservation Agreement for the property located at 1458 Lexington Street.
Assistant Planner Summer Foss provided the staff presentation.
Architect Rob Mayer, and homeowners Cameron Carty and Rachel Law spoke regarding the project.
Public Comments: None.
A motion was made by Commissioner Romano, seconded by
Commissioner Varshney, to close public hearing.
Aye: Commissioner Celso, Commissioner Inciarte, Commissioner Romano, Vice Chair Stocks, Commissioner Vargas-Smith, and Commissioner Varshney
6 -
Excused: Chair Leung1 -
A motion was made by Commissioner Celso, seconded by
Commissioner Inciarte, to approve staff recommendation with the condition of adding a plaque stating the year of construction.
Aye: Commissioner Celso, Commissioner Inciarte, Commissioner Romano, Vice Chair Stocks, Commissioner Vargas-Smith, and Commissioner Varshney
6 -
Excused: Chair Leung1 -
10/02/2025Historical & Landmarks Commission Meeting Minutes
STAFF REPORT
1. Training and Travel Requests
No updates on this item.
2. Board/Committee Lead/Alternate Santa Clara Arts and Historic Consortium Vargas-Smith / Romano Historic Preservation Society of Santa Clara Vargas-Smith / Leung Old Quad Residents Association Leung Development Review Hearing Romano /Vargas-Smith BART/ High Speed Rail/ VTA BRT Committee Vargas-Smith/ Leung El Camino Real Specific Plan Community Advisory Committee Leung Downtown Precise Plan Vargas-Smith/Stocks Santa Clara Station Area Task Force Leung/Stocks Commissioners provided updates on various items, meetings, and groups that they are assigned to.
COMMISSIONERS REPORT
1. Subcommittee Reporting - 20 Minutes
No updates on this item.
ADJOURNMENT
A motion was made by Commissioner Inciarte, seconded by Commissioner Romano, to adjourn the meeting at 6:46 p.m.
Aye: Commissioner Celso, Commissioner Inciarte, Commissioner Romano, Vice Chair Stocks, Commissioner Vargas-Smith, and Commissioner Varshney
6 -
Excused: Chair Leung1 -
The next regular scheduled meeting is on November 6, 2025 at 6 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers.
MEETING DISCLOSURES
10/02/2025Historical & Landmarks Commission Meeting Minutes The time limit within which to commence any lawsuit or legal challenge to any quasi-adjudicative decision made by the City is governed by Section 1094.6 of the Code of Civil Procedure, unless a shorter limitation period is specified by any other provision. Under Section 1094.6, any lawsuit or legal challenge to any quasi-adjudicative decision made by the City must be filed no later than the 90th day following the date on which such decision becomes final. Any lawsuit or legal challenge, which is not filed within that 90-day period, will be barred. If a person wishes to challenge the nature of the above section in court, they may be limited to raising only those issues they or someone else raised at the meeting described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City of Santa Clara, at or prior to the meeting. In addition, judicial challenge may be limited or barred where the interested party has not sought and exhausted all available administrative remedies.
If a member of the public submits a speaker card for any agenda items, their name will appear in the Minutes. If no speaker card is submitted, the Minutes will reflect "Public Speaker."
In accordance with the requirements of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ("ADA"), the City of Santa Clara will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability in its services, programs, or activities, and will ensure that all existing facilities will be made accessible to the maximum extent feasible. The City of Santa Clara will generally, upon request, provide appropriate aids and services leading to effective communication for qualified persons with disabilities including those with speech, hearing, or vision impairments so they can participate equally in the City’s programs, services, and activities. The City of Santa Clara will make all reasonable modifications to policies and programs to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to enjoy all of its programs, services, and activities.
Agendas and other written materials distributed during a public meeting that are public record will be made available by the City in an appropriate alternative format.
Contact the City Clerk’s Office at 1 408-615-2220 with your request for an alternative format copy of the agenda or other written materials.
Individuals who require an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or any other disability-related modification of policies or procedures, or other accommodation, in order to participate in a program, service, or activity of the City of Santa Clara, should contact the City’s ADA Coordinator at 408-615-3000 as soon as possible but no later than 48 hours before the scheduled event.