July 20, 2026 File No.: 26-0071
John Jay, Associate Planner
City of Sebastopol
Planning Department
714 Johnson Street
Sebastopol, CA 95472
re: 2025-067 / 8100 Valentine Avenue, Sebastopol / Grupe Investment Company Inc.
Dear John Jay,
Records at this office were reviewed to determine if this project could adversely affect cultural resources.
Please note that use of the term cultural resources includes both archaeological sites and historical buildings and/or structures. The review for possible historic-era building/structures, however, was limited to references currently in our office and should not be considered comprehensive.
Project Description:
This project is envisioned as a 20-lot, 39-home single-family residential subdivision to be developed on the Church of Latter-day Saints property located at 8100 Valentine Avenue (the “Project”). The Project is designed to provide residents of Sebastopol with a much-needed alternative to traditional, high-cost for-sale housing options.
Previous Studies:
XX This office has no record of any previous cultural resource studies by a professional archaeologist or architectural historian for the proposed project area (see recommendation below).
Archaeological and Native American Resources Recommendations:
XX Although the general vicinity has sensitivity for archaeological resources, the proposed project area has a low possibility of containing unrecorded archaeological site(s). Therefore, no further study for archaeological resources is recommended. If archaeological resources are encountered during construction, work should be temporarily halted in the vicinity of the discovered materials and workers should avoid altering the materials and their context until a qualified professional archaeologist has evaluated the situation and provided appropriate recommendations.
XX We recommend the lead agency contact the local Native American tribe(s) regarding traditional, cultural, and religious heritage values. For a complete listing of tribes in the vicinity of the project, please contact the Native American Heritage Commission at 916/373-3710.
Agenda Item Number 7
Agenda Item Number 7
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Built Environment Recommendations:
XX The 1980 USGS Sebastopol 7.5’ quad depicts a building in the proposed project area. If present, this unrecorded building meets the Office of Historic Preservation’s (OHP) minimum age standard that buildings, structures, and objects 45 years or older may be of historical value, and therefore, it is recommended that prior to commencement of project activities, a qualified professional familiar with the architecture and history of Sonoma County conduct a formal CEQA evaluation.
Due to processing delays and other factors, not all of the historical resource reports and resource records that have been submitted to the Office of Historic Preservation are available via this records search. Additional information may be available through the federal, state, and local agencies that produced or paid for historical resource management work in the search area. Additionally, Native American tribes have historical resource information not in the California Historical Resources Information System (CHRIS) Inventory, and you should contact the California Native American Heritage Commission for information on local/regional tribal contacts.
The California Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) contracts with the California Historical Resources Information System’s (CHRIS) regional Information Centers (ICs) to maintain information in the CHRIS inventory and make it available to local, state, and federal agencies, cultural resource professionals, Native American tribes, researchers, and the public. Recommendations made by IC coordinators or their staff regarding the interpretation and application of this information are advisory only. Such recommendations do not necessarily represent the evaluation or opinion of the State Historic Preservation Officer in carrying out the OHP’s regulatory authority under federal and state law.
For your reference, a list of qualified professionals in California that meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards can be found at http://www.chrisinfo.org. If archaeological resources are encountered during the project, work in the immediate vicinity of the finds should be halted until a qualified archaeologist has evaluated the situation. If you have any questions please give us a call (707) 588-8455.
Sincerely,
Dana Richards
Researcher
Agenda Item Number 7
Agenda Item Number 7
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026