April 22, 2019
FROM: DANIEL ZACK, AICP
Assistant Director
Development and Resource Management Department
BY: LAURA GROVES van ONNA
Historic Preservation Specialist
Development and Resource Management Department
SUBJECT:
Title
REVIEW AND APPROVE FINDINGS FOR FULTON STREET HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY (DECEMBER 2018) PURSUANT TO STIPULATION II.5 OF THE MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT (MOA) BETWEEN THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND THE CALIFORNIA STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER AND THE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION REGARDING THE FULTON MALL RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT, CITY OF FRESNO, FRESNO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA (MAY 2014) AND FMC 12-1606(a)(1).
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Commission review and approve findings for the Fulton Street Historic Resources Survey (December 2018) pursuant to Stipulation II.5 of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the California Department of Transportation and the California State Historic Preservation Officer and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation regarding the Fulton Mall Reconstruction Project, City of Fresno, Fresno County, California (May 2014) and FMC 12-1606(a)(1).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The California Department of Transportation is seeking concurrence on the Fulton Street Historic Resources Survey (December 2018) prepared by Historic Resources Group from the Historic Preservation Commission in order to fulfill Stipulation II.5 of the MOA regarding the Fulton Street Reconstruction Project prepared in May 2014. Pursuant to this stipulation and FMC 12-1606(a)(1), Staff requests that the Commission review and approve findings for the Fulton Street Historic Resources Survey (December 2018).
BACKGROUND
The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the California Department of Transportation and the California State Historic Preservation Officer and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation regarding the Fulton Mall Reconstruction Project, City of Fresno, Fresno County, California was prepared in May 2014 and was a result of the City of Fresno’s proposal (Undertaking) “to convert the pedestrian-only Fulton Mall to a street by reintroducing vehicle traffic lanes to the existing pedestrian mall, for the purposes of increasing mobility and access by providing more convenient multi-modal access, improving visibility of businesses, offices and other amenities to encourage additional economic development, and increasing consistency with existing and proposed land use plans within the project study area.”
The City of Fresno (City) is the project proponent for this Undertaking; however, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is the lead agency due to the use of Federal Tiger Grant funding toward the Undertaking and its assigned responsibility under the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Caltrans determined that the Undertaking would have an adverse effect on two historic properties within the APE for the Undertaking: 1) Fulton Mall, which was determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) by the Keeper of the National Register and 2) Fulton Street/Fulton Mall Historic District, which was determined eligible for inclusion in the NRHP for the purposes of this Undertaking only.
It was agreed by Caltrans, the City, the California State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) that if the Undertaking proceeded, it would be implemented in accordance with multiple stipulations “to take into account the effects of the Undertaking on historic properties (NRHP-eligible or listed properties)” and that these stipulations would govern the Undertaking and all of its parts.
Caltrans is in the process of fulfilling Stipulation II.5 of the MOA, which states:
The City in consultation with CSO (Caltrans Headquarters Cultural Studies Office), District (Caltrans District 6) and SHPO shall be responsible for reevaluation of historic properties within the APE within one year of completion of the project. The evaluations will be completed by a person or persons who meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualifications Standards for Architectural History and shall be submitted to the SHPO and/or the Keeper of the National Register to ascertain whether the remaining contributing elements of the Fulton Mall and the Fulton Street/Fulton Mall Historic District retain sufficient integrity to remain eligible for listing in the NRHP, the City will also consider those properties for potential listing on the City of Fresno’s Local Register of Historic Resources.
Historic Resources Group (HRG) previously prepared the Downtown Fresno (Fulton Corridor) Historic Resources Survey (completed 2011, revised 2014) for the City of Fresno, which was adopted with modifications by the Historic Preservation Commission on June 23, 2014. The Fulton Mall Historic Landscape was determined eligible for the NRHP in October 2010, and the 2014 survey included an evaluation of the potential Fulton Street/Fulton Mall Historic District. This survey resulted in a determination that “roughly 50% of buildings on the Fulton Mall appeared to meet criteria as contributors to a potential historic district,” adding that “[this] percentage is less than what is generally considered adequate for a historic district” - which would be 60%. The SHPO determined that the potential Fulton Street/Fulton Mall Historic District was eligible for the NRHP for the purposes of this Undertaking only.
HRG completed the Fulton Street Historic Resources Survey by December 2018 for the City of Fresno, following the substantial completion of the Fulton Mall Reconstruction Project (Project) in October 2017. The 2018 survey included a re-evaluation of the Fulton Mall Historic Landscape and the potential Fulton Street/Fulton Mall Historic District pursuant to Stipulation II.5 of the MOA. This survey resulted in a determination that neither historic resource retained sufficient integrity to be eligible for the NRHP, following the Project. Caltrans submitted the 2018 survey to the SHPO on February 4, 2019 and received concurrence on March 5, 2019.
Caltrans is seeking concurrence on the Fulton Street Historic Resources Survey (December 2018) prepared by HRG from the Historic Preservation Commission in order to fulfill Stipulation II.5 of the MOA regarding the Project prepared in May 2014.
Duties and Powers of the Commission:
The City’s Historic Preservation Ordinance is located at Chapter 12, Article 16 of the Fresno Municipal Code.
Section 1606 outlines the duties and powers of the Commission. Section 1606(a)(1) specifically refers to the duties entailing identification of historic resources:
The identification, designation and preservation of Historic Resources and Historic Districts owned by the city or located within the city limits.
Attachments
Exhibit A: Memorandum of Agreement between the California Department of Transportation and the California State Historic Preservation Officer and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation regarding the Fulton Mall Reconstruction Project, City of Fresno, Fresno County, California (May 2014).
Exhibit B: Fulton Street Historic Resources Survey (December 2018) prepared by Historic Resources Group for the City of Fresno.
Exhibit C: Letter from the California State Historic Preservation Officer (March 5, 2019).