Name: Petaluma Historic & Cultural Preservation Committee meeting, Aug 6, 2024
Start: 2024-08-06
Location: City of Petaluma

Historic & Cultural Preservation Committee

Tue, August 6, 2024

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Meeting summaryAI-generated

Historic & Cultural Preservation Committee — August 6, 2024

This was a regular meeting of the Historic & Cultural Preservation Committee, held at City Hall. Four of five members were present (Paul Pitingaro was absent), with Thomas Whitley serving as Acting Chair.

Approval of Minutes — June 4, 2024

The committee reviewed the minutes from its June 4, 2024 meeting. No amendments were proposed, and the minutes were approved without objection.

Study Session: Downtown Fire Station No. 1 Improvement Project (198 D Street)

This was a nonbinding study session — no formal action was taken — designed to gather committee input on a proposed exterior alteration of the historic Downtown Fire Station No. 1 at 198 D Street. The building is a two-story structure that houses an active fire station, offices, and garage, and sits within Petaluma's Historic Commercial District. The project is being reviewed under a Minor Historic Site Plan and Architectural Review (Minor HSPAR) application (City Record No. PLSR-2024-0014).

Planning Manager Andrew Trippel, Fire Chief Jeff Schach, and Project Architect Mark Albertson presented the proposed improvements to the committee. The minutes do not detail the specific exterior alterations proposed, but the session was structured to solicit early preservation-focused feedback before the application moves through full planning review.

Committee members Barclay-Saxon, Jenezon, and Acting Chair Whitley each posed questions to staff during the discussion period. The meeting drew public interest: four comments were submitted — three by email (from Katherine J. Rinehart, Marianne Hurley, and Chris Wendt) and one in person (from Alice Van Ommeren). The specific content of those comments is not captured in the minutes.

Because this was a study session, no vote was taken and no CEQA determination was required. The committee's comments are advisory and will inform staff as the formal application proceeds.

Vote: None — study session only; comments are nonbinding.

Key Takeaways

Downtown Fire Station No. 1 is undergoing a planning review for proposed exterior alterations to a historically significant building in the Historic Commercial District; the committee provided early, nonbinding feedback.

No formal action was taken at this meeting — the study session format means the committee's input is advisory, with the full HSPAR application still to come.

Public interest was notable — four members of the public submitted comments on the fire station project, suggesting community attention to how this historic building is treated.

Meeting was brief and routine otherwise — minutes were approved without amendment, and no general public comment or other business was raised.

AI-generated summary from voice-to-text transcript. Not the official record. Verify important details with the source documents linked above.

Agenda items (3)

Procedural (1)

1ProceduralApproval of Minutes for the meeting of 06/04/2024.

Public Hearing

2Public HearingStudy Session Downtown Fire Station No.1 Improvement Project Study Session to Solicit Input and Provide Nonbinding Comments as Part of Planning Review of an Administrative Historic Site Plan and Architectural Review (Minor HSPAR) Application for Proposed Exterior Alterations of the Downtown Fire Station No.1, a Twostory Building Serving as the Operational Fire Station, Office, and Garage, Located Within the Historic Commercial District, at 198 D Street, APN: 008690003; City Record No. PLSR2024

0014Public HearingNo action is being taken; therefore, a CEQA determination is not required to be made during this study session review.

Verbatim transcript available

2 transcript segments indexed

CITY OF PETALUMA, CALIFORNIA REGULAR MEETING OF THE HISTORIC & CULTURAL PRESERVATION MEETING City Hall Council Chamber 11 English Street Petaluma, CA 94952 MINUTES Tuesday, August 06, 2024 CALL TO ORDER - (4:12 PM) ROLL CALL PRESENT: Alexander Jenezon, Mario Lopez, Samantha Barclay-Saxon, and Thomas Whitley ABSENT: Paul Pitingaro GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT- (4:14 PM) During General Public Comment, the public is invited to make comments on items of public interest that are within the Committee’s subject matter jurisdiction and that are not listed on the current agenda. Public comments are limited to up to three minutes per person. Depending on the number of persons wishing to address the Committee, time will be allocated in equal shares totaling no more than twenty minutes, subject to the Committee’s discretion (Cal. Gov’t. Code §54954.3(a), Petaluma City Council Rules, Policies and Procedures, III). Acting Chair Whitley opened general public comment. - No general public comments were provided. Acting Chair Whitley closed public comment. Acting Chair Whitley closed the Meeting Item and continued with the agenda. PRESENTATIONS – (4:14 PM) Acting Chair Whitley announced that there were no presentation items during this meeting session. Acting Chair Whitley closed the Meeting Item and continued with the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – (4:14 PM) 1. Meeting Item 1 – Approval of Minutes for the meeting of June 04, 2024. Acting Chair Whitley invited Committee Members to provide amendments. No amendments were provided. Acting Chair Whitley announced that the minutes were approved with no amendments.

Acting Chair Whitley closed Meeting Item 1 and continued with the agenda. PUBLIC HEARINGS AND MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION - (4:03 PM) 2. Meeting Item 2 – Study Session – Downtown Fire Station No.1 Improvement Project Study Session to Solicit Input and Provide Nonbinding Comments as Part of Planning Review of an Administrative Historic Site Plan and Architectural Review (Minor HSPAR) Application for Proposed Exterior Alterations of the Downtown Fire Station No.1, a Two-story Building Serving as the Operational Fire Station, Office, and Garage, Located Within the Historic Commercial District, at 198 D Street, APN: 008-690-003; City Record No. PLSR-2024-0014. No action is being taken; therefore, a CEQA determination is not required to be made during this study session review. Acting Chair Whitley announced this item was not a public hearing and did not require disclosing any ex-parte communications. Planning Manager Andrew Trippel, Fire Chief Jeff Schach, and Project Architect Mark Albertson presented on Meeting Item 2. Acting Chair Whitley opened Meeting Item 2 to Committee Member questions for staff. - Committee Member Barclay Saxon - Committee Member Jenezon - Acting Chair Whitley Acting Chair Whitley opened Meeting Item 2 to public comment. Emailed Comments: - Katherine J. Rinehart - Marianne Hurley - Chris Wendt In Person Comments: - Alice Van Ommeren Acting Chair Whitley closed public comments. Acting Chair Whitley opened the item to Committee discussion. Acting Chair Whitley closed Meeting Item 2 and continued with the agenda. COMMITTEE COMMENT - (5:40 PM) Acting Chair Whitley opened Committee comments. No comments were offered. Acting Chair Whitley closed the Meeting Item and continued with the agenda. STAFF COMMENT - (5:45 PM) Andrew Trippel, Planning Manager ADJOURNMENT Acting Chair Whitley adjourned the meeting at 5:47 p.m.