San Diego is preparing to update its rules on historic preservation, aiming to balance it with the need to build more housing.
Staffers with the City Planning Department held a virtual workshop Wednesday detailing the proposed reforms, which are part of Mayor Todd Gloria's "Preservation and Progress" initiative.
Critics of the city's preservation rules have argued they are easily weaponized by wealthy neighborhoods to block affordable and lower-cost housing. Supporters argue they are necessary to preserve architectural gems that might otherwise be lost to the pressures of redevelopment.
Some proposed changes were relatively noncontroversial, such as allowing more flexibility in which types of experts can be appointed to the Historical Resources Board (HRB). The city often struggles to fill vacancies on the all-volunteer board, which has the authority to designate properties and neighborhoods as historic resources.
A more controversial change would give the City Council more authority to overturn decisions made by the HRB. Currently, the council can only consider appeals on narrow grounds, such as factual errors or a violation of the HRB's bylaws.
The proposed change would allow for a "de novo" appeal in which the council can make its own determination based on a fresh look at the same facts.
Sharon Gehl, a critic of the city's preservation rules, said at the workshop that the proposal would be more democratic and allow the council to balance historic preservation with other priorities such as equity, sustainability and housing affordability.
"A de novo appeal process would allow the City Council, who were elected by the majority of voters, to consider all aspects of a decision and to do what is best for everyone in the city," Gehl said.
But preservation groups argued "de novo" appeals would insert politics into decisions that are supposed to be based on objective facts, and that the council doesn't have the expertise to make its own decisions on historic preservation.
Another change would allow property owners to appeal decisions by the HRB when the board opts not to designate a property as historic. Currently, appeals are only allowed when designations are made, while non-designations from the HRB are final.
Barry Hager of the preservation group Mission Hills Heritage said anyone — not just property owners — should have the right to appeal a non-designation to the City Council.
"The proposed reforms are moving us towards a system where only designations with the owner's consent will occur," Hager said. "And while that may be the goal of some, that's really not the best practice for historic preservation."
The reforms are set to go before the City Council in January. A second package of reforms due out in 2026 would include changes to the Mills Act, which offers property tax breaks to historic properties.
