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LOS ANGELES CONSERVANCY Pre ser vatio n Report Card | 2008

Santa Monica
The City of Santa Monica has many programs in place to protect its ar-
chitectural and cultural heritage. The city’s landmarks ordinance affords
protection from demolition and inappropriate alterations to historic re-
sources. Santa Monica’s Landmarks Commis-
sion, which meets monthly, reviews proposed
design changes to designated historic resources,
as well as proposed demolitions to all structures
throughout the city that are forty years of age or
older. The city is in the process of updating its
comprehensive citywide historic resources sur-
vey, which required resources to be at least forty
years old to be considered potentially significant.
Santa Monica has designated eighty-nine land-
marks and two historic districts.The city does not
require owner consent to designate landmarks,
and historic district designation requires the sup-
port of only fifty-one percent of all property own-
ers within the district’s boundaries. The city’s
Santa Monica’s Landmarks Commission reviews proposed active Mills Act program currently includes forty-one contracts.The city of-
demolitions for all structures forty years of age or older,
fers a wide range of other incentives to owners of historic properties, in-
which allowed the city to prevent the demolition of its last
ocean-facing cottage (ca. 1905), now designated cluding priority plan check processing; waivers of Certificates of
Santa Monica Landmark No. 74, pictured above. Appropriateness, planning application fees, and plan check application
Photo courtesy Santa Monica Conservancy.
fees; and exemption from requirements of the city’s construction rate pro-
gram. Santa Monica has been a Certified Local Government since 1992.
The city adopted a Historic Preservation Element for its General Plan in
2002, and it plans to conduct a substantive revision of its landmarks or-
dinance within the next year.

South Pasadena
The City of South Pasadena actively promotes and protects its architec-
tural and cultural heritage. The city’s historic preservation ordinance al-
lows for the designation of both landmarks and historic districts. It does
not require owner consent for landmark designation, and historic district
designation requires the support of only fifty-one percent of all property
owners within the district’s boundaries. The ordinance also contains a
“scorched-earth” provision, which helps to prevent un-permitted demoli-
tions. The city has a dedicated Cultural Heritage Commission that has
designated fifty landmarks and four historic districts. The Commission
plans to create a public outreach committee to further promote aware-
ness of historic resources and their maintenance. South Pasadena par-
South Pasadena Public Library (1907, expanded ticipates in the Mills Act program and currently holds eight contracts.The
in 1917), South Pasadena (Suzanne Strong)
city has been a Certified Local Government since 2001.

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