Editorial Editorial (April 30, 2004)

Voluntary law won't save historic buildings

Faced with the threat of losing the historic building at 902 Villa St. to demolition in 2002, the Mountain View City Council acted very boldly. It passed a temporary ordinance forbidding its owner and the owners of 93 other historic buildings from significantly modifying their properties.

While criticized by its opponents for being arbitrary and passed in haste, the ordinance did protect the buildings for two years. Furthermore, it heralded Mountain View residents' commitment to historic preservation.

But now, it seems, things have changed. Two years after saving 902 Villa St., the city council has abandoned its initial resolve, deciding last week that a "voluntary" ordinance would do the job. And while some council members attempted to put a positive spin on the decision, there is no doubt that virtually every one of Mountain View's historic properties are much closer to the wrecking ball.

Several property owners have already said they will not comply with a voluntary ordinance. Consequently, everyone should deem 902 Villa St. doomed.

Despite the efforts of the Environmental Planning Commission and the city council, the city is essentially back where it started, with no historic preservation ordinance and no way of protecting Mountain View's building history.

But surely the administration and the council do not want to abandon these historic buildings after such a feeble effort. Instead, the city should consider other options:

* Homeowners in older neighborhoods, including downtown, could be encouraged to adopt a "neighborhood design overlay zone" or special historic district that would encourage owners to preserve qualifying homes.

* The city's share of property taxes could be rebated to the owner, as an incentive to include the historic building on a list of protected structures .

* The city could consider creating its own fund to supply owners of historic properties with the means and incentives to preserve them.

* The city could enact a grace period whereby property owners who want to demolish their historic buildings must wait a year to do so. In the meantime, anyone interested in saving the building could pay to move it to another location.

The real problem, of course, is money. No city agency has the authority or the funds to adequately preserve Mountain View's older buildings. Many owners are not interested either and the city's budget is in a period of decline.

Perhaps, some officials have suggested, the city's residents would pony up the money themselves through a citywide tax. Or, the Mountain View Preservation Alliance, which has been in favor of a mandatory ordinance, could become responsible for raising funds for historic preservation.

It is our hope that the city does not give up on preserving its heritage. History is a crucial element of any city's identity, and it would serve Mountain View's residents and visitors well to be able to appreciate the city's past in its unique buildings.

If the city cares about saving 902 Villa St. and its other historic buildings, it will need to make the property owners an offer they can't refuse. A voluntary ordinance simply won't do it.

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