City of Redlands

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3.0    CITY DESIGN AND PRESERVATION ELEMENT
3.10  City Design
3.20  Historic and Scenic Preservation
         3.21  Historic and Scenic Conservation Areas
         3.22  City Property
         3.23  Privately-Owned Historic Resources
         3.24  New Development
         3.25  Citizen Participation and Cooperation with Preservation Groups
         3.26  Government Decision-Making
         3.27  Commercial and Redevelopment Areas
         3.28  Education and Public Relations
         3.29  Agricultural and Scenic Areas
3.30  Preservation of Older Neighborhoods

3.0    CITY DESIGN AND PRESERVATION ELEMENT

While the General Plan is designed to meet readily measurable needs such as acceptable traffic flow and a range of housing types, its broader purpose is to preserve and create an urban environment that enables people to feel good about living and working in Redlands. It is appropriate that the design component of the General Plan precede the land use component. The intent is to address design issues at the City scale as distinct from the project scale. City Design and Preservation policies, together with the General Plan Diagram, call for both change and preservation.

Redlands' image is derived from its rich agricultural and architectural heritage. Large groves at all edges and remnant groves throughout the City are constant reminders of an agrarian past. The care and effort that created the City is evident at many scales, from the well-crafted stone curbs to the exquisitely detailed buildings. A diversity of landforms within the Planning Area has defined Redlands and made its form understandable. Few Southern California communities can lay claim to the sense of place and history Redlands has managed to retain during a century of development.

The City Design section of this element is concerned mainly with new development, while the focus of the Historic and Scenic Preservation section is on designated conservation areas and historic districts.

3.10   City Design

North Redlands
Two prominent visual assets are the view from the Santa Ana River Bluff of the San Bernardino Mountains and the University of Redlands. With careful planning additional amenities can be included in North Redlands to include the five amenities presented below:

• Plant trees on arterials, giving priority to Lugonia Avenue and San Bernardino Avenue. Tree rows will create a series of partially enclosed "urban rooms," will shrink apparent street widths, and will reduce summer temperatures. (See Policy 3.10.q)
• Maximize agricultural preservation. Citrus and other agricultural preservation should be retained where feasible for its aesthetic and biotic value as well as its contribution as the City's original economic base. North Redlands has extensive unsubdivided frontages along which citrus can continue to be efficiently farmed, buffering arterial streets without requiring a reduction in density. (See Section 4.0 Land Use and 7.0 Open Space and Conservation Elements)
• Complete the blufftop Scenic Drive bordering the Santa Ana Wash between Alabama Street and Judson Street. View turnouts with classic balustrades and native planting should mark the edge. (See Policy 3.10t.)
• Develop more imageable residential neighborhood street patterns. Require a street design for all unsubdivided land within each superblock bounded by arterial streets prior to subdivision approval. (See Policy 3.10p.)

Mentone
Re-subdivision of the 1887 lot pattern created by the Santa Fe Railroad has made Mentone a community of great variety -- the opposite of a cookie-cutter subdivision. Its village character can become stronger as both residential and commercial infill occur. The 300 foot x 2,000 foot "plaza" on either side of Mentone Boulevard that was the railroad station site could become the centerpiece. Potential uses for the plaza include park, shopping enclave, and mass transit station/commercial use.

Crafton
The General Plan Diagram calls for keeping the citrus groves with a Rural Living designation and adding residential development at Very Low Density on slopes under 15 percent that are not suited for agriculture.

South Redlands
This is the city of palm-lined avenues, stone curbs, Victorian mansions, craftsman bungalows, the Redlands Bowl, the Smiley Library, and a pedestrian oriented Downtown. The Downtown area is the site of the original commercial center of the City and through redevelopment efforts has become a visual and economic asset to the City while retaining its rich historic resources.

South Redlands' main challenge is preservation of its residential neighborhoods. All of the designated Historic Districts are in this sector which includes two-thirds of the City's historic architectural resources.

Where the Medium Density Residential designation remains, regulations to preserve the existing scale and character are to be enacted. (See Section 4.0 Land Use Element). Remaining citrus frontages are to be preserved. (See Section 4.0 Land Use and 7.0 Open Space and Conservation Element)

Planted medians or other landscape elements that would reduce the expanse of pavement could be considered for Olive Avenue and other wide streets that do not need more than two lanes of traffic moving at 25 miles per hour.

San Timoteo/Live Oak Canyons
This sector has always been Redlands' "back country," and is not considered as a candidate for development at urban densities. The Southeast Area Plan maintains the character of the area by retaining "signature ridges" and prohibiting grading of adjoining canyon walls exceeding 50 percent slope (See Section 4.42, Land Use Element). The General Plan policy limiting development to slopes under 30 percent (see Section 8.0 Health and Safety Element) provides stronger protection against changes in the topographic character.

The General Plan Diagram changes San Timoteo Canyon Road to create a new alignment with California Street. The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers flood control project for San Timoteo Canyon Creek identifies a series of sedimentation basins at the mouth of San Timoteo Canyon and approximately 5.1 miles of a large concrete trapezoidal channel. The City of Redlands and other local groups are hoping to work with the Army Corps of Engineers for a more environmentally sensitive flood control project. Such a project could incorporate a natural bottom channel, and basins which are designed as linear parks and wildlife corridors. Because San Timoteo Canyon Road is a region-serving highway that will carry up to 33,000 daily vehicles, it should have a minimum right-of-way for a four lane road. Careful attention should be paid to the traffic circulation analysis and its recommendations for San Timoteo Canyon Road.

A citrus greenbelt could separate Redlands and Loma Linda if there is sufficient interest. This would define the boundaries between the two cities.

West Redlands
During the 1980s, large, generally well-designed apartment projects and industrial development have narrowed the band of citrus that separates Redlands and Loma Linda. Virtually all of the undeveloped area west of Texas Street is in the East Valley Corridor Specific Plan. While the Plan identifies the area north of the Morey Arroyo for non residential development, the City of Redlands may consider residential use appropriate in a mixed use development in this area.

The General Plan designates for preservation the narrow strip of citrus between the railroad and I-10 freeway to the east side of California Street as the single most visible celebration of citrus heritage and as a separator between Loma Linda and Redlands.

Northwest Redlands
Most of this sector is within the East Valley Corridor Specific Plan and will be developed in accord with its design guidelines. Existing landmark Washingtonia Fan Palm rows will be saved.

Guiding Policies: City Design

3.10a   Preserve awareness of Redlands' heritage as the navel orange capital by employing a variety of techniques to preserve agriculture.

3.10b   Retain the character of the neighborhoods, streets, and buildings that established Redlands' reputation as an ideal Southern California city.
See Section 3.20, Historic and Scenic Preservation.

3.10c   Discourage large master planned projects which create housing of one type, similar design, or narrow price range.
Giant "master planned" projects are out of character with Redlands.

3.10d   Create new focal points that maintain the City's rich mix of urban delights.
As the City grows, the dominance of existing focal points inevitably diminishes. Examples of new ones envisioned by the General Plan include: Santa Ana blufftop scenic drive and overlooks; regional shopping center and well designed offices in the East Valley Corridor; Citywide parks to be located in the San Timoteo Canyon area and Northeast Redlands, and citrus throughout the City.

3.10e   Preserve the natural appearance of steep hillsides and ridges.
Conservation, safety, and fiscal reasons justify preservation, but visual satisfaction is more widely appreciated.

3.10f   Establish or reinforce City entrances that announce arrival and convey the spirit of the City.
At some locations the marker may be an orange grove or a bridge; at others a stone pylon or the start of a palm row.

3.10g   Use street trees to differentiate arterials and to reduce the apparent width of wide streets.

3.10h   Maintain the village-like character of Downtown Redlands.

3.10i   Give particular attention to strengthening the image of North Redlands.

3.10j   Maintain the rural feel of San Timoteo and Live Oak canyons.

3.10k   Maintain adequate setbacks along major and minor residential arterial streets.

 

Implementing Policies: City Design

3.10l   Use Caltrans and local resources to implement the I-10 Corridor Landscape Master Plan.
A future 10-lane freeway will overwhelm Redlands unless it is part of a major landscape element.

3.10m   Prepare a citywide streetscape plan for arterials.
Tree species, median, or parkway landscape treatment and curbs and sidewalk location and materials should be specified.

3.10n Avoid soundwalls as a standard on arterial streets in residential areas.
Walled cities with deserted sidewalks and bleak streets have become the norm in many recently built cities. Redlands has avoided this blight by using side-on cul-de-sacs, but design to mitigate noise resulting from projected traffic increases will require other techniques. Preservation of citrus frontage, use of berms, and frontage roads are alternatives.

3.10o   Limit the visible bulk of single-family homes.
As land values rise in highly desirable California communities, efforts to maintain rule of thumb house-to-land value ratios have resulted in construction of houses that are out of scale with their neighborhoods. Redlands has experienced little of this problem so far, but trends suggest that regulation will be needed.

3.10p   In North Redlands require residential subdivisions be consistent with a circulation concept plan for subdivision of all land within bounding arterial streets.
Agricultural subdivision of North Redlands created parcels 333 feet wide. If subdivision of each parcel is planned by independent owners without a larger perspective, there is little opportunity to avoid a monotonous, grid street pattern. On the plus side, fragmented ownerships have prevented massive projects with little variation in house design or price.

3.10q   Plant large-scale street trees on arterial streets.
Few streets developed since 1950 have adequate street trees for a City with hot summers, yet trees are the simplest and most cost-effective way to improve the feel of almost any street. Tall trees reduce apparent width, provide shade and reduce air pollution.

3.10r   Consider creating tree-lined medians where the width of the street is adequate to accommodate the anticipated traffic flows along with a landscaped median.

3.10s   Locate parks on highly visible sites where feasible.
Parks such as Texonia Park and Community Park make maximum contribution to the appearance of their neighborhoods.

3.10t   Create overlooks for motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians to stop and admire the City. Retain existing easement and rights-of-way that further these purposes.
Formal and informal viewports exist. More can be provided either within existing public right of way or when adjoining property is subdivided.

3.10u   Complete the blufftop scenic drive bordering the Santa Ana Wash between Alabama Street and Judson Street.

3.20   Historic and Scenic Preservation
The purpose of the Historic and Scenic Preservation component of the City Design and Preservation Element is to foster awareness of Redlands' many historic and cultural resources and to establish policies that will protect them.

History and Architecture of Redlands

Redlands' Beginnings. Redlands' early history is similar to that of much of Southern California. It was inhabited by Cahuilla and Serrano Indians, related to the Shoshone of the Great Basin area. During the Spanish period the Indian villages, the San Bernardino Rancho (named after the Italian saint), and the Asistencia were established by the San Gabriel Mission. The missionaries developed the first stable water supply for the area by having the Indians dig a "zanja" to divert the waters from Mill Creek into the Valley. During the l9th century this water allowed ranching districts to develop in Crafton and in the Asistencia area. Today the Mill Creek Zanja, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, is used for local drainage, spreading, and flood control.

In 1842, the Lugo family received a land grant from the Mexican government to occupy the San Bernardino and Yucaipa valleys. After the signing of the treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo in 1848, California became a territory of the United States, and it was admitted to the Union in 1850. The following year, five hundred Mormons moved into the area, purchasing the San Bernardino Rancho from the Lugos. Their settlement at San Bernardino lasted until 1857, when they were recalled to Utah and their land was divided and sold.

In 1866, Dr. Ben Barton finished his brick house near the Asistencia on what was then known as Barton Ranch. The first settlement in Lugonia occurred in 1869, and the first store in the area opened in Lugonia in 1881.

The year 1881 marks the beginning of Redlands as a town. E.G. Judson and Frank E. Brown built a canal from Santa Ana Canyon to Reservoir Canyon located along the path of Interstate 10 from below Panorama Point to Ford Park to bring water to the area for growing citrus. They laid out a townsite parallel to the slope and, because the dry adobe soil was red, they named it Redlands. Three years later, Frank Brown built the Bear Valley Dam and reservoir, thereby assuring a water supply for residents of the new town. By 1885, two transcontinental railroads ran through the San Bernardino Valley, although neither stopped in Redlands. The first spur to Redlands was built in 1887.

California experienced the biggest land boom in its history during the late 1880s. The rate war between the Santa Fe and the Southern Pacific railroads, which caused the boom, had a profound influence on the growth of Redlands, Crafton, and Lugonia as well as various realty tracts known by such names as Terracina and Mound City.

The Redlands area prospered and grew during this period. The collapse of the boom in 1888 left Redlands well-established and in that year Redlands, Lugonia, the Brookside area, and a portion of Crafton voted to incorporate as Redlands. The incorporation joined the two distinctive street patterns that characterize Redlands today: the north-south Lugonia grid merges with the slope-oriented Redlands grid at the south edge of the Valley.

Early Buildings. Although most of the structures built during Redlands' earliest period are gone, some remnants remain. Two of these are the Zanja and the Asistencia (reconstructed in the 1920s and 1930s). Other adobe structures from the Mexican period survive in San Timoteo Canyon. Redlands had its own brickyard starting in the late 1880s. Most downtown business buildings and many early industrial buildings were built of brick. The downtown, which grew along Orange and State Streets, still has many brick buildings hidden behind facades remodelled in the 1950s and 1960s.

During the 1880s boom, houses sprang up quickly. Many were Victorian cottages which had Queen Anne and Colonial Revival details. These smaller Victorians were often decorated almost as elaborately as their larger sisters, but some were plain hip-roofed boxes. Many of these cottages still stand in central Redlands and in Lugonia.

Cultural Development. Redlands established an early tradition of civic and cultural improvement with the founding in the 1880s of the United Workers for Public Improvement, an organization devoted to civic beautification. In 1887 the Horticultural and Improvement Society was organized, Redlands' orchestra made its first public appearance, the San Bernardino and Redlands motor train commenced service, and the first Citrus Association was formed.

In 1889, two New Yorkers, Alfred H. and Albert K. Smiley, arrived in Redlands. These twin brothers, who were in their sixties, were well-known philanthropists and educators. They spent their winters in Redlands and attracted a circle of friends who played important roles in the City's business, cultural, and scenic development. Smiley Heights, Smiley Park, and the A.K. Smiley Public Library are visible signs of the twins' philanthropy, and much of the present-day aesthetic tradition can be attributed to the Smileys' influence.

Resort Era. Soon after the development of the 200-acre Canyon Crest Park on Smiley Heights, Redlands became a center for wealthy Eastern visitors searching for a warm winter climate for comfort or health. They built mansions surrounded by expansive grounds on the heights above the town. Several hotels were built to cater to the winter visitors and the town became a tourist center. At the same time, Redlands was becoming a packing and shipping center for citrus growers in the surrounding area. Modest neighborhoods were developing along Olive, Cajon, and Brookside, and in Lugonia. Tourists and growers contributed to Redlands' prosperity which is expressed in the architectural legacy from that period.

Significant civic improvements were also made during this period. By 1910, most streets were paved, sidewalks and stone curbs laid, and water, sewer and electricity systems fully established. The population in 1890 was 1,904; by 1900, it was 4,797; and by 1910 it had reached 10,000.

It was also during the turn of the century that private railroad cars brought the wealthy Easterners who built the elaborate mansions on large parcels of property. These mansions reflect a period when great wealth was exhibited through the building of a great house or estate. Most of these estates fall under the architectural styles described in this element, but there are a few exceptions. Kimberly Crest is an example of the Chateauesque style, based on the monumental 16th century chateaux of France. Winter visitors were less likely to build in the popular Queen Anne style favored by those who made their money locally. The more sophisticated and cosmopolitan Easterners emulated instead the grand houses of Europe.

Most of these grand houses are set in landscaped grounds with imposing entrances. A few of these estates, such as Smiley Heights and Prospect Park, were open to the public and became tourist attractions. Many of these estates are gone, but those that remain are precious landmarks from a bygone era.

Residential Architecture (1887-1913). The period 1887-1913 produced more variety in Redlands' residential architecture than any period in the City's history. Many existing buildings exhibit the popular architectural styles of this period: Queen Anne, Shingle Style, Beaux Arts Classicism, Colonial Revival, Mission Revival, and Craftsman.

Redlands is known for its Victorian gems featured in books, calendars, and on tours. Row upon row of Victorians line such streets as Olive Avenue, Highland Avenue, and Cajon Street. The Victorians vary from the Gothic brick cottages to elaborate Queen Anne mansions. The original Lugonia area and the Redlands neighborhoods near downtown are full of small Victorian cottages worthy of preservation. Many of these cottages are Colonial Revival (sometimes called Neoclassic) and feature classical porch columns, hip roof, overlap siding, recessed porches, and fixed pane and double-hung windows. These cottages continued to be built in the early years of this century.

A larger version of the typical neoclassic Victorian Cottage is the American Four square or Classic Box, a two-story house with Colonial Revival features. The Classic Box and Mission Revival styles are well-represented in Redlands. The Holt House and the Burrage Mansion are fine examples of Mission Revival, a style that may be better represented in Redlands than any other city in Southern California.

Craftsman Style. During the first part of this century, progressive ideas were expressed in the studied plainness of the Craftsman bungalow. In reaction against the Industrial Revolution, the rigidities of classicism, and the mass-produced ornament of the Victorian styles, the Craftsman ethic proclaimed a return to nature, emphasizing the use of natural materials, honest craftsmanship, and healthful living. Handcrafted items were admired, both for their usefulness and as an expression of human creativity.

The Craftsman house was an intimate home, with the hearth as its focal point, cozy built-in benches and nooks, and softly burnished wood paneling. The horizontal lines of the Craftsman bungalow fit into the landscape; its stone foundation and heavy wood beams came from the land itself, while vine-covered pergolas and eaves made the house a part of nature. Broad porches encouraged living in the out-of-doors.

These simple bungalows were touted as "democratic" houses for the common man. With their built-in furniture, prominently exposed structural elements, informal floor plans and designs integrated into the natural environment, these bungalows are often seen as the forerunner of modern architecture.

Craftsman architecture grew out of the Arts and Crafts Movement that began in England in the late nineteenth century under the leadership of William Morris and John Ruskin. The movement especially idealized the Medieval period. It addressed social, industrial, and political issues, and fostered craftsmanship in the fine arts, literature, bookbinding, printing, furniture, and textile design as well as architecture. Its principal American exponent was Gustav Stickley, who published The Craftsman, a magazine featuring articles and illustrations promoting Craftsman philosophy and taste. Stickley also founded a company that manufactured the simple heavy oak furniture, sometimes called "Mission" furniture, which was intended to furnish Craftsman houses.

Commercial, Public, and Institutional Buildings. Late l9th century brick commercial vernacular buildings dominated the downtown. The most substantial building of the period was the A. K. Smiley Library, which combines the curvilinear gable and tower of the Mission Revival with the heavy stone arches associated with Richardsonian Romanesque, melding the California tradition with New England and medieval Europe. The First Methodist Church was a Mission Revival building, while the Congregationalists chose a modified Richardsonian Romanesque, and the Episcopalians a Gothic Revival style. Most unusual was the Unity Church, a brick building reminiscent of English Arts and Crafts traditions.

Another revival during this period was Beaux Arts Classicism, which embraces the styles used in the United States from 1890-1930 and in Redlands from about 1908-1920. This style projected the dignified image required for public buildings, railroad stations, and banks. Popularized by the "Great White City" built for the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago, the style features symmetrical, balanced facades; classical columns; porticos; and monumental flights of stairs. Obvious examples in Redlands are the Santa Fe Railroad Station as well as the Administration Building, President's House, and several other buildings at the University of Redlands.

The Freeze and its Aftermath (1913-1920). The 1913 freeze, which struck on January 5, 6, and 7, was a catastrophe for Redlands' growers. Icicles hung on the trees in most groves; many of the trees were completely defoliated. The losses of the citrus growers soon became an economic and social disaster for the entire town. In the years following the freeze, Redlands lost 2,000 people, and it was not until after World War I that building and neighborhood development started once again.

The Thaw -- The Boom of the Twenties. The decade of 1920-1930 was another boom time throughout the United States, in California and also in Redlands, which gained about 5,000 in population during the decade. The new residents contributed to the growth and economic prosperity of the commercial area, where many downtown buildings went up during this decade. The citrus industry prospered once again, and the town's other "industry" -- the University of Redlands -- also expanded. A growing population also led to construction of major buildings for the high school. The number and quality of buildings from this period contrast sharply with the decline of the previous years.

During the first 40 years of this century domestic buildings employed a number of historical revival styles. Though the same revival style might appear in 1910 and again in 1920 or 1930, each decade left a different imprint on the style. The 1900-1920 period revival details reflected Victorian exuberance or Craftsman restraint, while the wealth and sophistication of the 1920's allowed accurate, well-crafted details. During the Depression-era 1930's economics and contemporary taste demanded more simplified details.

At no time were there so many revivals as during the 1920s: Mediterranean (which combined Spanish and Italian elements), Spanish Colonial Revival, Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival, and Norman Revival. The 1920s were boom times throughout Southern California, only this time oil (and perhaps citrus) took the place of land and railroads. Theaters, shopping centers, and middle class homes were designed to conjure romantic times and far away places. The longing for a foreign atmosphere was so great that entire tracts were developed in styles based on European models.

The most prevalent style of the period was California Mediterranean, called "Californian" at the time. The romance of California's past inspired architects and builders, who borrowed freely from the buildings of Colonial Mexico, Spain, Italy and other Mediterranean lands, as well as from the early adobes of the American Southwest and of Monterey. Low-pitched, red-tiled roofs, arches, plastered exterior and interior walls, carved or cast ornamentation, arcades, balconies with railings of wrought iron or wood, and window grilles are some of the characteristic features of houses built during this era. The purer forms of California Mediterranean are categorized in subgroups such as Spanish Colonial Revival, Monterey Revival, and Pueblo Revival; many of the most outstanding examples, however, are a unique blend of motifs that could only have originated in California and were created to express a California way of life.

Redlands also has examples of other styles prevalent in California during the 1920's: the Tudor Revival Cottage, Colonial Revival, Twenties Craftsman, and other period revivals. These styles replaced the Craftsman bungalow in the many tracts of smaller houses built during this period. In 1924 Garrett Huizing, a local builder, developed the Buena Vista tract, which included a rare example of Egyptian Revival architecture.

The neighborhood around the University of Redlands had been subdivided with entrances defined by clinkerbrick posts in 1917, but was not developed until 1924. Prevalent in that area are Twenties Craftsman bungalows; they differ from their rustic forbears in their smaller (and less expensive) wood members, smaller porches, and often symmetrical facades.

A significant Period Revival development is Normandie Court,a collection of eighteen Norman Revival cottages organized around a central driveway. Based on the rural architecture of Normandy, the picturesque cottages feature high hipped roofs, conical towers, wavy shingling patterns on the roofs, and stucco wall finishes of varying texture.

Builders of the 1920s were able to advertise Redlands as a fine residential city because of the expansive public streets, street trees, and cut-stone curbs, all of which had been planned and planted by the far-sighted settlers of the 1890s and early 1900s.

Redlands' Historic Neighborhoods. The historic neighborhoods of Redlands provide the context and setting for the many historic resources of the town. The setting of Victorian and early 20th century historic buildings has, in many instances, been compromised by lot splits, zoning changes, variances, or conversion to other housing. Saving the building also requires retaining the historic context of the structure. Modern buildings crowded next door to a stately two-story 1890 house give a completely different impression than the house in its original neighborhood with original plantings.

Redlands' early neighborhoods developed as the unique result of changing technology, ways of life and philosophies, new architectural fashions, and innovations in urban planning. The forces and times that produced these neighborhoods are now gone.

Many people in Redlands live in neighborhoods built between 1890 and 1930. These neighborhoods are important because they continue to provide housing, schools, public amenities, and commercial facilities that make neighborhoods good places to live.

The late l9th and early 20th century houses and development patterns are key elements of these neighborhoods. Because these neighborhoods seem so ordinary, many people overlook their unique qualities or consider them undeserving of special attention. Consequently, new construction and development, building alterations, land-use plans and zoning have frequently ignored the heritage of these neighborhoods. Modern factory-produced building materials and lack of information about earlier building techniques have often resulted in inappropriate alterations. Some homeowners, for example, add Victorian ornamentation or pseudo-Colonial doorways to make their house appear more historic. As a consequence, intact historic neighborhoods are becoming increasingly rare in Southern California.

Insensitive alterations and changes can destroy the special characteristics of these early neighborhoods. To avoid this, residents interested in neighborhood revitalization and stabilization need to become familiar with the area's architecture and history. By using this knowledge to build pride in the neighborhood and to foster a neighborhood conservation ethic among fellow residents and City officials, residents can help their neighborhoods remain good places to live while retaining links to the past.

For those who take the time to look, these neighborhoods provide a wide variety of visual links to the past by illustrating the transition from the Victorian era to the modern world, reviving images of our European and colonial heritage and providing guidelines for future urban development. These older neighborhoods are indeed the basis of Redlands' architectural heritage, deserving of widespread recognition.

Historic Preservation in Redlands
The City of Redlands and its citizens have long been concerned with the preservation of Redlands' architectural, historic, cultural, archeological and scenic resources, referred to here as "historic resources." In the early seventies, Redlands began taking an inventory of its historic structures. In 1976, Redlands received a State grant to survey historic properties, documenting 568 historic properties. A Historic and Scenic Preservation Commission was established in 1976 to advise the City Council regarding designation and protection of historic resources. In 1985, the first Historic and Scenic Preservation Element of the General Plan was prepared and adopted. An ordinance adopted in 1986 strengthened the protection of resources by allowing the Commission to deny demolition, except in cases of proven hardship, and to designate without owner consent.

A more thorough inventory of historic resources began in 1985. There are approximately 2,000 buildings over 50 years old that remain to be inventoried. The vast majority of these are residential and institutional.

The City Council, after recommendation by the Commission, has placed over 60 structures and 8 districts on its Register of Historic and Scenic Properties, and has designated a number of streets as Scenic Drives. The Zoning Ordinance has been amended to encourage "adaptive reuse" of older residential buildings in certain commercial areas and to allow bed and breakfast inns in historic buildings.

The A. K. Smiley Library Heritage Room has been designated as the official archives of the City. Its collections provide an invaluable resource for documentation of the history of Redlands and its historic resources.

Classification of Historic Resources. Historic resources in Redlands are divided into five categories: landmarks, historic properties, historic and scenic districts, historic and scenic thematic collections, and urban conservation districts.

• A landmark is defined as a building, site, or area with exceptional character or exceptional historic or aesthetic interest or value as part of the development, heritage, or cultural characteristics of the City, State, or nation.
• A historic property is a structure or site that has significant historic, architectural, or cultural value.
• A historic and scenic district is a significant neighborhood, agricultural or passive recreational open space, enclave or collection of historical buildings that may have been part of one settlement, architectural period, or era of development.
• An historic or scenic thematic collection is a collection of significant sites or buildings which are not necessarily located together in the same geographical area, but are linked by a historical or architectural theme.
• An urban conservation district is a residential or commercial neighborhood which meets the designation criteria, but contains a significant proportion of non-historic properties, and which the City wishes to maintain and revitalize.

Historic and Scenic Preservation Ordinance. The Redlands Historic and Scenic Preservation Ordinance provides a way for the City to recognize and protect its historic resources. The Ordinance establishes a process for designating historic resources and reviewing alterations to the exterior of these resources. Because there is a large number of resources and designating them is a time-consuming process, the Ordinance provides for the Historic and Scenic Preservation Commission to place all potential resources on a list of "nominated resources." An application to alter the exterior of a nominated resource activates the designation procedure, thus ensuring protection of historic resources that the City has not yet been able to designate.

The Commission is responsible for seeing to it that the properties on the list are surveyed, using generally accepted survey methods to identify and describe each historic resource. The Commission then prepares a report using this information to determine whether a resource is significant and, therefore, should be officially recognized as a designated resource. The criteria, any one of which may be used to determine such designation, are as follows:

1. It has significant character, interest, or value as part of the development, heritage, or cultural characteristics of the City of Redlands, State of California, or the United States;
2. It is the site of a significant historic event;
3. It is strongly identified with a person or persons who significantly contributed to the culture, history, or development of the City;
4. It is one of the few remaining examples in the City possessing distinguishing characteristics of an architectural type or specimen;
5. It is a notable work of an architect or master builder whose individual work has significantly influenced the development of the City;
6. It embodies elements of architectural design, detail, materials, or craftsmanship that represent a significant architectural innovation;
7. It has a unique location or singular physical characteristics representing an established and familiar visual feature of a neighborhood, community, or the City;
8. It has a unique design or detailing;
9. It is a particularly good example of a period or style;
10. It contributes to the historical or scenic heritage or historical or scenic properties of the City (to include, but not limited to landscaping, light standards, trees, curbings, and signs);
11. It is located within a historic and scenic or urban conservation district, being a geographically definable area possessing a concentration of historic or scenic properties which contribute to each other and are unified aesthetically by plan or physical development.

Before a property or district is designated as a significant historic resource, the Commission must hold a public hearing and make a recommendation to the City Council. The Council then holds its own public hearing and makes the final decision on designating the property. All designated properties are put on the City's Register of Historic and Scenic Resources.

Redlands' Municipal Code gives the City authority to designate without consent of the owner. This authority has been established by the U.S. Supreme Court decision in the Penn-Central case (1978) and by analogy with land-use law. The challenge here is to balance preservation goals and the needs of the community as a whole with the need to bring property owners into the preservation process in a positive fashion. Just as a property owner cannot veto zoning restrictions, so historic resource designations are not subject to an owner's veto. If the owner can show that preservation of the building is a hardship (not including loss of profit), both the Penn-Central precedent and Redlands' code allow the possibility of demolition. The City of Redlands also provides certain benefits to owners of historic properties, including fee reductions for City permits. The effect of designation is to create an overlay, imposing design review and other regulations on designated property. The underlying zoning regulations still apply.

Once a property is designated, all significant exterior alterations are reviewed either by a staff preservation expert or by the Historic and Scenic Preservation Commission, using the procedures outlined in the Ordinance. Design guidelines are used to help determine if an alteration is appropriate. The kinds of changes that are reviewed include alterations to a building exterior, new construction or major landscape changes on the site of a historic resource, subdivision of a historic setting or site, and demolition or removal of a historic resource. When a change to the exterior of a historic structure or to a site is approved, the applicant is granted a Certificate of Appropriateness. In the case of severe hardship, the Ordinance provides the applicant the opportunity to apply for a Certificate of Hardship.

As of June, 1995 the City Council had approved eight districts.

1. Eureka Street Historic District: Five Victorian cottages (1885-1900).
2. West Highland Avenue Historic and Scenic District: A broad avenue of prestigious houses, many of them pre-1900 (1887-1914).
3. Early Redlands Historic and Scenic District: Substantial Victorian and turn-of-the-century houses and churches close to downtown.
4. Normandie Court Historic District: Eighteen "Hansel and Gretel" cottages built in 1926.
5. East Fern Avenue Historic and Scenic District: A spectrum of Redlands' major architectural styles between 1900 and 1956.
6. Garden Hill Historic and Scenic District: A unique curving hillside street featuring an adobe house, California Mediterranean houses and other styles, enhanced by beautiful views.
7. La Verne Street Historic District: Primarily Victorian and turn-of-the-century cottages.
8. Smiley Park Neighborhood: This large district focuses on Smiley Park and surrounding cultural amenities including the Redlands Bowl, the A.K. Smiley Public Library, the Lincoln Memorial Shrine and the City Hall as well as the surrounding residential areas.

Guiding Policies: Historic and Scenic Preservation

3.20a   Identify, maintain, protect, and enhance Redlands' cultural, historic, social, economic, architectural, agricultural, archaeological, and scenic heritage. In so doing, Redlands will preserve its unique character and beauty, foster community pride, conserve the character and architecture of its neighborhoods and commercial and rural areas, enable citizens and visitors to enjoy and learn about local history, and provide a framework for making appropriate physical changes.

3.20b   Provide incentives wherever possible to protect, preserve, and maintain the City's heritage.

3.20c   Foster an understanding and appreciation of history and architecture.

3.20d   Encourage retention of the character of existing historic structures and urban design elements that define the built environment of the City's older neighborhoods.

3.20e   Encourage retention of historic structures in their original use or reconversion to their original use where feasible. Encourage sensitive, adaptive re-use where original use is no longer feasible.

3.20f   Encourage preservation of and public access to significant scenic vistas, viewpoints and view corridors.

3.20g   Coordinate preservation of historic resources with policies designed to preserve affordable housing.

3.20h   Encourage consideration of urban design quality as well as safety when street or other public improvements are proposed.

3.21   Historic and Scenic Conservation Areas

Implementing Policies: Historic and Scenic Conservation Areas

3.21a   Designate Historic and Scenic Districts and Urban Conservation Districts whenever areas are qualified and supported by a significant majority of the property owners.

3.21b   Establish priorities for protection of potential districts based on both significance and endangerment. Seek to establish support of property owners in high priority areas.

3.21c   Establish zoning regulations that implement Historic and Scenic Preservation policies.

3.21d   Provide incentives to encourage preservation of large historic structures and conversion to multi-family housing if preservation of original use is an economic hardship.

3.21e   Establish guidelines and incentives for appropriate adaptive re-use of historic structures.

3.21f   Encourage the location of needed parking in interiors of blocks to minimize visual impact on streetscape and neighborhoods.

3.21g   Limit parking area coverage and size of parking structures in order to maintain special qualities of streetscape.

3.21h   Establish design guidelines for parking lots and structures that reduce visual impacts on neighborhood and streetscape.

3.21i   Establish lot sizes for infill development that relate to existing lot sizes nearby.

3.21j   Establish standards and incentives for preservation of scenic vistas.

3.21k   Provide incentives and standards to encourage preservation of citrus groves.

3.21l   Recognize and mitigate the ill effects of the following on historic areas:

• Inappropriate commercial development;
• Inappropriate scale, materials, setbacks and landscaping;
• Interruption of the established street pattern;
• Inadequate off-street parking, where development of off-street parking does not cause loss of historic buildings;
• Excessive automobile traffic.

3.21m   Encourage neighborhood groups to be actively involved in preservation.

3.21n   Promote neighborhood organization and identity and foster neighborhood conservation programs, giving special attention to transitional areas next to commercial areas.

3.21o   Pursue policies of street management to control traffic in such areas, because historic areas are especially vulnerable when threatened by too much traffic.

3.21p   Where feasible, retain existing easements and rights-of-way for use as view points, turn-outs, and scenic walkways.

3.22   City Property

Implementing Policies: City Property

3.22a   Maintain and improve City-owned historic buildings and houses in an architecturally and environmentally sensitive manner.

3.22b   Maintain and improve Redlands' streets, trees, streetlights, parkways, parks, stone curbs, and citrus groves in a manner that enhances the City's beauty and historic fabric.

3.22c   Use exemplary design quality in new City construction, public works, and City signs.

3.23   Privately-Owned Historic Resources

Implementing Policies: Privately-Owned Historic Resources

3.23a   Ensure that permanent changes to the exterior or setting of a designated historic resource are in keeping with the intent of the General Plan by requiring a Certificate of Appropriateness for such changes.

3.23b   Seek creative solutions to the problem of preservation and maintenance of large houses.

3.23c   Encourage appropriate adaptive reuse of historic resources in order to prevent disuse, disrepair, and demolition, taking care to protect surrounding neighborhoods from disruptive intrusions.

3.23d   Consider noise, traffic, and residential privacy when approving non-residential uses in mixed-use zones where residential units are interspersed with non-residential buildings.

3.23e   Endeavor, should demolition of a designated historic resource occur, to ensure that a building of equal or greater design quality and/or use of equal or greater benefit to the community be constructed. Require that archival-quality drawings and/or photographic records be prepared to document the historic resource.

3.23f   Institute an architectural salvage program to preserve architectural artifacts from buildings that must be demolished.

3.23g   Encourage the use of tax credits, donated easements, and other fiscal incentives for preservation.

3.23h   Encourage energy conservation alterations that are compatible with preservation.

3.23i   Encourage the highest maintenance of historic resources by pursuing funding programs to assist people in doing needed repairs, by requiring code compliance, and by providing information to homeowners as to how to maintain their property and where to go for assistance and advice.

3.24   New Development

Implementing Policies: New Development

3.24a   Encourage developers to construct new buildings and settings of such quality that preservationists of the future will wish to protect them. Encourage appropriate scale, materials, setbacks, and landscaping to enhance the City's beauty and historic fabric.

3.24b   Establish design review guidelines for historic areas to ensure that new architecture will relate to and respect the environmental context.

3.24c   Encourage compatibility of new land uses and new construction adjacent to buildings listed on the Inventory of Historical Structures. Construction should be physically and aesthetically complementary to the historic buildings.

3.24d   Encourage historical depictions commemorating historic sites or events in Redlands' history. Such depictions could be incorporated into new commercial or rehab development projects. Historical depictions may be monuments, plaques, archaeological viewing sites, exhibits, or illustrative art works, such as sculpture, mosaics, murals, tile-work, etc.

3.25   Citizen Participation and Cooperation with Preservation Groups

Implementing Policies: Citizen Participation and Cooperation with Preservation Groups

3.25a   Encourage citizens to participate in public hearings on designation, Certificates of Appropriateness and Certificates of Hardship.

3.25b   Encourage citizens to become involved in historic preservation by training them in survey techniques and involving them in the ongoing surveys of historic resources.

3.25c   Cooperate with private organizations doing preservation work and serve as liaison for such groups.

3.26   Government Decision-Making

Implementing Policies: Government Decision-Making

3.26a   Protect residential, agricultural, and natural areas that may be eligible for designation by rezoning such areas and/or amending the zoning code to promote conservation of the existing built environment and agricultural and scenic areas.

3.26b   Consider the effect of proposed amendments to the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance on preservation concerns. Consider amending the Zoning Ordinance to allow historic district overlays and historic building site overlays.

3.26c   Consider adopting additional provisions which enable the Historic and Scenic Preservation Commission to review permanent changes to the exterior or setting of designated historic resources, require minimum maintenance, encourage designation of agricultural and scenic areas, and establish significant penalties for demolition without a permit.

3.26d   Consider developing ordinance language and procedures to allow designation of thematic resources. Examples include thematic designation of works of architect Davis Donald; thematic designation of buildings from "boom period" (1886-1888); and thematic designation of buildings related to citrus industry.

3.26e   Consider measures to prevent unnecessary demolition when development projects do not materialize.

3.26f   Establish a list of potential historic resources, historic districts, citrus groves, palm rows, and historic scenic areas. Set up a priority system for designation and proceed with designation.

3.26g   Make the Certificate of Appropriateness process as streamlined and efficient as possible while not slighting its duty to protect the character of the neighborhood or structure in question.

3.26h   Encourage public participation in the process for evaluating and preserving historic and scenic resources.

3.26i   Support a strong and effective Historic and Scenic Preservation Commission as a key element in decisions affecting historic and scenic resources.

3.26j   Work toward preventing the displacement of elderly and lower-income people from their homes in historic areas.

3.26k   Seek and promote use of funding sources to establish low-interest loans or grants for rehabilitation in low-income historic neighborhoods and for maintenance of older citrus groves.

3.26l   Maintain a preservation program with adequate City staffing and integrate preservation concerns into government decision-making.

3.26m   Establish clear and efficient procedures for processing historic property applications.

3.26n   Ensure that public funds for rehabilitation are not used to the detriment of private or public historic resources.
The City receives Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds and other federal and state funds. Although these have not been used for rehabilitation, they could be, and it is possible that Redlands might obtain funding for rehab in the future.

3.27   Commercial and Redevelopment Areas

Implementing Policies: Commercial and Redevelopment Areas

3.27a   Encourage removal of inappropriately altered or tacked-on facades on commercial buildings and restoration of original facades.

3.27b   Encourage new construction that ties the new with the old in a harmonious fashion, enhancing the historic pattern.

3.27c   Encourage preservation, maintenance, enhancement and reuse of existing buildings in redevelopment areas, retention and renovation of existing residential structures, and relocation of existing residential structures within the City where retention on-site is not feasible.

3.27d   Coordinate Redevelopment Agency planning with the regular city planning process.

3.28   Education and Public Relations

Implementing Policies: Education and Public Relations

3.28a   Seek to educate the general public about Redlands' heritage and to educate owners of historic properties about how to rehabilitate and maintain their property.

3.28b   Where inappropriate alterations have been made, endeavor to explain how such alterations detract from the property, how they may be removed, and the economic and cultural benefits of restoration.

3.28c   Encourage involvement of Redlands' schools, adult education classes, and the University of Redlands in preservation programs and activities.

3.28d   Continue to work with local newspapers to inform the community of Historic and Scenic Preservation Commission and other preservation activities.

3.28e   An advisory body such as the Parks Commission shall continue to educate the public regarding the care of small citrus groves in older residential areas.

3.28f   Print informational brochures explaining the preservation process and preservation techniques to the public.

3.28g   Issue awards and commendations as appropriate to owners of historic and scenic resources who have done particularly admirable rehabilitation and to others who have made special contributions to the preservation effort.

3.28h   Make special efforts to reach the business community and to inform its members about Redlands' heritage and the opportunities it presents.

3.28i   Promote Redlands' image, its cultural life, and its outstanding architectural, historic, and scenic resources, in order to attract new business and tourism to the City.

3.28j   Work with civic groups who wish to hold meetings to educate their members about preservation.

3.29   Agricultural and Scenic Areas

Implementing Policies: Agricultural and Scenic Areas

3.29a   Encourage preservation of citrus groves and other agricultural areas that are designated as having cultural or scenic significance. Encourage retention of existing privately owned citrus groves of all sizes, especially in historic neighborhoods.

3.29b   Identify existing agricultural areas, scenic views, vistas, and streetscapes, including mountain, canyon, and valley vistas, urban view corridors, focal points and focal buildings.

3.29c   Define and implement measures to preserve citrus groves, scenic views, vistas, and streetscapes for the community.

3.30   Preservation of Older Neighborhoods

Implementing Policies: Preservation of Older Neighborhoods

3.30a   Promote neighborhood preservation and stabilization.

3.30b   Permit densities, design, and uses that will help preserve the character and amenities of existing older neighborhoods.

3.30c   Discourage changes in residential areas that would disturb the character or clearly have a destabilizing effect on the neighborhood.

3.30d   In multiple family areas with a predominance of houses built as single family residences, create "tailor-made" zones that will protect the single family appearance of the neighborhood.

3.30e   In transitional areas, allow no new uses that would contribute to expansion of commercial uses and subsequent deterioration of neighborhoods.

3.30f   Encourage shared parking or in-lieu parking in older neighborhoods.

3.30g   Encourage preservation of historic public and private improvements, such as street curbs, street trees, specimen trees, street lights, hitching posts, masonry walls, unpaved and early paved sidewalks, etc.