In a town full of architectural treasures, the City of Santa Monica has for 27 years had a law that protects the city’s cultural heritage by designating homes and neighborhoods as historic. The designation means property owners have to get government approval to change the exterior of their homes.
The Homeowners for Voluntary Preservation argue that deeming their property historic or a structure of merit is an intrusion of their personal freedoms. They are calling for a special election hoping citizens will pass their proposed ordinance that gives property owners the final say over their homes, instead of the Landmarks Commission or the city council.
Preservationists, however, argue that Santa Monica’s historic homes and cultural identity are in danger of vanishing so it’s worthwhile to protect properties that will preserve the city’s heritage.
So this week Q-line wants to know: “Should the city be able to oversee historic properties? Or do the homeowners have a right to do whatever they want with their properties?”
Call (310) 285-8106 with your responses before Thursday at 5 p.m. We’ll print them in Friday’s paper. Please limit your comments to a minute or less; it might help to think first about the wording of your response.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 3, 2002. Read the original PDF.