> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # City looks at writing alternative historic districts measure - URL: https://www.smdp.com/city-looks-at-writing-alternative-historic-districts-measure/ - Published: 2002-11-26T16:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-23T01:00:49.000Z - Author: Andrew Fixmer - Tags: Government & Politics, Santa Monica, #archive-import *Proposal would streamline designation process, add homeowner incentives* City officials may be adhering to the saying, “If you can’t beat’em — join’em.” Acting on orders from the city council, the Landmarks Commission last week began meeting to investigate the possibility of placing a competing measure on the ballot of a probable March special election. The referendum would likely be designed to counter an initiative that qualified for a special election sponsored by Homeowners for Voluntary Preservation. An election can be avoided if the city council adopts the proposed initiative as law at its Dec. 10 meeting. The homeowners’ initiative proposes making preservation and the creation of historic districts voluntary for owners of single-family homes citywide. Currently, homes can be deemed landmarks or structures of merit without the approval of the owner. Supporters of the initiative believe forceful designation of homes as landmarks is a violation of property rights and erects cumbersome barriers to renovating and altering homes, if not preventing it altogether. However, local preservationists and some city officials believe if the initiative is adopted as proposed, it would undermine the city’s authority to protect historically and architecturally significant homes from demolition or serious alteration. Last Tuesday, commission members met at a hastily-called public meeting to discuss a compromise to the homeowners’ initiative and to brainstorm ways to streamline the city’s process of preserving important and historic properties. Commission members may propose a measure that would streamline the process for homeowners, add incentives for owners of homes that are bestowed with landmark status, and enhance the power of homeowners in the designation process. Another consideration would change the requirement for the creation of a historic district from solely requiring city council approval to adding approval of at least 51 percent of the homeowners in a proposed district. However, commissioners say they are far from reaching consensus on what any possible city landmarks referendum would look like. “If there was an alternative proposal, it’s certainly so much in flux right now that it’s hard to imagine what form it will take,” said commissioner Roger Genser, a local historian. “There has been no official recommendation or proposal to date.” > “If there was an alternative proposal, it’s certainly so much in flux right now that it’s hard to imagine what form it will take.” — — ROGER GENSER Landmarks Commissioner Landmarks commissioners said any measure they recommend will likely be loosely based on the homeowners’ initiative but take a broader view of preservation. While the homeowners’ initiative allows owners of single-family homes a choice in participating in historic preservation, any city-sponsored measure would affect every property owner, they said. “I would characterize it as in response to the initiative we are recommending improvements that would work better for the community without giving up the important properties that convey the city’s heritage,” said landmarks chair Ruthann Lehrer. Supporters of the homeowners’initiative called the move by city officials to write their own measure “trickery” and said the city continues to rely on a preservation “system based on intimidation and force.” “I think we are going to have to work very hard to make sure people know which one is for the public and which one is there to solidify the control of the city,” said Greg Poirier, an initiative supporter. “I’m sure it will be worded in such a way that is confusing to people. Personally, I think this is cowardly of them.” The final version of any city-sponsored landmarks measure must be completed at the Landmark Commission’s Dec. 2 special meeting and be ready for the city council’s consideration by its Dec. 10 meeting — the deadline for calling a March special election. Homeowners for Voluntary Preservation members continue to ask the council to immediately adopt their measure as an ordinance and forgo a costly special election. The group submitted a petition containing 12,947 signatures to the Los Angeles County Registrar’s office on Sept. 27\. The registrar verified approximately 9,800 of the signatures on Oct. 17, surpassing the 9,135 needed to qualify for a special election. The initiative, formally called the “Homeowners Freedom of Choice Initiative,” proposes giving homeowners final say whether the city can bestow their residences with preservation status or as structures of merit. Under current law, such designations may be made over the owner’s objections, and the designations can complicate making exterior renovations or obtaining demolition permits. Councilman Herb Katz said while he doesn’t believe it’s problematic city officials are investigating alternatives to the proposed initiative, he said it would be wrong for the city to add a competing measure to a special election ballot. “I do think no matter what, homeowners should have a voice in what is done to their homes,” Katz said. “This really comes under a private rights issue.” “Taking of one’s home in any form without permission,” he added, “is questionable in my mind.” *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 26, 2002.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/112602.pdf?ref=smdp.com)