Our Town: No quarterback sneak

by Elisabeth Traugott

Steve Young, my football fanatic editor tells me, is a scrambler. One of the world's greatest running quarterbacks, known to lose his helmet on occasion in the heat of play. But when confronted with Palo Alto's interim historic regulations, even his fleetness of foot (and his fat new, six-year, $45 million contract) failed to help the 49er's quarterback through the front lines of the Palo Alto Planning Department.

Young bought his house on Waverley Street last April and soon began to seek approval for his plans: to alter three windows on the side of his home facing the street. He also wanted to add a room to the back of the house.

The first step was the historic merit screening. Within a month, he was told his house was a "contributing" residence meaning he could alter it-- and even demolish it--but he had to seek the Historic Resources Board's advice on renovations, in particular to the facade.

This is where the city's regulations tripped him up like a diving linebacker. The second phase of the process, called "compatibility review," began in May. Barbara Judy, the city's preservation architect, sent Young and his architect a memo saying she didn't have enough information about their plans.

She asked for additional information including a list of all oak trees on the property, a photo montage of his block including both sides of the street, a tracing of the block as it appears on historical maps and detailed interior floor plans. By mid-June, Young's plans were still being discussed by a huddle of city staff.

This time, staff wanted to make sure that the street trees would be protected from construction traffic, that clear glass would be used in the windows (which could only be true divided lites) and that the stucco be hand-finished to match the existing texture.

Eventually the issues over windows and stucco and trees were resolved but not before the start of the 49ers exhibition season. Reportedly, Young had wanted to be moved in by now, but after his game this weekend against San Diego (a loss), he didn't hang his helmet in Palo Alto.

The example of Young's house intrigues us because he's "the man" and supposedly a good neighbor to boot--the Weekly learned that he invited his neighbors over recently to discuss his construction plans. But it's also significant because it's an example of how the city's new historic preservation laws have affected individuals.

We are now eight months into the interim regulations governing the alteration and demolition of pre-1940 homes. The laws were drafted last October in response to the community's furor over the flattening of several prominent historical homes and its disgust for many of the structures developers were slapping up in their place.

Now there are other voices rising from the field. Mike Campbell owns a cottage in Professorville and is suing the city over his "landmark" historic designation, which he says deprives him of his constitutional right to improve his property. Mann Kim says she lost out on a real estate deal because of the landmark status granted to her home on Forest Avenue.

What for many is considered an honor, has become, for some homeowners the equivalent of a scarlet "L" being branded on their deed. Property rights are being violated, they say. Assets are being frozen in unsaleable homes that can't be torn down and are too difficult and too expensive, to renovate.

But there is a movement afoot to try to get to the bottom of the dilemma. A group of community figures organized by architect John Northway, Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Susan Frank and Midtown Residents Association member Annette Ashton, is focusing attention on the tension between new development and preservation.

The issue this working group of about 30 members has targeted is, "The Future of Residential Construction in Palo Alto." Participants, ranging from city officials to developers, want to step back from the emotion of last fall and analyze the issue more objectively.

According to Northway, the first meeting went well. "This subject matter will always have a level of tension between those who want to preserve and those who want to change and create," he said.

This fall, all residents will have the opportunity to talk to city leaders about this balance. The City Council is planning a series of public hearings this fall on these very issues as they begin to grapple with writing a permanent ordinance.

I doubt residents will need much encouragement to attend those meetings and voice their concerns.

My only hope before then is that Steve Young will be able to move into his new home and return to his winning ways before the regular season starts--or city staff may have to bear the wrath of millions of 49er fans, including my editor.

Elisabeth Traugott is a Weekly staff writer

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