TO:                  Anthony Spann, Chairman

Members of the Historic Landmarks Commission

FROM:            Lisa Knox Burns, AICP

Upper East Neighborhood Association

SUBJECT:       MST 2005-00241, 2300 Garden Street

DATE:             May 24, 2005

This agenda item was recently brought to the attention of neighbors to 2300 Garden Street, commonly known as St. Anthony’s Seminary.  We apologize if the public comment period may have elapsed without our knowledge since the May 25 agenda shows it scheduled as “Review after Final”.  The Upper East Neighborhood Association has been monitoring the impending acquisition of this important public resource and can provide the HLC with copies of numerous letters from neighbors, concerned about the future public use of this site.  Therefore, we are submitting comments to the HLC at the earliest possible stage in the permit review process, as this may be one of the few opportunities we may have for public comment, unless the City requires a Conditional Use Permit.

Located adjacent to the Old Mission, St. Anthony’s Seminary is part of an historic unit that should remain visually connected as an historic property.  It has considerable historic and visual/aesthetic values to the community.  Any change to the property that would sever, either visually or functionally, the unity of the site should be assessed as a potentially significant cultural resource impact under the California Environmental Quality Act. 

The agenda notes that only very minor exterior changes are proposed, therefore we assume that no walls, security gates, or other means of restricting access to the site are being proposed.  If this is not a correct assumption, please notify us so that we may consider other options for public review, as required within the ten calendar days of your decision.