The Santa Ana Historic Resources Commission on Nov. 20 approved four nominations for the City of Santa Ana 2025 Historic Preservation Awards and signed off on a Mills Act historic property preservation agreement for 1218 North French Street.

The commission's ad hoc committee and staff presented four nominees: the Koselman (also referred to in the staff report as the Castleman) House at 424 South Broadway (rehabilitation); two properties in the Henninger Park specific development area at 616'618 and 606 South Van Ness Avenue (awards of merit); and 821 South Van Ness Avenue (award of merit). The Mills Act agreement up for consent was for a separate property at 1218 North French Street.

James Williams of planning staff summarized each nomination, citing exterior rehabilitation work, restoration of architectural features based on photographic evidence, and compatible new construction in one case (a two-story detached accessory dwelling unit at 616'618 finished in June 2025). Staff noted that the Henninger Park guidelines and the Secretary of the Interior's Standards informed the evaluations.

Public commenter Tim Rush objected to awarding properties that used vinyl replacement windows, saying it violated Secretary of the Interior standards and undercut prior enforcement. "I'm a bit flabbergasted that my ears heard that we're proposing for an award a property that has vinyl windows," Rush said, calling such an award "wrong on every level." The commission and staff responded that nominations were submitted by members of the public and selected by the ad hoc committee, and that the awards of merit are intended to recognize the "spirit of preservation" and to encourage rehabilitation, not to create an immediate historic designation or Mills Act eligibility.

Commissioner Janelle Hardy explained a distinction in Henninger Park's rules: for properties that are not individually listed on the city's historic register, the Henninger Park specific development (SD 40) guidelines require matching location, dimensions, trim and operation of window openings but do not always require that the material be the original historic material. "The materials did not have to be the same," Hardy said, while emphasizing that properties on the local historic register are subject to stricter "like-for-like" material expectations.

Vice Chair Christie, who had pulled the Mills Act consent item for discussion, urged staff to monitor repairs on Mills Act projects to ensure replacements preserve original character. The commission then approved the Mills Act property preservation agreement for 1218 North French Street; Vice Chair Christie moved the motion and Commissioner Shipp seconded it. The roll call in the record shows a unanimous yes vote among present commissioners with Commissioner Almendral and Commissioner Rincon absent.

On the awards, the commission first approved the nominations not pulled for separate discussion by majority roll call. Commissioners then separately debated 606 South Van Ness (concern about 24 vinyl sash windows installed in October 2024) and 821 South Van Ness (window restoration and other rehabilitation). A motion to remove 606 from nomination failed, and a subsequent motion to approve 606 passed by majority vote. For 821 the motion not to award received no second; an alternate motion to award passed. The record shows each of the four nominees received majority approval with Commissioners Almendral and Rincon absent for the roll calls.

The commission and staff repeatedly stressed that the awards program is intended as community outreach to encourage sensitive rehabilitation and does not change a property's legal designation or automatically grant Mills Act benefits. Planning staff also noted that properties awarded an "award of merit" do not become historic resources by virtue of the award and that the awards carry no fiscal impact.

The meeting record includes detailed staff descriptions of the scope and timelines for the nominee projects: 606 South Van Ness reported the installation of 24 vinyl sash windows and completion of work in October 2024; 616'618 included legalization of previously unpermitted vinyl windows and completion in June 2025, including an ADU; and 821 involved restoration of wood sash windows and reconstruction of two tripartite windows based on photographic evidence, with work continuing through 2025.

The commission approved the Mills Act agreement for 1218 North French Street and the four award nominations by recorded roll calls. Several commissioners urged better outreach to other neighborhoods to broaden nominations in future years.