The Ukiah City Council Wednesday will again be voting on the future of the home to the popular business Dragon's Lair after a majority of members voted earlier this month that the building should not be demolished, despite the city's Demolition Review Committee approving the building owner's request to tear down the 100-year-old structure.
"I could go on and on about why we preserve buildings, why historic preservation is important, and that much of why we love Ukiah, and what makes it unique, is because of the historic buildings that we have downtown," said DRC member Alyssa Ballard of the Historical Society of Mendocino County in December. "And this one in particular (101 S. Main St.) tells a story of a large part of Ukiah's history, which is agriculture, and we don't have a lot of commercial buildings left that do that."
"And I realize that agricultural commerce is not as exciting as some of the historic retail buildings we have on State Street, which is likely why it's one of the last buildings left that's representative of it," said Ballard, adding that she felt the building "originally constructed in 1921 as a hay barn and feed store," met two of the three criteria that would "eliminate it from being demolished," specifically the first and second.
Those three criteria are: "1. Has a special or particular quality such as oldest, best example, largest, or last surviving example of its kind; or 2. Exemplifies or reflects special elements of the city's cultural, social, economic, political, aesthetic, or architectural history; or 3. Is strongly identified with persons or events significant in local, state, or national history." According to city code, "if the Demolition Review Committee finds that any of the criteria listed apply to the building proposed for demolition, it shall recommend denial of the permit to the City Council."
However, the other two members of the committee, Building Official Matt Keizer and Public Works Director Tim Eriksen, said they felt the building did not meet any of the criteria.
Eriksen, who additionally serves as the city's engineer, said he was also concerned about the deteriorating state of the building, and he voted with Keizer to demolish both the structure housing Dragon's Lair at 101 S. Main St. and the building housing Tom's Glass at 105 S. Main St. Only Ballard voted against demolition of the Dragon's Lair building.
"If you're not excited about the committee's action, this is just a recommendation to the City Council," Eriksen said after the vote. "This item will be heard in front of the City Council, and you will have another opportunity to speak about this item (then)."
When the approved demolition permit came before the City Council during its May 4 meeting, Council member Mari Rodin said that while she empathized with property owner Todd Schapmire Jr. in regards to him having so many impediments to "what you want to do with your own property," she also felt that the city's ordinance regarding whether or not a building should be demolished was "pretty cut and dried," and that the structure at 101 S. Main St. met two of the criteria that would keep it from being demolished, and it only needs to meet one.
"There are at least two reasons why I don't think we can go along with the recommendation of the DRC; their reasoning wasn't responsive to the criterion here," Rodin said. "I think they made a mistake in recommending demolition; all the evidence in front of me is strongly against demolition."
Rodin then made a motion to not demolish the building, and the motion passed with Council members Doug Crane and Josefina Duenas supporting it. However, the item was continued to the meeting this week in order for the council to consider other aspects of the building's future.
Craig Schlatter, the city's Community Development Director, explained that the council is being asked to vote on two items: 1) adoption of an Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration, and 2) authorization to the Building Official to issue a Demolition Permit for a structure located at 101 South Main St., as recommended by the Demolition Review Committee.
As a part of Action 1, staff is proposing to "require a development proposal to be approved prior to the building being demolished. We are also proposing that future development proposals include salvaging and/or incorporating a component of the façade into development to honor the historic character of the existing building."
As part of Action 2, Schlatter said "the next step in the Demolition Permit process is for council to consider whether a viable market exists for 101 S. Main St., taking into account the condition of the building, the probable cost to put the building into marketable condition, and the uses of the property allowed under existing or probable future zoning regulations. If the council determines that a reasonable market does not exist, the Demolition Permit may proceed, with adherence to the mitigation measures. However, if the Council determined that a reasonable market does exist, the Demolition Permit shall not be issued."
Schlatter added that staff "will be recommending the City Council ... authorize issuance of the Demolition Permit for 101 S. Main St., based on the market analysis information provided by the applicant, indicating that a viable market does not exist."
The public hearing has been continued to the May 18 meeting and scheduled for 6:15 p.m., although it was also scheduled for 6:15 p.m. at the May 4 meeting, but did not begin until 6:45 p.m.
The meeting is being held both at the City Council Chambers at 300 Seminary Ave. and virtually on Zoom at the following link: https://zoom.us/j/97199426600
Or you can call in using your telephone only at 1-888-788-0099, enter Access Code: 971 9942 6600
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