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More history found in H.B.

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More than 100 new names were added to Huntington Beach’s list of historically significant sites, including several Wintersburg farm properties, according to a study session Monday.

There are about 200 sites across Huntington Beach now on the list, with a few eligible for the national and state register of historical resources, according to representatives from Galvin Preservation Associates, who gave the presentation.

Galvin Preservation Associates was consulted by the city to update its historical landmarks and properties list. The last time Huntington Beach conducted a historical survey was in 1986, Huntington Beach senior city planner Ricky Ramos said.

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There are already six properties on the National Register of Historic Places, including the recently added Main Street Library on Triangle Park; which recognizes both the library and the park, Historical Resources Boardwoman Gloria Alvarez said.

Twenty-three other properties are eligible for the National Register, while 12 properties could be considered for the California Register.

The city last updated its landmark list on the general plan in 1991 and it included 79 landmarks comprised of 212 properties, according to the presentation given by the consultant’s president, Andrea Galvin.

Galvin said the number of historic resources dropped because they either have been destroyed or altered or the property itself wasn’t historically significant to begin with.

The consulting firm started the survey in 2009 and combed the city for a year to identify which properties should be considered for the list, Ramos said. Galvin found 2,546 properties that were built before 1959 — a requirement mandated by the city.

For the past several years, Galvin worked with the Huntington Beach Historic Resources Board to whittle the list down to its current count.

Among those mentioned on the survey was the Wintersburg farm site. In April, the Huntington Beach Planning Commission discussed the fate of the Japanese Presbyterian church, and decided to ask city staff to gather more information about the property.

But according to the May 28 Planning Commission agenda, Rainbow Environmental Services — which owns the property — asked for the item to be continued to the June 25 meeting.

Most of the buildings found on the property at Warner Avenue and Nichols Lane were included in the survey, said Mary Urashima, chairwoman of the Historic Wintersburg Preservation Task Force.

The Furuta home, the 1910 mission, the manse and 1934 church were included in Galvin’s survey, Urashima said, but the barn on the property was not included.

“We felt strongly that there wasn’t enough concentration of historic properties that made it feel like a historical district,” Galvin said Monday, explaining why buildings on the Wintersburg site were identified individually and not as a group.

Historic Resources Board Chairwoman Barbara Haynes said Tuesday she was happy with the list of historic properties Galvin found and can’t wait to see it move forward.

“We weren’t disappointed with anything. We were very pleased with the meeting,” she said. “We’re just going to sit back and wait until everything goes to the Planning Commission and see what the next step is.”

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