E. Cultural Resources Element

Cultural
Resources
ELEMENT E
CULTURAL RESOURCES
GOAL: Ensure the proper disposition of historical,
archaeological, and paleontological resources to minimize
adverse impacts, and to develop an increased understanding
and appreciation for the community's historic and prehistoric
heritage, and that of the region.
Description of Cultural Resources
This element recognizes the importance of historical, archaeological, and paleontological
resources in the City of Irvine and establishes a process for their early identification,
consideration, and where appropriate, preservation.
Cultural resources are the physical remains of the City's historic and prehistoric heritage.
Historical resources include sites established after 1542 A.D., the date when European contact
with California began, which may be significant to history, architecture, or culture.
Archaeological resources include any location containing evidence of human activities which
took place prior to 1750 A.D. Historical sites established prior to 1750 A.D. are also
archaeological sites. Paleontological resources include any location containing a trace of plants
or animals from past ages.
Paleontological investigations have shown that the area was previously a marine environment.
Archaeological investigations have shown that native Americans arrived within this area about
9,000 years ago. The area's diverse natural resources supported a large population of these native
hunters and gatherers. In 1769, the base of the Santiago Hills was first traversed by the Spanish
explorer Don Gaspar de Portola. In the 1830s Don Jose Andres Sepulveda began ranching
operations. In 1876 James Irvine purchased and consolidated open range land stretching from
the Santiago Hills to the Pacific Ocean into the Irvine Ranch. In 1971, the City incorporated,
which coincided with the start of urban development of a large portion of the Irvine Ranch.
Because of its past, Irvine has many cultural resources which are protected through the policies
established in this Element.
City of Irvine
General Plan
E-1
Cultural Resources Element
Existing Conditions
The historic and archaeological sites
recorded by previous surveys are illustrated
in Figure E-1. There are two sites found in
the City of Irvine, Barton's Mound and the
Portola Campsite at Tomato Springs, found
in the California Inventory. While only two
of the historic sites within the City are listed
in the California Inventory of Historic
Resources, many others qualify. Several of
the more important sites may also qualify for
listing in the National Register of Historic
Places.
Historical Society Museum
Paleontological investigations of the area
have shown that the area (primarily Santiago
Hills and San Joaquin Hills) is rich in
scientifically important resources including
numerous fossil deposits formed in a marine
environment. The City is divided into zones
according to the likely occurrence of
important paleontological resources. These
zones are shown on Figure E-2,
Paleontological Sensitivity Zones.
exists to identify cultural resources of
significance and develop programs for their
appropriate disposition. The Irvine
Company has conducted archaeological
surveys covering major portions of its
property. While these surveys are
continuing, the opportunity exists for the
City to ensure that allowances are made
within proposed development plans for the
proper disposition of the resources
discovered.
Future loss of some cultural resources
should be anticipated since alternative uses
for many of the existing sites have been
designated on the General Plan Land Use
diagram. In addition, planned urban uses
surrounding historical sites may adversely
affect its historical value by altering their
traditional settings. Urban uses may also
raise surrounding land values so that it
becomes economically unfeasible or
incompatible for historic uses to remain.
Widening of existing roads may also have a
negative impact on existing cultural
resources. The area of Barton's Mound, a
state historical landmark, was destroyed as a
result of construction of the San Diego
Freeway.
With the large number of known
archaeological sites existing in the City and
sphere of influence, and their sensitivity to
urban development, destruction or covering
of some of these sites should be expected to
occur as well. The greatest impact would be
in Upper Newport Bay and the Santiago and
San Joaquin Hills where large
concentrations of important sites are found.
Trends
With large areas of the City and sphere of
influence still undeveloped, the opportunity
City of Irvine
General Plan
E-2
Cultural Resources Element
Paleontological Sensitivity Zones
Identification of Issues
To develop Figure E-2, known fossil
occurrences were identified and plotted.
The locality information and past fossil
production in adjacent areas was used to
develop zones of similar paleontological
potential or sensitivity. Four paleontological
sensitivity zones were developed to group
rocks with similar paleontological potential.
Each zone reflects the potential for the
discovery of significant fossil resources
during development of a site. The proposed
use of the site does not greatly affect
paleontologic resources; it is the mass
grading of sedimentary rocks associated with
development that affects the fossils. The
four sensitivity zones are:
1. What system should be used to
identify and determine the
significance of historical,
archaeological, and paleontological
resources?
2. Who should fund the investigations,
mitigations, and preservation of
cultural resources if little public or
private funding is available for
preservation, and most existing
buildings, sites, or potential sites
would find it difficult to qualify for
available funding?
No Sensitivity: Areas in this zone contain
exposed volcanic rocks.
Low Sensitivity: Areas in this zone
typically have altered or geologically young
rocks exposed at the surface.
Moderate Sensitivity: Areas within this
zone contain sedimentary rocks with limited
histories of producing significant fossils.
The limited histories may reflect the lack of
fossils or lack of systematic exploration of
exposures of these rock units.
High Sensitivity: This zone contains
sedimentary rocks with well established
histories of containing significant fossils.
Source: City of Irvine Master
Environmental Assessment Appendix D.
City of Irvine
General Plan
E-3
Cultural Resources Element
Policy (c): Require a written report be
submitted to the City following a survey or
investigation describing the findings and
making recommendations as to the site's
significance, future disposition, and the
amount of further investigation which
should be undertaken. Copies of site
survey records and reports shall be filed
with the appropriate clearinghouse.
Response to Issues
The following objectives and policies have
been established to guide the identification
and preservation of cultural resources.
OBJECTIVE E-1:
HISTORICAL,
ARCHAEOLOGICAL,
PALEONTOLOGICAL
SURVEYS
Policy (d): Encourage, if appropriate,
removal of all materials collected during
the survey/investigation to local museums,
universities, or other depositories
providing access for public review or
scientific research.
Identify and obtain information on
the existence and significance of
historical, archaeological, and
paleontological sites and encourage
land use planning which
incorporates this information.
Policy (e): Funding of Archaeological
Excavations: Use the following in the
case of archaeological salvage
excavations: 75 percent project sponsor;
25 percent City or other public or quasipublic agency or organization. The costs
of other mitigation measures may also be
shared by the landowner or developer, the
City, and other agencies or organizations.
The following policies support
Objective E-1:
Policy (a): Require appropriate surveys and
necessary site investigations in
conjunction with the earliest
environmental document prepared for a
project, in accordance with California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and
the City's CEQA procedures.
Policy (b): Require surveys, prior to
discretionary approval, for areas where the
possibility of encountering sites exists.
Additional specific site investigations may
also be required in order to obtain
sufficient information to determine the
site's significance. The project sponsor
shall fund this level of investigation.
City of Irvine
General Plan
E-4
Policy (f): Maintain information on areas
surveyed, numbers of sites located, their
status and the names and addresses of
individuals or organizations
knowledgeable of the sites.
Policy (g): Maintain specific locations of
unprotected sites as confidential
information to avoid vandalism and the
resultant irretrievable loss of the historic
and prehistoric record of the community.
Policy (h): Determine the proper
disposition of each historical site prior to
approval of zoning or discretionary
development applications. Disposition
determinations shall be based upon a
Cultural Resources Element
detailed historical report, including an
inventory form, a written evaluation, and
slides documenting the building and its
location. This information shall be
reviewed by staff and the approval
authority for discretionary development
cases. Each historical report shall be filed
at the Irvine Historical Museum and the
City of Irvine Community Development
Department.
Policy (i): Buffer and protect the integrity
of an historic site and/or resources
contained therein, if the Planning
Commission, during review of a
discretionary development case,
determines preservation is required.
Old Town Irvine
Policy (c): Include sites which are
appropriate for educational or recreational
purposes as an integral part of either
public or community facilities or as part of
the Citywide bikeway, pedestrian, and
equestrian trail systems. Encourage
agencies, organizations, and individuals to
develop interpretive and educational
programs in order to properly utilize the
site for the benefit of the entire
community.
OBJECTIVE E-2:
HAZARD OCCURRENCE
Evaluate surveyed sites for their
present and potential cultural,
educational, recreational, and
scientific value to the community
and the region, and determine their
proper disposition prior to the
approval of any project which could
adversely affect them.
Policy (d):
Ensure that appropriate staff
is available to act in matters relating to
the implementation of this element to
include identification of costs, and to
coordinate the investigation and
disposition of sites between City
departments and Commissions, The
Irvine Company, and other agencies,
institutions, organizations, and
individuals.
The following policies support
Objective E-2:
Policy (a): Ensure that sites determined to
be significant are protected through the
City's planning policies, ordinances,
approval conditions, and mitigation
measures.
City of Irvine
General Plan
Policy (b): Encourage the nomination of
significant historical sites to the National
Registry of Historic Places.
Policy (e): Determine the methods and
means of preservation on a case-by-case
basis according to a site's importance
E-5
Cultural Resources Element
and disposition methods available.
These may include public or private
acquisition or one of the following,
provided extreme care is exercised not
to adversely affect the site:
Including the site within greenbelts,
parks, open space spines, preservation
areas or other open space.
Covering surface or sub-surface sites
by adequate fill, pavement, or
buildings.
Using the site for nondestructive
public interest or educational purposes,
such as museums, interpretive centers,
or outdoor classrooms.
Policy (f): Encourage site preservation
through economic incentives such as
increased building densities, reduced
taxes, credit toward park dedication, or
reduction of other amenity requirements.
Where incentives are not sufficient, the
land owner shall be directly
compensated by the City or other public
or quasi-public agencies or organizations
for land preserved as an archaeological,
paleontological, or historical site. The
costs of site preservation may be the
principal responsibility of the City, other
public, or quasi-public agencies, or other
organizations.
Policy (g): Ensure that adverse impacts of
a proposed project on cultural resources
are mitigated in accordance with CEQA,
as well as other appropriate City policies
and procedures, where preservation of a
significant site is not practical.
Policy (h): Assign the Community
Services Commission the responsibility
to oversee implementation programs for
sites or buildings which have been
acquired by the City.
Policy (i): Identify and implement revenue
sources which can be expended in support
of this objective.
Farm House – Old Town Irvine
Moving buildings for preservation as
part of a consolidated historic site.
Using significant historic buildings in
a preserved state as a part of their
functional capacity (e.g., a building
preserved and used as an office,
restaurant, or home).
City of Irvine
General Plan
E-6
Policy (j): Undertake a comprehensive
survey to inventory the remaining
historical resources within the City of
Irvine incorporated territory and adopted
Sphere of Influence, including the location
and significance of all remaining tenant
farm homes over 50 years of age. This
survey shall be used to determine the
appropriate disposition of the resources
located within any area not designated for
preservation as a historical resource.
Cultural Resources Element
RELATED OBJECTIVE NUMBERS
The following objectives are related to the
Cultural Resources Element:
Land Use Element - A-6
Public Facilities and Services Element - G-1
Conservation and Open Space Element -L-5,
L-7
City of Irvine
General Plan
E-7
Cultural Resources Element
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1. LAMBERT RESERVOIR
2. FIRST IRVINE OFFICE/
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3. IRVINE FAMILY HOME
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4. C.F. KRAUS RESIDENCE
5. IRVINE EMPLOYEE
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6. IRVINE COMMUNITY
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7. IRVINE BEAN WAREHOUSE
8. EAST IRVINE GARAGE AND
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General Plan
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11. DIRIGIBLE HANGARS
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12. LIVE OAKS, LAGUNA CANYON ROAD
13. SITE OF MICHELSON VACCUM TUBE
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17. SAN JOAQUIN MARSH/PEAT BOGS
18. BOMMER CANYON CATTLE CAMP
19. URBANUS SQUARE
(OLD BUFFALO RANCH)
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SUPPLEMENT 8 – JUNE 2012
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City of Irvine
General Plan
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Although the City has detached all of Planning Area 26
and portions of Planning Area 27, these areas are
subject to agreements between the City of Irvine,
the Irvine Company and the City of Newport Beach
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SUPPLEMENT 8 – JUNE 2012