Iceland Blogs

On the last Berkeley City Council meeting before the Summer break (13 July, 2010), the Council voted 7-2 to adapt the City Manager's recommendation to withhold comment on the application for Berkeley Iceland to be listing on the National Register of Historic Places.  The alternative option, approval of a letter of support prepared by the Berkeley Landmark Preservation Commission, was not accepted.  The reason sited for not commenting was the status of the Berkeley landmark designation which is subject to a new review by the City Council as part of a settlement of a lawsuit brought by the current owners.  To quote the manager's recommendation:

"The City Council agreed to reconsider its previous approval of Berkeley Iceland as a
local historic landmark. Therefore, it would be premature to comment on the proposed
National Register listing."

The action by the City Council does not affect the process for National Register listing.  The hearing at the State Historic Resources Commission (SHRC) is scheduled for 30 July at the Sacramento City Council Chambers in Sacramento.

As reported in an earlier blog entry, the Berkeley Landmark Preservation Commission (LPC) voted to send a letter in support of the application by the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association (BAHA) nominating Berkeley Iceland to the National Register of HIstoric Places if a review by the CIty Attorney finds it appropriate.  The City Attorney review concluded that the CIty Council was the appropriate body to provide comments as the Certified Local Government representative so that the  LPC report must be passed by the Council.  The item has been placed on the agenda for the July 13, 2010, City Council Meeting (item 59 in the Action Calendar - New Business section).  The City Manager is recommending that a letter stating that the City Council has no comment on the nomination "...because the local historic designation of the property is being reconsidered."

At the July meeting of the Landmark Preservation Commission (LPC), one of the items on the agenda was "2727 Milvia: Nomination to the National Register of Historic Places".  This was a public hearing on what, if any, comments the LPC should make on the application submitted by the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association (BAHA) nominating Berkeley Iceland for the listing.  There were three speakers on this topic during the public comment session, an attorney from Miller Starr Regalia representing East Bay Iceland (EBI, the current owners), preservation architect Mark Hulbert (also representing EBI), and John English, who prepared the application for BAHA.  The meeting  ended with the commission voting to send a letter of support pending review by the Berkeley City Attorney.