Council Votes to Dissolve Historic Preservation Commission

The Murrieta Historic Preservation Advisory Commission was dissolved Tuesday due to lack of activity.

Instead, the commission will be restructured so it may be reconvened if needed. Murrieta City Council voted 4-0 Tuesday, with Councilwoman Kelly Bennett absent, to approve an ordinance establishing the Historic Preservation Ad-Hoc Committee.

A main duty of the commission was to advise the City Council and Planning Commission when development projects had potential to interfere with historic areas or disturb cultural or archaeological resources.

"There just hasn’t been as much activity," said Murrieta City Clerk Kay Vinson.

The loss of redevelopment funds coupled with limited development activity in recent years has led to a steady decline of projects, and therefore infrequent commission meetings, Vinson said.

In May, Council voted to temporarily keep the commission intact but did away with three-year term limits in an effort to retain qualified commissioners. Council also sought feedback from the commission's only two remaining members, John Hunneman and Joan Padberg.

Vinson said according to feedback received in October, Hunneman and Padberg were against entirely eliminating it.

"They were fine with being a committee or a task force," Vinson said.

The ordinance that dissolves the commission calls for the city to keep a committee interest list of qualified community members who have expertise in areas such as construction or architecture, American studies, archeology or cultural anthropology.