Saticoy & Wells Community Plan & Development ... - City Of Ventura

Saticoy & Wells Community Plan and Code EIRSection 4.5 Cultural and Historic Resourcesthe project site is Mission San Buenaventura, founded by Father Serra in 1782. In 1822, Mexicogained its independence from Spain and in the 1830s, the Missions were secularized and theirlands granted as rewards for loyal service or in response to an individual’s petition.By the end of the Mexican-American War in the 1840’s, most Spanish Europeans had fled thearea, leaving the Indians at the Mission. American settlers slowly began to move into the area.The state was then divided into 27 counties; Ventura was originally the southern end of SantaBarbara County. Large-scale subdivision of ranchos occurred in the 1860s, as a result of adrought. Ventura incorporated in 1866, and in 1873, Ventura County was split from SantaBarbara County. The Southern Pacific Railroad was laid in 1887 connecting Saticoy to the mainSan Francisco-Los Angeles line. The community of Saticoy was officially established in 1892.Two towns were originally known as Saticoy. One was referred to as West Saticoy and theother, Lower Saticoy. West Saticoy is today Old Town Saticoy and Lower Saticoy is the arealocated just north of Darling Road and east of Saticoy Avenue. In the late 1890s through the1920s, the area significantly contributed to the growth of the City of Ventura as a central pointof cultivation of citrus, beans, and other crops. During this time, farmers used the SouthernPacific train depot to load and ship crops to other cities and states. Since that time, Saticoy haschanged from a small agricultural center along the banks of the Santa Clara River into a largerand more complex residential, commercial, and industrial area.d. Criteria for Evaluation of Historic Resources. CEQA requires the evaluation ofproject impacts on historic resources, including properties “listed in, or determined eligible forlisting in, the California Register of Historical Resources [or] included in a local register ofhistorical resources.” In analyzing the historic significance of properties located within thestudy area, various criteria for designation under federal, state, and local landmark programswere considered and applied, as described below. It should be noted, however, that pursuantto CEQA Section 15064.5(a)(4), “[t]he fact that a resource is not listed in, or determined to beeligible for listing in the California Register of Historical Resources, not included in a localregister of historical resources…or identified in an historical resources survey…does notpreclude a lead agency from determining that the resource may be an historical resource asdefined in Public Resources Code sections 5020.1(j) or 5024.1.”Federal Regulatory Setting. The criteria for determining eligibility for listing on theNational Register of Historic Places (NRHP) have been developed by the National Park Service.Properties may qualify for NRHP listing if they:1. Are associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broadpatterns of our history; or2. Are associated with the lives of persons significant in our past; or3. Embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction orthat represent the work of a master, or that possess high artistic values, or thatrepresent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lackindividual distinction; or4.5-2City of Ventura