SEC. 5. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE.
The Liberty-Hill Historic District is significant as an intact representation of nineteenth century middle class housing and developmental practices. It is one of the earliest residential
"suburbs" to be developed in San Francisco, with major development starting in the 1860s and continuing until the turn of the century. Since the fire following the 1906 earthquake was
stopped at the Twentieth Street boundary of the District, the District contains examples of all architectural styles prevalent during the developmental period.
The District's houses range in size from the small "workingman's cottages" on Lexington and San Carlos Streets, with their uniform facades and setbacks, to the individually built houses
found, for example, on Liberty and Fair Oaks Streets, with varying architectural facades and setbacks. While there are only a few "grand" houses in the District, a number were designed by
architects well known in the Bay Area, including Albert Pissis, the Newsom brothers, Charles Shaner, William H. Toepke, Charles Havens, and Charles J. Rousseau.
The "suburban" quality of the Liberty-Hill area is retained to this day. It is enhanced by extensive street tree plantings and the very low incidence of commercial establishments in the
residential areas. The great majority of District businesses are on Valencia Street, an historic and unifying commercial corridor, as compared to the typical San Francisco pattern of a
grocery store or saloon on nearly every corner.
The District is significant in its representation of San Francisco development modes of the period. The San Francisco Homestead Union, the earliest such organization in the City, owned
and subdivided one block in the District in the 1860s. The Real Estate Associates (TREA), the largest builder of speculative housing in San Francisco in the 1870's, developed Lexington
and San Carlos Streets as well as a number of other sites in the District. Other blocks were purchased by real estate developers and sold lot by lot.
The initial residents in the Liberty-Hill Historic District comprised a mix of professionals, laborers and small scale entrepreneurs. There have been a number of famous residents and
visitors to the District, including James Rolph, Jr., John Daly, Susan B. Anthony and Lotta Crabtree. In addition, the District is associated with both the last alcalde of San Francisco under
Spanish sovereignty, Jose de Jesus Noe, and the first mayor under American rule, Washington Bartlett.
Seventy percent of all the buildings in the District are Victorian, with 42 percent being Italianate, 20 percent Stick and eight percent Queen Anne. Of the buildings in the District,
approximately 1/3 are architect designed. Overall, 163, or over half of all buildings, are classified as "contributing" to the Victorian character of the District, while 74 are "potentially
contributing" in that reversal of inappropriate alterations could restore the original character of the buildings.
(Added Ord. 484-85, App. 10/25/85)
SEC. 6. FEATURES.
The exterior architectural features of the said Historic District that should be preserved are described and depicted in the Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board's case report with
appendix titled "Liberty-Hill Historic District," adopted January 16, 1985, which is hereby incorporated herein and made a part hereof as though fully set forth.
(Added Ord. 484-85, App. 10/25/85)
SEC. 7. ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS FOR CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS.
The procedures, requirements, controls and standards in Sections 1005 through 1006.8 of Article 10 of the City Planning Code shall apply to all applications for Certificates of
Appropriateness in the Liberty-Hill Historic District. In addition, the following provisions shall apply to all such applications; in the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the
following provisions and Article 10, those procedures, requirements, controls and standards affording stricter protection to landmarks, landmark sites, or the Historic District shall prevail.
(a) Character of the Historic District. The standards for review of all applications for Certificates of Appropriateness are set forth in Section 1006.7 of Article 10. For purposes of
review pursuant to these standards, the character of the Historic District shall mean the exterior architectural features of the Liberty-Hill Historic District described in Section 6 of this
ordinance.
(b) Minor Exterior Alterations. A Certificate of Appropriateness shall be required for the following minor exterior changes if visible from a public street: Awnings, copings, retaining
walls, fences, balustrades and security gates.
(c) New Construction. New construction on vacant sites shall conform with the general profile of the District, especially as to scale, sculptural qualities of facade and entrance detailing,
fenestration patterns and materials as described in Section 6 of this ordinance
(d) Masonry, Brickwork and Stonework. A Certificate of Appropriateness shall be required for painting previously unpainted masonry, brick or stone exterior surfaces, for cleaning
such surfaces with abrasives and/or treatment of such surfaces with waterproofing chemicals. Sandblasting and certain chemical treatment detrimental to masonry will not be approved.
(e) A Certificate of Appropriateness shall be required for use of texturizing paint products.
(Added Ord. 484-85, App. 10/25/85)
SEC. 8. PAINT COLOR.
Nothing in this legislation shall be construed as authorization to regulate paint colors used within this District.
(Added Ord. 484-85, App. 10/25/85)
APPENDIX G TO ARTICLE 10 - TELEGRAPH HILL HISTORIC DISTRICT
SEC. 1. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
The Board of Supervisors hereby finds that the area known and described in this ordinance as the Telegraph Hill Historic District contains a number of structures having a special
character and special historical, architectural and aesthetic interest and value, and constitutes a distinct section of the City. The Board of Supervisors further finds that designation of said
area as an Historic District will be in furtherance of and in conformance with the purposes of Article 10 of the City Planning Code and the standards set forth therein, and that preservation
on an area basis rather than on the basis of individual structures alone is in order.
This ordinance is intended to further the general purpose of historic preservation legislation as set forth in Section 1001 of the City Planning Code, to promote the health, safety and
general welfare of the public.
(Added by Ord. 442-86, App. 11/13/86)