Sense of Preservation

Michele and Jim Powell often are seen strolling the tree-lined streets of their neighborhood, admiring the character of the homes.

“I just love all the woodwork,” Michele Powell said about a house on Malvern Avenue during a recent walk of the Jacaranda-Malvern neighborhood. “These houses are small, but they are unique and charming. Everybody who comes to our house says, ‘Oh my God, I love your house.’ ”

The Powells, who have lived on Malvern for 14 years, and the majority of the people in the neighborhood want it designated as a preservation zone. They say the designation would save the homes--mostly from the 1910s and 1920s--from being altered in ways that would change the neighborhood’s nostalgic appeal.

Their proposal calls for a preservation zone that would encompass 268 properties, mainly single-family homes. The parcels are on Jacaranda Place, Brookdale Place and Malvern, Whiting, Richman, Ford, Highland and Malden avenues.

The Fullerton Planning Commission approved the residents’ request last month. The City Council is reviewing the proposal and will make the final decision at a meeting Tuesday. If approved, property owners in the zone would be required to follow the city’s design guidelines when planning exterior changes. Replacing windows, doors and roofs, for example, would require a building permit. The permit would be granted if the replacement materials were architecturally compatible with the existing structure.

The zoning designation would mean that the city would take a closer look at construction projects to make sure they are compatible with the architectural styles, size, scale and character of the neighborhood, said Ken Bane, a Fullerton planner.

“It doesn’t mean that we won’t allow new construction or remodels,” he said. “The idea is to preserve.”

Bane said planners would handle most minor projects, but larger plans would be checked by the city’s Redevelopment Design Review Committee. Demolitions would require Planning Commission approval.

Opponents say preservation zones create excessive government regulation and infringe on property rights.

But more than 75% of the residents support the zoning change, said Karen Haluza, who is spearheading the proposal for her neighbors.

“It seems like there’s sort of a rebirth of historic preservation,” Haluza said, noting that Fullerton is known for its preservation and restoration efforts.

“This is a place worth preserving,” she said from her front porch, looking out across the jacaranda trees that arch over her street. The homes are a mix of styles, including Craftsman and Colonial cottages, and start at about $170,000.

Haluza’s Spanish revival bungalow was built in 1922. It features wood frame windows, a tile roof and decorative arches. “These are the types of features that you won’t find in the newer houses,” she said.

A neighbor, Greg Moore, agreed. He said he looked at houses from Thousand Oaks and San Juan Capistrano before finding his home on Jacaranda Place. “We either wanted something brand new or really old, nothing in between,” he said. “The charm of this neighborhood was the icing on the cake.”

Added Michele Powell: “These historic homes are a resource in our culture that can’t be reconstructed, and they foster a neighborhood that is unique. . . . It’s not that we all like to buy antiques or that we think front porches are cute. It’s a pride of our heritage that we want to retain forever.”

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NEIGHBORHOODS: Jacaranda-Malvern

Bounded by: Drake Avenue on the west, Brookdale Place on the north, Harbor Boulevard on the east and Chapman Avenue on the south

Population: About 800

Hot topic: Whether to designate the neighborhood as a preservation zone