It’s important to preserve city’s history

How many times over the years have residents cried foul on the so-called mansionization of a home in their neighborhood? Or when a project that clearly doesn’t “fit in” is erected?

The city’s Heritage Commission this week voted to more actively promote and pursue the creation of historic districts, largely in an effort to protect old neighborhoods from such incursions. It’s a needed safeguard as Burbank’s decidedly 1950s-era feel continues to become more vintage with each passing year.

And as the years roll on, and the recovering economy lends more confidence to developers, now’s the time to take steps to protect this city’s storied history.

Burbank’s low ranking in a report on efforts to protect architecturally significant buildings and homes in the Los Angeles region is yet another reflection of our slow response to what other cities have been experiencing for years — the crumbling of their histories.

Generations of people may come and go, but it’s what they leave behind in the form of architecture that stays behind to mark the passing of time, style and taste. It’s that legacy that should be protected while there’s still something to protect.