February 20, 2007

Marin County Board of Supervisors 3501 Civic Center Drive San Rafael, CA 94903

SUBJECT: Frank Building Conservancy proposal for inclusion of the Civic Center as part of a thematic application process for nomination to the World Heritage List.

Dear Supervisors,

RECOMMENDATION: 1. Approve the County’s participation in the initial stage of a thematic application to the to be considered, along with eleven other FLW sites, for the Tentative List. 2. Direct staff to return to your Board later this summer to report back with a progress report and a recommendation for next steps.

SUMMARY: The United States Tentative List is a national list of properties that are considered the most outstanding examples of the nation’s cultural and natural heritage and, at a later stage, potential candidates for submission to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for World Heritage List inscription.

The national Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy (FLWBC) in Chicago is drafting an application to be submitted to the National Park Service (NPS) for the U.S. Tentative List nomination. The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed sites in the United States that have agreed to participate are:

Hollyhock House, Los Angeles, CA Guggenheim Museum, New York, NY First House, Madison, WI S.C. Johnson Wax Administration Building & Research Tower, Racine, WI House, Mill Run, PA Alice (La Miniatura), Pasadena, CA , Bartlesville, OK Frederick , Chicago, IL , Spring Green, WI , Scottsdale, AZ , Oak Park, IL

The FLWBC has requested that Marin County consent to include the Civic Center’s Administration and Hall of Justice buildings, the two areas of the site that currently hold the National Landmark Designation status, as part of the twelve-site thematic application.

The Tentative List application will be developed and submitted, with the assistance of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy in Chicago, to the National Park Service (NPS) by April 1, 2007. If the application is approved by the NPS, the FLWBC will work with each of the twelve sites to provide additional information or to consider requirements or restrictions as recommended by the NPS. Any site requirements or suggestions made by the NPS will be vetted with the Frank Lloyd Wright Civic Center Conservancy, your Board and may be rejected at any time.

By agreeing to participate in this initial stage, the County is not binding itself to participate in later stages of the World Heritage List application process. Should the County determine participation is not in its best interests, it may withdraw at any point prior to the February, 2008 application submittal deadline.

The FLWBC indicates that World Heritage List inscription is an honorific designation, similar to the National Historic Landmark program at an international level. There is no international committee who has the power to tell a site what it can and cannot do with its buildings and/or landscape. Additionally, the World Heritage Committee understands buildings, sites, and cities inscribed to the World Heritage List are not static and continue to change and evolve over time.

The Frank Lloyd Wright Civic Center Conservancy reviewed the proposal and information at their February 8, 2007 meeting, and unanimously recommended the Board consider participating in the initial stage of the application process to better understand what requirements the NPS might suggest.

FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact at this point in the application process. County Administrative staff review and coordination with the FLWBC will be required during the various stages of the application process. Only following acceptance to the US Tentative List by the NPS would the FLWBC ask the County to consider an application fee of $4,000.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Reviewed By: [ ] Auditor Controller [ N/A ] [ ] County Counsel [ N/A ] [ ] Human Resources [ N/A ] Respectfully submitted,

Matthew H. Hymel County Administrator

Resolution