Categorical Exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Article 19, Section 15308, Class 8 and Article 19, Section 15331, Class 31 of the State CEQA Guidelines, and report from the Cultural Heritage Commission relative to the inclusion of Elmer Reavis House, located at 10620 – 10626 North Samoa Avenue, in the list of Historic-Cultural Monuments. Applicant: Marsha Perloff, Little Landers Historical Society, Bolton Hall Museum Owners: Mark Dutton, Co-Trustee, Mark and Noelle Dutton Trust; and Betsy D. Blackburn Case No. CHC-2025-4169-HCM Environmental No. ENV-2025-4170-CE

This agenda item concerns the Elmer Reavis House, located at 10620 – 10626 North Samoa Avenue in Tujunga, and its proposed inclusion in the list of Historic-Cultural Monuments. The Cultural Heritage Commission (CHC) unanimously recommended this designation on December 4, 2025, finding the property significant for its contributions to Tujunga's early residential history and as an excellent example of early 20th-century arroyo stone construction.

The house, built between 1922 and 1924 by Elmer Reavis, is particularly notable because Reavis, who became totally blind by age 45, single-handedly constructed the two-story residence, detached garage, and guesthouse using local river stones. This exemplifies the "do-it-yourself" homebuilding common in pre-consolidation Tujunga.

The proposed designation is deemed categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Article 19, Sections 15308 (Class 8) and 15331 (Class 31) of the State CEQA Guidelines. This exemption ensures the preservation of the historic site by regulating future construction activities according to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards.

The Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM) Committee will hold a public hearing to consider this recommendation on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at 2:00 P.M. in City Hall.