Lloyd Schwartz, a mainstay of the city’s Historical Resources Board and the board’s chairman for the last three years, handed in his resignation Friday. The resignation was sudden and was effective immediately, said Cathy Winterrowd, a senior planner with the city.
“I didn’t expect it,” she said.
Schwartz could not be reached for comment this morning. It is unknown why he resigned.
The Historical Resources Board is a panel of 15 unelected experts, appointed by the mayor. It assesses local buildings for architectural or historical significance. Board members consider the aesthetics of a structure, who designed it, who lived there, and what role the building played in the city’s history when determining if it has historical worth.
Laura Burnett is the vice chairwoman of the board and will take over from Schwartz until the city appoints a replacement for him. She was also unavailable this morning, but members of the local historical resources community said Burnett might want to take on the top job.
Beth Montes, president of the Save Our Heritage Organization in San Diego, said Schwartz was a dedicated member of the board, who was serious about his job and was always reliable.
“We’re surprised, and we’re sorry to see him go,” Montes said.