Letter to the Editor: Mendocino’s iconic water towers are under attack—Will we let them fall?

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Imagine Paris without the Eiffel Tower, San Francisco without its cable cars – that’s Mendocino without its iconic water towers. These towering sentinels, woven into the very fabric of our coastal town, are now under threat. This is an urgent matter!

One of Mendocino’s iconic Main Street water towers is now at risk, as narrow planning codes clash with broader community goals. Despite the Mendocino Historical Review Board rejecting this proposal three times, it’s now heading to the Board of Supervisors for a final decision.

What’s at stake? The three/four story water tower that acts as the stairwell into the restaurant Flow has come under attack: it is alleged that this tower is at the end of its lifespan and has no historical value.

No historical value? This tower has such significance to the town that it was moved from another location. Nearby San Francisco has a long history of moving buildings exactly because of their historical significance, so such a move only supports its esteem – in fact, moving a building is a downright preservation strategy!

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However, Planning points out that the tower was never registered on any historical register, and that it is too late to do so. I do not, and so cannot, explain why it’s too late – I would strongly think this can still be done.

In an effort to support their findings, the owner hired Duncan Engineering to look at the tower, and as such the report is likely to be biased, and it reads as such. Instead of remediation efforts, the report recommends that the tower should be “phased out”.

Here’s why this letter is inappropriate, incomplete, and surface-level for supporting a decision on removing the historical water tower.

• No measurements or critical core sampling were taken to assess the strength of the tower, relying upon visual assessments only.
• The report lacks quantitative data on the wood’s internal condition.
• It omits critical information about the foundation, which is essential for evaluating the structure’s stability.
• The tower’s historical significance is barely mentioned, missing a vital context for preservation decisions.
• There’s no analysis of repair or reinforcement alternatives, ignoring less invasive, historically sensitive options.
• The assessment fails to address potential building code requirements, making it incomplete for decision-making.
• Finally, it declares the tower “at the end of its useful life” without any solid evidence, relying on surface-level observations rather than thorough testing, quantitative calculations and modeling.
• The Duncan report tells us very little about the integrity of the structure.

Nevertheless, the flimsy words of David Duncan’s report will become the basis for a Board of Supervisor’s discussion and call to vote this May 20, 2025. They will have very little time to discuss a matter that may impact a sacred Mendocino landmark.

The Board of Supervisors has a unique problem – no matter their viewpoint, they cannot argue on historical, economic, or policy grounds, only judicial. So there are really only three possible outcomes, and here is the priority order that I believe best serves this Community:

Affirm the decision – Agree with the Review Board’s original decision.
Send it back for reconsideration – Have the Review Board take another look at the project, including for CEQA purposes.
Modify the decision – Change the Review Board’s decision as needed.

So it’s a very narrow course left to the board, with only a single board meeting and an anemic engineering letter on which to base such an important and historical decision. If this hasty decision sets the wrong precedent, it’s not just one tower at risk – other water towers are likely to follow.

Please act now, don’t wait. Send an email helping them understand your concerns to [email protected]. Even better, I find calling them makes even more direct difference, and here are their numbers – insist that they at least do due diligence to protect this landmark. Perhaps even ask that it be designated a historic structure. Your voice is critical.

Here’s who to contact:

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Madeline Cline, 1st District
[email protected]

Mo Mulheren, 2nd District
[email protected]

John Haschak, 3rd District
[email protected]

Bernie Norvell, 4th District
[email protected]

Ted Williams, 5th District
[email protected]

All emails should be CC’d to [email protected] as well, as that makes it public record. Each of the Supervisors can be called during business hours at (707) 463-4221. Ted Williams is an exception in that he makes his cell number accessible to everyone, at (707) 937.3500.

Can you imagine if the key details that make Mendocino so charming were slowly whittled away because some short-minded policymakers weren’t preserving our most valuable assets? What would Mendocino be without it’s water towers!

I rarely speak up like this – please act now. Preserve Mendocino charm for future generations!

-Scott Roat, Mendocino Coast Realtor

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