The following incentives shall be available to owners of property listed on the Historic Resources Inventory to support the continued maintenance, rehabilitation, minor alteration, or further development of the property. The designation of a property on the Historic Resources Inventory shall not preclude redevelopment or further development of the property consistent with the requirements of this chapter.
A. Modification of Development Standards. Upon receipt of an application, and when doing so to advance the purposes of this chapter, the Director may approve modifications from requirements for:
1. Setbacks;
2. Open space;
3. Parking;
4. Site coverage;
5. Height; and
6. Minimum residential density.
B. Findings for Modification of Development Standards. The Director may approve an application to modify the development standards listed above if the Director finds that the modifications would not result in:
1. A loss of the aesthetic, architectural, or historic integrity of the resource;
2. New structures or development, or changes to existing structures, that are incompatible with other structures in the neighborhood;
3. New structures or development, or changes to existing structures, that are inconsistent with the General Plan, or any applicable neighborhood or specific plan;
4. New structures or development, or changes to existing structures, that are detrimental to the health, safety, and general welfare of persons residing in the neighborhood; and
5. New structures or development, or changes to existing structures, that are detrimental or injurious to property and improvements in the neighborhood.
C. Facade Improvement Program. The City of Chico sponsors a low-interest loan program designed to use both public and private funds to rehabilitate, upgrade, and generally improve the appearance of commercial building facades within the City of Chico, including historic properties listed on the City of Chico Historic Resources Inventory.
D. The California Historic Building Code may be applied to projects involving properties listed on the Historic Resources Inventory or located within a landmark overlay zoning district as determined by the Building Official.
E. Historical Property Preservation Agreements (Mills Act Agreements). California Government Code section 50280, et seq., authorizes cities to enter into agreements with the owners of qualified historical property to provide for the use, maintenance and restoration of such property to ensure the retention of the property’s characteristics as property of historical significance. In the City of Chico, this voluntary process allows owners of property listed on the Historic Resources Inventory to enter into Historical Property Preservation Agreements with the City of Chico to provide property tax relief as an incentive for historic property preservation.
F. Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credits. Federal rehabilitation tax credits are administered through the California State Office of Historic Preservation and reward private investment in the rehabilitation of historic properties that are individually listed on the National Register, that contribute to a National Register Historic District, or are within certain registered local historic districts. Properties must be income-producing and must be rehabilitated according to standards set by the Secretary of the Interior.
(Ord. 2410 §18, Ord. 2494 §16)