(A) Initiation of request for designation of a historic district. Applications for historic districts may be initiated by any property owner, resident, or tenant in the potential historic district, the Commission, or any city agency. The request must include the draft boundaries for the historic district and be accompanied by a preliminary statement of how the potential district satisfies the historic district criteria for designation, a map, and representative photographs of the district. The request must also include a petition signed by at least 51% of the property owners within the proposed boundaries of the potential district, stating their support of pursuing historic district designation.
(B) Preliminary determination of eligibility and public hearing to take historic district under consideration. Upon receipt of a request for historic district consideration, the Director shall make a preliminary determination of eligibility, with the assistance of a qualified architectural historian or historian as defined in this subchapter. The Commission shall conduct a public hearing on the preliminary determination to decide whether to take the proposed district under consideration. Notice of the meeting shall be sent to all property owners and all addresses within the boundaries of the district. Following the public hearing, written notice of the decision of the Commission to proceed or not proceed with the district designation shall be sent to all property owners and all addresses within the boundaries of the district.
(C) Historic resource survey. If the Commission decides to proceed with the designation, an intensive-level historic resource survey of the district shall be prepared by a qualified architectural historian or historian as defined in this subchapter. The survey report shall include a clear description of the district boundaries; an itemization of all contributing and non-contributing resources and features within those boundaries; a statement of the historic context of the district and how the district satisfies the designation criteria; California Department of Parks and Recreation Inventory forms (series 523) for the district and all properties within the district boundaries; and recommendations for a preservation plan and design guidelines for the district.
(D) Public workshop. During or after completion of the historic resource survey, the Commission shall hold one or more public workshops to discuss the formation of the historic district. The workshop(s) shall be noticed as specified in § 153.610(B) of this subchapter.
(E) Commission review and recommendation. Following completion of the historic resource survey and public workshop(s), the Commission shall review and conduct a public hearing on the survey and district application. The public hearing will be noticed as specified in § 153.610(B) of this subchapter. After the close of the hearing, the Commission shall adopt a resolution recommending to the City Council the approval, conditional approval, or denial of the application. Written notice of the recommendation of the Commission shall be sent to all property owners and addresses within the boundaries of the district.
(F) City Council determination. After receiving the Commission’s recommendation, the City Council shall conduct a public hearing on the district application. The public hearing will be noticed as specified in § 153.610(B) of this subchapter. The City Council shall adopt a resolution approving, conditionally approving, or denying the application. If the City Council has not taken action on the application within 180 days of the Commission’s recommendation, then the application shall be deemed denied. Written notice of the City Council action shall be sent to all property owners and addresses within the boundaries of the district.
(1) Whenever the City Council designates a historic district, it shall also adopt: (1) a written description and clear depiction of the district boundaries; and (2) a detailed report that identifies and describes the contributing resources and elements of the district, as well as those resources and elements that are not contributing resources.
(2) Subsequent demolition of non-contributors, new construction, alterations, or additions to properties within the designated historic district shall be subject to the initial review process for historic appropriateness as described in this subchapter.
(3) The Director or Commission shall, in a timely manner, also prepare or commission the preparation of a preservation plan and design guidelines for designated historic districts. Design guidelines shall establish standards and recommended/not recommended approaches for new construction, alterations, and additions within the boundaries of the historic district. In addition to (or in the absence of) design guidelines, the Secretary’s Standards shall be used in the completion of the initial review process for historic appropriateness for new construction, alterations, and additions.
(4) The city shall not establish the district if 51% of the property owners file an objection in writing prior to the City Council public hearing. The percentage is to be determined based on the number of Assessor’s parcels within the district.
(G) Designation. Upon designation by the City Council, the Director or his or her designee shall forward a copy of the resolution approving the designation of a historic district to any department or agency that the Director deems appropriate and the resolution of designation shall be recorded with the County Recorder’s office pursuant to Cal. Pub. Res. Code § 5029, as it may be amended from time to time.
(Ord. 636-C.S., passed 8-15-17)