Article 5 — Resource Management May 2019

5-21

CITY OF ARCATA MUNICIPAL CODE – TITLE 9 – LAND USE CODE

Historic Resource Preservation 9.53.060

1. Standards for Review. In evaluating alteration applications, the Review Authority shall consider
the applicable eligibility criteria in Section 9.72.040, as well as any features to be preserved,
uses, or other conditions specified in a consultant’s historic resources report and/or
recommendations from the Historic Landmarks Committee, and may consider comments from
the HSSA.

2. Required Findings. The approval of an application to alter buildings constructed within the Plaza
Area Historic District, Period of Significance, Historic Landmarks, Noteworthy Structures,
potentially historic resources, Historic Districts, or Neighborhood Conservation Areas shall
require that the Review Authority first find that all development and exterior alterations maintain
the historic integrity of the resource, and that the change is compatible with and does not destroy
the historic or architectural character of the property and the immediate neighborhood.

3. Substantial Hardship. The Review Authority may approve an application for an alteration that
may have a negative impact to an historic resource if an owner can present the following facts to
the Review Authority:

a. That failure to approve an application will result in immediate and substantial hardship
because of conditions peculiar to the historic resource;

b. That the conditions have not been created by an act of the owner; and

c. That damage to the owner of the property is unreasonable in comparison to the benefit
conferred to the community.

In the approval process for an alteration based on a substantial hardship, the Review Authority
shall not consider personal, family, or financial difficulties, loss of reasonable prospective profits,
and neighboring violations as justifiable hardships. (Ord. 1513, eff. 3/8/2019)

Any demolition or relocation of a Historic Landmark or other potentially historic structure that requires a building permit shall first be approved in compliance with the requirements of this Section and CEQA, and Section 9.72.040 (Design Review). This Section shall not apply to nonhistoric structures, which shall be administratively reviewed.

A. Notification of Application. Demolition or relocation projects within an :HL combining zone, or for Historic Landmarks, Noteworthy Structures, or potentially historic resources eligible for listing, shall be reviewed and noticed in accordance with the historic resource preservation (demolition and removal) policies of the General Plan and Land Use Code Section 9.72.040 (Design Review) and Chapter 9.74 (Public Hearings).

B. Required Delay of Action. The demolition or relocation of an :HL designated structure is prohibited during the 180 days following the date that an application for demolition or relocation is approved by the Planning Commission, unless the delay time period is waived by the Planning Commission in compliance with subsection (B)(2) of this Section. The purpose of this automatic delay is to provide sufficient time for steps necessary to preserve the structure.