Healdsburg Municipal Code Art. III Historic District (HD) Overlay

The purpose of the Historic District (HD) Overlay is to preserve, maintain and enhance the historic integrity of designated areas within the City that are of historic significance or contain significant historic structures. The Historic District Overlay provides a process for review of proposed alterations and/or restorations of significant historic structures. It also provides encouragement of public and private enhancement of historic districts through placement of compatible street furnishings, restorations of privately owned buildings and public landmarks. The historic committee, formed hereunder, shall have final approval of projects undertaken pursuant to Title 24 of the California Historical Building Code.

(Ord. 950 § 2 (Exh. A § 1700), 1998)

All uses permitted in the base zoning district are permitted in the Historic District Overlay; conditional uses in base zoning districts may be conditionally permitted. However, no advertisements, billboards or signs may be permitted in a Historic District except for signs advertising activities or sales conducted on the premises.

(Ord. 950 § 2 (Exh. A § 1705), 1998; Ord. 1172 § 2, 2018)

Approval by the historic committee is required for the following:

A. Construction of buildings and structures within a HD Overlay area, including accessory buildings over 400 square feet in floor area, with the exception of accessory dwelling units (ADUs). New ADU construction on a parcel containing a primary unit listed as a state or federal historic resource shall be consistent with the Citywide Design Guidelines.

B. Demolition of any designated historic building and any building or structure within a HD Overlay area that contributes to the historic character of the area.

C. Any alteration to an existing building within a HD Overlay area that results in a permanent physical change in such a manner as to increase the floor area more than 25 percent; or adds a second story; or a significant change to the front elevation(s) which is not consistent with the design guidelines for historic properties.

D. No such construction or alteration shall be commenced upon the plans without compliance with all of the requirements of this article.

(Ord. 950 § 2 (Exh. A § 1710), 1998; Ord. 1172 § 2, 2018; Ord. 1210 § 8, 2021)

Staff review and approval is required for the following:

A. Any new construction less than 25 percent of the existing floor area.

B. Exterior alterations, repair and rehabilitation of a primary structure.

(Ord. 1172 § 2, 2018)

All designs for any construction, repair, or replacement purposes within a HD Overlay area shall be in harmony with the general architectural characteristics of the area, including windows and doors and associated trim, use of exterior building materials, roof types and profiles, and general size and massing of the building. All designs and exterior treatments shall be consistent with Chapter 8 of the Citywide Design Guidelines.

(Ord. 950 § 2 (Exh. A § 1715), 1998; Ord. 1172 § 2, 2018)

Fire prevention, safety ordinances and other applicable ordinances establishing structural regulations for the safety of the public or the users of the building shall be fully in force and applicable. The California Historical Building Code may be applied to any designated historic structure.

(Ord. 950 § 2 (Exh. A § 1720), 1998)

Whenever the strict application of the provisions of this article would result in the prevention of a proposed change because of requirements not possible to fulfill, the applicant may apply for an exception to the strict terms of this article. If the exception is of minor character and does not affect the general character of the Historic District, permission to vary from the provisions of this Title may be granted by the historic committee.

(Ord. 950 § 2 (Exh. A § 1725), 1998)

Neither the owner nor the person in charge of a designated historic building or of a designated landmark shall permit the structure or landmark to fall into a state of disrepair that could result in the deterioration of any exterior appurtenance or architectural feature so as to produce or tend to produce, in the judgment of the historic committee, a detrimental effect upon the character of the district as a whole or the life and character of the landmark or structure in question, including but not limited to:

A. The deterioration of exterior walls or other vertical supports,

B. The deterioration of roofs or other horizontal members,

C. The deterioration of exterior chimneys,

D. The deterioration or crumbling of exterior plaster or mortar,

E. The ineffective waterproofing of exterior walls, roofs, and foundations, including broken windows or doors, or

F. The deterioration of any feature so as to create or permit the creation of any hazardous or unsafe condition.

(Ord. 950 § 2 (Exh. A § 1730), 1998)

A. The planning commission is hereby designated as the historic committee for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this article.

B. The functions of the historic committee shall be as follows:

1. Recommend the placement of properties within a historic district.

2. Undertake and complete architectural heritage studies and, upon the completion of such studies, establish and maintain a list of structures, objects and areas having a special historic architectural value. This list may include single structures or sites, portions of structures, groups of structures, manmade or natural landscape elements, works of art, or integrated combinations thereof.

3. Designate certain structures, sites, portions of structures and similar features as landmarks.

4. Recommend to the City Council as to the placement of historic monuments, or the acquisition of historic sites or structures or the development rights thereof by the City. Monuments may be placed on individual sites, structures, or phenomena that are of historic importance but stand alone and are suitable for such monumentation.

C. The historic committee shall meet upon the call of the chair and action shall be by majority of the quorum, and a quorum shall consist of a majority of the members. A lesser number than a quorum may meet for discussions and for any action that may be appropriate, but not for the recommendation of additional parcels to be placed in the HD Overlay or for the approval of specific applications made under this article.

D. The historic committee may make such investigations and studies of matters relating to the protection, enhancement, perpetuation or use of landmarks as historic districts, and to the restoration of landmarks, as the Committee may, from time to time, deem necessary or appropriate and may submit reports and recommendations to the City Council and other agencies of the City. In making such investigations and studies, the historic committee may hold such public hearings as it may deem necessary.

E. Decisions of the historic committee may be appealed to the City Council in the manner specified in HMC § 20.28.085.

(Ord. 950 § 2 (Exh. A §§ 1735, 1740, 1745, 1750), 1998)

A. Historic Overlay districts shall be established in the manner specified in Chapter 20.28 HMC, Article VII.

B. The following areas are hereby incorporated into the Historic District Overlay:

(Ord. 950 § 2 (Exh. A § 1755), 1998)

A. Historic structures may be so designated by adoption of an ordinance by the City Council upon recommendations of the historic committee in the manner specified in Chapter 20.28 HMC, Article VII.

B. The following are designated as historic structures and places:

(Ord. 950 § 2 (Exh. A § 1760), 1998)