Chapter 20.10 — DEFINITIONS

For the purposes of this title, in addition to the definitions in Chapter 2.26, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this chapter:

• A. "Alteration" means any change or modification, through public or private action, to the character-defining or significant physical features of properties affected by this title. In the case of cultural resources that are buildings or structures, "alteration" shall include any demolition or changes to the exterior unless otherwise designated per the designating resolution or per the requirements of the Secretary of Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. Such changes may be: changes to, or modifications of, structural or architectural details or visual characteristics; grading; surface paving; the addition of new structures; the cutting or removal of designated trees, landscapes or other natural features; the disturbance of archaeological sites or areas; or the placement or removal of any significant objects such as signs, plaques, light fixtures, street furniture, walls, fences, steps, plantings, or landscape accessories affecting the significant visual and/or historical qualities of the cultural resource.

• B. "Certificate of appropriateness" means a certificate issued by the City Council upon recommendation of the Historic Preservation Commission, or by the Cultural Resources Administrator, approving plans, specifications, and/or statements of work involving any proposed alteration, restoration, rehabilitation, construction, removal, relocation or demolition, in whole or in part relating to a designated landmark or point of historical interest.

• C. "Character-defining feature" means the natural and/or manmade elements of a cultural resource, including its design, general arrangement, components, site placement, height, scale, and setback; the kind, color, and texture of its building materials; and the type and style of all windows, doors, lights, signs, and other fixtures appurtenant to such improvement. Unless otherwise specified in the documentation for a cultural resource, the "character-defining features" of buildings or structures will be those associated with the exterior of such resources.

• D. "Contributing or contributor" means a building, site, structure, improvement, natural feature, or object that contributes to the historic architectural qualities, historic associations, or archaeological values for which a cultural resource is significant because:

  1. It represents a period of historic importance, and possesses historic integrity reflecting its architectural character at that time or is capable of yielding important information about that period; or

  2. It independently meets the designation criteria as defined in this title.

• E. "Days" means calendar days, including weekends and holidays.

• F. "Design guidelines" means the principles contained in a document approved by the City Council upon recommendation of the Historic Preservation Commission which illustrate appropriate and inappropriate methods of rehabilitation, alteration and construction. The purpose of using design guidelines is to promote appropriate design and decision-making

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City of Norco, CA

CULTURAL RESOURCES

§ 20.10.010

§ 20.10.010

and to ensure the preservation of the integrity and character-defining features of cultural resources. The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties shall serve as design guidelines where there exist no other approved design guidelines.

• G. "Determined eligible" means any cultural resource which has been determined by the City Council upon recommendation of the Historic Preservation Commission, or pending the Commission's or Council's action, by the Cultural Resources Administrator, to meet the established criteria for designation pursuant to this title as a landmark or point of historical interest in accordance with a survey completed by a professional meeting the Secretary of the Interior's Qualifications.

• H. "Historic preservation overlay zone" means a geographically defined area possessing a concentration or continuity of cultural resources of which 50 percent or more of the total retain integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, and association or a thematically related grouping of cultural resources which contribute to each other and are unified aesthetically by plan or physical development and which has been adopted as a historic preservation overlay zone by the City Council upon recommendation of the Historic Preservation Commission.

• I. "Improvement" means any building, structure, place, fence, gate, landscaping, tree, wall, parking facility, work of art, or other object constituting a physical feature of real property, or any part of such feature which is not a natural feature.

• J. "Integrity" means the ability of a cultural resource to convey its significance. To have integrity a cultural resource must be largely intact or be readily restorable through the removal of non-original coverings, facades, additions, or minor reconstruction. Integrity includes historical location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association. Of these elements, historical location and setting are not essential if the other standards of integrity are or can be met.

• K. "Landmark" means any cultural resource representative of the historical, archaeological, cultural, architectural, community, aesthetic, or artistic heritage of the City that meets one or more of the criteria in Chapter 20.15 and is approved for designation by the City Council upon recommendation of the Historic Preservation Commission.

• L. "Natural feature" means any tree, plant life, habitat, geographical or geological site or feature.

• M. "Noncontributing" means an improvement or natural feature that does not add to the historic architectural qualities, historic associations, or archaeological values for which a historic resource area is significant because the resource:

  1. Was not present during the cultural resource's period of historic significance; or

  2. No longer possesses historic integrity due to significant alterations, disturbances, additions, or other changes; or
  • Does not independently meet the designation criteria as defined in this title.

• N. "Object" means any material thing of functional, aesthetic, cultural, symbolic, or scientific value.

• O. "Ordinary maintenance and repair" means any work, excluding window replacement,

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City of Norco, CA

NORCO CODE

§ 20.10.010

§ 20.10.010

exterior wall resurfacing and re-roofing, where the purpose and effect of such work is to prevent or correct any cosmetic deterioration of or damage to a structure or any part thereof and to restore in style, kind, and material the same to its condition prior to the occurrence of such damage or deterioration.

• P. "Point of historical interest" means improvements, buildings, structures, signs, sites, landscape features, or other objects within the City of Norco which are of historical interest to the citizens of the City of Norco. Point of historical interest is purely an honorary designation. Properties designated a point of historical interest do not qualify for any City incentives available to landmarks and are subject to only advisory review by the Cultural Resources Administrator with regard to exterior alterations.

• Q. "Preservation" means the identification, study, protection, restoration, rehabilitation, and/ or acquisition of cultural resources.

• R. "Secretary of Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties" means the guidelines prepared by the National Park Service for preserving, rehabilitating, restoring, and reconstructing historic buildings and the standards for historic preservation projects prepared by the National Park Service with the most current guidelines for applying the standards.

• S. "Secretary of the Interior's Qualifications" means the requirements used by the National Park Service to define the minimum education and experience required to perform identification, evaluation, registration, and treatment activities for cultural resources as published in the Code of Federal Regulations, 36 CFR Part 61.

• T. "Structure" means a building intended for any use or occupancy.

• U. "Substantial adverse change" means any demolition, destruction, relocation or alteration activities that would impair the significance of a cultural resource.

• (Ord. 910 Sec. 1, 2009)

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City of Norco, CA