Pacifica Municipal Code Art. 1 Historic Preservation

In view of the great economic, social, and aesthetic importance of the City's historic sites, it is determined that historic preservation is in the interest of the public welfare and is a public benefit. The purpose of this chapter is to:

(a) Promote the use and enjoyment of historic and cultural resources for the public's education, pleasure, and welfare;

(b) Encourage the preservation and continued use by the owners of historic landmarks:

(c) Recognize and preserve structures, natural features, and sites within the City having historic, archaeological, architectural, cultural, or aesthetic significance:

(d) Foster public appreciation and civic pride in the City and its past:

(e) Protect and enhance the City's attractions for the benefit of residents, tourists, and visitors and strengthen the economy of the City;

(f) Integrate the preservation of historic resources as early as possible into public and private planning and development processes;

(g) Protect and enhance property values; and

(h) Increase economic and financial benefits to the City and its inhabitants.

(§ 1, Ord. 438-84, eff. January 9, 1985)

For the purposes of this chapter, unless otherwise apparent from the context, certain words and phrases used in this chapter are defined as follows:

(a) "Adobe" shall mean an unburnt, sun-dried brick or a building made of adobe bricks.

(b) "Alteration" shall mean any exterior change or modification, through public or private action, of any cultural resource or of any historic property, including, but not limited to, exterior changes to or modifications of structures, architectural details, or visual characteristics, such as paint color and surface texture, grading, surface paving, new structures, the cutting or removal of trees and other natural features, the disturbance of archaeological sites or areas, and the placement or removal of any exterior objects, such as signs, plaques, light fixtures, street furniture, walls, fences, steps, plantings, and landscape accessories affecting the exterior visual qualities of the property.

(c) "Archaeological" shall mean anything pertaining to the scientific study of the life and culture of earlier peoples by the excavation of sites and relics, both historic and prehistoric.

(d) "Architectural" shall mean anything pertaining to the science, art, or profession of designing and constructing buildings.

(e) "City" shall mean the City of Pacifica.

(f) "Construction" shall mean the putting together, erecting, or arrangement of materials to form a new building or structure, or portion thereof.

(g) "Cultural" shall mean anything pertaining to the concepts, habits, skills, arts, instruments, institutions, and the like of a given people in a given period.

(h) "Cultural resource" shall mean improvements, buildings, structures, signs, features, sites, places, areas, or other objects of scientific, aesthetic, educational, cultural, architectural, archaeological, or historical significance to the citizens of the City.

(i) "Demolition" shall mean to destroy, raze, dismantle, deface, or in any other manner cause the partial or total ruin or removal of a historical landmark.

(j) "Elevation" shall mean the flat scale orthographic projected drawings of all exterior vertical surfaces of a building.

(k) "Exterior architectural feature" shall mean the architectural elements embodying the style, design, general arrangement, and components of all of the outer surfaces of an improvement, including, but not limited to, the kind, color, and texture of the building materials and the type and style of all windows, doors, lights, signs, and other fixtures appurtenant to such improvement.

(l) "Facade" shall mean the front of a building or the part of a building facing a street, courtyard, or the like.

(m) "Improvement" shall mean any building, structure, place, parking facility, fence, gate, wall, work of art, or other object constituting a physical betterment of real property or any part of such betterment.

(n) "Landmark" shall mean:

(1) Any structure or site which has special historical, cultural, archaeological, aesthetic, or architectural character, interest, or value as part of the development, heritage, or history of the City, County, State, or nation;

(2) That which has been previously given official State or national recognition; or

(3) The parcel or part thereof on which a landmark is situated and any abutting parcel or part thereof constituting part of the premises on which the landmark is situated and which has been designated a landmark site pursuant to this chapter.

(o) "Natural feature" shall mean any tree, plant life, or geological element of significant value.

(p) "Preservation" shall mean the identification, study, protection, restoration, rehabilitation, or enhancement of historic and cultural resources.

(q) "Relocate" shall mean to establish or lay out in a new place or move to a new location.

(r) "Site plan" shall mean any flat scale drawing of the place where something is, is to be, or was located.

(s) "Structure" shall mean any building or any other man-made object affixed on or under the ground.

(§ I, Ord. 438-84, eff. January 9, 1985)

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent the ordinary maintenance or repair of any exterior architectural feature in or on any property covered by this chapter which maintenance or repair does not involve a change in the design, material, or external appearance thereof. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent the construction, reconstruction, alteration, restoration, demolition, or removal of any such feature when the Building Inspector certifies to the Planning Commission that such action is required for the public safety due to an unsafe or dangerous condition and cannot be repaired under the Historical Building Code of the State.

(§ I, Ord. 438-84, eff. January 9, 1985)

The owner, occupant, or other person having the legal interest and control of a designated historic landmark, improvement, building, or structure shall keep in good repair all of the exterior portions of such improvements, buildings, or structures and all interior portions thereof whose maintenance is necessary to prevent the deterioration and decay of any exterior architectural feature. As used in this section, "good repair" shall mean at a minimum that the landmark shall be preserved against decay and deterioration and maintained in conformance with all applicable Building and Housing Codes.

(§ I, Ord. 438-84, eff. January 9, 1985)

The Planning Administrator shall administer and enforce the provisions of this chapter. The Planning Administrator may refer violations of this chapter to the Planning Commission, Council, or City Attorney for appropriate action when deemed necessary. A violation of the provisions of this chapter shall be punishable as set forth in Chapter 2 of Title 1 of this Code.

(§ 1, Ord. 438-84, eff. January 9, 1985)