Chapter 2.75 — HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION

This chapter shall be known as the "Historic Preservation Commission Ordinance."

(Ord. 6915 § 2 (part), 2002)

There is created and established a commission of the city to be known as the "Historic Preservation Commission" and hereinafter called "commission."

(Ord. 6915 § 2 (part), 2002)

The purpose of the commission is to:

A.

Implement the historic preservation goals, policies and programs of the comprehensive general plan;

B.

Protect, enhance and perpetuate historic resources that represent or reflect distinctive and important elements of the city's cultural, social, economic, political, archaeological and architectural history;

C.

Stabilize and improve property values, and enhance the visual and aesthetic character and environmental amenities of the city's historic areas;

D.

Recognize the city's historic resources as economic assets;

E.

Provide educational programs to promote and encourage restoration, rehabilitation and maintenance of existing historic resources for the culture, education, enjoyment and economic welfare of the city's residents and visitors, and to conserve reuseable material and energy resources;

F.

Foster civic pride in the beauty and noble accomplishments of the past by promoting private stewardship of historic resources that represent these accomplishments;

G.

Promote the city as a destination for tourists and as a desirable location for business;

H.

Ensure that the rights of the owners of historic resources and owners of properties adjacent to historic resources are safeguarded;

I.

Fulfill the city's responsibilities as a certified local government under federal preservation laws; and

J.

Fulfill the city's responsibilities for Federal Section 106 reviews.

(Ord. 6915 § 2 (part), 2002)

(Ord. No. 7250, § 2, 11-17-2014)

A.

The commission shall consist of 9 members, who shall be appointed as follows:

Each of the 7 councilmembers and the mayor shall nominate 1 member for a total of 8 members.

The mayor shall nominate the remaining 1 member from persons recommended by the 7 councilmembers.

All nominations are subject to ratification by the city council.

B.

Each landmark or historic district may be represented on the commission by a resident of the district that may be nominated by the neighborhood association of the applicable landmark or historic district, however, a landmark or historic district shall not be required to have a representative. Representatives of each landmark or historic district are not considered commission members and shall participate in only those issues and items that are applicable to the representative's district and shall have equal voting rights only on such issues and items. If no neighborhood association exists within the landmark or historic district, any resident property owner of such district may apply to the city council. If more than 1 neighborhood association exists within the landmark or historic district, such associations shall jointly nominate the member; and if the associations cannot agree, each association shall nominate 1 person and the mayor shall select the nominee. Appointment of all landmark and historic district representatives is subject to ratification by the city council. The landmark and historic district representatives shall be subject to the provisions of this section in the same manner as other commission members.

C.

Members shall be appointed for a term of 3 years, and shall serve no more than 2 consecutive terms. A term of less than 1 year shall not be considered a full term. Terms expire on June 30th of the applicable years. A member shall continue in office for the term for which he/she was appointed or until his/her successor is appointed. No member who has served 2 consecutive terms shall be eligible for reappointment to the commission prior to the passage of a 2-year interval.

D.

If a member ceases to reside in the city prior to the expiration of a term, or a landmark or historic district representative ceases to reside or own property within the applicable landmark or historic district, the member or representative may complete the term only upon approval by city council pursuant to Section 2.45.020.

E.

Any member of the commission may be removed by the city council at its pleasure.

(Ord. 6915 § 2 (part), 2002)

(Ord. No. 7231, § 1, 4-29-2013)

A.

All members shall be residents of the city; provided however, that a person nominated by a council member need not reside in the council member's district.

B.

All members shall be conversant with Pasadena's historical, architectural and cultural heritage and have special interest, knowledge, or training in fields closely related to historic preservation, such as architecture, history, landscape architecture,

architectural history, planning, archaeology, urban design, geography, real estate, law, finance, building trades or related areas.

C.

If possible, the city council shall appoint at least three members of the commission who are professionals in the fields or disciplines of architecture, landscape architecture, history, architectural history, urban planning, American studies, geography, or archaeology or other historic preservation-related disciplines to the extent that such professionals are available in the community.

(Ord. 6915 § 2 (part), 2002)

The commission shall have the following duties in addition to those otherwise provided in this chapter:

(a)

Recommend to the city council the designation of historic buildings, sites, structures, objects, interiors, and districts according to procedures and criteria of this chapter;

(b)

Participate in the review of projects affecting city-owned historic resources;

(c)

Identify and document historic resources through surveys and other research projects;

(d)

Recommend to the city council appropriate legislation for protection of historic resources, funding of historic preservation projects and incentives to support these activities;

(e)

Review and make recommendations on environmental reports, zone changes, master development plans, planned developments and other land use entitlements as requested by the director of planning and community development and as they are applicable to historic resources in the city;

(f)

Implement historic preservation goals and policies in the land-use element of the General Plan and participate in amendments to goals, policies, and principles affecting historic resources;

(g)

Participate in educational programs on historic architecture and historic preservation topics;

(h)

Administer the review of applications for projects for alterations, additions, relocations and demolitions of historic resources according to the procedures of this chapter;

(i)

Assign, at its discretion, duties for administration of this title to the director of planning and community development.

(Ord. 6915 § 2 (part), 2002)

(Ord. No. 7364, § 3, 5-18-2020)

In the event a member has 3 consecutive unexcused absences from meetings of the commission, the city council may declare the office of such member vacant. The staff to the commission shall advise the city clerk of any member with 3 consecutive unexcused absences. The chair of the commission may excuse absences.

Vacancies, whether scheduled or unscheduled, shall be filled by the person who nominated the member to the vacant office, or by his/her successor, in the same manner as set forth in Section 2.75.030.

(Ord. 6915 § 2 (part), 2002)

At the first meeting of the commission, and thereafter at its first meeting in July of each subsequent year, the members shall elect a chair and a vice chair. In the absence or incapacity of the chair and vice chair, the commission may designate a temporary chair.

(Ord. 6915 § 2 (part), 2002)

(Ord. No. 7378, § 4, 8-2-2021)

The commission shall meet at least once a month and all its meetings shall be held in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act and shall be open to the public except as provided by law. Special meetings may be called by the chair or a majority of the commission.

A quorum shall be a majority of the commission seats filled by the city council. A seat is deemed to be filled after a nominee has been sworn in by the city clerk. No action of the commission shall be valid without the affirmative vote of at least three members.

The commission shall keep a record, which shall be available for public inspection of all of its resolutions, proceedings and other actions.

(Ord. 6915 § 2 (part), 2002)

The commission shall adopt and amend, rules and regulations for the conduct of the commission's business consistent with this chapter. Such rules and regulations shall be submitted to the city council and shall not become effective until approved and ordered filed by the council.

(Ord. 6915 § 2 (part), 2002)

The commission shall submit an annual report and workplan to the city council no later than September 1st of each year. Attendance records of members shall be included as part of the annual report.

(Ord. 6930 § 7, 2003: Ord. 6915 § 2 (part), 2002)

Members of the commission shall be required to file annual statements of economic interest pursuant to the city's conflict of interest code.

(Ord. 6915 § 2 (part), 2002)

The city council shall by resolution prescribe fees for all applications, reviews and appeals authorized by this chapter.

(Ord. 6915 § 2 (part), 2002)