Riverside County Municipal Code Art. I General Provisions

The board of supervisors finds that the protection, preservation, enhancement, perpetuation, and use of resources of historic, architectural, archaeological, engineering, and cultural merit within Riverside County is necessary and required in the interest of health, safety, social and cultural enrichment and general welfare of the public. To promote these interests, this chapter authorizes the establishment, disestablishment and modification of historic preservation districts and regulates activities within such districts.

(Ord. No. 578.5, § 1, 1-11-2011)

The purpose of this chapter is to set forth reasonable and uniform procedures for historic preservation districts that do each of the following:

A. Protect, enhance and perpetuate structures, architectural styles, landmarks and irreplaceable assets that represent past eras, events, and persons important in county history, or which provide significant examples of the physical surroundings in which past generations lived.

B. Safeguard the county's historic heritage, as embodied and reflected in established historic preservation districts.

C. Stabilize and improve property values.

D. Protect and enhance the county's attractiveness to residents, tourists and visitors, and serve as a support and stimulus to business and industry.

E. Strengthen the economy of the county.

F. Promote the use of historic preservation districts for the education, pleasure, prosperity and welfare of the county's residents.

(Ord. No. 578.5, § 1, 1-11-2011)

This chapter is adopted pursuant to Government Code Section 25373, Subsection (b) which authorizes counties to provide special conditions or regulations for the protection, enhancement, perpetuation, or use of places, sites, buildings, structures, works of art and other objects having a special character or special historical or aesthetic interest or value.

(Ord. No. 578.5, § 1, 1-11-2011)

As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

A. "Adjacent." Adjoining or contiguous.

B. "Applicant." Any person who applies for a historic district alteration permit affecting property subject to this chapter.

C. "Alteration." Any of the following:

1. Any act or process which changes or modifies one (1) or more of the exterior architectural features of an existing building, structure or façade within the boundaries of a historic preservation district including, but not limited to, modifications of architectural details or visual characteristics such as paint color and surface texture; or

2. 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 an existing building, structure or façade within the boundaries of a historic preservation district;

3. Alteration does not include maintenance of gardens or ordinary maintenance and repair of an existing building, structure or facade within the boundaries of a historic preservation district needed to correct any deterioration, decay of, or damage to a building, structure or facade or any part thereof in order to restore same as nearly as practical to its condition prior to such deterioration, decay or damage.

D. "Alteration permit application." The application for a historic district alteration permit.

E. "Board of supervisors." The Board of Supervisors of Riverside County.

F. "Building." A structure having a roof supported by columns or walls.

G. "Building official." The Director of the Riverside County Department of Building and Safety or the director's designee(s).

H. "Contributing resource." Any historic resource that significantly contributes to the historical nature of a historic preservation district.

I. "District application." The application filed with the General Manager of the Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District to establish, disestablish, or modify a historic preservation district.

J. "Elevation." The flat scale orthographic projected drawings of all exterior vertical surfaces of a building.

K. "Exterior architectural feature." The architectural design, general arrangement and components of all of the outer surfaces of a building, structure or façade, including, but not limited to, the kind, color and texture of the building material and the type and style of all windows, doors, lights, signs and other fixtures appurtenant to such building, structure or façade.

L. "Façade." The front, side, rear or superstructure of a building or structure, or any part of a building or structure which is subject to view from a public right-of-way.

M. "General manager." The General Manager of the Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District or the general manager's designee(s).

N. "Historical commission." The Riverside County Historical Commission.

O. "Historic district alteration permit." A permit approved by the planning director which allows for the demolition, construction or alteration of a specific building, structure or façade within the boundaries of a historic preservation district.

P. "Historic preservation district." Any area designated by the board of supervisors as a historic area pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

Q. "Historic resource." Any building, structure, façade, landmark, site, area, place, feature, sign, landscape accessory, or other object which are significant in historic, archaeological, engineering, scientific, cultural, architectural, social, political or military value to the citizens of the county, the Southern California region, the State of California, or the nation which may be determined eligible for designation pursuant to the provisions of this chapter or which may be eligible for listing or designation on any current or future state or federal register of historic resources.

R. "Historic resource survey." A survey that documents historic resources related to the historic preservation district.

S. "Local governmental entity." Riverside County or a special district within Riverside County.

T. "Noncontributing resource." A resource within a historic preservation district that does not possess the qualifications or characteristics of a contributing resource, but which has been included within the historic preservation district because of its geographic location within the historic preservation district.

U. "Person." Any person, association, company, firm, corporation, partnership, copartnership or joint venture.

V. "Planning director." The Director of the Riverside County Planning Department or the director's designee(s).

W. "Structure." Anything constructed or erected and the use of which requires more or less a permanent location on the ground or attachment to something having a permanent location on the ground, including, but not limited to, a fence, gate, bridge, water tank, or tunnel, typically made for purposes other than creating shelter.

(Ord. No. 578.5, § 1, 1-11-2011)