Riverside County Municipal Code Art. II Historic Preservation Districts

A. Any person or local governmental entity may request the establishment of a historic preservation district by submitting a district application to the general manager and accompanied by the filing fee set forth in County Ordinance No. 671. The district application shall clearly define the boundaries of the proposed historic preservation district, describe the historical significance of the area and include a copy of the applicable historic resource survey.

B. The general manager shall review the district application and once he deems it complete shall place the district application on the regular agenda of the historical commission for its recommendation.

C. The historical commission shall make a recommendation on the district application and forward such recommendation to the planning director. In making its recommendation, the historical commission shall consider the findings listed in Article II, Section 15.72.050 G. of this chapter.

D. Upon receipt of the historical commission's recommendation, the planning director shall request that the clerk of the board of supervisors place the matter on the regular agenda of the board of supervisors for a public hearing.

E. Not less than ten (10) days prior to the date of the public hearing, the clerk of the board of supervisors shall mail to every property owner within the boundaries of the proposed historic preservation district, at the addresses shown on the last equalized assessment roll, a notice of public hearing. All such notices shall include the time and place of the public hearing, a description of the area to be included in the proposed historic preservation district, an explanation of the purpose of the proposed historic preservation district, a brief description of the type of restrictions that will be applied to all property in the proposed historic preservation district, and a statement that written objections to the proposed historic preservation district shall be submitted to the clerk of the board of supervisors by the close of business no less than three (3) days prior to the date of the public hearing.

F. The board of supervisors shall make its decision regarding the proposed historic preservation district within thirty-five (35) days of the close of the public hearing.

G. A historic preservation district may be established only upon the board of supervisors adopting a resolution that includes the boundaries of the historic preservation district, the first finding listed below and one or more of the subsequent findings listed below:

1. The proposed historic preservation district is in conformity with the cultural and paleontological section of the multipurpose open space element of the Riverside County General Plan.

2. The area exemplifies or reflects significant aspects of the cultural, political, economic or social history of the county, state or nation; or

3. The area is identified with historic personages or with important events in county, state or national history; or

4. The area embodies the distinguishing characteristics of a significant architectural period which is inherently valuable for the study of architecture unique to the history of the county, state, or nation.

H. When a historic preservation district has been established by the board of supervisors, the planning director shall promptly notify by mail the property owners within the historic preservation district and transmit the board of supervisors resolution to the following: Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District, fire department, code enforcement department, assessor-county clerk-recorder and building and safety department.

(Ord. No. 578.5, § 1, 1-11-2011)

All requests to disestablish or modify the boundaries of a historic preservation district shall be filed with the general manager and processed in accordance with Article II. Section 15.72.050 of this chapter.

(Ord. No. 578.5, § 1, 1-11-2011)