Chapter 27.66 — HISTORIC PRESERVATION

(a) Objectives. It is found that the protection, enhancement, perpetuation and use of historic structures within the City of San Mateo are of economic, cultural, and aesthetic benefit to the community. It is further found that the economic, cultural and aesthetic standing of the City will be enhanced by respecting the heritage of its historic structures and the downtown historic district. The purposes of this chapter are as follows:

(1) Designate, preserve, protect, enhance, and perpetuate the City's historic structures and the downtown historic district;

(2) Foster public awareness and appreciation of the City's past;

(3) Stabilize and improve the economic value of structures and properties within the City and the downtown historic district;

(4) Develop and maintain appropriate settings for historic structures;

(5) Enhance the visual and aesthetic character, diversity and interest of the City; and

(6) Establish requirements to insure the preservation and maintenance of the City's historic structures and the downtown historic district.

(a) Historic Buildings and Downtown Historic District. The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all individually eligible buildings in the City, all individually eligible and contributor buildings within the Downtown Specific Plan area, and all structures located in the Downtown Historic District, as adopted by resolution of the City Council.

(b) The City Council by resolution may add to the provisions of this chapter any building which it finds meets the criteria of contributing to the historic importance of downtown and the City. Such an action shall be based on National Register of Historic Places and California Register of Historical Resources criteria and documented in a form consistent with the City of San Mateo Historic Building Survey.

(c) Individually Eligible and Contributor Buildings. For the purposes of this chapter, the terms "individually eligible building" shall mean those buildings as identified in the City of San Mateo General Plan, buildings which are on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) or California Register of Historical Resources (CRHP), or buildings determined to be individually eligible for listing on the NRHP or CRHP through documentation contained in a historic resources report. "Contributor building" shall mean those buildings identified as such and located within the Downtown Historic District as adopted by resolution of the City Council and identified in the City of San Mateo General Plan.

(d) For the purposes of this chapter, the terms "individually eligible building" and "contributor building" and "Downtown Historic District" shall mean those buildings and district identified as such by resolution of the City Council, identified in the City of San Mateo Downtown Specific Plan, or as determined to be listed or individually eligible for listing on the NRHP or CRHP through documentation contained in a historic resources report.

(a) Individually Eligible Buildings. No building permit for an exterior facade modification, exterior alteration, or building addition involving an individually eligible building shall be issued until a planning application for Site Plan and Architectural Review has been approved in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 27.08 and Section 27.06.010 of the Zoning Code.

(b) Contributor Buildings. Unless otherwise required by this code, minor facade modifications, in accordance with Section 27.08.031, which conform to the adopted Downtown Retail Core and Downtown Historic District Design Guidelines, shall be exempt from the requirements for a Site Plan and Architectural Review. However, the Zoning Administrator may require submittal and approval of a Site Plan and Architectural Review application in cases involving facade modifications which may adversely affect the exterior architectural characteristics or historic or aesthetic value of the historic structure, its site or surroundings.

(c) In all cases involving alteration of significant historical building details, building modifications or new buildings which may affect the integrity of the historic district, or construction which may affect individually eligible or contributor buildings, the Zoning Administrator may require an independent analysis by an architectural historian of the project's impact on downtown historic resources. The incorporation of the report's findings and recommendations may be incorporated as conditions of approval.

(a) City-wide. All exterior modifications of individually eligible and contributor buildings (e.g., exterior building additions and alterations) shall conform with the Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Structures, 1990 Edition.

(b) Downtown. In addition to the requirements of (a) above, all exterior modifications of individually eligible and contributor buildings and new buildings in the Downtown Retail Core subarea of the Downtown Specific Plan (e.g., exterior building additions and alterations) shall conform with the Downtown Retail Core and the Downtown Historic District Design Guidelines.

(Ord. No. 1995-13 § 4; Ord. No. 1993-21 § 1.)

Cross References Section 27.66.050(a)

(a) Routine Maintenance. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent routine building maintenance and repair which does not involve a change in design, material or appearance and is consistent with the standards and guidelines in Section 27.66.040.

(b) The owner, lessee or other person legally in possession of a building shall comply with all applicable codes, laws and regulations governing the maintenance of property. It is the intent of this section to preserve from deliberate or inadvertent neglect the exterior features of such buildings, and of the interior portions of such buildings which are necessary to prevent deterioration and decay of the exterior.

(a) For the purposes of this section, demolition shall mean the wrecking, destroying or destruction of an individually eligible or contributor building or a major portion of such structure, including exterior architectural features.

(b) Individually eligible buildings. Individually eligible buildings may be demolished in whole or in part only upon a finding by the City Council that applicable health and safety requirements cannot be feasibly met unless the building is demolished.

(c) Any request for demolition of an individually eligible or contributor building shall be processed as a discretionary planning application as described in Chapter 27.08. As part of this planning application, a Historic Building Demolition Permit, a report by a civil or structural engineer or architect licensed by the State of California shall be submitted identifying the general condition of the building, all health and safety code deficiencies, corrective measures needed to alleviate these deficiencies, and the cost of such corrective measures.

(d) Other regulations. All demolitions shall conform with the provisions of Chapter 23.10 Earthquake Hazard Reduction in Existing Buildings and Section 23.06.035 Demolition PermitsConditions.