West Covina Municipal Code § 17-103 Definitions

The purpose of this chapter is to promote the public health, safety, and general welfare by providing for the identification, protection, enhancement, perpetuation, and use of historic resources such as buildings, structures, sites, places, and districts within the city that reflect special elements of the city's architectural, artistic, cultural, historical, political, and social heritage for the following reasons:

(1) To safeguard the city's heritage by encouraging the protection of landmarks representing significant elements of its history.

(2) To foster civic and neighborhood pride and a sense of identity based on an appreciation of the city's past and the recognition and use of historic resources.

(3) To enhance the visual character of the city by preserving diverse architectural styles reflecting phases of the city's history and by encouraging complementary contemporary design and construction.

(4) To strengthen the economy of the city by protecting and enhancing the city's attractions to residents, tourists, and visitors.

(5) To stabilize and improve property values within the city by recognizing historic landmarks and by protecting areas of historic buildings from encroachment by incompatible designs.

(6) To promote the enjoyment and use of historic resources appropriate for the education and recreation of the people of the city.

(7) To integrate the preservation of historic resources and the extraction of relevant data from such resources into public and private land management and development processes.

(8) To conserve valuable material and energy resources by ongoing use and maintenance of the existing built environment.

(9) To encourage and facilitate public knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of the city's historic past and unique sense of place.

(10) To preserve diverse architectural styles, patterns of development, and design preferences reflecting phases of the city's history and to encourage complementary design and construction and inspire a more livable urban environment.

(11) To enhance neighborhoods through the preservation of historic resources and establishment of historic districts.

(12) To take whatever steps are reasonable and necessary to safeguard the property rights of owners whose property is declared to be a landmark or is located in a historic district.

(Ord. No. 2173, § 1(Exh. A), 3-4-08)

This article shall apply to all historic resources, publicly and privately owned, within the corporate limits of the City of West Covina.

(Ord. No. 2173, § 1(Exh. A), 3-4-08)

The following words, terms, and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Alteration. Any change or modification of any landmark or of any improvement located on a property within a historic district. Such change or modification includes, but are not limited to, changes to or modifications of structure, architectural details or visual characteristics (including paint color and surface texture), the addition of new structures, grading, cutting or removal of trees, other alteration of natural features, and the placement or removal of any significant objects affecting the significant visual and/or historical qualities of the property.

Alteration, minor. An alteration that has been determined to have limited potential to affect the defining character and architectural style of the subject structure or resource. In no case shall minor alterations include actions involving new construction or full or partial demolition of a resource, or actions requiring approval on the basis of a finding of economic hardship.

Certificate of appropriateness. A certificate approving such plans, specifications, design, or statements of work, for any proposed alteration, restoration, demolition, removal, or relocation, in whole or in part, of or to improvements relative to landmarks or any property within a historic district.

Commission. The Planning Commission of the City of West Covina.

Construction. The act of expanding an existing building or structure or the erection of a new principal or accessory structure or building on a lot or property.

Contributing building. A building within a historic district that has a special character, special historic or aesthetic interest or value, and is incorporated into the district for that reason.

Demolition. Any act that destroys or damages in whole or in part, a building, structure, or improvement.

Exterior architectural feature. The architectural style, design, general arrangement, components, natural features and all the outer surfaces of an improvement, including, but not limited to, the kind and texture of the building material, the type and style of all windows, doors, lights, signs, walls, fences, and other fixtures appurtenant to such improvement.

Historic district. Any area containing a concentration of improvements which have a special character, historical interest, or aesthetic value; which possess integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association; or which represent one or more architectural periods or styles typical to the history of the city; and that has been designated a historic district pursuant to this article.

Historic resource. Any improvement, building, structure, landscape, sign, feature, site, place, or area of scientific, aesthetic, educational, cultural, architectural, or historic significance to the citizens of the city.

Improvement. Any building, structure, place, wall, fence, gate, sign, landscaping, or other object constituting a physical alteration of real property, or any part of such alteration.

Landmark. Any improvement, building, structure, landscape, sign, feature, site, or place that has historical, cultural, aesthetic, or architectural character or value, or which represents one or more architectural periods or styles typical to the history of the city and that has been designated as a landmark pursuant to this chapter.

Minor alterations subcommittee. A subcommittee of the planning commission whose function is to review certificates of appropriateness involving minor alterations. The minor alterations subcommittee shall consist of the following three (3) members appointed by the chairperson of the commission: the staff liaison to the commission, and two (2) members of the commission, one of whom shall be a professional from the field of architecture, if such a professional sits on the commission.

Noncontributing building. A building within a historic district that does not possess the qualifications or characteristics of a contributing building due to such factors as age or alteration, but which has been included within the historic district because of its impact on the geographic integrity and overall character of the district.

Ordinary maintenance and repair. Any work for which a building permit is not required by law where the purpose and effect of such work is to correct any deterioration of or damage to an improvement or natural feature of any part thereof and to restore the same to its condition prior to the occurrence of such deterioration or damage.

Rehabilitation. The act or process of returning an improvement or site to a condition of utilization, through repair, remodeling, or alteration, that makes possible an efficient contemporary use while preserving those portions or features of the improvement or site that are significant to its historical, architectural, and cultural values.

Relocation. Any change of the location of an improvement in its present setting or to another setting.

Removal. The displacement or loss of any improvement from the site.

Restoration. The act or process of accurately recovering the form and details of a property and its setting as it appeared at a particular period of time by means of the removal of later work or by the replacement of missing earlier work.

Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation. The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation codified in 36 C.F.R., Part 67, as the minimum standards or guidelines for that resource.

(Ord. No. 2173, § 1(Exh. A), 3-4-08)