Chico — Historic Preservation

Last reviewed: July 1, 2026

Overview

Chico’s historic preservation rules are codified in the municipal zoning/regulations as Chapter 19.37 — Historic Preservation. The chapter creates a Historic Resources Inventory, a process for designating Landmarks and Landmark Overlay Zoning Districts, requires certificates for major exterior work, provides exemptions for ordinary maintenance, and offers incentives (including limited modifications to development standards and Mills Act participation). See the controlling purpose and applicability in § 19.37.010 and § 19.37.020.

How Chico’s historic preservation framework works (plain-English synthesis)

• The city identifies and lists significant properties on a Historic Resources Inventory; properties can be nominated by owners, the Board, or Council and are reviewed under the significance criteria in § 19.37.040.
• Properties on the Inventory — and properties inside a Landmark Overlay Zoning District — remain subject to their primary zoning, but major exterior changes require City review and a Certificate of Appropriateness (or a Certificate of Demolition) before permits are issued for demolition or major alterations (§ 19.37.100, § 19.37.020).
• The Architectural Review and Historic Preservation Board (the Board) conducts public hearings and makes recommendations to the City Council on landmark and district designations; the Board also issues certificates for appropriateness/demolition in many cases (§ 19.37.060, Table of review authorities).
• Owners of designated properties can request incentives such as Director-approved modifications to setbacks, parking, site coverage, height, and minimum density to support preservation (§ 19.37.140). The City also recognizes use of the California Historic Building Code for qualified historic structures.

Note: this page covers only the historic-preservation chapter and how it interacts with zoning; it does not cover Title 24 building-code or state housing law in detail. For building-code interaction see the California Building Standards Code link below.

District-by-district breakdown (how preservation interacts with Chico’s districts)

Note: Chapter 19.37 is an overlay-style preservation chapter that applies across primary zoning districts (the primary zoning map still controls land use), and the City’s zoning districts are shown in § 19.40.010 / Table 4‑1. The primary effect of designation is to add review rules and protections — not to change the base allowed uses — except where a specific overlay/district ordinance imposes additional permit requirements.

Landmark Overlay Zoning District (bold: Landmark Overlay Zoning District)

• Purpose: Protect a definable geographic area with a concentration of historic resources that are historically or aesthetically related; designation criteria are in § 19.37.040.
• Typical permitted uses: Any land use normally allowed in the underlying (primary) zoning district remains allowed; landmark overlay status does not rewrite base uses but imposes preservation review for major changes (§ 19.37.020).
• Key review/permit triggers: Major exterior alterations and demolitions within the overlay require Board action and a Certificate of Appropriateness or Certificate of Demolition before building/demolition permits can issue (§ 19.37.100).
• Where it applies: Applied by Council ordinance to map areas meeting the district integrity criteria (contributing/non‑contributing property lists and a boundary map are required in applications, § 19.37.050).

Residential districts: RS, R1, R2, R3, R4, RMU

• Purpose: Base residential land uses (see Table 4‑1 / § 19.40.010). A historic designation over a residentially zoned parcel does not change the allowed housing type, but it does add preservation review for major alterations or demolition of historic resources (§ 19.37.020, § 19.37.100).
• Typical permitted uses: Single-family or multi-family per base zone; accessory uses remain allowed but some accessory changes may be considered “minor” or “major” under definitions in § 19.37.030 (for example, ADUs may be minor if the Director so determines).
• Dimensional standards: Base setbacks, height, coverage and density come from the primary zoning; however, the Director may approve modifications to setbacks, height, parking, site coverage, open space, and minimum density as preservation incentives when findings are met (§ 19.37.140).

Commercial/Office/Industrial districts (examples: OC, OR, etc.)

• Purpose & uses: Base commercial or office uses continue; historic designation subjects historic buildings to certificate review for major exterior changes or demolition (§ 19.37.100). Historic commercial properties may also be eligible for façade programs and federal rehabilitation tax credits where applicable.

Overlay zones that commonly interact with preservation: -PD, -RC, -SD

• How they interact: Overlay zones still apply; where a preservation designation exists within an overlay the preservation review must be satisfied in addition to overlay-specific permit requirements. The ordinance explicitly allows overlay zones to be combined with primary districts and states any overlay‑specific permit requirements (see -RC and -SD language). Verify parcel specifics with staff.

Key standards & decision-relevant items (table)

Practical guidance and comparisons

• You can still build allowed uses: A landmark listing does not convert an R-1 lot into a commercial parcel. The Inventory adds review, not wholesale land‑use change (§ 19.37.020).
• Expect an extra discretionary step for demolition or large alterations: major projects require a Board certificate before permits can issue; plan early and budget for public hearing timelines (§ 19.37.100, § 19.37.060).
• If a feature is character‑defining (roofline, facade materials, porch configuration), the Board’s certificate findings require those features to be retained unless demolition is justified under objective findings (§ 19.37.100).
• If you want a small exception (e.g., reduced parking or narrower setback) as a preservation incentive, the Director can approve modifications under § 19.37.140 if the change preserves historic integrity. This is often faster than a variance.

Inline resources you may need while preparing an application: the city’s pages for design review, parking, development standards, overlay districts, and ADUs are commonly referenced during submittal — follow those rules alongside the historic chapter (links below). The city may also apply the California Historic Building Code for qualified projects; that is decided by the Building Official.

• Design review: see design review
• Parking rules: see parking
• Development standards: see development standards
• Overlay districts: see overlay districts
• ADU guidance (minor ADU work may be treated as minor alteration): see ADUs
• California Building Standards Code reference: California Building Standards Code

(Each of those links is to the city menu page where you should reconcile base-zone standards with Chapter 19.37 requirements.)

Checklist (what an applicant must satisfy before Board/City will act)

• Confirm whether the property is on the Historic Resources Inventory or within an existing Landmark Overlay Zoning District; if not, determine whether designation is being sought (owners can apply) — see § 19.37.020 and § 19.37.050.
• Prepare a complete designation or certificate application with DPR survey form, current & historic photos, assessor parcel numbers, map of boundaries (district applications require contributor/non‑contributor lists) (§ 19.37.050).
• For major alterations/demolition to an Inventory property, apply for a Certificate of Appropriateness or Certificate of Demolition and include materials required by the application form (plans, photos, context documentation) (§ 19.37.100).
• If seeking incentives (reduced setbacks, parking, height, density), prepare findings showing no loss of historic integrity and consistency with General Plan and neighborhood plans (§ 19.37.140).
• Expect public hearing notice and Board recommendation; be ready to respond to Board/Council testimony and potential conditions per § 19.37.060.
• Verify if Secretary of the Interior’s Standards or the California Historic Building Code apply and whether an exemption (ordinary maintenance) is available for the proposed work (§ 19.37.120, § 19.37.140.D).

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

If your Chico property is on the City’s Historic Resources Inventory or inside a landmark overlay, major exterior changes or demolition require approval from the Architectural Review and Historic Preservation Board (a Certificate of Appropriateness or Demolition) before the City will issue permits — but allowable uses from your base zoning generally remain the same, and the City offers limited incentives (like modified setbacks or parking) to help preserve historic buildings. Verify classification of “minor” vs. “major” work with staff early.

Source References

• Chapter 19.37, Historic Preservation — § 19.37.010 through § 19.37.150 (purpose, applicability, definitions, criteria, initiation, hearings, certificates, exemptions, incentives, maintenance). See the ordinance excerpts used above.
• Application, public hearing, and decision procedures referenced: § 19.37.050, § 19.37.060, and related hearing/appeal tables in Chapter 19.12 / 19.06.
• Implementation notes, incentives, and maintenance: § 19.37.140, § 19.37.150.
• Zoning district list and mapping reference (how overlay applies across districts): Chapter 19.40 / Table 4‑1.

If you need a parcel‑specific read of whether your site is already on the Inventory or inside a Landmark Overlay, or how the Board previously characterized a resource, verify with City planning staff — some details (e.g., exact Board determinations or maps) are parcel‑specific and not included in the chapter text. Not found in retrieved materials: a current City-hosted map of Inventory parcels or a step‑by‑step application checklist PDF; verify with the Department.

Retrieved passages

• Chico Zoning Code (section 19.37.040) High relevance show source text
• Chico Zoning Code (§18) High relevance show source text
• CBC § 18 (§18) High relevance show source text
• Chico Zoning Code (§18) High relevance show source text
• CBC § 18 (section 19.37.040.) High relevance show source text
• Chico Zoning Code (§18) High relevance show source text
• Chico Zoning Code (§18) High relevance show source text
• Chico Zoning Code (section 19.37.040) High relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Chapter 19.37, Historic Preservation — **§ 19.37.010** through **§ 19.37.150** (purpose, applicability, definitions, criteria, initiation, hearings, certificates, exemptions, incentives, maintenance). See the ordinance excerpts used above. (Chapter 19.37)
• Application, public hearing, and decision procedures referenced: **§ 19.37.050**, **§ 19.37.060**, and related hearing/appeal tables in Chapter **19.12 / 19.06**. (§ 19.37.050)
• Implementation notes, incentives, and maintenance: **§ 19.37.140**, **§ 19.37.150**. (§ 19.37.140)
• Zoning district list and mapping reference (how overlay applies across districts): Chapter **19.40 / Table 4‑1**.
• Chico_ZoningCode.md

• Official Chico code library