Inglewood — Historic Preservation

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

Historic preservation in the City of Inglewood’s zoning/planning ordinance is implemented primarily through zone- and design-review provisions that protect the character of the downtown historic fabric and require review of exterior changes. Expect the H‑C (Historic Core) zone to be the main historic-area regulation, layered with citywide design-review and site‑plan review rules; larger preservation tools such as a separate local landmark designation process or a historic‑overlay district are Not found in the retrieved materials. See the city’s rules on design review, development standards, and parking for how preservation interacts with routine project constraints: Design review governs façades and exterior work, Objective Design Standards apply to façade/alteration projects, and site plan review and Planning Commission conditions can impose preservation‑focused requirements (§ 12‑31.45, § 12‑31.47, § 12‑31.42, § 12‑39.50) .

(First mentions linked for quick navigation: Inglewood Zoning, Inglewood Design Review, Inglewood Development Standards, Inglewood Parking, Inglewood Overlay Districts, Inglewood ADUs, California Building Standards Code.)

How the ordinance implements preservation (core rules and practice)

• Design control over exterior work: In the H‑C historic core, “All exterior improvements (e.g., façade renovation, extension of parapets, new doors and windows, etc.), extension of building footprints, and new construction of buildings shall require Design Review approval” (§ 12‑31.47) . That ties preservation outcomes to the city’s design‑review process rather than to a separate landmark‑designation hearing (no landmark procedure located in retrieved text).

• Objective Design Standards apply to additions and facade work for multifamily, mixed‑use and commercial projects, and the Historic Core is explicitly intended to keep new and changed buildings consistent with the existing historic urban fabric (§ 12‑31.42, § 12‑31.45) .

• Site plan review and Planning Commission authority: many exterior changes and non‑residential developments hit the Site Plan Review thresholds (for example any building or enlargement over $20,000 in value, or non‑residential additions over 25,000 sq ft triggers review) — the Director/Planning Commission can condition approvals to protect historic character (§ 12‑39.50, § 12‑95.4) .

• Supplemental design review areas: the D Zone (supplemental Design Review Zone) is used by the city where “design review is needed to achieve the objectives of this Chapter,” which can include civic or historically sensitive corridors (§ 12‑35.1) .

• Time limits and process constraints: site‑plan approvals have expiry and extension rules (e.g., applications expire after six months if not approved; approvals expire after one year if a building permit is not issued) that affect preservation projects and phased rehabilitation (§ 12‑39.54) .

• Interaction with ADUs and historic resources: the city ordinance permits Accessory Dwelling Units in the H‑C and elsewhere (see § 12‑31.46 reference to ADUs), but specific ADU standards that avoid adverse impacts to historical resources are governed by state ADU law; local objective standards may be applied where they do not unreasonably restrict ADU creation (§ 12‑31.46; state guidance in uploaded ADU handbook) .

• Broader state code tools: where a building meets the state definition of a qualified historic building, the California Historical Building Code and the Historical Building Code provisions in the state and model codes may apply; local building‑code relief for historic structures is a state mechanism but does not replace local zoning review (California Historical Building Code reference in uploaded materials) .

District‑by‑district breakdown (what preservation reviewers will see)

H‑C — Historic Core Zone

• Purpose: preserve and allow a mix of ground‑floor retail, restaurants, offices and residences in a pattern compatible with the existing historic downtown urban fabric (§ 12‑31.45) .
• Typical permitted uses: uses identified in the Downtown Inglewood and Fairview Heights Transit Oriented Development Plan plus listed exceptions (retail, restaurants, offices, ADUs allowed under Article 35) (§ 12‑31.46) .
• Key preservation controls: Design Review required for all exterior improvements and new construction; Objective Design Standards apply to multifamily, mixed‑use, and commercial developments and to facade changes (§ 12‑31.47, § 12‑31.42) .
• Dimensional/administrative notes: uses and standards are further governed by the TOD plan and by the city’s development standards; design guidance in the Specific Plan may supersede some city rules where applicable (§ 12‑31.14.2) .
• Where it applies: downtown Historic Core as established in the New Downtown Inglewood/Fairview Heights TOD and mapped in the zoning map — verify parcel designation with the Planning Division (§ 12‑31.45, TOD citations) .

D — Supplemental Design Review Zone

• Purpose: apply enhanced design review near civic buildings, major thoroughfares, or areas of civic/historic significance (§ 12‑35.1) .
• Typical effects: additional plan drawings required, Planning Commission standards for compatibility, and discretionary review where preservation concerns may be raised (§ 12‑35.2, § 12‑34.5) .
• Dimensional standards: does not replace underlying zone dimensional rules; it supplements them with design standards and additional submittal requirements (§ 12‑35.4) .
• Where it applies: site‑specific overlay areas mapped by ordinance; check the zoning map or the city for the D overlay boundaries.

Other areas with preservation implications (not zones called “historic”)

• Hollywood Park Specific Plan (HPSP) properties: design guidelines and development standards apply and may control alterations on parcels within the Specific Plan — preservation outcomes will be shaped by those Specific Plan guidelines (§ 12‑31.13–.15) .
• Citywide mechanisms affecting preservation: Site Plan Review thresholds (value or square‑foot triggers), Planning Commission conditions on Special Use Permits, and the Objective Design Standards are the primary vehicles for preservation protection across zones (§ 12‑39.50, § 12‑95.4, § 12‑31.42) .

Quick reference table — decision‑relevant rules

Checklist — what an applicant must satisfy (practical steps)

• Confirm parcel zoning: is the property in H‑C or another overlay? Verify with the Planning Division. (§ 12‑31.45)
• Prepare elevation drawings and materials palette per Design Review submittal requirements (site plans, elevations, landscape plan) (§ 12‑35.2) .
• Determine whether the project hits Site Plan Review triggers (value > $20,000 or non‑residential GFA thresholds) and file concurrently if required (§ 12‑39.50) .
• Show compliance with Objective Design Standards for facades/additions and the TOD/Specific Plan guidance where applicable (§ 12‑31.42, § 12‑31.14.2) .
• Include a preservation narrative describing historic character, period of significance, and how the work retains character‑defining features (expect this in discretionary review packages) — city may condition approvals (§ 12‑95.4) .
• If the building is listed or eligible under national/state registers, note that state historic code relief may be available (verify with Building & Safety and reference the California Historical Building Code) .
• Track processing times and expiry rules — ask for extensions early: six months for application expiry; approvals expire after one year without permits (§ 12‑39.54) .

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain‑English summary

If your building is in the Historic Core (H‑C) or a design‑review overlay, expect required design review for almost any exterior change and site‑plan triggers for larger or costly work; Inglewood uses its design‑review and site‑plan rules to protect historic character rather than a separate local landmark process in the materials retrieved — verify parcel zoning and whether the city maintains any separate landmark register. (§ 12‑31.45; § 12‑31.47; § 12‑39.50) .

Source References

• § 12‑31.45, Historic Core Zone purpose — Inglewood Zoning Code.
• § 12‑31.46, Permitted uses (H‑C), ADU mention — Inglewood Zoning Code.
• § 12‑31.42, Objective Design Standards — Inglewood Zoning Code.
• § 12‑31.47, Design Review requirement for exterior alterations — Inglewood Zoning Code.
• § 12‑35.1–.4, D Zone / Supplemental Design Review Zone — Inglewood Zoning Code.
• § 12‑39.50, Site Plan Review triggers and purpose — Inglewood Zoning Code.
• § 12‑39.54, Site Plan Review time limits (six months application expiry; one year approval expiry) — Inglewood Zoning Code.
• § 12‑95.4, Planning Commission conditions for Special Use Permits — Inglewood Zoning Code.
• California Historical Building Code (qualification and applicability) — uploaded reference materials.
• State ADU guidance on historic resources (ADU handbook uploaded) — uploaded reference materials.

If you want the actual zoning map parcel check, or copies of the Design Review filing checklist used by Planning, request the Inglewood zoning map or I can draft the submittal list you would file with the Planning Division. Verify all parcel‑specific interpretations with the City of Inglewood Planning Division (Verify with the jurisdiction).

Retrieved passages

• Inglewood Zoning Code (Section 21-105.101) Medium relevance show source text
• Inglewood Zoning Code (§ 12-39.8.) Medium relevance show source text
• Inglewood Zoning Code (§ 65915) Medium relevance show source text
• Inglewood Zoning Code (§ 12-39.54.) Medium relevance show source text
• Inglewood Zoning Code (§ 12-119.) Medium relevance show source text
• Inglewood Zoning Code (Article 33) Medium relevance show source text
• Inglewood Zoning Code (§ 12-31.46.) Medium relevance show source text
• Inglewood Zoning Code (§ 12-31.13.) Medium relevance show source text
• Inglewood Zoning Code (§ 12-35.1.) Medium relevance show source text
• Inglewood Zoning Code (§ 12-34.6.) Medium relevance show source text
• CBC § 18955 (Section 18955) Medium relevance show source text
• Inglewood Zoning Code (§ 12-77.2.) Medium relevance show source text
• CFC § 12 (Article 28.) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• **§ 12‑31.45**, Historic Core Zone purpose — Inglewood Zoning Code. (§ 12)
• **§ 12‑31.46**, Permitted uses (H‑C), ADU mention — Inglewood Zoning Code. (§ 12)
• **§ 12‑31.42**, Objective Design Standards — Inglewood Zoning Code. (§ 12)
• **§ 12‑31.47**, Design Review requirement for exterior alterations — Inglewood Zoning Code. (§ 12)
• **§ 12‑35.1–.4**, D Zone / Supplemental Design Review Zone — Inglewood Zoning Code. (§ 12)
• **§ 12‑39.50**, Site Plan Review triggers and purpose — Inglewood Zoning Code. (§ 12)
• **§ 12‑39.54**, Site Plan Review time limits (six months application expiry; one year approval expiry) — Inglewood Zoning Code. (§ 12)
• **§ 12‑95.4**, Planning Commission conditions for Special Use Permits — Inglewood Zoning Code. (§ 12)
• California Historical Building Code (qualification and applicability) — uploaded reference materials.
• State ADU guidance on historic resources (ADU handbook uploaded) — uploaded reference materials.
• Inglewood_ZoningCode.md
• 2025 California ADU handbook.md
• 2025 California Historical Building Code.md

• Official Inglewood code library