Intent and Purpose:
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The intent and
purpose of the Historic
Preservation Ordinance is to encourage the voluntary
preservation of older homes and buildings by establishing
incentives intended to benefit property owners when
remodeling such structures. The preservation of historic
buildings contributes significantly to the City's unique
village atmosphere and helps to enhance the visual character
of the City. Recognizing the beauty and accomplishments of
the past fosters public appreciation of and civic pride in
the City. A person may contribute to the City's cultural
heritage by participating in the City's Historic
Preservation Program.
Applicability and Requirements:
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Provisions of the Historic
Preservation Ordinance apply only to properties listed on
the City's Historic Register. Inclusion on the Historic
Register is completely voluntary, available upon an
individual property owner's request. An inventory of the
historic structures was finished in 1981. A similar
inventory of structures in South Laguna was done as part of
the South Laguna Specific Plan. These two inventories have
been combined to form the Laguna Beach Historic Resources
List. Structures included on this Historic Resources List
which have not been significantly altered are automatically
eligible for designation on the Laguna Beach Historic
Register.
The structures on the Historic Resources List have been
rated, and consist primarily of buildings which have
retained their original architectural integrity and which
were constructed before 1935. Buildings rated "E" for
"Exceptional" are considered to be outstanding and/or
unique
historic architectural examples and could be eligible for
the National Historic Register. Buildings rated "K" for
"Key" represent very good historical architectural
examples
and have significant architectural, historical and/or
aesthetic value. Buildings rated "C" for
"Contributive" are
those which contribute to the overall character and history
of a neighborhood, even though they may not be
architecturally unique.
Procedures for Designation:
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Structures identified on the
Historic Resources List are placed on the Historic Register
upon submittal of an application provided by the Community
Development Department. If there has been any exterior
alteration(s) to the structure after the official
recognition on the Historic Resources Inventory (December,
1982) or the South Laguna Specific Plan (September, 1983),
whichever is applicable, then the request to the City Clerk
must contain information describing those exterior
alterations. There is no filing fee associated with this
request.
If a property owner wishes to participate in the Historic
Preservation Program, but has a structure which is not
included on the Historic Resources List, placement on the
Historic Register is still feasible. There is no filing fee.
The Heritage Committee reviews the proposal and makes a
recommendation to the Community Development Director for a
final determination.
Incentives:
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Structures listed on the City's Historic
Register are eligible to apply for the following
preservation benefits.
The granting of any benefit is conditioned upon a written
agreement between the City and the property owner that
ensures preservation of the building's historic character.
Parking;
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Once placed on the Historic Register, additions to
non-conforming single-family and multiple-family dwellings
with substandard parking may not be required to provide any
additional required parking, if the addition is 50% or less
of the original square footage of the structure. At least
one covered parking space, however, must be provided on-site
for a single-family dwelling and at least half of the
required parking spaces must be provided on-site for
multiple-family dwellings.
Historic Register property owners may be eligible for a 75 %
parking reduction for " E" rated historic structures in
commercial zones and a 50% parking reduction for "K "
or "C"
rated structures. Reductions may be granted only as part of
a Conditional Use Permit, and only if the historic character
of the building is preserved. Additions to historical
commercial structures of up to 15% of the existing floor
area and not exceeding 500 square feet may be made without
providing additional parking.
Fees:
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All building and planning application fees may be
waived by the Community Development Director for those
projects affecting a structure on the Historic Register,
provided the historic character of the building is being
preserved.
Building Code Deviations:
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BUILDING CODE DEVIATIONS: Building code deviations may be
granted by the Community Development Director for Historic
Register structures. if findings can be made of conformance
with the California Historical Building Code.
Zoning Standards Deviations:
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Structures listed on the
Historic Resister may be allowed to add more than 50% of the
original structure, and properties with historic structures
located in the multi-family zones of R-2 and R-3, where only
one unit exists, may obtain an additional unit, without
bringing any existing zoning standard nonconformities into
compliance, if it is determined that such an addition will
not diminish or detract from the historic significance of
the original structure, and if such addition is found to be
compatible with the scale and character with the surrounding
neighborhood. Additions to any historic structures may be
allowed to maintain existing nonconforming encroachments, if
the Uniform Building Code setbacks are being maintained.
Density Bonus:
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Historic structures located in the Local
Business Professional Zone, and in the CBD-1,2,3 and the CBD
Office District Zones of the Downtown Specific Plan may be
eligible for a 50% increase in residential units, if it is
determined that the additional units will not diminish or
detract from the historical significance of the original
structure.
Financial Incentives:
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Owners of properties on the Historic
Register are eligible to apply for state and national
financial benefits.
