A. Purpose. A Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) is intended to protect structures, improvements, natural features, objects, and areas of architectural, cultural, economic, historic, political, and social importance from unnecessary and/or inappropriate alteration, demolition, or removal.

B. Applicability. A COA is required for the alteration, demolition, moving, or removal of any landmark or structure designated on the City’s Historic Register, any individual cultural resource or any contributing cultural resource within a historic district, and for any alteration, demolition, moving, or removal of any potential cultural resource identified through the City’s review of a land use and/or development permit application or CEQA review, by the City, any agent of the City, or a private party. A COA shall be required:

Alteration shall mean any act or process, through private or public action, that changes the specified character defining a cultural resource or significant physical features or architectural appearance of a cultural resource, including the reconstruction, new construction additions, repair, restoration, rehabilitation, replacement or removal of any resource.

Changes in character include modification of a structure, architectural detail or visual characteristic (e.g., grading, paint color, surface texture), surface paving, the addition of new structures, the cutting or removal of trees, landscaping and other natural features, the disturbance of archaeological sites or areas, and the placement or removal of any significant objects (e.g., fences, landscaping and accessories, light fixtures, plaques, signs, steps, street furniture, and walls) affecting the significant visual or historical qualities of the property.

When approving a COA, the review authority may permit a waiver of development standards for designated cultural resources only.

C. Application preparation and filing. A Certificate of Appropriateness application shall be filed with the Department. The application shall include plans and specifications showing the proposed change in architectural appearance, color and texture of materials, the proposed architectural design of the structure, and any additional information required by Director. The application shall also show the relationship of the proposed work to the surrounding environs. A COA application may propose discreet alterations of a cultural resource or may propose a long-term plan of rehabilitation and preservation of a particular resource.

D. Application for demolition. An application for demolition of a historic resource, a structure within a historic district, or for new construction on a cultural resource property shall include plans and specifications for the proposed new structure or addition and shall include information pertaining to landscaping, massing, relationship to site and streetscape, scale, and signs. The application shall be accompanied by any other information that the Director determines is required for an informed evaluation of the proposed work.

E. Within a historic district. Both individual resources and contributing resources are subject to all Certificates of Appropriateness findings and requirements. Non-contributing resources are not subject to the requirements of this Section, but will be reviewed to ensure that proposed development on the non-contributing property will not degrade the historical character of the historic district. If non-contributing resources are proposed to be demolished, a COA shall be required to ensure that the proposed development will not degrade the historical character of the historic district.

F. CEQA. The review and approval of a COA shall require environmental review in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as it relates to historic resources.