This article shall be known as the Lassen County and the city of Susanville historic building preservation ordinance.
(Ord. 545, 2002)
The board of supervisors finds that the protection and enhancement of buildings and or sites that have historical or architectural significance located within Lassen County and the city of Susanville are of cultural and aesthetic benefit to its citizens. This section will enhance the economic, cultural, and aesthetic standing of the county and the city. The purpose of this section is to promote the general welfare of the public, by providing a means by which to protect and enhance historic structures in Lassen County and the city of Susanville.
Furthermore, the intent of this section is as set forth in State Historic Building Code Section 8-101.3.
(Ord. 545, 2002)
The Lassen County/city of Susanville historic building review committee is hereby created to review applications requesting buildings and/or sites to be placed on the Lassen County/city of Susanville historic building registry for the purpose of utilizing the state historic building code. Said committee shall be comprised of five members, to be appointed as hereinafter provided.
The board of supervisors/city council shall appoint four committee members, (selecting two members each) through an application process. The fifth member shall be selected at large by those four appointees. Applicants shall demonstrate special interest, experience or knowledge of local history. Appointees shall serve a staggered two year term and the at large member shall serve a one year term.
(Ord. 545, 2002; Ord. 569 § 4, 2008)
The joint Lassen County/city of Susanville historical building review committee shall act in an advisory capacity to the board of supervisors/city council on matters relating to the identification, protection, retention and preservation of historical resources within the county and their duties shall include the following:
Advise and make recommendations to the board of supervisors/city council on how it can best promote the preservation of cultural and historic resources of Lassen County.
(Ord. 545, 2002)
The process to consider the designation of individual cultural or historic building and/or site may be initiated upon application of the owner of the property for which such designation is requested (or the authorized representative of the owner). Any such application shall be filed with the county's or city's community development departments as appropriate, depending on the location of the structure, and shall be accompanied by the following information (as appropriate):
(1) 
The assessor's parcel number and address of the site or the property whereon the building and/or site proposed for designation is located as well as the legal description of the property.
(2) 
A descriptive narrative detailing the building and/or site proposed for designation.
(3) 
A description of special aesthetic, cultural, architectural, or historical qualities which justify such designation.
(4) 
Sketches, drawings, photographs, or other descriptive material.
(5) 
A statement of the condition of the building and/or site.
(6) 
Any other information determined to be appropriate by the building official.
(7) 
Written notarized authorization of the property owner(s) of record (or an authorized agent).
(8) 
Special recommendations from a local historical organization.
(Ord. 545, 2002)
The committee shall consider the following criteria in the review of applications:
(1) 
The age of the building and/or site.
(2) 
The building and/or site are associated with events that have made significance in the heritage of the city or county.
(3) 
The building and/or site are associated with the lives of persons significant in the city's or county's past.
(4) 
The building and/or site embody the distinctive characteristic of a type, period or method of construction or represent the work of a master or possess high artistic value.
(5) 
The proposed building and/or site materially benefits the architectural or historical character of the community.
(6) 
The unique location or singular physical characteristic of the building and/or site proposed for designation represents an established and familiar visual feature of the community, area, city or county.
(7) 
The preservation of a building and/or site is essential to the integrity of the community.
(8) 
The committee may consider other unique buildings and/or sites.
(Ord. 545, 2002)
The property owner(s) whereon such cultural/historic resource exists must submit an application for inclusion on the Lassen County historical building registry to the Lassen County community development department or the city building department, as appropriate.
The content of the application shall be as determined by the Lassen County community development department or city building department as appropriate.
A non-refundable application fee is paid at the time of application. An application fee will be established by resolution.
Upon acceptance of a completed application, the building officials shall within thirty days convene the Lassen County/city of Susanville historic review committee to review the application and determine if the application qualifies to be included on the Lassen County historic building registry. If qualified, the building official will convey the recommendation of the historic building review committee to the board of supervisors for the building and/or site to be added to the Lassen County historic building registry.
If the building and/or site are added to the Lassen County historic building registry list the Lassen County community development department or the city building department will record at no additional fee the historical listing on the property title.
(Ord. 545, 2002)
The terms "use" or "occupancy" when used in the California historic building code only refer to the classification of building construction types in reference to how a structure is required to be constructed and not to land use and zoning regulations. Local zoning regulations still apply.
(Ord. 545, 2002)