A.
The Architectural and Preservation Commission strives to enhance the quality of life of the residents of Claremont by protecting, preserving, and enhancing Cultural Resources; guiding the design and redesign of physical elements; and ensuring the harmonious composition and preservation of visual aspects of the City. The Commission, through its review of development projects, implementation of the City's Cultural Resources Preservation Ordinance (CMC Ch. 16.302), and recommendations on design issues, protects the City's character, sense of place and unique physical environment; maintains the image of Claremont as a community of neighborhoods; encourages the preservation of the City's architectural, historic and cultural resources; ensures the beautification of streetscapes and public areas; and promotes the public health, safety and general welfare of the community. In implementing this charge, the Architectural and Preservation Commission will:
1.
Be a liaison among the community, the colleges, applicants for development,
and the City government pertaining to design and historic preservation
matters.
2.
Review and make determinations as necessary on requests from individual
residents, developers, and City officials relative to architectural
and community design issues.
3.
As needed, review and identify community design issues and beautification
programs in order to advise the City Council on appropriate work plan
items for incorporation into the City budget.
B.
The Architectural and Preservation Commission's responsibilities
include:
2.
To encourage the successful intermingling of natural, manmade, and
planted features in the community.
3.
To foster the strong sense of place and local identity in the community.
4.
To encourage well designed new construction and other development
that builds upon the existing positive physical characteristics of
the community.
5.
To make decisions on development proposals that promote and protect
the unique identity of residential neighborhoods within the City.
6.
To encourage excellence in architectural and landscaping design,
and utilize the review criteria in the City's municipal code
to ensure that new development is consistent with the integrity and
character of the area in which is it located.
7.
To encourage citizen participation in design matters and serve as
an independent vehicle for gathering citizen comment.
8.
To identify, consider and mitigate the environmental impacts of proposals
and projects that come before the Commission for review, with the
understanding that typically the Planning Commission and/or City Council
are the lead decision-makers for environmental impacts review with
the Architectural and Preservation Commission ensuring that the previous
findings remain intact given any new information that comes forward
at the time of design review.
9.
To foster communication among applicants, the community, and the
City, and when necessary mediate among competing interests.
10.
To encourage developers of new projects creating urban impacts
to offset them by participating in programs to provide greenbelts,
open spaces, street landscaping, utility undergrounding, and public
art.
11.
To promote public art that enhances the aesthetic and cultural
quality of the community.
12.
To invite artistry and innovation in signs that improve the
appearance of the buildings and neighborhoods in which they are placed.
13.
To promote the installation and maintenance of landscaping in
public and private areas.
14.
To encourage the preservation of significant trees in public
areas and on private property.
15.
To encourage the use of drought-resistant plants where appropriate.
16.
To encourage the restoration and re-use of older structures
which contribute to Claremont's character and sense of historic
and cultural identity.
17.
To ensure the preservation of sites, buildings and objects of
historic and architectural significance as physical representation
of Claremont's historic and cultural heritage.
18.
To review all Historical Property Contract (Mills Act) applications
and forward a recommendation to the City Council.
19.
To review all nominations of structures, buildings, sites, neighborhoods,
landscapes, places and objects within the City to the Register of
Structures of Historic and Architectural Merit of the City of Claremont.
20.
To promote the continuing education of the citizens of Claremont
about the heritage of the City and its cultural resources.
21.
To advise the City Council on all matters relating to the development
and the architectural suitability of all governmental buildings and
site developments.
22.
To hear appeals of staff architectural review decisions.
23.
To act as the board of appeals for appeals of determinations made by the building official regarding unreinforced masonry buildings and necessary structural alterations within the scope of Chapter 58 of the Uniform Building Code as amended by Municipal Code Section 15.04.045.
24.
To perform such other appropriate duties related to design matters
as may be requested by the City Council.
25.
To support incentives for the protection, retention and preservation
of Cultural Resources.
(18-04, 97-10, 2024-01)
