The purpose of this chapter is to promote the public health, safety and general welfare by providing for the identification, protection, enhancement, perpetuation and use of improvements, buildings, structures, signs, objects, features, sites, places, areas, districts, neighborhoods, streets, works of art, natural features and significant permanent landscaping having special historical, archaeological, cultural, architectural, community, aesthetic or artistic value in the City for the following reasons:
A. 
To safeguard the City's heritage and agriculture as embodied and reflected in such resources;
B. 
As part of that heritage, to preserve and promote animal keeping, small farms, and agricultural activities as a distinctive part of Norco's history and a defining value;
C. 
To encourage public knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the City's past;
D. 
To foster civic and neighborhood pride and a sense of identity based on the recognition and use of cultural resources;
E. 
To promote the enjoyment and use of cultural resources appropriate for the education and recreation of the people of the City;
F. 
To preserve diverse and harmonious architectural styles and design preferences reflecting phases of the City's history and to encourage complementary contemporary design and construction;
G. 
To enhance property values and to increase economic and financial benefits to the City and its inhabitants;
H. 
To protect and enhance the City's attraction to tourists and visitors, thereby stimulating business and industry;
I. 
To identify as early as possible and resolve conflicts between the preservation of cultural resources and alternative land uses;
J. 
To integrate the preservation of cultural resources and the extraction of relevant data from such resources into public and private land management and development processes;
K. 
To conserve valuable material and energy resources by ongoing use and maintenance of the existing built environment.
(Ord. 902 Sec. 1, 2008; Ord. 1092 Sec. 1, 2023)
For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section:
A. 
"Commission"
means the Historic Preservation and Agricultural Heritage Commission.
B. 
"Certificate of appropriateness"
means a certificate issued by the City Council approving such plans, specifications, statements of work, and any other information that is reasonably required by the City Council to make a decision on any proposed alteration, restoration, rehabilitation, construction, removal, relocation or demolition, in whole or in part, of or to a cultural resource, or a building or structure or site within a historic preservation overlay zone.
C. 
"Certified local government (CLG)"
means a local government certified under Federal law by the California State Office of Historic Preservation for the purpose of more direct participation in Federal and State historic preservation programs. Local governments become certified by demonstrating their ability to enforce national, State, and local preservation laws and to provide for adequate public participation in the programs resulting from these. In addition, the CLG must have a qualified historic preservation review commission and must have completed or be in the process of completing a comprehensive historic inventory. If certification is granted, CLGs are eligible for special Federal matching grants. Certification is a way of ensuring the historic preservation program in Norco meets all Federal standards.
D. 
"Cultural resource"
means improvements, buildings, structures, signs, sites, landscape features, or other objects within the City of Norco which are of historical or archaeological significance to the citizens of the City of Norco, the State of California, or the nation, which may be determined eligible for designation or designated as a landmark or contributor to a historic preservation overlay zone and determined to be appropriate for preservation by the City Council, or which may be eligible for listing or designation on any State or federal register.
E. 
"Cultural Resources Administrator"
is the City Manager or designee assigned by the City Manager to administer the cultural resources program, including professional support to the Historic Preservation and Agricultural Heritage Commission and the management of both the certificate of appropriateness and the administrative certificate of appropriateness process.
F. 
"Preservation"
means and includes the identification, study, protection, restoration, rehabilitation, and/or acquisition of cultural resources.
G. 
"Stakeholder"
is a resident or person who is employed or owns a business in the City of Norco.
(Ord. 902 Sec. 1, 2008; Ord. 1092 Sec. 1, 2023)
Appointments will be made for four-year terms. Terms will end on July 1st or until a qualified successor is appointed. The City Clerk shall keep a record of dates of appointments and the terms of office of the members. Terms will be staggered every two years to provide continuity on the Commission.
(Ord. 902 Sec. 1, 2008; Ord. 1092 Sec. 1, 2023)
Commission members shall be persons who, as a result of their education, training, knowledge, and experience, are qualified to analyze and interpret architectural and site planning information, including but not limited to licensed landscape architects and architects, urban planners, engineers, and licensed general contractors, as well as individuals qualified by education or experience with specialization in agriculture, biological science or a closely related field. To the extent available in the community, at least two of the members shall have professional experience or academic credentials in urban planning, architectural history or historic preservation, archaeology, American studies or history, cultural geography, or cultural anthropology and at least two of the members shall have professional, educational, or personal experience in agriculture, biological science or a closely related field. These minimum professional qualifications may be waived by the City Council pursuant to aggressive outreach efforts failing to produce qualified candidates. All members shall have a general knowledge of architectural styles and agriculture prevalent in Norco. All members of the Historic Preservation and Agricultural Heritage Commission shall meet the following requirements:
A. 
Be a citizen of the United States.
B. 
Be at least 18 years of age.
C. 
Be a stakeholder in the City of Norco.
D. 
Possess the qualifications as listed in this section.
E. 
Have taken and filed with the City Clerk the oath required by Section 36507 of the Government Code.
F. 
Have never been convicted of a felony.
(Ord. 902 Sec. 1, 2008; Ord. 928 Sec. 1, 2011; Ord. 984 Sec. 1, 2015; Ord. 1092 Sec. 1, 2023)
Persons appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve only for the unexpired term of the member whose vacancy they fill.
(Ord. 902 Sec. 1, 2008; Ord. 1092 Sec. 1, 2023)
Members of the Commission shall be removed from office or their office declared vacant in the following manner and for any one of the following reasons:
A. 
Failure to meet any one of the requirements for membership in Section 2.26.040, at which time the removal shall be automatic and no action by the City Council shall be necessary.
B. 
By a majority vote of the entire City Council.
C. 
The office of any member of the Commission who misses three successive regular meetings without cause, or five meetings in a 12-month period, including adjourned and special meetings, shall be deemed to be vacant. The City Clerk shall immediately inform the City Council of such vacancy. A written notice to the City Clerk on or before the day of the meeting stating there was an unavoidable absence or an absence due to illness shall be deemed absence for cause.
D. 
At the end of the member's term of office, in which event the removal shall be automatic and no action of the City Council is necessary. At the end of the member's term of office, the Commission member shall continue to serve until the successor's appointment.
(Ord. 902 Sec. 1, 2008; Ord. 1092 Sec. 1, 2023)
The Commission shall elect a Chair and Vice Chair at their first meeting in July of each year.
(Ord. 902 Sec. 1, 2008; Ord. 1092 Sec. 1, 2023)
The Commission shall hold not less than one regular meeting each quarter, such meeting schedules and times to be established by the Commission. Adjourned and special meetings may be called, noticed and held in the manner established by Section 54956 of the California Government Code.
All meetings of the Commission shall be open and public and a majority of the membership shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. A public record (minutes) shall be prepared indicating all actions, findings and determinations of the Commission. A written agenda shall be prepared and distributed to Commission members in advance of all regular meetings. Rules of conduct of the meetings shall be determined by the Commission but shall be in accordance with those rules adopted for the conduct of City Council meetings. The Commission constitutes a "legislative body" as described in the California Government Code.
(Ord. 902 Sec. 1, 2008; Ord. 1092 Sec. 1, 2023)
The Historic Preservation and Agricultural Heritage Commission shall have the following duties:
A. 
The Historic Preservation and Agricultural Heritage Commission shall act solely in an advisory capacity to the City Council, through the City Clerk or designee, staff and other City Commissions, in matters affecting the preservation of cultural resources. The Commission shall not exercise any independent final decision-making authority or expend City funds. Actions of the Historic Preservation and Agricultural Heritage Commission shall not be considered actions of the City and shall not be represented as such;
B. 
The Historic Preservation and Agricultural Heritage Commission shall recommend to the City Council, through the City Clerk or designee, the designation of cultural resources, including individual properties and historic preservation overlay zones;
C. 
The Historic Preservation and Agricultural Heritage Commission shall recommend to the City Council the establishment and maintenance of a register of cultural resources within the City, including all pertinent information for each designation;
D. 
The Historic Preservation and Agricultural Heritage Commission shall review and comment on land use, redevelopment, municipal improvement, and other planning matters and programs undertaken by the City, as they relate to cultural resources of the community when so directed by the City Council or City Clerk;
E. 
The Historic Preservation and Agricultural Heritage Commission shall make recommendations to the City Council, through the City Clerk or designee, on the use of various Federal, State, local or private funding sources and mechanisms available to promote cultural resource preservation in the City;
F. 
The Historic Preservation and Agricultural Heritage Commission shall review applications for certificates of appropriateness related to demolition permits for any designated cultural resource within the City of Norco and make recommendations to the City Council, through the City Clerk or designee, including considerations of economic hardship;
G. 
The Historic Preservation and Agricultural Heritage Commission shall review and make recommendations on applications for development plan approval in compliance with the development code with regard to applications and actions to restore, rehabilitate or alter cultural resources or with regard to any construction within the Historic Preservation Overlay Zone;
H. 
The Historic Preservation and Agricultural Heritage Commission shall make recommendations to the City Council, through the City Clerk or designee, for recognition of owners of cultural resources who have rehabilitated their property in an exemplary manner;
I. 
The Historic Preservation and Agricultural Heritage Commission shall recommend the adoption of criteria and conduct or cause to be conducted a continuing comprehensive survey of cultural resources within the boundaries of the City in conformance with the State Office of Historic Preservation survey standards and guidelines, and publicize and periodically update the survey results;
J. 
The Historic Preservation and Agricultural Heritage Commission shall recommend the adoption of standards, including design guidelines to be used by the City Council and Planning Commission in reviewing applications for permits to rehabilitate, construct, alter, remove, or significantly affect any landmark or property within a Historic Preservation Overlay Zone;
K. 
The Historic Preservation and Agricultural Heritage Commission shall work for the continuing education of the citizens of Norco about the heritage of the City and its cultural resources;
L. 
The Historic Preservation and Agricultural Heritage Commission shall coordinate its activities with Riverside County, the State of California, and the Federal government;
M. 
The Historic Preservation and Agricultural Heritage Commission shall advise the City Council on the acceptance of historic preservation easements, property tax incentives, or other mechanisms for the purpose of cultural resource preservation;
N. 
The Historic Preservation and Agricultural Heritage Commission shall assume any responsibilities and duties as may be assigned to the Commission by the City Council under certified local government provisions of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, including but not limited to cultural resources provisions of the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA);
O. 
Through the City Clerk or designee, as part of the City's CEQA review procedures, the Historic Preservation and Agricultural Heritage Commission shall advise appropriate City departments and governmental entities of known cultural resources; assess and advise the City Council whether any proposed project could have an adverse effect on the significance of such cultural resources; and recommend to the City Council appropriate action in compliance with CEQA;
P. 
The Historic Preservation and Agricultural Heritage Commission shall encourage public participation in the performance of the City of Norco's historic preservation program and in the nomination of cultural resources to the California Register of Historical Resources and the National Register of Historic Places;
Q. 
The Historic Preservation and Agricultural Heritage Commission shall recommend the adoption of and make available nomination application and review procedures by which individuals, organizations, property owners, corporate or governmental entities may nominate cultural resources for designation as landmarks or historic preservation overlay zones;
R. 
The Historic Preservation and Agricultural Heritage Commission shall undertake any other action or activity directed by the City Council.
(Ord. 902 Sec. 1, 2008; Ord. 1092 Sec. 1, 2023)
The Historic Preservation and Agricultural Heritage Commission shall keep complete minutes, books and accounts of their meetings on file in the office of the City Clerk.
(Ord. 902 Sec. 1, 2008; Ord. 1092 Sec. 1, 2023)