The architectural design or "D" district may be combined with any other land use district in order to assure a generally harmonious architectural design to all buildings, landscape features and uses within certain designated districts of the county.

The board of supervisors finds that it is in the public interest for Inyo County to be beautiful, and to preserve and express architecturally and through the use of appropriate building materials, colors and design the historical high-desert culture of the county. This board finds further that such architectural expression is in the public interest in that it does and will enhance the tourism-based economy of the region. This district is not to be construed as a rigid means for controlling the style of buildings, but rather as a device for encouraging those property owners requesting to be within this design or D district to express the best architectural-landscape design interpretation of the climate, natural environment, regional identity, and way of life of the people of Inyo County. It is the intent of this chapter to preserve and enhance the historical western design and appearance of commercial buildings and structures in the county while providing to each owner and/or operator thereof in complying with this chapter the freedom and flexibility to choose among a range of designs, materials and colors.

There is created by this chapter an architectural design review board to be composed of five persons appointed by the chairman with the consent of a majority vote of the board of supervisors. Each appointee shall be a qualified person capable of exercising sound and fair design judgments.

The members shall be:

Each member shall serve a term of two years, without compensation, except that two of the original appointees shall serve one year and three others shall serve three-year terms.

Prior to the issuance of a building permit for any new construction or development, or for major modifications to the exterior of existing structures, in an area within a designated D district building plans, including accurate elevations of each facade and sufficient detailing of exterior materials, shall be submitted by the building inspector to the architectural review board to enable the board to determine whether the proposed construction, development or modification is architecturally acceptable.

The board, in making its decision, shall be governed by the following criteria:

Where Required. In the case of certain uses, the character of which could have substantial adverse effect upon the surrounding environment and general character of the county, by reason of the appearance of the structures, arrangement or use of the land, such uses may be required as a qualifying condition to their permissibility for approval of the planning commission, building, site and operational plans.

Use by Right Not Infringed. Such required approval shall be limited solely to reasonable compliance with design, location, color and operational requirements and shall not involve the basic permissibility of the use where such use is permitted by right.

Criteria. In determining the acceptability of the building, site or operational plans, the planning commission shall take into consideration the following factors as well as any others they seem appropriate:

A site plan of the property accurately dimensioned showing the location of all existing and proposed structures and uses;

General building plans including either elevations or perspective drawings showing the exterior appearance;

A statement describing the basic operational characteristics of the proposed use.