The purpose and intent of this chapter is to establish design standards that shall apply city-wide for preservation of the historic image of the City of Sutter Creek, together with an application review process to facilitate implementation of said standards.

(Ord. 360 §4, 2015)

The city council adopted design standards by Resolution 15-15-13 that are utilized in determining whether construction and development proposals are consistent with the adopted aesthetic and preservation goals of the city. The design standards include criteria for those aspects of structure and site design deemed important by the city council. The standards shall be made available to assist property owners, architects, contractors, and realtors in complying with this chapter.

(Ord. 360 §4, 2015; Ord. 373, §23(a), 2023)

A.

The design standards apply to every project in the city that requires either a building permit or a planning entitlement, or both, including each of the following: new construction; alterations to the exterior of an existing structure; repair of exterior features on an existing structure; additions to the exterior of an existing structure; moving an existing structure; demolition of an existing structure; and new subdivisions. In addition, within the Main Street historic district, these design standards also apply to the repair, maintenance, and painting of existing structures and facilities when neither a building permit nor planning entitlement is required. The design elements of each project (including site design, architecture, landscaping, signs, parking design) will be reviewed on a comprehensive basis.

B.

The review authority may interpret the design standards on a case-by-case basis by applying flexibility in their application to specific projects, as not all design criteria may be workable or appropriate for every project, as established in section 1.3.3 of the design standards. The overall objective is to ensure that the intent and sprit of the design standards are implemented.

(Ord. 360 §4, 2015; Ord. 373, §23(b), 2023)

The city council shall establish a design review committee (DRC) to make determinations and/or recommendations to the community development director and the planning commission with respect to a project's level of compliance with the design standards. The design review committee shall consist of five members appointed to three-year overlapping terms by the city council. All meetings of the committee shall be conducted in accordance with the open meeting laws of the State of California and such rules of procedure as the committee may establish for the conduct of its business.

(Ord. 360 §4, 2015; Ord. 362 §1, 2016)

For those areas of the city which due to their historical, economic or cultural significance, require special considerations to preserve or enhance existing structures and develop new structures as a community resource, historic districts shall be created and defined by the design standards. The design standards shall establish for the historic districts special standards designed to encourage and ensure preservation of each district's unique historic aesthetic and cultural resources.

(Ord. 360 §4, 2015)

All projects for activities to which this chapter applies shall undergo design review before obtaining design clearance; design clearance shall be required before the application(s) may be processed for permitting and/or before the proposed activity is commenced. The design review process is established in section 1.4 of the design standards.

Any decision made by city staff may be appealed to the design review committee, and any decision made by the design review committee may be appealed to the planning commission. Decisions made by the planning commission may be appealed to the city council in accordance with chapter 2.53 of this Code.

(Ord. 360 §4, 2015; Ord. 362 §2, 2016; Ord. 373, §23(c), 2023)

Applicants for design clearance shall provide to the city information sufficient for determining consistency with the design standards. The city will provide forms listing the information required for each type of design clearance.

Additional information may be needed to evaluate certain types of projects. It shall be the responsibility of the applicant to provide any and all information and data deemed necessary by the city to evaluate the project's level of compliance with the design standards.

(Ord. 360 §4, 2015)